ND OF VOL. I

NOTES

[1] Frost-giants.

[2] First Crossing of Greenland, Vol. I., p. 30.

[3] Mr. Lytzen, of Julianehaab, afterwards contributed an article to
the Geografisk Tidsskrift (8th Vol., 1885-86, pp. 49-51, Copenhagen),
in which he expressed himself, so far at least as I understand
him, in the same sense, and, remarkably enough, suggested that this
circumstance might possibly be found to have an important bearing on
Arctic exploration. He says: "It will therefore be seen that polar
explorers who seek to advance towards the Pole from the Siberian
Sea will probably at one place or another be hemmed in by the ice,
but these masses of ice will be carried by the current along the
Greenland coast. It is not, therefore, altogether impossible that,
if the ship of such an expedition is able to survive the pressure
of the masses of ice for any length of time, it will arrive safely
at South Greenland; but in that case it must be prepared to spend
several years on the way."

[4] See on this point Dr. Y. Nielsen, in Forhandlinger i
Videnskabsselskabet i Christiania. Meeting held June 11, 1886.

[5] Since writing the above I have tried to make such a calculation,
and have come to the conclusion that the aggregate rainfall is not
so large as I had at first supposed. See my paper in The Norwegian
Geographical Society's Annual, III., 1891-92, p. 95; and The
Geographical Journal, London, 1893, p. 5.

[6] The discovery during our expedition of a great depth in the polar
basin renders it highly probable that this assumption is correct.

[7] The experience of our expedition, however, does not point to any
such eastward-flowing current along the Siberian coast.

[8] I first thought of choosing the route through Bering Strait,
because I imagined that I could reach the New Siberian Islands safer
and earlier in the year from that side. On further investigation
I found that this was doubtful, and I decided on the shorter route
through the Kara Sea and north of Cape Cheliuskin.

[9] As subsequently stated in my lecture in London (Geographical
Society's Journal, p. 18), I purposed to go north along the west coast
of the New Siberian Islands, as I thought that the warm water coming
from the Lena would keep the sea open here.

[10] See the Society's Annual, III., 1892, p. 91.

[11] Both my lecture and the discussion are printed in The Geographical
Journal, London, 1893, Vol. I., pp. 1-32.

[12] After our return