The Princeton union., 1892-02-18
EXPLORING NOVA zEMBLA.
A Solitary Explorers Years of, Working
an Almost Unknown Land.

- A-'N'nAASo NOVA ZEMBLAs
"A Solitary Explorers Years Of Working
an Almost Unknown Land.
An interesting man has for three
years been studying the geopranhv
and physical conditions of one of the
bleakest parts of the world. His name
Is X. Nossilof and he was first heard
OF in 1883. after he had spent a wear
studying the twin islands of Nova
Zembla, north of the European main
lands He said he intended to devote
five years to Nova Zembla, and he has
now completed three years of investi-
cation. This preserving young Rus
sisn has returned every year to Arch
angel, On the northern coast of E,lrope.
with valuable botanical mineral and
geological specimens. He has carried
on bis work with only oheor two as
sistants. and they have passed at least
one dark winter in that bleak land.
Only twice before have white explor-
ers wintered in Nova Zembla. The
hrst occasion was when the famous
Dutch explorer, William Barents.
rounded the northern part of Nova
Zembla and with his little party spent
the long winter night of 1596-97 amid
much hardship and discomfort on the
northeast coast The second occasion
was not many years ago. when some
Norwegians attached to- an exploring
party were so enamored of the life
they led among the. natives, who had
a temporary home on the. twin islands
that they remained behind when their
comrades returned to civilization, and
their friends saw no more. of them for
year or two. until they grew weary
of their isolation.
Nossilof in the spring OF 1889 re-
ported the discovery of four coal fields
and deposits of iron. copper. gold, and
sulphur: which be said would. pay for.
working. He also collected a great
deal OF information regarding the ami
NAL life of the island kept careful
record of the meteorological conditions
and surveyed a'large extent of coun-
try. While engaged in tracing the
coast line he discovered three new
islands. one of which. about nineteen
miles long and three broad he named.
Possiet island. Last winter Nossilof
lived at the western entrance of Mat
thew [Matoshkin] strait. He had a.
comfortable house, which had been
specially constructed for him after his
own plan in Archangel and was car
ried in schooner to Nova Zembla
The significance of Nossilofs work
IS that almost single-handed and alone
he is exploring one of the least known
parts of the world. The best maps of
Nova Zembla shows little more than
blank spaces in the Interior Seal
hunters say that the island is very
rocky and it IS likely that in the inte,
rior there are mountain chains rum
ming parallel with the coast. The
country has no inhabitants, but is Wis
tied annually by Semoyeds from the
neighboring mainland In recent
years number of expeditions, scien-
tific and commercial have touched at
Nova Zembla. but the island is still
but little known. and even the greater
part of its coast line is not yet accu-
rately laid down on the maps
During the summer of 1890 Nossilof
made several excursions into the Kara
sea. collected many birds and animals
surveyed part of the coast and took
soundings. He says that last. winter
was unusually stormy and that the sea-
remained open until spring. Torrents
OF rain fell so that the country was
covered with coating of ice and many
reindeer perished from hunger Hun
dreds of seals were frozen on the ice
and fish were thrown up in heaps on
the shore. The weather during last
spring and summer was very severe,
and the temperature did not rise above
II degrees T. up to the end of july.
The explorer was however, able to
carry on the scientific work of his en-
pedition without interruption and to
make large geological Investigations.
The enthusiastic Russian has led a
more isolated life during the last
three years than almost any other civ
ilized man. says the Chicago News.
He has faith that there is good to be
obtained from Nova Zembla, and be-
lieves it will pay to develop its min
eraI resources