Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1879-09-20
THE NORTHEAST PASSAGE A FACT.

W UuC cApCultIOJ
arrived ut Yokohama Tuesday evening,
having successfully accomplished the
Northeast passage. The health ofthe en-
tire ships company is excellent. have
just seen Prof. Nordcnskjord, who says
that during tho latter part of February
he sent a letter to DR.. o. Dickson, of
Gothenburg, from the winter quarters of
| the Vega, but he bad no intimatian that
his patron received it. The Professor
says: ''We sailed from Gothenburg on
| July a. 1873, and four day. sail brought
us 20 Tromsoe Ga Norwegia ian port on an
] island Of tho namal whore o"- estst
| of furs and other necessaries for the high
| latitudes was completed. Here we We're
Joined by the companion steamer, the
| Lena. On the 25th both vessels sailed
| from Tromsoe, passed through tho Yugor
| Straight (sorth Nova Zembla) on August
5. There was not particle of ice to be
seen between Waigestch (Vaigatz, q Rus
| sian island) and the continent. The Hara
Sea, hitherto dreaded by all sailors in the
Arctic regions, was equally free Office, and
| anchor was cast at Port Dickens, near the
mouth of the Venessi, August 9th, steer
ing Northeast.
After three days delay there the two
steamers of our expedition steered north
| cast toward the dreaded Traimnr land
| and the North Cape. The ice arrested
| our passage and we We're compelled to re-
main at Tajovr (Cape Taimur) four days.
On August 10 Tsejekin, the extreme
| northern point of Asia, was reached,
a short rest was taken. The Vega coast
ed the peninsula, very little ice being ell
countered, and anchored at the mouth of
the Lena river on August 26th. To the
northeastward were the islands of New
Siberia, which were soon sighted, but
were unable to explore because Of the
great fields of ice that gift heir shores.-
The mouth of the Kolwyar river latitude
$50 3Om., long. 1900 3Om.) a broad estua-
ry, was found open, and we, fastening to
make all possible progress eastward. Our
| difficulties soon began, however, and in
creased daily. We We're delayed much by
| the ice between Cape Cook and Van ka-
rema. We crossed koliut sehm Bay on
September u, with comparative ease, but
we're imprisoned on the 2sth near a
Schuktchl settlement Qatitude &C I'm.
north, longitude 177c pam. west.
THE WAITER IN THE ICE.
We wintcrcd i'll the pack ice at this
point one mile from land. The entire
ships company maintained the best OF
health and spirits. Not a single case OF
scurvy occurred on board. During the
shortest day the sun was above the tori-
z,n less than three hours, and then only
the upper limb was viseble. at this
point much time was devoted to interest
ing scientific and ethnographic studies.
There were four thousand inhabitants in
the several villages near by, who su1sist-
ed by fishing aud sealing. They are call
ed the Tchuktchi, and are very 'agrcea-
ble class of people for an exploring party
to meet. They supplied the expedition
with bear and reiLdeer meet. The cold
was intense, averaging 36 6ccntigrade (32-2
degrees below Fahrenheit,. The game
was abundant in the spring, wild fowl
being taken in large numbers. We We're
detained in the ice at this point two hun
dred and sixty-four days, but wore releas-
ed on July 1S, and passed East Cape into
Behring Straits on the goth. Such is the
story of our voyage.
I fully accomplished the object for
which the exped: tion was sent out by DR..
Dickson-namely, practical proof of the
existence of Northeast prssage. Then
the Asiatic coast was followed and Saint
Lawrence Bay was crossed to Port Clar-
ence, Alaska. Thence we crossed to kon'
ivan, dredging carefully in order tc
determine the formation of the bottom
of the sea, many specimens of the
fauna and flora being obtained. Tho To-
; cation, breadth, velocity and approximate
volume of the currents of the Arctic ant
Pacific Polar currents were chartcd and
calculated. Having touched at st. Law
renee Island we next proceeded to Behr'
i. ing Island, where we received the flrs1
news from Europe through the resident
agent of the Alaska. Trading Company
The fossil remains on Behring Island arc
ofimmense variety. "A new marine anima
: was here discovered, which we nance
: Rhytina stellari. The Vega left tho is
land on August 19, and had a pleasant
voyage until August 81, when a severe
gale was encountered, accompanied witt
tightening. During the storm the light
, cuinr struck and shivered the maln-top
) mast, slightly injuring several men. w
arrived off Yokohama at half-past elSh
on the evening of September2. All are
WE'LL and no deaths have occurred dur
, ing the voyage.
/ The Vega is the first vessel to make tn
passage, and the voyage from Lutcie y
Asia BY Behring Strait is certain ah'
: safe, with very little more experience o
: navigation in the Northern seas. Fron
:Jnnan to the mouth of the Lena river