The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1880-04-16
PROFESSOR noRDENsKJoLD's REPORT
{ { II. First Successful Attempt to Make the
Northeast Passage.
Translated fer the New NORTH WEST by Ole Bjorkc
Emnnria Kansns


Translated fer the New NORM WEST by Ole Bjorke,
Emporia, Kansas
Tin presenting the readers OF. the New NORTH
WEST with the translation of Poriessor Nordensk.
jolds Ofcal Report, have the pleasure OF stating
II is the first English translation made and the first
publication In the United States of the first sue
cessful attempt to solve the Polar problem of the
Northeast Passage. Having sailed through the Norih
and Polar Scar. passing the so tn degree, north lat
t1de and along the entire northern coast of Europe
and Siberia, this Report commences at the time the
Vega was frozen in but short distance north of Beh
rings Strait and at the very moment the intrepid
explorer deemed his worst difficulties ended. 1t will
be remembered the Vega last year sailed ont through
Behring's Strait into the Pacific Ocean, having &C
com pshed the great undertaking, and circumnaviga
ting Asia and Europe the Professor is en- route
home He has been accorded most distinguished hon
ors by the governments he has visited. The Report
will be continued in successive Issues of this paper
until completed.l
NEARING BEHRING'S STRAIT
According to my last report the Vega
on September 9th arrived within the point
of land which forms the boundary of Kul-
iutschin Bay toward the east. Frequently
during the day we had indeed to beat our
way through new formed ice, but this was
nowhere strong enough 10 binder our pro-
gress. The weather was still and clea., and
the temperature Of the air just below zepe
(Celsus). There was nothing, therefore,
to justify the apprehension that within the
next few days the sea would bind us with
his wintry chains. AS the Vega approached
the eastern coast of Koljutschin Bay drift
ice could be seen from the lookout baGel
so near the farther point that there remain
ed only a narrow strip of open water, near
est tho shore. 1t was already wellioward
evening, and to be feared that the open
channel at the point might not be of suffi-
cient depth for our vessel, too deep draft
for Siberia's icy seas. The anchor was let
90, therefore, in order thar daring the
evening sounding might be obtained in
the channel along the shore. Some of the
naturalists and myself embraced With avid
ity the opportunity for an excursion on
terra frma in this region, hitherto almost
! unknown TO science. The boat returned
after dark with the information that the
sea along the shore was deep enough, and
that from the rocky heights on the point
could be traced open water of some extent.
Every one, therefore, went to bed fully
confident that the next day ne should
achieve most Of the short distance which
still separated us from the Pacific Ocean.
HOPE DEFERRED.
The 2sth of September, 1878. set in with
clear and steady weather. During the
night the sea had been covered With new
layer of ice five centirnetres in thickness,
which of itself formed little obstruction to
the Vegas steaming ahead. We weighed
anchor and the voyage continued. Every
thing went well until We reached few
kilometres east Of the poiut mentioned
| The water DOW became turbid In the
Vegas wake and it became necessary to
seek u deeper channel further out from
shore among the drift ice, but this was now
80 firmly cemented to that formed the pre-
vious day that all efforts to proceed proved
unavailing. AS often before, during the
latter part of the voyage, SO now it became
necessary to moor the ship to the ground
| ice and thus await more favorable condl-
lions of the ice. Certain that few hours
southsrly wind would be sufficient tn break
the ice which had thus barred our way, and
treasured by the knowledge that whalers
had often left this region In the middle of
| October, | had no apprehension OF con-
tinued sojourn. In the meantime, | con-
cluded to take advantage Of the delay to
| make exclusions on shore and to institute
communication with the inhabitants. As
day by day passed by, however, without
| apy change, it became clear We must pre-
pare to winter. This was an unexpected
check, so much heavier to encounter With
resignation. as it was clear We could have
avoided il had we arrived few hours earli-
| er to the east Of Koijutscbin Bay and there
| had been many times before that these
| hours could have been spared (gained)
Moreover, the position of the ship was by
no means safe one in fact. the Vega
was not 1t anchor in harbor when frozen
in, but was in anticipation of favorable
opportunity to proceed, moored to . body
| of ground ice which had stranded at a
depth of 81 metres, and that upon road
stead 400 metres from shore, entirely ex-
| posed TO N. from N. TAO w. to E. Here
the ship had no other protection against
the violent pressure Of the winter storms
| generally prevalent in the Polar Seas than
an iceberg stranded on the spring tide, and
which like spring tide would be apt to
remove. 1t leaked, indeed, very little but
the Vegas winter harbor might have been
more precarious, as she was at first moored
| to some blocks of ice which had stranded
few hundred metres nearer shore, with
only few inches of water under the keel,
| hal -
remove from this The Vega would have
| this place. Indeed, during the autumnal
storms the new formed ice was forced
across these blocks by which the covering,
one-half metre in thickness, was split into
| thousands of fragments, which we're heap
ed upon the submarine ice, forming an i'm
mense torras, or wall of loose, rough
blocks. A ship moored here would have
split asunder already early in the fall. The
ground ice TO which the Vega was finally
moored covered about 25x40 metres. It's
greatest elvation above the surface OF the sea
| was six mctres. Thus it was not of too
great magnitude, but afforded sufficient pro.
lection to the ship.
Really the submarine Ice, the ship ard
/ the new formed surface ice withins, ltogeth-
or moved considerably nearer shore during
the violent autumnal storms that ragged.
Now and then sigh or creak in the hull
would give warning of heavy conclusions
beneath, bat up to this the Vega has sus.
tanned no appreciable damage either from
this cause or from the strong, wintry frost
which at first ever and anon gave us indi.
cation that some old assure had been en-
larged BY the congelation Of the intruded
water.
! THE WINTER HARB0R.
The position of our winter harbor is &C
or north latitude, and 1880 west Of Green.
wich, on the Asiatic shore of Behring's
Strait, northernmost point.
The adjacent land forms an extended,
slightly rndulating plain, bounded toward
its south by gradually ascending ridges,
which. according to the account given by
the natives Of the interior, are of consider.
able elevation. The lowlands are to great
extent interspersed with great iagunes,
separated from the sea by low sandbankl
thrown mp by the ice and waves On our ar.
rival the ground was covered with hoarfrost
but as yet it was bare of snow, and oui
botanists had therefore good opportunity
to form their notions upon the hitherto un.
known flora of the region. Next the shore
they found close Eiymusbus interwovsn
with Halianthus peploides. Beyond this