The New York herald., 1879-08-11
NORDENSKJOLD IN THE ARCTIC.
THE VEGA MooREp TO SOLID IcE-LIFE AMONG
THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. FROM THE Ex-

THE VEGA MooRED TO SOLID IcE-LIFE AMONG
THE TscHUTscHEs--LErTER FROM THE Ex-
PLoRERs FORWARDED BY NATIVE CHIEF
According to the Nya Dayligt AHehanda, a journal
published at Stockholm. private letter has been re-
ceived in the latter part OF June overland from Lieu
tenant Palander the commander of the Vega stating
that all well board of the steamer The mouth
of the Lena River passed on the 27th OF August
last. In the beginning everything was favor
able. although the Arctic explorers had TO
contend with ice and shallow water. Ihey
succeeded in reaching Cape Jakan, but
here for three days further progress stopped
That point left the l1th of September. and
after many difficulties they arrived. on the 18TH at
Cape North. where they shut up in ice until the
18th. After that the Arctic voyagers only able
now and then to advance. owing to the compact ice
On the 2sth of September they arrived at their pres
ent position in latitude 81 deg. min. north and
longitude l73 deg. 80 min. west. Had that point been
reached two days earlier the steamer would have
been able to pass through Behring Strait
VEGAS ANCHORAGE.
The Vega is not anchored in any harbor. but near
a very shallow sand beach. and moored to solid ice
All hands well and provisions plenty; coal suf-
fcent for 2,0UU mile cruise. One or two villages
Of Tschutsches had been passed. These natives
were believed to originate from Greenland. and.
judging from their appearance. appeared to be re-
lated to the Esquimaux. Their complexion is
brownish yellow hair and eyes jet black They are
dressed in reindeer robes dwell in tents Of hides
and live on the fat Of the SEAL They are, moreover
friendly disposed and accommodating. The women's
faces are tattooed the mems not Their language is
very dificut to understand. but the Swedish ex-
plorers have nevertheless acquiredit it and compiled
Swedish -Tschutschean dictionary. embracing over
three hundred words. Three camps of Tschutsches
the shore in the vicinity of the Vegas an
chorage.
TEMPERATURE
During September the temperature never be-
low degrees, and degrees Celsius the coolest
at any time. On the 2lst December. the darkest day
of the year. the still above the horizon The
letters had been sent from the Vega by visiting
native chief residing in the neighborhood Of Ana
dyrsk. The Polar explorers calculated to extricate
themselves by the lst of july to reach Japan by
the 18th OF August. .saos fastf
LETTER FROM NoRDENsKJoLD.
We are enabled also to lay before readers the
following extract from the famous Arctic explorers
last letter to his family. which Mrs. Nordenskjold
has had the poiteness to place ut disposal The
letter is dated :-''On board the Vega. icebound on
the north coast of Siberia, just east Of Koluschin
Bay. latitude 81 deg min. longitude. 173 deg.
Is min. west of Greenwich. the 9Th Of October.
1S7S-Since last wrote from the mouth Of the Lena
River the Vega has pressed forward though with no
little difficulty, to the vicinity of Behring Strait
1. e.. to part of the Polar Sea which
is every year visited by whalers from
the Pacific Ocean and trading vessels belonging
to the American Alaska Company. These vessels
have frequently left these waters late the mid
die of October. As result from the northern and
northwestery winds blowing in these regions during
the whole Of September, it appears. however. that
this year most unfavorable condition or the ice has
prevailed in the Polar Sea. near Behring Strait The
free channel which in the proximity Of the coast
facilitated our progress far beyond the mouth
of the Lena River ended at the Basanow Islands,
which passed on the Sd Of September. Since then
we have gone forward through dense masses of float
ing. ice slowly that did not reach the eastern
coast of Kojuschin Bay until the 9th of September.
AMONG THE rscHUrscHEs
THE night of the 2Sth the ocean was covered be-
tween the glacial fragments with formed ice.
that were forced to abandon further attempts to
proceed. but temporarily lay to, alongside some
large foes OF solid ice about half q mile from the
beach. Three days later we able to walk ashore
on the new formed ice. Consequently everything is
satisfactory possible in the event of being
obliged spend the winter here. The coast is in
habited by Tschutsches, with whom in COM
muncation most friendly terms. although,
these natives do not understand speak
Russian, we have some difficulty in max
ing ourselves mutually intelligble. Lieutenant
Nordgvist. however. has made good begin
ming in learning their language. They declare
imousy that the ice will again break up; but in the
event their prediction should fail send this letter
by a Tschutsch chief. who happened to visit the
village our place Of anchorage. 1t is most
certain whether we will succeed in making him
derstand the meaning Of the papers hand him.
and it doubtful whether they will reach their
destination. All hands well the vessel in perfect
condition and the supplies of coal and provisions
abundant. The Tschutsch chief. who has appointed
me to be the Iprarnk in Ochotsk. pulled to the
vessel. when he paid us his state visit in q sleigh
drawn by two of his dwarfed subjects"