The Van Buren press., 1896-11-14
STORIES OF NANsER's CREW.
Polar Hears Too Familiar when ths
Fran Was Frozen In.

Fran Was Frozen IN.
A. Is only natural. all the people OF
Tronso take the liyeliest interest IN the
Nansen expedition, more especially as
tnrae men Of the ships complement,
viz. Pilot Jacobsen and two sailors De
long 10 this port. So any Of the Fran $
men who happen to be about is always
surrounded by knot of eager listeners,
I, whom he has TO recount ms aaseh-
tures. often illustrating his meaning oy
n rough sketch with piece of chalk or
a mcneil. The men are all good-haturea
fellows. and seem willing enough to
talk. and many is the exciting discussion
as 10 whether the Fran should nave
entered the ice north or south OF the
New Siberian islands and SO form,
Here are some of the yarns which nave
delighted the Tromso people;
In the perpetual darkness OF winter
in the desolate polar regions, we
could hardly see our hands before our
faces. One night, when the ships COM
panv were snug below, we suddenly
heard the dogs barking most furiousiy.
Ii was the ships carpenter Mogstaa :
watch, so we went up on deck to see IL
ANYTHING unusual was going on, but
as we could see nothing, we went down
below again, concluding that the dogs
were lust barking for the sake OF bark
ing. as is their wont. However, the
noise was repeated at intervals, SO we
went up on deck again, and, taking
lantern. saw that several of the animals
had disappeared, and that some others
were overheard on the ice. Mogstad
called out for Henriksen, and they both
let themselves down ON the ice from the
deck of the ship, which at the time
was high above the ice surface. They
walked off little distance from the
ship. to see if they could find any tracks.
As they were searching about, with
no more formidable weapon than
small lantern between them. All at once
a polar bear sprang up before them.
Then there was race between the three
the two men and the bear-to the
ship. Mogstad, bit more lightfooted
than his mate, reached the Fran first,
but fell down twice on the ice as he
was climbing up her side. At the Sec
ond fall he could not help muttering TO
himself: Now the bears got you, my
friend" But despair steadied his nerves.
and he managed to hoist himself safe
~ up behind the ships bulwarks. He
had hardly got on board, however, when
he heard his comrade call out and saw
that the bear had got hold of him, and
had bitten him. But Henriksen, who IS
n big, powerful, resolute fellow, dealt
his assailant such blow on the head
with the lighted lantern he was carry
ing that the brute, half stunned and
half scared, let go its prey, and Hem
riksen seized the opportunity to skip
up the Fram's side. The bear re-
venged itself by Selling one of the dogs.
On a closer investigation being made,
il was found that the bear had paid
two visits to the ship during the night,
creeping in through an open port hole,
and had carried off dog each time.
One day when hansen and Johansen
had to pass along somewhat narrow
path they were suddenly attacked by
bear. Johansen, who is a man of no or.
binary strength, caught hold of the en-
emy's throat with grip of iron, and
held him at arms length till hansen
was able to get his rife and lay the
bear low. North of S4 degrees no an
imal life was found to exist, and this
would seem to cast some discredit on
the hitherto prevalent theory that if
sufficiently high latitude could be at
tanned one would come to dry land and
open water, because birds are to be
seen flying toward the extreme north
This northerly fight of the birds is now
believed to be caused by their hav-
ing lost their way on being blown out
Of their course. One day at So degrees
latitude a seal was perceived from on
board the Fran, with a founder in is
mouth. On the approach of the vessel,
the seal went up away over the ice.
A founder was also observed about II
miles from Bear island. The depth Of
the water in the extreme north also
seems to indicate that there can be no
land near. Soundings taken at 81
degrees latitude gave a depth of from
1910 to 1880 fathoms (2.400 to $500
meters) and farther north the lead
reached even greater depths-as much
as 2,166 fathoms $4,000 meters), it Is
said.-Cor. London Standard.