48 FARTHEST NORTH 



coast or the American polar islands he is of opinion 

 that, supposing a landing could be effected, there would 

 be no probability at all of salvation. Assuming that a 

 landing could be effected, it must be on an inhospitable 

 and probably ice-bound coast, or on the mountainous 

 ice of a pala^ocrystic sea. With a certainly enfeebled, 

 and probably reduced ship's company, there could, in 

 such a case, be no prospect of reaching succor. Putting 

 aside the possibility of scurvy (against which there is 

 no certain prophylactic), have the depressing influence 

 on the minds of the crew resulting from long confine- 

 ment in very close quarters during many months of dark- 

 ness, extreme cold, inaction, ennui, constant peril, and the 

 haunting uncertainty as to the future, been sufficiently 

 taken into account } Perfunctor)^ duties and occupations 

 do not avert the effects of these conditions ; they hardly 

 mititjate them, and have been known to aoo'ravate them. 

 I do not consider the attainment of Dr. Nansen's object 

 by the means at his disposal to be impossible ; but I do 

 consider that the success of such an enterprise would 

 not justify the exposure of valuable lives for its attain- 

 ment." 



In America, General Greely, the leader of the ill-fated 

 expedition generally known by his name (1881-S4), wrote 

 an article in The Fonini (August, 1891), in which he 

 says, among other things: ''It strikes me as almost in- 

 credible that the plan here advanced by Dr. Nansen 

 should receive encouragement or support. It seems to 



