The Savannah morning news., 1902-04-09

toward the one remaining boat, as
from my position in the stern OF the
last heavily laden whale boat | OBJ
served the strokes of the oars as the
study Norwegians pulled toward the
Frithtof. But soon the men on Nne
steamer were seen rapidly bending at
the wind1ass as they hove the ancnor.
The Frithiof too, swung to and fro as
evidently she endeavored to assist the
men to raise the heavy weight from
the sand beneath the angry waters. AT
last her stately masts and the crows
nest changed places with the objects
on the shore. and we knew that the
"Frithjof' would soon be under way
Fortunately no accident deferred her.
She swung around on one side OF US
and got ropes to our line OF boats
lust in time to save us from being carr
,ied into the waves which would sure
ly have caused serious II not fatal
consequences to some of us. Even yet
our danger was not over, for, although
the "Frithjof' was under slow speed,
such was the strength OF wind anu
tide AGAINST us that 1t seemed for a
moment that our small craft would
fairly be jerked to pieces. The last
boat in the line, in which ] sat, caught
a heavy wave on one side ana was
thrown so violently about that We feit
that nothing could save US from cap
sizing. We were the cracker OF a long
whip.
The lines were of strong material,
however, and did not give away. The
dogs. like the men, seemed to COM
prehend the situation and comforted
themselves with quiet demenaor. In 4
short time the "Frithjof" had towed
mn alongside the America" and 1t was
with a good deal of relief that We
climbed aboard to wait for a more
favorable wind and tide for our work
OF landing.
When the "Frithjof' had landed
most of her cargo on Alger island, we
took the rest on board the America"
Our plan is to leave as little as posi-
Bile at Alger Island and until the night
comes on we shall continue moving
our supplies thence northward. AS long
as it is possible we. shall force the
America through the ice. Then the
dogs and ponies will carry a part of
our camp equipment, portable houses,
etc, still further along.
1t had been my hope to equal the
record established by hansen and the
Duke Of the Abruzzi in their Arctic
camps, but have found this impossi-
l,le We experienced a great deal Of
bad weather on our voyage to Cape
Flora: three weeks were consumed
when one should have been sufficient.
AS a consequence we found the ice in
4 more solid condition later on, when.
we were ready to proceed from Alger
Island. Unfortunately, the ice at
This time was not strong enough 10 per
NIT cur taking the equipment in sledges
over it, but It was sufficiently firm to
hold the America" back from any
steady progress
However, though we are located fur
Their south than some of our predeces-
sors in Pole searching, We feel con-
fident that when the time comes for
our final dash we shall more than
make UP the difference. Nansen had
less than forty dogs in his winter
camp; we have more than four hun@
bred. This is not the only item In
which our equipment surpasses that of
any polar explorer, but. II Ii were, as
sunling that we have sufficient food.
we stand better chance TO reach the
North Pole than hansen did in making
ais highest point.
Franz Josef Land is not an undis-
covered land to me and / know sorne-
thing of the long winter night through
which we shall have to pass. What
shall / say of that dreary movement of
days, which are days in name only, OF
the awful stiffness and the bitter cold
which former explorers have written
about? / shall not attempt to describe
these experiences, because I believe
that no one who has not lived beyond
the q rctic Circle and has not watched
the shortening days can appreciate
them. When one sees the dull glare
Of the sun for few minutes only out
OF twenty-four hours, always from The