342 
THE NANSEN POLAR EXPEDITION 
they set out for Spitzbergen. On May 23d they came to open 
water, at 81° 5' north latitude, but were delayed by a heavy gale 
until the 3d of June. They saw a large body of land in the west, 
with open water spreading out to the north and west of it, but 
they concluded to go over the ice to the southward, into a broad 
unknown strait. When they reached the southern end of this 
strait they found the open sea to the westward. It was while 
struggling over the ice off the coast of this laud that they came 
upon the Jacksou-Harmsworth expedition, which happened on 
the morning of the 17th of June, 1896. It was Nansen’s turn 
to cook that day, and he had risen early to get breakfast, while 
Johansen lay in under the shelter they had constructed of the 
two kayaks and the sails of their sleds. Suddenly Nansen called 
out, “ I hear the barking of dogs ; there must be people near.” 
Johansen sprang up, but could hear nothing. In the meantime 
they decided to finish their meal, and then Nansen Avent forth 
to search for the source of the sounds he had heard. He had 
not been gone long when Johansen distinctly heard the barking 
of dogs himself, and not long thereafter a party of men from the 
Jackson expedition made their appearance. The}'^ prepared at 
once to take Johansen and the camping effects Avith them to 
the Jackson headquarters, Avhere Nansen had iDreceded them. 
Among the articles they took Avith them Avere the kayaks, or flat- 
bottomed canvas boats, Avhich had carried the tAVO men for so 
many days. The}^ Avere made of a frame of bamboo, covered 
Avith sailcloth. One boat had been made by Nansen and the 
otlier by Mogstad, the carpenter on the Fram. They Aveighed 
some tAventy pounds each, and Avere about tAventy feet long, com- 
pletely decked over, Avith a hole in the middle for the roAver, and 
in each end a smaller opening through Avhich to get at the pro- 
visions and anything else stoAved under the boAvs and stern. 
These boats Avere noAV perfectly black Avith the grease and oil 
which had been smeared over them continually to keep them 
Avater-tight. Besides the boats, there Avere the sleeping-bags, old 
and ragged, their snoAvshoes, paddles, guns, bear-skin traces for 
dragging the sleds, etc. Their only cooking utensil Avas exceed- 
ingly primitive, and in the bottom of it Avere left the remains of 
the last meal cooked in it, a sort of soup, made of salt Avater, the 
meat of a young Avalrus, and a little corn meal. It is said that 
it Avould be impossible for the ciA'ilized Avorld to picture to itself 
the appearance of Nansen and Johansen as they stood before 
the English explorers, their beards long and unkem])!, their hair 
