The New York herald., 1879-08-29
LIFE IN THE ARCTIC REGION
CircumnaVigating the North
ern Coast Of Asia.
INTERCOURSE WITH THE NATIVES
Loss Of the Relief Steamer
NOrdenskjOld.
cuaIsr1As1A. Norway. August Q. 1879.

Minister tor Foreign Affairs arrived IN STOCKHOLM
from Professor Nordenskj0ld and his companions
containing detailed accounts OF their remarkable
decentralization of the northern coast of ASIA
The letters were the 20th of February by
of the natives Of the overland to Irkutsk and
their arrival there had long since been announced
by telegraph. According to a telegram received
here yesterday 1.-THE 9th of August) from Stockholm
Professor Nordenskj0d expresses the hope Of
getting out of the ice in June and proceeding to
Japan. The expedition had still plenty Of food and
4,5OO cubic feet of coal on board. We give sub
Joined translation of several interesting letters
dressed by Professor Nordenskjold to DR.. O..
Dickson, at Gothenburg. the great Mecenas Of
Swedish naturalsts and the liberal promoter OF the
present expedition. One of the letters is dated
In the northern part Of Behring Strait lthe
winter quarters of the vega) January 1879. with
postscript OF February 40. Professor Nordenskjold
writes ~ follows:--
LETTER DIR. DICKSON.
The journey to Nischni Kolymsk Of Lieutenants
Bove and Nordquist had to be abandoned, the
lchukchi man who had promised to drive them.
having obtained good meal and half bottle OF
cram" by the representations he made OF the jour-
nsy. then declared that it would be impracticable
during the dark season. Both himself and his dogs
would suffer too much from the cold. Not before
next spring would he be willing to fulfl his prom.
lse. &C. All our brilliant promises OF treasures Of
tobacco, knives. needles. guns. gunpowder. lead.
''ram " &C.. which he to receive could not dis
pei MS Ieer nor Wcrc we more SUCCESSFUL
other teams of dogs. the whole trip had to be
given up.
the languages and customs Of the Tchukcht with
great zeal, and for that purpose had made several
small excursions with dog into the interior OF
the country. had succeeded in persuadng OF the
natives to drive him to Anadyrsk. The distance
from here, a. the crow flies, to Nischni Kolymk II
12O and to Anadyrsk eighty to ninety Swedish miles,
BY that opportunity forwarded to you my report
on our journey from the mouth OF the Lena to the
Koliutschln Bay up to September 49, and for the
months OF October, November and December extracts
from tie hourly observations Of the weather and
terrestrial agnetsm, which making at our
alterations. occur In the position OF the ice the
changes Of weather are the only important events in
our little world.
tThe whole crew is in good health and cheerful.
Our relations with the natives in the camps of Jint
len and Ptlekay close to our winter harbor as well
in the rest Of the country good possible
Formerly tho Tchukchi were dangerous people.
who engaged large bodies Of Russian troops; but
a nps
against the crew OF the Vega should 1t come to q
fight. The vessel is uninjured. As Tar rs can
port in the northern part or the Bothnian Gulf. aud
Cersstiy n has rh6 prospect OF escaping from
tho ice as vessel frozen in in those waters
But to be locked in less than q Swedish mile
from the open has been hard lot, with
myself than with any other misfortune of my life.
But, at all events, 1t Is some consolation that we
have now completed, perhaps. the most important
OF all voyages OF exploration in the Arctic Seas and
that have at least fair prospect of circum-
navigating Asia vessel bound for China from the
Baltic has Of reaching its destination.
To this VIC may add the historical Importance Of
what has been achieved. More than two thousand
years ago the voyage from Indus to the Persian
Gulf around the part OF Asia then known was made
by order OF Alexander the Great. The journey Is
known under the name of "Nearchi periplous" tthe
of Nearch and its successful result
considered by Alexander equal to great vic
tory in the field. 1t IL strange that Nearch on
that journey round the coast OF Asia
in all particulars with those Of the present inhab
itants OF the northeastern portion of Asa. 10 get
IN insight into the historical part OF our expedition
IL would. perhaps, interest its liberal promoter to
peruse w. Stevensons "Hstori:al Sketch OF the
Progress of Discovery. Navigation and Commerce.. >
Edinburgh, 1924, and l. Barrow's "a Chronological
History OF Voyages Into the Arctic Regions. Under
taken Chiefly tor the Purpose of Discovering .
Atlantic and Pacific"
What am most in dread Of is the fitting out Of
some expedition of rescue by our some for
egn country, anxious ut our having passed the
winter here. That is quite unnecessary.
Professor Nordenskj0ld's short 'postscriptum Of
February 20. when the letter sent. contains:-
A Tchukchi is starting for Nischni Koiymsk in q
few moments. send my letters by him. The pro-
ected journey to Anadyrsk also had to be given up
AL well possible. The Tchukchi will not
wait longer. In haste. A. E. N.
The above mentioned letter of Professor Nordens-
kjold giving complete report Of his journey from
the mouth Of the River Lena. in Siberia and form
Ing continuation OF his first report. published by
MS last January. is rs foilows:-
SECOND LETTER TO DIR. DICKSON
On board the Vega, frozen in the Of Siberia,
in the vicinity Of Behrng Strait. 67 deg min.
northern latitude ITS deg. 10 min. west longitude
of Greenwich. November rs, 1878.
DEAR Dr. DIcKsoS-fn 1 should have an op:
portunity of sending letters home during the win
l am beginning now to write down q continuation
OF the report sent you from the mouth or the Lena
by Captain Johannesen on one OF the last days of
August The letter must have arrived at Yakutsk in
the steamer Lena before the middle OF September,
and the letters intrusted TO him have reached
tl,s 1ufnn a
that report and the accompanying chart you are
aware that the voyage from the Jenisej. around
Cape Tschejuskin. to the mouth or the Lena was
but little iinpeded by ice; that both the vessels
which were st my disposal during that part of
the expedition reached safely and with all hands
on board IN good health that part OF the Arctic
Sea where they were to separate. according to
tho plan OF the expedition. also presume that it
appeared from the letters we sent homo on that
that all Of us felt quito sure OF reaching
Japan this year. Our hopes not been fulfilled.
After struggling with ice obstructlons further on
our the Vega froze in at the end OF September
at the place above mentioned, about 200 kilometres
from Behring Strait. The vessel is unnjrred, COM
Portable and warm; winter harbor formed OF
ground ice u safe one. our provision OF food and
coal Is abundant and the state OF health on board
excellent. With the exception of our misfortune in
being detained here all is rs favorable as possible.
and hope shall be able to continue our journey
ut the beginning OF next summer.
MOUTH or THE LENA
A look ut the map or Asia will show that the Lena
discharges her waters through numerous arms,
spreading large delta situated about the mid
die of the northern coast OF Asia. The distance
thence to Ingorschar Is about the as to Behr-
ing strait. However, the coasts on opposite SIDES
OF that river differ widely On the western side the
country rises northward almost TO the seventy eighth
degree or TO latitude exceeded In very few places on
the Polar Sea. nic where may generally fear to
encounter impcnetrabie Of ice. On the east
ern side the coast slopes gragually southward and
the sound which uuitts the waters OF the Arctic Sea
with those OF tho Pacific Ocean IL situated south
of the Polar Circle in about the same
latitude OF Hapaianda. Oh the western side
the coast stretches out In wide, trcelcss
Tundra. while ON the other side the forest boundary
between Iona ana Behring Strait extends in many
places nearly TO the coast II Is the first time that
vessel ever sailed along the western part this
cuast and not ever u boat has been seen along q
grcut part of 1t. More than two hundred years ago
vessel sailed from the Lena to behring Strait and
though that journey has never been made since
sil quite lively navigation has bccn sustained be-
tween Lena, kolyina, lana Indiyirka and Behring
Strait starting points aud most places the north
eastern part OF Siberia. On the western side tno
soast lines very incorrectly represented ON the
charts. that have sailed surface nearly
ave hundred Kilometres laid out hand on tho
latest maps or siberia. But havo not been