Year: 1879

he coast on the western side lies open and unpro-
tee ted from the of ice in the Polar Sea,
whereas on tho eastern side the Polar Sea, properly
so-called is separated from the by
tho New Siberian Islands and Wrangels Land. On
this account it was to be expected that the chief
dif6culties would be surmounted arrival at
the Lena Nevertheless before the departure OF the
expedition expressed the opinion that the real OBJ
stace in its way would appear east OF Kolyma. as
only small empty into the that side and
therefore we could not depend meeting the warm
which on the western side OF that river
the to be relatively free from ice toward
the end of the summer. This suppostion, though
forgotten for some days during tho first part
journey so wonderfully favored in all respects. has.
unfortunately, been completely confirmed.


NJ SEPARATING THE LENA.


After separating from the Lena we steered
northeast toward the most southern of the New
Siberian Islands. These islands very remarkable
from scientific standpoint. The remains of the
mammoth and q great quantity of coeval animal
forms which have supplied with 80 unexpected
information the characteristics of the fauna,
which formerly inhabited North ASIA found
more abundnntly these islands than on the
Tundra of the continent Hunters OF ivory who
for years have gone across the ice from the
by dogs. to gather ivory during the summer.
have thence returned in autumn. when the sea
was again icebouud laden with an abundant har-
vest. The ivory is gathered OH the beach. and
consequently either been thrown mp from the
by the autumn storms or the autumn floating ice.
it been washed out from the sand strata of the
beach. A really thorough scientific examination OF
those islands has not yet been made. and here Is


field of labor OF the greatest Importance for the his
tory of our globe. The sound between the most
southern OF the Now Siberian Islands and the con-
tinent il only about thirty feet wide. On the
tinent ie bounded by point which has often been
the terminus OF the coasting trade from the mouth
of the Lena eastward and perhaps. that account,
like SO many other points the northern coast OF
Russia which almost i'm psssable from storm and
ice it has received the of Svatoj Nos
(the Sacred Nazel The intrepid Russian
Arctic explorer Laptjef relates in 1885
this point as the Iskuts who inhabit those regions
had assured him that the surrounding of ice
never melted Three years later. however p7S9). the
nip m " N0QfA hy Iun ntiAH nSAlf-
one OF the many instances Of how possible many
s.in,possiDilities" really The same voyage
the siberian merchant Schalaurof. am convinced
tnat the here is navigable every year. not only
for steamers but also for usual fishing vessels pro-
vided they manned by capable. experienced sea-
men.


THE ARCTIC WINTER.


The nights now began to grow dark and the sea
40 filled with ice that were Obliged to lie quiet
every night the vessel usually moored to large
block OF ground ice. When day dawned the
9Th of September found ourselves
rounded by ice that it was impossible to proceed
further directly eastward 1t then became necessary
to find more free from ice either northward or
in the channel along the coast. which is almost al
ways free from ice, but shallew. We chose the lat
ter but it was rather difficult task to penetrate
toward land through the surrounding of ice.
whose extent we could not estimate in the darkness


We had hardly arrived near land when two boats
constructed like the Unnaks or woman boats. of the
Esquimaux were announced, filed with natives, the
first we had fallen In with since we left Chabarova
near Gugsrschsr. We stopped to allow them to





but unfortunately none OF them could speak Rus
sian any other language understood by Ono
boy, however, could count up to ten in English.
which would seem to prove that the natives here
have been more in relation with American whalers
in Behring Strait than with Russian merchants We
have since been in daily contact with the natives
the coast but have not yet met with one, not
among the Reindeer Tchukchi: whose rovings ex-
utter intellgible sentence in any Eu-
ropean language. On the other hand, Lieu
tenant Nordquist. who. when opportunity offers.
still seems disposed to devote himself to careful
exploration OF this part OF Siberia has studied their
lang uage with zeal and and have also al
lowed Jonson, OF the fishermen, complete
emption from his other duties on the condition that
he shall be together with the Tchukchi much
as possible, to study their language and habits.
therefore hope later to be able to offer quito faith
full pisture Of the customs Of this People. which;
implements and costumes which am taking home.
viii. perhaps be of all the more interest as the
Tchukchi still use implements OF stone bone
and this people. living on the original thorough
fare between the Old World and the New bear
mistakable resemblance in features to the Mongoli-
OF the Old World and tho EsQuimaux and Indians
of the New


INTERCOURSE WITH THE NATIVES


On the opposite side OF Cape Scnleagskoj we
steamed ON the and rg<h through marrow, open
and ice Tree channel c,ose 70 the the Descn: put win
often quite shallow in the coast channel. In the
night OF the sth OF September We were moored
usual to q block Of ground ice. The teach is here
formed by low wall ct sand. running between
small lagoon and the Further inland the coun-
try gradually rises to barren free from snow hills
or here there thnly powdered by the snowfall
of the last days. Lagoon formations OF the
Characteristic of the northeastern coast of
Siberia. The villages OF the Tchukchi are
separates the lagoon from the sea- The dwellings,
consist of large. spacious tents. containing one
two places for sleeping The latter form kind Of
and lighted and warmed by train oil lamp. In the
summer. but not in winter. wood fire is made in
made in the top of the tent roof. We every
where received in the most friendly manner. and
they offered what they had. For the time being
the supply of food was abundant. In tent REIN
deer meet cooked in large pot Of cast iron.
out s the 0'nt entrais ' Of two reindeer just shot
or killed In third woman about
to take out the e. green, spinaeh-like like pluck
bag OF seaskin. evidently to be preserved as
table stock the winter. The pluck in the bowels
of the reindeer is also considered delicaey by the
EsQuimaux OF Greenland. Besides that unpalstable
dish the Tchukchl gather during the summer
large supply of leaves and fresh sprouts OF several
kinds OF plants. among them a species af osier.
which when fermented and frozen Is either eaten
with meat without any further preparation or boiled
to kind Of vegetable soup. 10 satisfy their desire
for vegetable food they also eat the roots OF ut
least two native plants The one species OF roots
forms round tubers some larger than hazel nuts
and almost like them in tastc. The other resembles
the thick conca oshoots OF the roots OF the fhdcz
triztda. Possibly third kind of roots may be added
to these that of umbelifeo. Other bags OF seal
skins filed with train oil. These bags
skin with the exception Of that covering the head,


which is cut of at the neck. When the bag is used
for holding liquids ~ Is tehtiy laced ut tue neck anu
ut the other opening or the skin, and a spigot


hole is made in piece Of wood or bone fastened to


the inside of of the forelegs Outside tent two
fresh warus heads were lying. with splendid large
teeth There were plenty OF children. who we're
we'll treated. and ali of them looked very healthy.
They were often carried about the back by the
women well as by the men. aud they then
bundled that they looked like balls of fur. But in
the inner tent they perfectly naked. some
times saw them out between the tents to
the frozen feid without shoes any other garments
ut temperature below zero. bartered here guam
/ Of household 10 implements. mr. nlS
THE FIRST SHIP


On the morning OF the Yth september we at
tenn pied TO steam further, but again brought
to standstill by the persistent and thick fog. On
the fog's vanishing saw that the ground ice. to
which moored. extended TO the shore. Here
we remained until the next day, making u number
| OF excursions land. This being the first time
| ship had ever been this shore arrival
was OF course, q great event for the inhabitants.
i a.alast llaxn xxllA for