Nansen and Johansen left the Pram' in a latitude of
837 59' on March 14th, 1895, and managed, by travelling on what ultimately became very lumpy ice (like "frozen breakers "), to reach the latitude of 86° 14' north, or within less than 4° of the Pole. He found the polar ocean immensely deep at the higher latitudes (from 1,600 to 1,900 fathoms), and it contained exceedingly little organic matter. But though the temperature on the ice fell to 62° below zero, the deeper ocean, which felt the warmth of the Gulf Stream, was not below, or not much below, the freezing-point, namely, from,31° to 330. The two travellers had to kill and eat all but two of their dogs to feed themselves and the surviving dogs, and it was not till June 22nd, 1895, that, in latitude between 82° and 83', they shot a bearded seal, and afterwards three bears. They passed the winter of 1895-96 in a latitude of 81° odd, and for ten months subsisted wholly on bear meat and blubber, roofing in their hut with bear-skins. They broke up from their winter quarters on May 19th of this year, and met with Mr. Jack- son's expedition on Jane 17th. With him they stayed till taking passage in the 'Windward' for Vardoe on August 7th. Dr. Nansen's voyage has in many respects more than fulfilled his expectations, though the Pole has not been reached. And he has now the satisfaction of hearing that the 'Pram' has also returned in perfect safety.
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