The New York herald., 1879-09-05

Tjeljuskin) for one. 1t was he who discovered
the most northerly promontory of Asia in II de-
grees north latitude and it received the Of its
discoverer. Also at later period a number of
smaller expeditions undertaken in these
regions. but all of them were fitted out In such
manner that Professor Nordenskjold in q geograph-
ica periodical in the beginning of last year justly
remarked that ga great portion Of the ocean north
Of Siberia had never before been ploughed by the
keel Of q really seaworthy vessel"
PROFESSOR NoRpKNsKJoLD's LETTER.
ITO complete tho record of discovery insert here
paragraph from Professor Nordenskjolds recent
letter to Mr.. Dickson. OF Stockholm Speaking of
his voyage from the Bear Islands to Cape
Schlelagskoj. he says:-"The distance between that
point and the Bear Islands is $50 minutes in a
straight line. for which had required more than
sixty hours. q rate of progress sufficiently salts
factory in view Of the detours forced
to make in Q almost completely covered
with ice. There are but two former voyages along
this part Of the coast on record-namey. one made
by Deschneff in 164s and another by Schalaurof be-
tween 17GO and 176l The history of tho latter pre-
sents such striking comparison between the means
then ut the disposal of Arctic navigator and those
available at the present day. and illustrates SO
well the perseverance and pluck with which the Rus
sian Polar explorers of the last century made up
for their defective equipment and knowledge Of
navigation. that cannot forbear giving short ac-
count Of it. Schalaurof well-to-do Siberian
merchant who appears to have set himself the task
Of surveying the coast OF Siberia eastward of the
Lena. Starting in 176O from that river in a ship
built on the spot he did not during the first year
get further than the River Jana, from which point
the actual voyage began in July 1851 On the 17th of
September he succeeded in doubling the ill-fa.ned
Holy Cape and reached the Bear Islands by the
80 xI,n
vance ~s his frail craft was hindered by the ice.
schaaurof accordingly sought safe winter quarters
at the mouth of the Kolyma River and erected
hut Of drifting wood. fortifying it with defence
works made OF snow ana planted with few small
guns. In the following year. on the ice disappear
ing he set sail again; but, owing to contrary winds
and other hindrances, could get further than the
west side of Cape Schlelagskoj. from which he
turned to his winter quarters Of the preceding
year. resolved to resume his voyage in the
following summer. But his crew, exhausted by
their three years travels. refused to accompany
him. He then resurned to Moscow to procure fresh
men and supplies. and again sailed. in 1854. for
Polar waters. This time he met with Franklin's
fate. 1t not till sixtynn years aterward that
any evidence obtained of the issue of his expedi
ton, when Wrangels companions, in the
year 1923, discovered fragments of hut and of
stranded ship, which were without doubt Schalau-
rofTs. Human bones likewise scattered about
In all directions. These explorers had thus required
several years to accomplish distance which we,
aided by steam. had made in four or five days.l
NoRDENsKJoLD coNCEIvEs PLAN.
Returning to Professor Ersler's narrative:-Hav-
ing, by repeated voyages to Spitzbergen, fully
pored that territory Professor Nordenskjold turned
his thoughts to regions situated north of the
of Asia From the fact that navigation the Muir
man Sea-.e.. the ocean between the Lapponian PEN
insula and Nova Semla-was considered perilous.
far mans lifetime back. though in our
days it is visited by hundreds of fishing craft. he
concluded that it equally possible to push
poratons further toward tue east. the other side
of Nova Semla, in the Kara Sea. He came to tins
conclusion from conversations with somo whale
men who had in 1869 navigatcd the Kara Sea as
far the mouth OF tho OBJ River. Since
1870 said waters have also been visited
by whalers in increasing numbers. In 1375-1S76
Nordenskjold undertook his remarkable voyage
across this to the mouth of the River Yenise
thus discovering that there nothing to prevent
vessels from Europe going to and from the said river
and thereby securing to the commerce Of the world
q new and until unknown field in
these northern latitudes. 1t very natural that
Nordenskjold. after successful a result.
should havo Leon seized with the desire
TO proceed further, and with his known energy ho
undertook pro primo to study everything written
concerning discoveries in tho Icy northern regions
pro secundo to interest King Oscar IL. tho Swedish
government and tho Swedish Parliament. together
with DIR. Oscar Dickson. amerchant of Gothenburg.
and the wealthy Siberian capitalist Sibiriakon in
Arctic expedition proceeding north of Asia and rc-
turning through the Indian Ocean and the Suez
Canal.
BOUND IN THE ICE.
TThe following portion of Professor Ersler's article
was written while Professor Nordenskjold' fate
q mystery. Nevertheless tho Professors remarks
arc of great interest,". Nordcnskjod has now solved
the problem, as regards tho successful achievement
of such u voyage that. departing from q harbor In
the north of Norway. summer must not be chosen as
the time for starting such tour, but autumn.
ms tho most favorable under all circumst stances.
Then let remember that Nor,icnskiold. without
any very great difficulties this the last trip of his
has doubled Cape Tjeljuskin and reached tho mouth
OF the Lena. but after that until lately, no not
heard from. In consequence of which IL has been
sumcd that he has "got frozen in somewhere up
there" When in possession OF some little knowl-
cdee OF the Polar regions and thoir history in
own days. know that these parts
are not at all perious life they appear at
first glance to be. The worst enemy is. of course.
the cold but with vessel carefully fitted out
Nordenskjold Vega this too is not very danger
Gus, II the vessel be cebound for ono-yca. say
for two years. From the scurvy. which frequently
mas been SO destructive during Polar voyages thore
is nothing to fear when Norienskj0ld stands
at the head Of expedition. he has suit
nciently shown how to avoid that danger. (Scc
article OF DIR. storch In the periodical of the Danish
Geographical Society. parts ILL., lS79l Il is known
that as far back as October last, American whaenen
reported that natives of the northeast coast of
Siberia had "a man-of-war" lie in the ice in
their neighborhood. The long time that elapsed
before any advices received from Nordenskjold
caused meanwhile little faith to DO put in this re-
port. Nevertheless II has bcon proved that
these natives right. They have had communi-
cation with Norenskjold and carried his letters to
frkutsk.
WHERE THE VEGA WAS FROZEN IN.