Dr. Nansen'a Return.

Manawatu Herald, 18 August 1896, Page 2

Dr. Nansen'a Return.

Dr. Nansen, the Norwegian Polar explorer, has returned to Vardo, in the north of Norway.

He succeeded in reaching latitude 86deg. 14min, which is 4deg. further North than any previous expedition penetrated to.

His ship, the Fram, was abandoned in the autumn of last year, and the crew wintered in Franz Joseph Land, about 200 miles north of Nova Zembla.

Their -own supply of food became exhausted, and they had to exist upon bears' flesh and whales' blubber.

The attempt to drift across the Pole failed.

Dr. Nansen ia coming home in the strainer Windward, belonging to the Jackßon-Harmsworth Polar ex pedition.

Further particulars of the Nansen expedition show that the explorer was at Olenek river in September, 1893.

He endeavoured to obtain more dogs for the work of the expedition, but was unsuccessful.

The Fram then continued the voy age, and drifted in a north-westerly direction, but became icebound, and remained bo until March 14th, 1895, when Dr Nansen and the orew left the ship.

All were in excellent health, though the cold was intense, and the thermometer at a point several degrees below zero.

The explorers obtained light by means of electricity, the power for which was generated by a windmill. The process gave admirable results.

Dr. Nansen, epeaking of the work of the Fram, says that the vessel resisted enormous pressure.

The ship having been abandoned, Nansen and Johansen started northward for the Pole, taking with them 28 dogs, three sledges and two canoes.

They travelled for some distance across rough ice, and on April 7th reached latitude 86deg. 14tnin., the highest point they attained.

There was then no sign of land or sea, but merely hummocks on the horizon resembling frozen breakers* The party bad an insufficient number of dogs with them, and owing to this fact it was resolved to return. Accordingly they started for FraTHS Joseph Land. Their watches had stopped, and for weeks they were without reckoning. This was a time of terrible hardship for the explorers, as they were without food supplies, and were compelled to kill their dogs to keep themselves alive. Gradually all the dogs were killed for sustenance, but at length the party reached the northern part of Franz Joseph Land on August 26th , and remained there until May 19th of this year. A start was then made for Spitzbergen, the party taking sledges and canoes with them. All were still in excellent health. On their way they met Mr F. G. Jackson, of the Jackson -Harmsworth expedition. He was met casually on the ice on June 17th, near Gape Flora. Nansen's party remained in Jackson's quarters until the* arrival of the Windward, the steamer of the Jack-son-Harrasworth expedition. G reat scieutific results are expected of Nansen's voyage. Dr. Nansen is confident that his crew are safe. The Walrus was wrecked in the northern regions. Nansen's oanos had a narrow escape. Dr. Nansen asserts that if he had had sufficient dogs he would have reached the Pole.