The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-04-02

clos win be encountered year after year during
tho latter part OF August. SO far Mt least as re-
CARDS tho tract Of ocean lying between the
Ycnese and the Lena. He believes, indeed.
that the place whore the obstruction from ice
will most frequently be met with Is not tho
north point OF Asia. but the region Just cast Of
the entrance to the Kara Sea.
After the parting from her consort the Vega
continued her voyage in northeastcrly direc-
ton toward the New Siberian Islands which.
from the time OF their discovery. have becn re-
nowncd among the Russian ivory collectors for
their extraordinary richness in tusks and por-
tions of skeletons Of the extinct northern spo-
ces Of elephant known by the name OF mann
moth. Nordcnskiold however, was not sue
cessful In making any discovery that would
throw light upon the mode Of life OF this
animal, and the information offered on this
head is collected from other sources. The New
Siberian Islands are also noteworthy from geo
graphical point Of view. IA being tho single
available starting point for the exploration Of
the yet altogether unknown sea further to the
north. Here. again, 1t was impossible for tho
Vega to stop IL she wished TO avoid being lee
bound for the winter and Nordenskiold accord
ingly pressed to the Boar Islands. which lie of
the mouth OF the river Kolyma. and which are
considerably further from the New Siberian
Islands than are tho latter from the Lena
Passing the Bear Islands on Sept. g. the ex-
plorcr shaped his course straight for Cape
Chelagskoi. which last named point was
reached on Sept. O.
Now pleasant change began in the life
Of the voyagers by their coming at last
in contact with natives. In the whole stretch
from Yugor Schar tthe strait through which
they had entered the Kara Sea from tho
vest to Cape Chelagskoi. they had seen neither
men nor human habitatons. But off the last
named point the explorers sighted two boats
full of Chukches. as the natives of this coast
region are called. Many of these. it seems.
were tall. well-grown men. clothed in
close-itting skin trousers and jackets OF
reindeer skins. The head was bare, the hair
clipped short. with the exception Of small
fringe in front, combed down over the brow.
The hair in most cases was blush black and
exceedingly thick. The women we're tattooed
with black or blush black lines on the brow and
nose. Il number of similar lines on the chin.
and finally some embellishments on the cheeks.
The typo OF face did not strike the voyagers as
so unpleasant as that OF the Samoyeds. whom
they had met far to the westward. on Vaygats
Island and the Yalmal peninsula Some Of the
young girls were even not absolutely ugly. In
comparison with the Samoyeds they were rather
creamy, anu nau u DeSiuIllul, almost reddish
white complexion. 1t was remarkable that
none of these Chukches could speak single
word of Russian. whereas boy could count
tolerably well up to ten in English-which
shows that the natives here come into closer
contact with American whaemen than with
Russian traders.
The Vega soon weighed anchor and pursued
her course eastwardly from Cape Chciagsko
But the vessel was not destined in single
year to complete the crcumnavigation Of tho
continent. BY Sept u, when he had passed
Irkaipn. or Cape North the explorer fell in with
such close leo that there was no possibility OF
penetrating further Here accordingly he was
detained until Sept. 1s. and il was this involun-
tary delay which must h. considered the main
cause OF his wintering on the coast Of Siberia.
By the way, lrkaip1 got its name Of Cape North
from Cook. being the northcrnmost promontory
seen by him in 1878 in that particular part OF
Asia. On Sept. IL the Vega tried once more to
move forward. though progress was difficult
enough through ice that had to be hcwn away
with axes. She was finally compelled TO lie to
by an eNasperating mischance on Sept 2S at q
point where only few miles separated Nor
d"nskioh from the open water in Behring
Strait The yoyagers were not ut first very
uneasy at the delay but as day after day passed
without any favorable change taking place in
the condition Of the ice. it became clear to
them that they must make preparations for
winterins Just on the threshold between the
Arctic and Pacific Oceans. Here. in fact they
were forced to spend more than nine months
although the ice began to break up on April
1879. The state Of health board. how
ever, during the Arctic winter was exceed
inely good. which accounts no doubt. for
the singuarly enterprising spirit which
inspired the scientific members of the en-
petition. Tho greatest cold was observed
on Jan. %, when the mercury in the
thermometer tCentigradcl fell 10 nearly 46 de-
Gr"es below zero. Much greater inconvenience
than from cold was suffered from the excessive
heat ana the fumes which fires made in east
iron stoves are wont 10 cause in small. close
cabins. When the Vega was beset there were
NV" native villages on the ncighborins beach.
and throughout the winter the voyaCers had
continual intercourse with tho Chukchcs. They
never, 1t seems had occasion to lament the
loss Of the merest tribe but. on the other hand.
they were n good deal annoyed by beggary.
Nordcnskiold found that the Chukches were
ignorant Of the existence Of the Russian En-
pcror; but they knew that n very pow
eriul person had his home at Irkutsk
II appears that the natives of this re-
Sion carry ON quite an active traffic between
the saNagos Of the northernmost parts Of Amer
lea and the Russian fur dealers in Siberia. and
that many pass their lives in commercial Jour-
ncys. Some ofthese Chukch traders were able
to give Nordenskiold valuable information re-
gardns the state of tho ice between Chaun Bay
l7O' east longitude and Bchring Strait
Although the ice began 10 break up ON April
Is, 1879, il was not till Just three months after
ward that the ice barrier had wholly vanished
and the Vega. dccked with flags, was able to get
under su
her destination. She me; with no moro ice oh
Sta"s"s on her course tu the Pacific. ByllAM
on the 10th Of July she was in the middle Of tho
sound which unites the North Polar Sea with
the Pacific Ocean. and from this point the Vega
greeted the Old and New Worlds by n joyous
display Of flags and the firing Of sulutes
We n'cd notrrcount the hlmeward voyage of
tn" w"rI;-famous Vega, how the keel. which
had cut the virgin surface uf an Arctic sea was
10 glide through the waters Of Japan. coast the
shores Of that SrrcanI II which Sebastian
Cabot dreamed thread the Malaccau straits,
round Taprobane. ccaye the Sucz s,hmus.
touch at \uplpS-Whprr tIyn pnnturins ~ rli,.