New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-16
DR.. NANSEN'S ITINERARY.


expedition
DR.. NANsENs ITINERARY
When we have got our dogs and COAL and II the
strait and the Kara Sea open, we shall make
way eastward along the As!atic coast as quick
ly as possible The first part OF the way through
the Kara Sea will perhaps be the worst as the
ice is often very bad there. More easteriy, the
water running out from the rivers generally forces
| the ice little from the coast, leaving an open
passage along the shore. We shall nave TO pass
! Cape Chelyuskin the most northern point OF the
continent. which has only once before been passed
famous expedition II We still find open water we
shall eastward along the coast until we reach
the mouth of the Olenek River, to the east OF the
Lena Delta II We have timo | shall go in there
TO take twcnty-six sledge dogs which are waiting
for us The reason why want to get dogs there
also is that the dogs from East Siberia stronger
and better than the West Siberian ones: therefore
Baron Toll who is now travelling in Siberia. pro-
posed this. and has now kindly arranged this depot
FOR me- 1t is he also who arranged with Trontnelm
about these other dogs. II We get too many dogs.
II Is OF easy to pick out the best ones OF the
From Oenek I shall steer northeast toward the
season is favorable hope 10 nnd open water a
good bit northward into the unknown regions. We
shall go as FAR az we can northward in open water
and when We can do so no more, choose our pace
and run the Franz into the tee
Then our work will be done for long time
probably, as the ice VIII have to carry US further
north That such will be the case. II we only get
far enough norhward in open water. | do not
doubt. We shall then arrange our ship as pest
we can to make her comfortable winter quarter
II we drift many years In this way the life may
become somewhat monotonous but We shall have
plenty " things to 10 TO pass tho time. There IS
regions Tho climate must be observed elch hour
tho tee Itself and It's formation; the Northern
Lights mus, be watched, the magnetism OF the
earth. and 1, new land Is met with this must be
In the long. Hight summers the life is almost gay
up there Then the sun sends It's refreshins
glorious llgh-day and night-over this frozen white
Ice world and does not disappear for many months:
and there Wi, be excursions In all directions on our
ski Norwegian
drawn 10y the doss or. even still better. standing
~, pace over the fat foes II any land
is discovered. we might even get good shooting.
IL THE LONG ARCTIC NIGHT
Pm, after the brigh, day the long, dark
Arctic night when the temperature sinks lower
than perhaps anybody knows. Then there VIII not
be much to do In the open air. except to take the
necessary meteorological and astronomical OBJ
seryations besides a little exercise and. perhaps
10 take a drive with tho dogs while the moon is
shining In our winter quarters there Is. however
much to be lone. and shall certainly do our
best 20 lead cheerful lfe.
have already said that We have snug saloon
10 I've in and We have electric HIGHT to make us
forget the absent sun. But many viii perhaps ask
how shall get the necessary power to produce
the electricity as We could not AFFORD TO burn coa
for that purpose. This IS not; however, so very
complicated. ON one hand We have the "'nd ana
by the help OF a big windmill We shall be able 10
work the dynamo. AMI BY the help o. our accumu-
latOrs shall be able TO store UP 's'flc,v '9i
some time wi We get gale: But When there IL
no wind. We have ourselves. We are thirteen men,
ana when capsian IS arranged on deck we shal
be able to 10 work similar to that when a morse
does IN TIA horse-mill on land In this capstan four
men take their turn AZ "A time; mus We shaI' OBTAIN
good and regular exercise. and be useful at the
same time. When the sun disappears and me long
night comes on, We SHAH take our walk IN ring
on the deck OF the Fran 10 produce our own sun
not say FOR certain that we snail not ionS Tor me
natural sun. and look eagerly forward 10 us APP
pearancc again in the dawn Of sprins Then II VIII
pour its blessed light into our souls ,.
:. Upon the whole we shall lead quite pleasant
that I'm spite OF all precautions. she may be lost.
It will certainly be sad moment when when We ,, shan
have to say farewell TO our dear FRAN put we
shall be able to go on all the same We have
many boats with US OF different sizes two OF these
very big and are specally built for ire event
OF such an accident They are - feet long ana
feet broad; they have deck. and can really be
regarded as two small reserve ships The whole
crew can live pretty comfortably even In one OF
provisions on besides disaster can hardly come so
suddenly that shall not be able to see before,
provs,o an and fuel on the ice Then there viii be
danger drift on with the ice lust as
the boats viii ' stand on tho ice, and thus cannot
easily be crushed by the foes.
as we had in the Fran but It is not difficult to
make these boats good. warm winter quarters by
e hep :, OF s h s sn boats YARN shouh Also be- lost we
can build snow-huts on the Ice
DIR. NANSEN'S CONFIDENCE.
How long the expedition Will last is OF course.
very difficult to calculate beforehand as we do not
know much OF the speed OF the current with which
we are going to travel I believe. however, there
Is not much probability that II will take more than
three years TIL come out into open sea again.
or to somewhere from whence we can return home;
and as we have taken provisions for five or even
six years, I think shall not run the risk OF
starving
It has been said that this expedition Is very
risky; indeed. believe this is the general opinion.
I uh q cor
sidered risky are however, OF different kinds Some
people say there Is such current as have sup
posed-the ice docs not move at ALL others say
the Ice Is only carried along by occasional winds;