Chapter XVIII: Britain Holds Her Own

A Capable Crew--A Modern Franklin--Early Discoveries--Frozen in--An Historic Journey--The Record of "Farthest South"--How the Record was Won--Speedy Travelling--Receding Ice Limits--A Dying Glacier--The Secret of the Barrier--A Fatal Gale--Lost in the Snow--An Antarctic Chute--Prolonged Slumber--Antarctic Coal--Home with Honour 339

List of Illustrations

THE _STELLA POLARE_ NIPPED IN THE ICE _Frontispiece_

W. E. PARRY'S ATTEMPT TO REACH THE POLE _Facing page_ 28

AN IMMENSE ICEBERG " " 48

AN ADDITION TO THE EXPLORERS' SUPPLY OF PROVISIONS " " 78

SHOOTING MUSK OX IN THE ARCTIC REGIONS " " 116

GROUP OF SMITH SOUND ESKIMO " " 152

TWO NORTH GREENLAND HUNTERS " " 160

MAP OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS SHOWING ROUTE OF NANSEN AND THE _FRAM_ " " 173

THE _FRAM_ IN THE ICE " " 185

NANSEN AND JOHANSEN START ON THEIR DASH FOR THE POLE " " 198

THE MEETING OF JACKSON AND NANSEN " " 216

THE FRONT EDGE OF KING'S GLACIER, WESTERN SPITZBERGEN " " 230

ESKIMO ARMS AND TOOLS " " 240

ESKIMO VISITORS TO THE _FRAM_ IN NIGHT ATTIRE " " 256

ONE OF THE DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY THE _STELLA POLARE_ " " 272

SKETCH MAP SHOWING CAPTAIN AGNI'S FARTHEST NORTH " " 280

THE _SOUTHERN CROSS_ IN THE ICE PACK " " 305

THE AURORA AUSTRALIS " " 310

EMPEROR PENGUINS " " 312

POLAR OUTFIT USED BY THE _BELGICA_ EXPEDITION " " 320

MAP OF SOUTH POLAR REGIONS " " 339

THE _DISCOVERY_ LYING IN WINTER QUARTERS, FROZEN IN " " 340

THE FARTHEST SOUTH SLEDGE PARTY IN A BLIZZARD " " 344

A DRIFTING ICE FLOE ATTACHED TO THE _DISCOVERY_ BY A ROPE " " 348

The Romance of Polar Exploration