The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-08-15
DIR. NANSEN'S OWN STORY
Record OF the Journey to the Highest Point
Ever Reached by Man.

Record OF the Journey to the Highest Point
Ever Reached by Man.
London, Aug. 15.---The story in detail
by the explorer himself. of DR.. Frid
Jof Nansen's Arctic expedition and the
adventures Of his party. together with
the scientific results obtained. first of
which is his success in penetrating to
the highest latitude hitherto trod by
the foot of man, namely Sc degrees. IA
minutes north, are given to the world
by the Chronicle this morning, following
the story by jackson of the finding or
Nansen. contained in a dispatch from
Vardoe, Norway, yesterday to the AS
ISOLATED Press DR.. NanSen says IN
the Chronicle:
1.-The Fran left Jugor strait August 4.
1893 We had to force our way throug n
much ice along the Siberian coast. We
discovered an island in the Kara sea
and a great number of islands along
the coast Of Cape CheljuSkin. In sew
eral places we found evidences OF q gla-
cial epoch, durink which northern ST.
IBERIA must have been covered by inland
ice to great extent.
ION September IL, we were off the
mouth of Olenex river but We thought
it was too late to go in there to fetch
year. We passed the New Siberian
islands September p. We made fast
to a foe in latitude IS degrees, 80 min
utes north. and in longitude 133 de-
grees. 81 minutes east. We then al
lowed the ship TO be closed in by the
ice.
"As anticipated. We were gradually
drifted north and northwestward dur
ing the autumn and winter from the
constantly exposed and violent press
ure but she (the Franz surpassed our
expectations, being superior to any
strain. The temperature fell rapidly
and was constantly low, with little vari-
alton for the whole winter. During
weeks the mercury was frozen. The
lowest temperature was 60 degrees be-
low zero.
Every man on board was in perfect
health during the whole voyage. The
electric light generated by a wind mill
fulfilled our expectations. The most
friendly feeling existed and time passed
Pleasantly. Each one made pleasure
his duty and a better lot of men could
hardly be found.
THE sea was up TO nine fathoms deep
south OF az degrees north, where the
depth suddenly increased and was from
1s600 to 800 fathoms. north Of that lati-
tude. This necessarily upset all pre-
vfous theories based on shallow basin.
The sea bottom was remarkably devoid
OF organic matter During the whole
drift. 1 had a good opportunity TO take
series of scientific observations. me
neurological. magnetic, astronomical and
biological; soundings, deep sea temper
atures. examinations for the salinity of
the sea water etc. Under the stra tun
OF cold icewater covering the surface Of
the polar basin, / soon discovered warm
er and more saline water, due 10 the
glf stream at a temperature from 3
degrees TO IS degrees.
1--WE saw land and no open water. ex-
cept narrow cracks, in any direction.
As anticipated. our drift northwest
ward was most rapid during the win
ter and spring, while the northerly
winds stopped or drifted US backward
during the summer. On June Is. 1894
We were in 81 degrees, 80 minutes north,
but we drifted then southwark only.
On October q, We passed 81 degrees
north. On Christmas eve. 1894, latitude
S. degrees north was reached and few
days later So degrees, "A minutes. the
furtherst north latitude previously
reached by man
On January 6 anu =. lHe r ram was
exposed to the most violent ice press
ures we experienced. She was then
firmly frozen in ice of more than thirty
feet of measured thickness. This foe
was overriden by great ice masses
which were pressed against the port
side with irrestible force and threaten
ed to bury. II not crush her The neces-
sary provisions with the canvass kyaks
and other equipments had been placed
safely upon the ice. Every man was
ready 70 leave the ship II necessary and
was prepared 70 continue with the drif.,
living on the foe. But the Fran prov
ed even stronger than our trust in her.
When the pressure rose 70 the hiRa@st
and the ice was piled up high above
the buIwarkS. she was broken loose ard
slowly lifted ont Of her bed IN Eksc1
she had been frozen. but not the s!ig5i-
est sign % split was 20 Re discovered
anywhere in her. After that experience,
/ consider the Fran almost equal 20
anything in the way % pressure. A.
terwards We experienced nothing more
OF the kind but our drift was rapidly
continued north and nortnxesz wsfi-
As now. with certainty. anticipate
tia, the Fran would soon r@sch Der
highest latitude north - Fraz JOSEF
Land and that sne would not Easily IA
20 carry out TIE program ~ fns srl'-si-
Ion. viz To cross ne unknOEn poiar
hzsiD- 7 decided - 1esvS the snip u
or1s- 70 explore the 50 a0rrn 81 n@r
route Lieutenant 50hosOS7n Eof1a-
TERED 10 JOIN me and ! csSid not EASILY
have found a better companion n every
respect TIE leadership y the exYeti-
ton On board the Fran I i=fi % Cap
tain SVerder1p With mZca trssi IN
rs qoaif1cssiUns a. q leader and nis
ability n cxe7coan- dgf.caiTs~s. i have
TO fear bat that ne sill bring al ne
men safely back even = fE% ~orxf
should hspp@a ana tie Fran % sSst-
wHsch consider smrrooz6ls.
-Oa March :. we reached - degrees