704 APPENDIX 



ceived, when he set foot again in his native country after the 

 long and famous expedition,' but was very kind and good-hu- 

 mored when I begged his pardon for the rudeness with which I 

 had received him. In my inmost heart I made an even warmer 

 apology than I had stammered out in my first embarrassment. 



" When Sverdrup was seated, the first question was natural!}' 

 as to the way he had come. They had just arrived from off the 

 coast of Spitzbergen. On the 13th they had got out into open 

 water, where they almost immediately met with Captain Botolf- 

 sen, from Tromso, who was there with his whaling-ship. They 

 had brought him with them. They had next visited Andree, who 

 was about to pack up and go home, and had then proceeded to 

 this place. They had first learned from Botolfsen, and then 

 from Andree, who ought to have had some of the latest tidings 

 from Norway, that nothing was known about Nansen, whom 

 they hoped to find at home, and the joy they were feeling at 

 the prospect of reaching home soon was considerabh' damped 

 by this news. 



"' Ah, but I can give you news of Nansen,' said I. ' He ar- 

 rived at Vardo on August 13th, and is now at Hammerfest. 

 He's probably starting for Tromso to-day in an English yacht.' 



"' Has Nansen arrived?' 



" The stalwart form bounded up in a state of excitement rare- 

 ly shown by this man, and exclaiming, ' I must tell the others at 

 once,' he vanished out of the door, 



" A moment later he returned, accompanied by Scott-Hansen. 

 Blessing, Mogstad, and Bentzen, all of them perfectly wild with 

 joy at the latest news, which crowned all, and allowed them to give 

 full vent to their exultation at being once more in their native land 

 after their long and wearisome absence, which the uncertain fate 

 of their leader and his comrade would otherwise have damped. 

 And they did rejoice! ' Is it true? Has Nansen arrived?' was 

 repeated on all sides. ' What a day this is, what joy ! And 

 what a curious coincidence that Nansen should arrive on the 

 same day that we cleared the last ice and steered homeward !' 

 And they congratulated each other, all quivering with emotion, 

 these sturdy fellows. 



