Fridtjof Nansen's Farthest North |
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Author:
| Nansen, Fridtjof |
ISBN: | 978-0-217-83835-1 |
Publication Date: | Jan 2012 |
Publisher: | General Books LLC
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Book Format: | Paperback |
List Price: | AUD $16.75 |
Book Description:
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Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. The Start. So travel I north to the gloomy abode, That the sun never shines on? There is no day. It was midsummer day. A dull, gloomy day; and with it came the inevitable leave-taking. The door closed behind me. For the last time I left my home, and went alone down the garden to the beach...
More DescriptionPurchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. The Start. So travel I north to the gloomy abode, That the sun never shines on? There is no day. It was midsummer day. A dull, gloomy day; and with it came the inevitable leave-taking. The door closed behind me. For the last time I left my home, and went alone down the garden to the beach where the Fram's little petroleum launch pitilessly awaited me. Behind me lay all I held dear in life. And what before me ? How many years would pass ere I should see it all again ? What would I not have given at that moment to be able to turn back; but up at the window little Liv was sitting clapping her hands. Happy child, little do you know what life is?how strangely mingled and how full of change. Like an arrow the little boat sped over Lysaker Bay, bearing me en the first stage of a journey on which life itself, if not more, was staked. At last everything was in readiness. The hour had arrived towards which the persevering labour of years had been incessantly bent, and with it the feeling that, everything being provided and completed, responsibility might be thrown aside and the weary brain at last find rest. The Fram lies yonder at Pepperviken, impatiently panting and waiting for the signal, when the launch comes puffing past Dyna and runs alongside.The deck is closely packed with people come to bid a last farewell; and now all must leave the ship. Then the Fram weighs anchor, and, heavily laden and moving slowly, makes the tour of the little creek. The quays are black with crowds of people waving their hats and handkerchiefs. But silently and quietly the Fram heads towards the fjord, steers slowly past Bygdo and Dyna out on her unknown path, while little nimble craft, steamers, and pleasure-boats, swarm around her. Peaceful and snug lay the villas along the shore...