The Portland daily press., 1897-04-09

men can endure and what obstacles they
can overcome. They were obliged to kill
the dogs one after the other to furnish
food for those that remained. Here Is an
extract from Nansen's journal dated
June 18th.
monotonous life this. on the
hole, as m0notOnous as one can
well imagine ii. to turn out day after
day. week after week, month after
month, to the same toll over the Ice
which Is sometimes a little better, some
times little worse tit now seems to be
steadily growing worse) always hoping
to see an end to It, but always hoping in
vain, no sign Of land in any direction
and no open water-we do not know
where we are, and We do not know when
this will end. Meanwhile our provisions
aresdwipdling from day to day and tt e
number of our dogs is growing seriously
less. Shall we reach land while we yet
have food, Or shall we, when all il said,
ever reach itf 1t will sonn be impossible
to make any way against this Ice and
snow; the latter is only slush, the dogs
selves splash through 1t up to our knees
when we have to help the dogs or take
our.turn.at the heavy sledges. 1t is hard
to 60 on hoping in such circumstances
but still we do so, though sometimes,
perhaps, our hearts fail us when We see
the ice lying before us Elike all impene-
trable maze of ridges There are
moments when it seems impossible that
any creature not possessed with WINGS
can get farther tut then in spits
of every thing, onu finds way, and hope
springs eternal. Let the sun peep out
for a moment from the bank of clouds,
and the ice plains glitter in all their
whiteness; let the sunbeams play on the
water, land life seems beautiful in spite
of all and worthy struggle. We
had frugal supper, two ounces alenro-
nats breadEand one ounce butter per man.
and crept into the nag to sleep as long rs
possible and kill time without eating
IL What little incident is necessary
to change the whole aspect OF affairs
Yesterday and the last few days were
dull and gloomy, everything seemed
hopeless, the ice impossible. and no game
tn he found; and then comes the incl.
dent of a seal rising near our kayaks and
rolling about round US. Johanson has
time to give 1t ball, and it floats while
/ harpoon it, (the first and only bearded
seal we have seen yet, and we have
abundance of food and fuel for upward
of a month. We mead hurry no longer
we can settle down, adapt the kayaks
and sledRes better for ferrying
over tho lanes, capture seals IL POSI-
BILE and await a change in the state Of
the ice. We have eaten our fill both at
supper and breakfast after being raven
Gus for many days. The future seems
bright and certain now; no clouds of
darkness to be seen any longer
When hey started they were obliged to
dislurden themselves of everything which
eouldiin any way be dispensed with. in
oraer 40 ,eAuh land before their last
orun.b of fool was eaten up When ii
caue to the sleeping bag they drew u
long sigh, but wet and heavy as it wns
It had to go too.
The first week In August they reached
the mcst ncrtherly islands north of Franz
Josef Land, having travelled $50 miles
towards home. They shot their last log
tefore they took to their boats to cross
the open water between them and the
land. Here they established their winter
u uarters and proceeded to hunt &c,
| walrus, seal and bears, to furnish them