1 82 FARTHEST NORTH 



back now with redoubled strength, and all nature seems 

 one mighty, thrilling song of praise ! Is it because of 

 the contrast with this poor, barren, sunless land of mists 

 — without a tree, without a bush — nothing but stones and 

 clay ? No peace in it either — nothing but an endless 

 struggle to get north, always north, without a moment's 

 delay. Oh, how one yearns for a little careless happi- 

 ness !" 



Next day we were again ready to sail, and I tried to 

 force the Fraui on under steam against wind and current. 

 But the current ran strong as a river, and we had to 

 be specially careful with the helm ; if we gave her the 

 least thing too much she would take a sheer, and we 

 knew there were shallows and rocks on all sides. We 

 kept the lead going constantly. For a time all went well, 

 and we made way slowly, but suddenly she took a sheer 

 and refused to obey her helm. She went off to starboard. 

 The lead indicated shallow water. The same moment 

 came the order, " Let go the anchor!" And to the 

 bottom it went with a rush and a clank. There we lay 

 with 4 fathoms of water under the stern and 9 fathoms 

 in front at the anchor. We were not a moment too soon. 

 We got the Frams head straight to the wind, and tried 

 again, time after time, but always with the same result. 

 The attempt had to be given up. There was still the 

 possibility of making our way out of the sound to lee- 

 ward of the land, but the water got quickly shallow there, 

 and we might come on rocks at any moment. We could 



