The times., 1899-06-04
Arctic EspIoratIons.


Days in the Arctic" and is somewhat dif-
ferent from any Of its predecessors. in be-
ing simply a diary, without rhetoric or
emotions. II Is a business-like affair, and
justifies what its author says OF it-that
it contains plain facts penned by plain
man."
The task of Jackson was not directly the
discovery of the Pole, or even an approach
to it. but the exploration of the newly
discovered Franz Josef Land and the de-
termination of its value as a basis of op-
erations in future Polar expeditions 1t
was thought at the time Of the starting OF
this xpedition-lS94-tha Franz Josef
Land might extend far to the northward'
and therefore afford opportunity for
nearer approach to the Pole than had
hitherto been accomplished. 1t was iound'
however, shat the land consisted OF numer-
Gus small islands, and the explorers were
therefore forced to be content with thor
ough examination of the group. The OBJ
servations made by the party viii probably
prove extremely valuable to future expe-
ditions. Mr. Alfred c. Harmsworth,
wealthy Englishman, furnished the money
for this undertaking The experience OIL
passing three consecutive years IN the
Arctic regions has been rare one; lew eN-
plorers have undertaken such thlns from
choice. Jackson and his companions could
have terminated theiI stay long before they
did. for the Windward touched at thelr
winter quarters each year.
The book is. as has been intimated, less
picturesque and more scientific IN It's as
pect than most works of the sort IL con-
iains numerous maps and statistics rec
ords Of the species, condition, and place OF
the shooting of various animals ana al
mospheric conditions. all these Things pelhs
given in minute detail. 1t would be partle-
ularly interesting as a supplement 10 oth-
er hooks on the same subject, as 1t con-
tains definite information on almost all
subjects connected with life in the Arctic
Circle. The illustrations, OF course, are
numerous: there are nearly 2o0 of all sorts
and conditions scattered through the sVO
pages of the book.
There were nine men in the expedition:
Albert B. Armitage. who had charge ot
astronomical. meteorological, and magnetic
observations; Reginald Koettlitz. doctor
and geoiogist: Harry Fisher botanist and
zoologist; ]. F. Child. mineralogist; IL a
II. Dunsford. J. ". Hayward. X Biomk-
visit. s. Burgess. and Ar. Jackson himself
None Of these had had previous Arctic eN-
perienee-
one difference between the regimen OF
Jackson q
plorers is worth noting; the timed foods
which have played so conspicuous part In
The menu Of the Fran and elsewhere were
barred whenever fresh meat could be OBJ
tained-either bear or walrus iiesh-and u
appears from his experience that II usual
lv could He says that not IN hours H.
ness was suffered by one Of the men during
the three years.
Naturally the most interesting episode
sa-TI1 Nsa
meeting Of jackson and Nansen, Which is
described word for word as recorded In the
journal of the former. II Is as follows.
Jus, after dinner Armitage came rushing in TO
.eU me that through his held giass De- could see
a man on the foe TO the southeast 81 'ape = fipi-'
about four rniles Of I could hardly believe rt /;
such a thing seemed utterly impossible. anu
5i,o,,eIt IT, lad mistaken a Waius on the ice
for 2 man: but having got a glass; COULD see
lie was correct could also make out some
NLat iudstinctly a staff or mast with another
man apparently standing near H. Close 10 IN,
waters edge II occurred then 10 me II might
be one OF my own men. although they hAd an
been at dinner a few minutes before uut J.,
However. found that all were present got
- Kun with all speed. and firing on shot on Inc
hank 10 endeayor to arrest the strangers atten-
ton. / started Of TO meet him coming across
the ice, having placed ArInitage on the rooi oi
the hut to direct my course, as the mgh' NUM-
mocky ice hid him from me when l got down
uron the foe. On nearer approach ! shouted 10
him and waved my cap. ! thought at irst that
some accident had happened to the Nindward,
which had started earlier than ] expected and
that this man had come of in boat from her
10 communicate with US.
On our approaching each other, about three
miles distant from the land, ] saw tail man
on sld. with roughly made clothes, and an old
felt hat on his head. He covered with oil
and grease and black from head to foot. ! at
once concluded from his wearing ski that he was
no English sailor. but that he must be man from
eGfrf.F v.-an had f1r1g Ia
grief and wintered somewhere on Franz josef
Land in very rough circumstances.
His hair WIS very long and dirty, his com
plexion appeared TO be fair, but dirt prevented
me from being sure on that point, and his beard
was straEgly and dirty also
We shook hands heartily, and / expressed the
greatest pleasure at seeing him ] inquired II
he had ship. NO he replied, my ship is
not here'-rather sadly, ! thought-and then he
remarked in reply TO my question, that he had
only one companion. who was at the foe edge
il then struck me that his features. in spite OF
the black grease and long hair and beard, re
sembled Nausen. whom had met in London be-
fore he started in 1873. and exclaimed:
Aren't you Nansen"'
To which he replied:
'.Yes, ! am Nansen."
With much heartiness ] shook him warmly by
the hand, and said:
by love, I'm d-d glad to see you," and con
graduated him on his safe arrival. Then / in
where have you come fromg"
He gave me brief sketch Of what had oc-
Cured, and replied:
and l02 degrees east longitude after drifting for
two years. and ! reached the Sc degree Is minute
parallel and have now come here
81 congratulate you most heartily" answered.
you have made a deuced good tTip of it. and l
an awiully glad to be the first person to con-
graduate you" Again we shook hands.
Mr. Jackson appears to have the true
British devotion 10 cleanliness, and takes
pains TO mention several times that he and
his party preserved as far as possible the
customs Of civilization during their sojouru
in northern wilds. In addition TO this he
exhibits a certain lack of humor also con-
eIdered to be part OF the British mind. for
at this point he introduces two pictures.
.'Nansen as he arrived at Cape Flora" and
"Nansen after his wash and brush up" In
other words, he presents to us Nansen
washed and Nansen unwashed-a sort OF
beforehand after taking series OF views.
He also considers himself 10 have been the
means Of saving Nansen and Johansen from
imminent peril. If not from death, and in
deed, this is quite likely.
One OF the things to be noticed in the
work OF this explorer is rather a contrast
10 that OF Nansen in "Farthest North -
This IS the continual use of the first per-
sonal pronoun. which gives a somewhat
egotistieal effect TO the narrative. or
course. this is only natural in the keeping
Of Journal under such circumstances. but
the book would have been improved II
come OF the rs" had been edited out OF
IL. The style Of the author as a whole Is
that Of fearless. high-spirited young man,
10 whom hardships can still seem a Jest.
Here and there through the book are
CLEANS Of fun. which indicate this. For
instance. among the first of the records
appears this paragraph:
The doctor and Fisher went out on the ice Z