The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-22

two kayaks, and we had the same twsnty-siRht
dogs rs before.
THE OF MARcHISG.
ut was my hope rs we got further north that
we should fud smoother ice, the Ice there being
older, and It's uncvennese therefore better COW
cred NJ, by the drifting snow. This appeared at
easy to get over, and did some me good days,
marches. On March go we had already reached
we could cover greater and greater distances as
the sledge loads grew lighter with the daily con.
SoTss Tho Of d tSSd t on ' ss, PSss 10 Of b SStr o %o fa nqS
well. But by and by the foes began to be more
uneven and packed, together, and the drift,
which until then had seemed to be slight, was
On March 20 We had reached So 10, north
vionsly drifting southwark at a good rate.
while at the same time our progress over the
fonEn ice o WAS siow' ~ wash nST nd iaI ,h:
eledgcs over tho high ~hummocks and plled-up
ridges of ice which wore always being formed
time to smooth over. IN such ice the dogs, OF
course, were of very little assistance. When
waited patiently until we had carried the
sledCes safely over. and they could once, more
u fresh obstacle.
PACKING OF THE ICE.
Tho ice was in constant movement and
laundering around us on all sides. On April )
S %s w WGf0 al IL sSr @ir pGrt alw lsy,.q Soplp we for pSS stssr
ice. On April 4 we reached So 3, but the ice
grew worse: until at last on April 1t was 80
bad that l thought. II. unadvisnble to continue
this in tho direction Of Franz .Josef's Land we
We were Hst then p1 81. iIa&'u north t latitude sn and
about oS' east longitude. In order to %tnyesti;
sSsS sas 'y Went Of fu ia ! ,rG norm aPd t on *. RG.iS, St coui ID
discern no likely way. From the highest hum
mock could find | saw only packed and piled
up ice as far as the horizon.
OVERNIGHT CLOTHING
The first time we set out from the Fran we
had lad our good warm wolfskin clothes with
us: put as spring was approaehing and the tenn
we did not think we should again have very
low temperatures. and therefore. to save weight
possible, we reduced the outfit to a minimum
and lef. our warm fur clothing on board when
ceoding that we were to repent bitterly.
For about three weeks the temperature re;
n sd 20 s. ssi HS9q H. 20 s Sas so sssG ,,n 5i;,ne o on hpT I'll
1914 below zero. With such q temperature and
q wind, We often felt 1t bitterly cold in our good,
to the perspiration Of the body. was gradually
transformed into an Icy coat OF mail. 1t was
became covered with n thick layer OF ice.
which II took us fully an hour TO thaw
sfSsr ) THEA Ees, Being be Tg spe slse on Tho sI Process ss n and
not until we had lain with, chattering teeth for
about an hour and a half did we begin to feel at
all comfortable. A few minutes after we got
out Of our sleeping bag. in the morning. our
clothes were again transformed into ice, and I
4 thlhh IuhI tlIneE OuhueSu U L III
eyer wish for a. repetition OF those days. In
March, the minimum temperature was 4s' be-
low zero. the maximum A below Zero"
DEATH AMONG II DOGS.
Dr.Nansen then describes the journey to Franz
Josef Land. one OF the most interesting features
of which relates to his dogs. He says:
cracks and channels in the ice. In that low tenn
peratnre they were as a rule covered with a
u us,h o oasst k a. ,ss' T IN Sstt mae sc II ,npp %s we're re
therefore often compelled to 20 n round of many
miles. and it would sometimes take half a day
south we came the more Of these there were.
and they greatly hlndered our advance. while
be killed one after another to feed the remain
der. Some Of the dogs at first evinced great
their hunger Increased and they got noshiDDgg else
TO eat they gradually became SO voracious for
this food that # was difficult to keep them from
Their rations had to be gradually reduced to
the smallest possible amount. so MS to make the
alive as long as possible. but by degrees they
grew sadly worn out, Many Of them drew their
down With fatigue en unable Sns{ 70 ' stand any aIT orpEper.
We then had no other choice than to kin them
on the SPOT or to lay them on one Of the sledges
and take them with us to kill them when we
In june the channels became more numerous
and sledge-runners broke through the crust on
the snow. and sank deep into the soft and wet
snow beneath. The number of dogs now. too.
was very small. and was continually diminish
had no choice. and so toiled on as best we could.
while the rattons for both dogs and men were
reduced to n minimum"
When he finally came within sight of land. on
Aag. 6, Nansen had only two dogs left. He shot
them and left them on the drift ice.
UNDER A BEARS PAW.
When nearing Franz Josef Land Manson and
ing a very serious ad with the fourth they
Killed: They we're about TO cross a channel in
the Ice Ell, in their hS ~ E ,Ss ss,. had Just brought
was busy with 1t Johausen turned back to draw
up his Kayak beside II. Suddenly heard a
his back with a bear over him, and holding the
bear by the throat. l caught up my gun. which
same moment The boat slid into the water.
sna sfS gun bO %I.5 It The BY BY. SHsr1 n9s0 all my
up again. but While doing so / heard Johanssca
quietly remark. You must hurry up II you
don't. want TO be too late At last / got the gun
cooked the bear was just in front OF me. In the
hurry of the moment ! had cooked the right
charge took effect. behind the ear and the bear
fell down dead between us. The only wound
tho back OF one hand. and we went on our way
well laden with fresh bears flesh"
BUILDISG A HUT.
They landed at the spot where they made
except their boat kayaks. guns, and ammuni-
ton. Nansen continues:
we lmmeulatoly set 10 wOrR TO shoot wal
rus. the blubber OF which we intended to use for
firing. For two men. however. the manipula-
tion of these huge animals was attended with
considerable toll. We had at last TO give up
dragging them up on land or onto the ice. and
our only expedient was to lie on them in the
water while removing the hide and blubber.
during which process we succeeded in getting
our only clothes thoroughly saturated with
oil and dirt. thus rendering them pecu-
Larry untitled for protection against the
winter cold and storms. There was no
scarcity of bears, and we shot them for
our winter store of food. After having
laid In q temporary supply. we set to work on
our hut, which was built of stone, earth. and
moss. How We were TO roof 1t seemed at first a
difficult problem to solve. Fortunately, how
eyer. we found a piece of drift timber cast up on
the shore. This we used as the ridge piece OF
the house. and stretched walrus hides over it,
weighted at the edges on both sides with large
stones. On the top of this we laid snow. To
build a chimney was not easy, as We had not the
stones necessary. Our only expcdient was.
therefore, TO build 1t OF ice and snow. which had
to be renewed. however, Two or three times in
the course OF the winter.
A DREAM OF MARBLE HALLS.
For cooking, lighting. and heating we used
walrus blubber and bears fat. Bears flesh and
fat was our only food. In the evening we fried