456 FARTHEST NORTH 



more than a few cable- lengths farther north. Some- 

 times there were indications in the sky that there must 

 be large stretches of open water in our vicinity, and 

 we could now and then see from the crow's-nest large 

 spaces of clear water in the horizon; but they could 

 not have been large enough to be of much use when it 

 came to a question of pushing forward with a ship. 



Sanguine folk on board, however, attached more im- 

 portance to such open stretches. June 15th I wrote 

 in my diary : " There are several lanes visible in dif- 

 ferent directions, but none of them is wide or of any 

 great extent. The mate, however, is always insist- 

 ing that we shall certainly get open water before au- 

 tumn, and be able to creep along northward, while 

 with the rest, Sverdrup excepted, it seems to be a gen- 

 erally accepted belief. Where they are to get their open 

 water from I do not know. For the rest, this is the first 

 ice-bound expedition that has not spent the summer 

 spying after open water, and sighing and longing for the 

 ice to disperse. I only wish it may keep together, and 

 hurry up and drift northward. Everything in this life 

 depends on what one has made up one's mind to. One 

 person sets forth to sail in open water, perhaps to the 

 very Pole, but gets stuck in the ice and laments ; another 

 is prepared to get stuck in the ice, but will not grumble 

 even should he find open water. It is ever the safest 

 plan to expect the least of life, for then one often gets 

 the most." 



