The Geographical Journal (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society): Volume X, No. 6 [‎88v] (29/186)

568
RECENT JOURNEYS IN PERSIA.
of the archipelago known as Franz Josef Land. The first has not
yet been attempted. With regard to the second, we hear of two con
templated undertakings. Mr. Peary intends to adopt the plan of taking
Eskimo families up Smith sound, and, with their aid, to discover the
most northern land to the north of Greenland. Captain Sverdrup,
Nansen’s companion, is fitting out the Fram, also with the intention of
proceeding up Smith sound and exploring the unknown part of the
north coast of Greenland. I greatly fear that neither Peary nor
Sverdrup have any adequate conception either of the difficulty of
navigating the channels beyond Smith sound, or of travelling over such
ice as is met with beyond Robeson strait. This was not the route 1
recommended for completing the discovery of the Greenland coast, an
achievement second to none in geographical interest. The third enter
prise enumerated by me in 1877, namely, the North-East Passage, was
achieved by Baron Nordenskjold three years afterwards. It was reserved
for the Jackson-Harmsworth expedition to achieve the fourth—the
exploration of Franz Josef Land.
We now have to welcome Mr. Jackson, Mr. Armitage, and the other
members of the expedition on their safe return, and to congratulate Mr.
Harmsworth on the valuable results of his patriotic munificence. Our
explorers have passed three consecutive winters in the arctic regions
close to the 80th parallel. They have maintained themselves in excellent
health throughout that long and trying period ; they have diligently
registered observations, and have completed exhaustive researches in
the zoology, botany,, and geology of a new region. This alone is a
great work ; but it is only a small part of what has been done under
Mr. Jackson’s command. That explorer, always, I believe, accompanied
y r. Armitage, has made daring sledge-journeys and boat-voyages,
and by these means he has given us a completely new idea of Franz
Josef Land. In this present year, by the examination, under exceptionally
trying and difficult circumstances, of the land mass to the westward I
think he has surpassed all he had done before, and it will now be our
privilege to hear, from Mr. Jackson’s own lips, the interesting story
of his expedition and its work.*
RECENT JOURNEYS IN PERSIA.f
By Captain P. MOLESWORTH SYKES.
The ancient kingdom of Persia, to which I would draw your attention
this evening, is perhaps one of the most attractive countries in the
world, as not only is it rich in remains of a hoary antiquity, which
* Mr. Jackson’s paper will appear in a future number of the Journal.
aper read at the Royal Geographical Society, June 28, 1897. Map, p. 660.