a Sea, which was fairly free from ice, and five weeks later sailed
past Cape Chelyuskin, the northernmost point of the Old World.

"The land was low and desolate," says Nansen. "The sun had long since
gone down behind the sea; only one star was to be seen. It stood straight
above Cape Chelyuskin, shining clearly and sadly in the pale sky.
Exactly at four o'clock our flags were hoisted and our last three
cartridges sent out a thundering salute over the sea."

The _Fram_ was then turned north to the west of the New Siberian Islands.
"It was a strange thing to be sailing away north," says Nansen, "to
unknown lands, over an open rolling sea where no ship had been before.
On to the north, steadily north with a good wind, as fast as steam
and sail can take us through unknown regions."

They had almost reached 78 degrees north when they saw ice shining
through the fog, and a few days later the _Fram_ was frozen in. "Autumn
was well advanced, the long night of winter was approaching, there
was nothing to be done except prepare ourselves for it, and we converted
our ship as well as we could into comfortable winter quarters."

By October the ice was pressing round the _Fram_ with a noise like
thunder. "It is piling itself up into long walls and heaps high enough
to reach a good way up the _Fram's_ rigging: in fact, it is trying
its very utmost to grind the _Fram_ into powder."

Christmas came and went. The New Year of 1894 dawned with the
thermometer 36 degrees below zero. By February the _Fram_ had drifted
to the 80th degree of latitude. "High festival in honour of the 80th
degree," writes Nansen. "Hurrah! Well sailed! The wind is whistling
among the hummocks, the snow flies rustling through the air, ice and
sky are melted into one, but we are going north at full speed, and
are in the wildest of gay spirits. If we go on at this rate we shall
be at the Pole in fifty months."

On 17th May the 81st degree of latitude was reached. Five months passed
away. By 31st October they had drifted to the 82nd. "A grand banquet
to-day," says Nansen, "to celebrate the 82nd degree of latitude. We
are progressing merrily towards our goal; we are already half-way
between the New Siberian Islands and Franz Josef Land, and there is
not a soul on board who doubts that we shall accomplish what we came
out to do; so long live merriment."

Now Nansen planned the great sledge journey, which has been called
"the most daring ever undertaken." The wi