The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-08-22


for . public rejoicing there. This town
IS situated near the center Of the Rus
sian Empire in Asia. and the only means
of access have been overland; hence
the arrival Of the first vessel. proving
that water communication could be had
with the more civilized parts Of the
world was sufficient cause for q general
celebration.
In December Nordenskjold's patrons
received a letter from him in which he
gave the record Of his voyage frou, the
mouth of the Yneisis 10 the mouth Of
the Lsna river Though it is to o great
degree echnicsl. it is full Of interes. to
tho general reader Soon after sailing
from Port Dickson the explorers ran
into . heavy fog. They moved with
the ut0ost caution. aud their course
was rendered more dangerous by the
discovery Of small islands not noted on
the chsrts The second day the fog was
dense. and they anchored. It Was no.
ticed that the sea wss only slightly
salt, particularly st the su1fsce. BY
dredging. however. many specimens OF
pure deep sea life were found. In the
afternoon the fog lifted somewhat, and
the Vega renewed her course. The ex-
plorers soon came upon drifting ice, but
il was thin and rotten, and did not i'm.
pede the vessel. Near the coat the
usual arctic animals we're seen. but
none Of the arctic birds. Many inter-
esting discoveries were made in nearly
every branch Of the science. but the
most important were geographical.
The voysgers kept close to the coast
the greater part Of the way, and made
landings OCCASIONALLY. They we're fre-
quently surprised at the entire absence
OF snow and the wonderful ver'ure IN
some places. There are points. Prof.
Nordenskjold thinks. Judging from the
profusion OF game. that the Russian
hunters have not visited for centuries,
il ever.
On the 10th Of August the vegs cast
anchor o6 North Cape. the most north
srly point of Asia The flag. were run
up and . salute fired. A Polar bsar
that had been run down the peomontory
IA the waters edge at the sight OF the
ship. took suddenly to his heels ct the
sound From the North Cape to the
mouth Of the Lesath explorers encoun-
tered less fog and less ice.
The details Of the voyage after the
Vegas departure from the mouth of the
Lena are unknown as yet. For many
months nothing was heard Of the ex-
plorins party. and measures for an ex-
pedition OF relief were about to be taken
in hand when vessel arrived at San
Francisco aud reported that the Vega
Was in the ice near Ksllett Land, . pro-
lection from the arctic region, several
hundred miles from Behring's Strait.
She had been there several months. On
the 3D. Of May q despatch was received
from Yakutsk. on the Lera river, an
nouncing that the Vega was out OF
danger, and wss in Behring's Strait,
and with it was the more welcome in.
telligence that all members Of the ex-
pedition were enjoying good health.
1t was learned that the Vega had been
caught in the ice foes near Feat Cape,
. point about $50 miles from tho en-
trance to Behring's Strait and about
700 from YokohamH.
The telegram that was received yes
terday announces that Nordenskjol
has got his steamer off the ice, and
through the straits. and Is on his way to
Japan. 1t is his intention to return
home by way of the Sucz Canal.
The hero Of this undertaking. Adolf
Erik Nordenskjold. is native Of Hell
singfors. Sweden. He is in his forty
seventh year At the age Of twenty six
he was appointed Professor Of Mineral.
ogy in the University at Stockholm.
In the year following he began work
IS au explorer by accompanying an
arctic expedition, The most import
ant expedition prior to this one, was
made 10 1868. which resulted in his o..
certaining accurately the situation Of
Spitzbergen. In the summer cf 1870
be made . voyage to Greenland. and
penetrated the country further than
any previous scientific explorer. OF
both these expeditions he he's written
ten exhaustive accounts. For two years
from 1870. be was . member Of the
second Swedish Chamber, An Office
equivalent to that OF . member OF Con.
gress in the United States.