One morning, indeed, when an observation had to be taken in a hurry, Scott Hansen was seen on deck with nothing on but his shirt and trousers when the thermometer registered -40° Fahrenheit.
Occasionally they would have to go out on the ice to take observations, when they might be seen standing with their lanterns and tackle, bending over their instruments, and then all at once tearing away over the ice, swinging their arms like the sails of a windmill; but it was always, “Oh! it’s not at all cold! Nothing to speak of!”
On Friday, Feb. 2, the Fram reached eighty degrees north latitude, an event that was duly celebrated on board. They were all, moreover, in wonderful spirits, especially as the gloom of winter was beginning to lighten at the approach of spring.
By March 23 they had again drifted to the south, and it was not till April 17 that they reached 80° 20′ north latitude. On May 21, it was 81° 20′, one degree further north, and on June 18, 81° 52′. They were progressing! But after this a back drift set in, and on Sept. 15, 1894, the Fram lay in 81° 14′ north latitude.
The weather had been tolerably fine during the summer; but there was little else for them to do except take observations, ascertain the temperature of the water at different depths, etc., and collect specimens of sea-weed, etc. And so another winter with its gloom and darkness was approaching.
During this summer Nansen had often contemplated the idea of leaving the Fram, and of going with one of his companions on a sleigh expedition to the regions nearer the Pole; for he feared the Fram would not drift much farther in a northerly direction, and was most unwilling to return home without first having done his utmost to explore the northern regions. Accordingly he occupied himself a good deal in making sleigh excursions in order to get the dogs into training, and in other preparations. He had mentioned his plan to Sverdrup, who quite approved of it.
About the middle of September a rather strange thing happened. Peterson, who was acting as cook that week, came one day to Nansen, and said he had had a wonderful dream. He dreamt that Nansen intended to go on an expedition to the Pole with four of the men, but would not take him with them.
“You told me,” he said, “you wouldn’t want a cook on your expedition, and that the ship was to meet you at some other place; anyhow, that you would not return here, but would go to some other land. It’s strange what a lot of nonsense one can dream!”
Nansen replied that perhaps it was not such great nonsense, after all; whereon Petersen said, “Well, if you do go, I would ask you to take me with you; I should like it very much! I can’t say I am a good hand on ski, but I could manage to keep up with the rest.” When Nansen remarked that such an expedition would be attended with no little danger, one involving even the risk of life; “Psha!” answered Petersen, “one can but die once! If I were with you I shouldn’t be a bit afraid!” And that he would willingly have accompanied Nansen to the North Pole in the middle of the dark winter, without the slightest hesitation, is sure enough. And so, indeed, would all the others have done.
On Monday, Nov. 19, Nansen mentioned his scheme to Johansen, whom he had selected to be his companion, and on the following day he took the rest of the crew into his confidence. They evinced the greatest interest in the proposed scheme, and, indeed, considered it highly necessary that such an expedition should take place.