The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-09-18
FROM THE ARCTICtSEAS.
The Existence of n Northease fass,Age Full
DEMONSTRATED.

The Existence OF Northeass aSSs ASe Fully
Demonstrated.
Ry Cable to the New YorR HERALD
YOKOHAMA, Japan, Sept. 4.-The
Swedish exploring steamer Vega, belonging
to the Nordenskiold expedition, arrived at
this port Tuesday evening, having success
fully accomplished the northeast passage.
The health of the entire ships company is
excellent / have lust seen Prof. Nordensk-
/ jold, who says during the latter part OF Feb
/ ruary ne sent letter to Dr.. U. Dickson OF
/ Gothenburg, from winter quarters of Vega,
4 but has no intimation his patron received 1t.
THE PROFESSOR SAYS:
| ave sailed from Gothenburg July 4, 1878,
| and four days. sail brought us TO Tromsoe,
| a Norwegian port on the Island OF Lanew,
where our outfit of fJrs and necessaries for
] high ATTITUDES was completed. Here
we were Joined by the companion
| steamer Lena. July % both vessels sailed
| from Tromsoe, and passed through Yugor
| Strait Aug. ). There was not a particle OF
ice to be seen between Walgatsch and the
| Continent. The Karaza, hitherto dreaded
| by all sailors in Arctic regions, was equally
! free from ice, and anchor was cast at Port
| Dickson, near the mouth of the Yienessi,
Aug. 6. After three days delay there the
! two steamers of our expedition steered north
| east toward the dreaded Taimur land and
! North Cape. Ice arrested our passage, and
we were compelled TO remain at Tajoyr four
days. Aug. 10, Tsejekin, the extreme north
| ern point of Asia, was reached, where short
rest was taken. The Vega coasted the PENN
sula, very little ice being encountered, and
anchored at the mouth Of the Lena River
| Aug. %. To the northeastward we could see
| the Islands of New Siberia, but were unable
| to explore because Of the great field OF ice
that girt their shores. The mouth OF KO-
lOwya River, a broad estuary, was found
open, and we fastened to make all possible
progress eastward.
OUR DIFFICULTIES
soon began to be heavier, and increased dali
| ". We were delayed much by ice between
Cape Cook and Van karema. We crossed
Kolintsch Bay on Sept. q with comparative
! ease, but were imprisoned on the 2Sth near
Tchuktchi settlement. We wintered in 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 horizon
less than three hours, and then only the
upper limb was visible. At this point
much time was devoted to interesting
scientific and photographic studies. There
were 1900 inhabitants in the several
villages near by, who subsisted by fishing
and sealing They are called Tchuktchi,
!
an exploring party to meet. They supplied
the expedition with bear and reindeer meats.
| The cold was intense, averaging 32.2 de-
grees below Fahrenheit. The game was
| abundant in the spring, wild fowl being Ia
ken in large numbers. We were detained
in the ice at this point 264 days, but were
released on July is, and passed the East
Cape into Behring Straits on the Goth. Such
is the story of our voyage.
IFULLY ACCOMPLISHED THE OBJECT
for which the expedition was sent out by DR..
Dickson, namely: a practical proof of the
existence of a northeast passage. Then the
Asiatic coast was followed, and st. Law
renee Bay was crossed to Port Clarence,
Alaska. There we crossed to Kanyan,
dredging carefully in order to determine the
formation of the bottom of the sea, many
specimens ofthe fauna and fora being obtain
ed. The location, breadth, velocity, and APP
proximate volume Of the currents OF the
Arctic and Pacific polar currents were char
tered and calculated. Having touch
ed at st. Lawrence Island, we
next proceeded to Behring Island, where we
received the first news from Europe through
the resident agent of the Alaska Trading
Company. The fossil remains on Behring
Island are of immense variety. A new ma
rine animal was here discovered. switch was
named Rhytina Stellari. The Vega left the
island on August 10, and had pleasant vOy-
age until August 81, when a severe gale was
encountered, accompanied with lightning.
During the storm the lightning struck and
shivered the main topmast, slightly injuring
several men.
WE ARRIVED OFF YOKOHAMA
at half-pas s, Sept. ,. All are well, and no
deaths have occurred during the voyage.
The Vega is the first vessel to make the pas
sage, and think the voyage from Europe TO
Asia by Behring Strait is certain and safe,
with very little more experience of navi%a
ton in the Northern seas, from Japan to the
mouth of the Lena River. There are no diff
culties in the proper season for experienced
sailors. The Lena River taps Central siberia,
and IA large prospective trade can readilybe
developed. The VEGA will remain at YOko-
hama about fourteen DAYS"