FEBRUARY 25, 1897 | 
WATURE 
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the north-west poimt of Spitzbergen on August 13, 
1896, after having been for 1041 days out of sight 
of land. 
While the yam was tracing out her intended path in 
comparative tranquillity the originator of the expedition, 
with one companion, was engaged on a far more adven- 
turous journey. Nansen and Johansen left the comfort 
and plenty of their safe quarters on board on March 14, 
1895, and pushed northward over the hummocky ice with 
dog-sledges carrying kayaks, until April 4, when the 
failure of the dogs made it necessary to turn in 86° 14’, 
N., nearly 200 miles beyond any former seeker of the 
pole. No land was seen, only an interminable floe. By 
May 19 they were back at 83 20, and but for the mis- 
fortune of allowing their watches to run down, and so 
losing their longitude, they would in all probability have | 
reached Spitzbergen in the autumn of 1895. It was the 
one error of the expedition, and it was heavily paid for, 
crushed is always greatest when the floating ice is driven 
against a resisting shore. Possibly the #7 would have 
resisted any pressure, for even in the severest trial to 
which she was subjected, when the advancing pressure- 
mound rose high on the rigging and the noise of the 
crashing ice was louder than thunder, she did not sustain 
the slightest.damage. The photograph reproduced in 
Fig. 2 shows the crew of the Fram cutting away the 
pressure-mound of ice that had been hurled against 
one side of the vessel. 
Little as either Nansen or Sverdrup makes of the 
dangers, and cheerily as their comrades bore themselves. 
throughout, no one reading this book can fail to feel 
the profoundest respect and admiration for every one of 
them; and the public of this country has testified this 
to Nansen by a reception such as no scientific man or 
traveller has received before. ‘This is a tribute to the 
calm and unswerving pursuit of an idea based on sound 
(Copyrignt by Archibald Constable and Co., 1897 
Fic. 2.—Digging out the Fvavz, March 1895. 
for it involved the dismal wintering in a miserable hut 
on “ Frederick Jackson’s Island,” living on bear and 
walrus meat from August 26, 1895, to May 19, 1896. A 
month’s journey southwards in the spring brought them 
to Mr. Jackson’s headquarters at Cape Flora, whence 
they sailed in the Windward on August 7, and returned 
safely to Vard6 on the 13th. a 
The more one thinks over the details of this expedition 
the more remarkable does it appear. The strong current 
which Nansen believed to cross the polar area was not 
indeed found quite as he expected it, but there was an 
average drift due to prevailing winds in the predicted 
direction and of the predicted velocity. No land what- 
ever was encountered, but a sea nearly two thousand 
fathoms deep. The resourcefulness of the leader is 
shown in his making a long sounding-line from one of 
his wire cables which was untwisted for the purpose in a 
ropewalk extemporised on the ice. The deep sea was 
fortunate, for the danger of a vessel being nipped and 
NO. 1426, VOL. 55 | 
reasoning, and carried into effect by the highest personal 
qualities of courage, faithfulness and brotherly kindness. 
Many points invite special notice, such as the interest- 
ing descriptions of the formation of pressure-mounds 
(hummocks) and cracks in the ice, even during the 
coldest weather. The occasional spells of high tem- 
perature in winter are suggestive of fohn effects ; but 
these will, of course, be duly discussed in the scientific 
report. One very extraordinary phenomenon, known as 
“dead water,” was noticed in the Kara Sea, and we 
hope that such observations were made at the time as 
will enable its true nature to be discovered. It is de- 
scribed (vol. i. p. 174) as a layer of fresh water which is 
_ carried along by the ship, slipping over the surface of the 
| 
salt water below, and retarding the progress of the vessel. 
How a steamer with the propeller working in strong sea 
| water can fail to cut through a superficial layer of fresh 
water, is very difficult to understand. 
HuGH ROBERT MILL. 
