584 FARTHEST NORTH 



through Austria Sound towards the south coast of Franz 

 Josef Land, and thence to Novaya Zenilya or Spitzbergen, 

 the latter by preference. We may, of course, find English- 

 men on Franz Josef Land, but that we must not reckon on. 



" Such, then, is my calculation. Have I made it 

 recklessly? No, I think not. The only thing would 

 be if during the latter part of the journey, in May, we 

 should find the surface like what we had here last spring, 

 at the end of May, and should be considerably delayed 

 by it. But this would only be towards the very end of 

 our time, and at worst it could not be entirely impassable. 

 Besides, it would be strange if we could not manage to 

 average \\\ miles a day during the whole of the journey, 

 with an average load for each dog of from 30 to 40 

 pounds — it would not be more. However, if our cal- 

 culations should prove faulty, we can always, as afore- 

 said, turn back at any moment. 



" What 7cn/orcscc?i obstacles may confront us ? 



" I. The ice may be more impracticable than was 



supposed. 

 " 2. We may meet with land. 

 " 3. The dogs may fail us, may sicken, or freeze to 



death. 

 " 4. We ourselves may suffer from scurvy. 



" I and 2. That the ice may be more impracticable 

 farther north is certainly possible, but hardly probable. 

 I can see no reason why it should be, unless we have 



