At Hammerfest, Nansen met his wife and Sir George Baden-Powell, who had been on the point of sending out an expedition in search of him. But Nansen’s heart was heavy in the midst of all the rejoicing, for no news had been heard from the _Fram_, and although he had perfect confidence in Otto Sverdrup, he began to fear that harm had befallen his brave comrades. One morning he was awakened by Sir Baden-Powell knocking at his door. “Come down immediately,” said Sir Baden; “a man wishes to see you.” Nansen hurriedly dressed and ran below. There stood the manager of the telegraph office. The manager handed Nansen a telegram, which he opened with trembling fingers. It read as follows:―― “_Fram_ arrived in good condition. All well on board. Am going to Tromsö. Welcome home. O. S.” Nansen nearly fainted with excitement and relief from his terrible anxiety. Sir Baden shouted with joy. Johansen smiled until his face looked like a full moon. As soon as the good news of the _Fram’s_ return became known, the general rejoicing in Hammerfest spread to all parts of the world. Nansen’s daring expedition to the North had ended successfully, and without the loss of a single life. Although Nansen had not reached the pole, he had come within two hundred and sixty-one miles of it. This was two hundred miles nearer than any previous explorer had penetrated. The theory of the southeast current was proved to be correct, for the _Fram_ had drifted into a high latitude, and then out into the Atlantic between Spitzbergen and Greenland. If the _Fram_ had entered the ice pack three hundred miles farther east, Nansen believes that she would have drifted in a course parallel to the one she actually followed. This course would have carried her over the pole. XVIII. PEARY CROSSES GREENLAND 1891–1897 While Nansen was busily exploring, Robert E. Peary, a civil engineer in the United States Navy, determined to make an attempt to cross the inland ice of Greenland. Peary was making his plans for this journey when the news came that Nansen had succeeded in crossing the ice cap from the eastern coast of Greenland to the western. Upon hearing this, Peary changed his plans and decided to try to reach the northern point of Greenland overland. This journey would take him across the inland ice by a route much farther north than that taken by Nansen. It would also enable Peary to discover whether Greenland was a continent, as many supposed, or merely an island. Funds for the trip were raised by private contribution through the efforts of Lieutenant Peary’s friends, and on June 6, 1891, the expedition sailed from Brooklyn on the steamer _Kite_. Peary had already made one trip to Greenland, and his friends waved their farewells cheerfully, feeling certain that he would succeed in his undertaking.