The Portland daily press., 1897-04-09
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

NEW PUBLICATIONS.
Earthest North. Being the Record of
q Voyage of Exploration of the Shin
Fran 1896 and Of q Fifteen Months
Sleigh Journey by Dr. Nansen.and Lieut..
Johausen. By DR.. Fridtjof Nansen. with
an appendix by Otto Soerdrop. captain
of theiFram. About 1870 sfull page and
numerous text illustrations. Sixteen col
ored plates in. facsimile. from DIR. Nansen
own sketches. Etched portrait photo
gravures and four maps. In two VOL
umes. New York: Harper & Brothers.
Portland: Loring, Short & Harmon.
This story of Doctor Nansen's explora-
tions ia of surprising interest from the
hour when no said farewell to Norway
until his return. and the expedition had
fulfilled its task. The success of the
great enterprise was due to the intelli-
gence and skill of Nansen in making his
plans; first in building the Fran. The
guiding idea in the whole work of con-
struotion was to give the ship the form
80 ''S~A Uo uAiO hOOoobhIJ bUEcukGu lOE 1C-
sisting great ice pressure. The most
eminent British and American authori-
ties declared it was impossible to build
ship strong enough to be wedged into
the Toe drifting westward and stand all
the shocks and strains of the ice packs.
Nansen declared it could be done, and
he found in Mr.. Colin IArcher. q Scotch
shipbailder, a man who thoroughly I'M
derstocd the task set him and who con
eentrated all his skill. foresight and rare
thoroughness upon the work, and Manson
says, eve most gratefully recognize that
the success Of the expedition was in no
small degree due to this man." SIN the
construction Of the ship two points must
be especially studied, first that the shape
OF the hull be such as to offer as small
vulnerable target as possible to the at
taoks of the Ice; second, that it i built
SO solidly as to be able to withstand the
greatest possible pressure from without
In any direction W whatsoever. More at
tention was paid to making her safe
and warm stronghold while drifting in
the ice than to endowing her with speed
or good sailing qualities. Inside the
ship everything was done to keep out the
external cold.
&C The ceiling, floors, and walls were
covered with several thick coatings OF
nom conducting material the surface
layer, in touch with the heat Of the cabin
consisting Of alright lineoleum, to pre-
vent the warm damp air from penetrat-
ing to the other side and depositing
moisture which would soon turn to ice.
The sides of the ship were lined with
tarred felt, then came space with cork
padding, next deal pannelling, then a
thick layer of felt, next airtignt Iineo-
leum, and last of all an inner panneliing.
The ceiling of the saloon and cabins con-
sisted Of many different layers; air, felt,
deal pannelling, rel deer-hair stuffing.
deal pannelling, lineolehm, air and deal
pannellinR, which, with the four incn
deck planks, gave a total thickness Of
about Is inches. To form the floor OF
he saloon, cork padding, OFT inches
thick, was laid on the deck planks, on
this thick wooden feor, and above all
Iinoleum. The skylizht which was
moost exposed to the cold was protected
by three panes of glass. one within the
other and in various other ways"
She was fitted with electric lights and
they took with them sixteen tons OF
petroleum and twenty tons OF kerosene.
Special attention was given to the COM
missariat, with view to obvlating the
danger of scurvy and other ailments. In
the choice of provisions the chief object
WAS to combine variety with wholesome
ness Every single article of food was
chemically analysed and great care was
taken that IL should be properly packed.
Special care was also used in the selec-
tion of instruments for taking scientific
observations. Besides Nansen, the crew
consisted OF twelve men, under the COM
mand of Capt. Sverdrop, who had accom-
panied Nansen in his walk across Green
land. The men were oil Scandinavians:
eight Of whom were married and left
families behind them. One Of the crew
was a lieutenant in the royal navy, four
were captains in the mercantile marine,
and one q university graduate. These
thirteen men ate at the same table,
played games and shared their work to-
pesher, no matter how dissgreeable or
difficult. The 9rst four chapters of tie
work treat of the start and the farewell
to Norway, (. and the next to the voyage
through the Kara Sea. They sailed on
June rs, 1898, CROSSED the Kara Sea, then
cruised along the Siberian coast up to
Cape Chely ,1skin dangerous and dreaded
point, reaching there September 10. 1898.
"The moment seemed to be at hand
when we were at last to round that point
which had haunted us for SO lonR-the
second of the greatest difficulties l ex.
pected to overcome on this expedition.
sat up in the crows 1est in the even
ing, looking out to the north. The land
was low and deHolate. The sun had long
since gone down behind tho sea, and the
dreamy evening sky was yellow and
gold. 1t was lonely aad still up here,
high above the water. Only one star was
to be seen. 1t stood straight above Cape
Chelyuskin, shining clearly and sadly in
the pale sky. AS we sailed on and got
the cape more to the east of us the star
went with it; 1t was always there,
straight above. / could not help sitting
watching it. 1t seemed to have some
charm for me, and TO bring such peace.
Was 1t my star2 Was it the spirit of
homs following aud smiling to me now9
Many thought 1t brought to me as the
"Fram" toiled on through the Melan-
choly night, past the northermost point
of the old world.
Coward morning we were Off what
We took to be actually the northern ex-