The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-08-15
Remarkable Meeting of Two
Exploring Expeditions.
NANSEN NEAREST THE POLE
Passed All Other Explorers by
Four Degrees.
ABANDONED T1E S. EAMER FRAN
The Norwegian and English EXP orers
Lived Within TWO Miles of
One Another Without
Knowing II.
Knowing II.


tain of the Windward, the British
steamer which has just returned from
Franz Josef Land after taking supplies
to the British North Pole expedition
commanded by Jackson, and known as
the Jackson-H n-Harmsworth expedition,
filed telegraphic message here yes
terday describing the accidental meet
ing between Jackson and Dr. Nansen,
and forming one of the most remark
able incidents in the history of Arctic
exploration, for it appears that the
Norwegian explorers had been living
in hut quite close 10 one of the Eng
lish explorers stations for a long
time previous to the meeting of the
two men. yet neither of them was
| aware of the others presence in that
vicinity. In this message jackson
describes his accidental meeting with
DE-. Nansen while the latter was tray-
ersing the ice pack and it appears that
il was lucky meeting for the Norwe-
gian explorer, as the latter was mis-
leAowing to inaccuracies in the map
dNHn by Payor, the discoyerer OF
Franz Josef nd,and also because DIR,
Nansen's two chronometers and his
watch having stopped, he was quite
1
| was consequently trying to march
| westward to Spitzbergen over the ice
| pack which was not only highly dam
gerous but probably impossible.
Jackson, after meeting Nansen, con-
| Quoted the latter to Elmwood, the
headquarters of the British expedition,
| where the Doctor awaited the arrival
| of the Winward which left the Thames
on June 10 and Vardo on June %, to
take supplies to the Jackson eXpedi-
| tion and not to bring them back, as
currently reported.
Jackson, in the dispatch filed by tho
| Captain of the Windward, said:
"0n june II, | met DIR. Nansen three
miles out on q foe, S. S. f., of Capt.
Flora and under most extraordinary
circumstances. He had wintered in
| rough hut within a mile or two Of our
| northern point in 1895 and this spring
| we unwittingly came within a few
miles of his winter quarters.
DIR. Nansen left the Fran with one
companion, Lieut.. Sigard Schottan-
sen, lieutenant in the Norwegian Navy
and director of the astronomical, me-
teorological andmagnetico observations.
| and reached latitude S.14 travelling
Northeast from where he left the
Fran, which was in 81 North 102 East.
'Dr. Nansen expressed the greatest
surprise and the liveliest satisfaction
at meeting with us. You understand
how greatly the meeting affected me
ana my pleasure at the extraordinary
chance which had thrown it in my
way to reQder him service and restore
him to his friends"
Jackson then describes his own ex-
periences on exploring the western
parts of Franz Josef Land, telling how
Ire has drawn extensive. accurate maps
| and has discovered new regions.
DIR. NANSBNiS EXPEDITION.
Malmo, Sweden, Aug. 14.-The news
paper Dagensny has received
communications from DR.. Nausen and
Lieutenant Schotthansen, from the
Island of Nardo, These com1nunica-
tions state that they abandoned the
Fran in the autumn of 1895. and ge-
sorted to the ice
DR.. Nansen failed to reach she north
pole, but he touched a point four de-
grees nearer thaa any other explorer
has done.
DIR. Fridtiof Nansen, the Norwegian
scientist, now about thirty-six years
old, sailed from Christian;a. June pa
1898, on a voyage of discovery to the
arctic regions, ana with the intention
of reaching the north pole, If possible
He embarked On board the three mast
ed schooner Fram, which was provided
with 160-horse power engine. She
was OF 500 ton, and her sides we've so
constructed as 20 force all ice meeting
the vessel to pass under it, thus pre- 4
venting all ''pinching" and 'screwing.'
The Esar11 xNac launched a Tra,1ex.,iIr