V 



Dr. G. N E u M A Y E R (Hamburg), Prof. Otto Pettersson (Stockholm), Prof. 

 0. E. Schi0tz, Dr. L. Schmelck, Mr. Robert H. Scott (London), 

 Prof. Alexander Supan (Gotha), General A. von Tillo (St. Petersburg), 

 Baron E. von Toll (Dorpat), Dr. Hercules Torn0E, Prof. Sophus 

 ToRUP, Prof. N. WiLLE, and Mr. Edv^^ard Whymper. 



For the preparation of this Report, I have been fortunate enough to 

 secure the co-operation of some of the first authorities in the various bran- 

 ches of science, all of whom, with friendly readiness, undertook the elaboration 

 of the material. Thanks to the liberal assistance of the council of the 

 Fridtjof Hansen Fund for the Advancement of Science, the necessary means 

 for pubHshing this Report has been placed at my disposal. I thus hope that 

 I shall be successful in my endeavour to make the volumes, both as to contents 

 and appearance, worthy of the Norwegian Nation and the zealous and devoted 

 work of my brave companions in the expedition. 



During the preparation of the work, I have constantly kept in view the 

 fact that we have traversed unknown regions of the Earth, regions which 

 will not probably be visited again for some time to come. All observations 

 made by us having thus an additional value, I have thought it right that 

 everything should be worked up with the greatest possible care, and nothing 

 be left out which might prove of the slightest interest. Being aware that this 

 will probably, for a series of years hence, form a standard work as regards 

 our knowledge of the North Polar Basin, I am trying to make all the informa- 

 tion as trustworthy as possible by giving, in most cases, the original ob- 

 servations and material in full, so that the reader may be able to judge for 

 himself how far the results or conclusions drawn are reliable, or may be able 

 to draw his own conclusions. This may in several cases, e. g. the astrono- 

 mical, meteorological, magnetic, oceanographic and auroral observations, add 

 considerably to the size of the work ; but it will, I hope, also materially increase 

 its scientific value. 



In order to place the various Memoirs before the scientific world at 

 the earliest possible date, they are printed as they are finished, without 



