IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 u& ^" I.I 25 13.2 us u 14 "22 2.0 1.8 L25 lliu I1IIII.6 ^1 W 7 c*^ % %\f^ ^> 0/ /A Photographic Sciences Corporation \ <^ ^ :\ \ w^h^ 6^ 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. US80 (716) 872-4503 A.^ L<5> ^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The toth The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographicaliy unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. D D D D n n D D D Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagie Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaurie et/ou pellicul^e Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque Coloured maps/ Cartes g^ographiques en couleur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (f.e. autre que bleue ou noire) Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ Relii avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ Lareliure serrie peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge intirieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajout6es lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6ti filmies. Additional comments:/ Commentaires suppl^mentaires: L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a dtd possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-dtre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger una modification dans la mithode normale de filmage sont indiqu6s ci-dessous. □ Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur □ Pages damaged/ Pages endommagdes n Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages restaurdes et/ou pelliculdes |~~~1/ Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ LLd Pages d^color^es, tacheties ou piqu6es □Pages detached/ Pages ddtach^es nnyShowthrough/ L— 1 Transparence I I Quality of print varies/ The poss of th filmi Orig begi the! sion othe first sion Drill D Quality in^gale de I'impression Includes supplementary material/ Comprend du materiel supplementaire Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible The shall TINl whl( Map diffe entii bagi right requ metl Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been ref timed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont ^t6 filmdes A nouveau de fa9on d obtenir la meilleure image possible. This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ (Je document est filmi au taux de reduction indiqui ci-dessous. iUA 14a ISA £^fi £Of\ JUA V • 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X The copy filmed here ha» been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: Library of the Pubiic Archives of Canada L'exempiaire fllmi fut reproduit grAce d la gAn6rosit6 de: La bibiiothdque des Archives publiques du Canada The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin. compte tenu de la condition et de la nettet6 de rexemplaire film6, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprim6e sent film6s en commenpant par le premier plat et en torminant soit par la dernlAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, salon le cas. Tous les autres exemplairos originaux sent filmfo en commen9ant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol — »> (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Un des symboles suivants apparaftra sur ia dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cat: le symbole »► signif ie "A SUIVRE ", le synboie V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre fiimds d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est film6 d partir de I'angle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n6cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 f-H-t'" 6 H /iu.s\siot 44 n V G ^^^Tarhetvr-Sioibi or ■^fourmiarJ. "Unyision Depot J-\ -&/•."//■'' M / / Jce niijMii ^ ' with Salt Imp assable ■ - —• triirt ac-v^w. __ open Water 176" lacy* T I I I I -t~r~r"t"T-T~t~ rr i&ii ,#»,*■■ ITOIRTH-EA.^T PA:R1 I B E M 1 TO ILLUSTRATE THE NARRATI\7 OF THE EXPEDITION TO THi POLAR SEA IN 1820,21,22 «£' 23 COMMANDED BY LIEUT. FERDINAND VON WRANGEI OF THE RUSSIAN IMPERIAL NAV ^i from (..Jfikait in deiir swfinur weather Open sea with old driA-^ice *'^^' .,w front CJnktu'i in , T-h-T— T -^-T-r-^ r-r-f-r T->-T- 1 I i i I r-r-t^ TrT-_-r:i - 1 " [ A P OF THE -EAk^T paht OF R 1 A tATE THE NARRATBT. CPEDITION TO THE AR SEA IN 0.21,22 &^ 23 [MANDED BY DINAND VON WRANGKLL ilAX IMPERIAL NAVY 1 76" 7ly 74' 7'S J 72 ^ I I I I I 4— I— t 1215" 130' 136' I I r' I -^ I I I I I T=i=x 14 O" 'II I t c^ I I I 1' I ' I I ' I I ' I ' 1= ^=1 1^5" /rtuntTj'iltt.- in Kr^fT^ \ed iy J.AC. WaUttr ^ « ">rjfujfa Published by Mad-den & Co. 1844. it NARRATIVE OF AN EXPEDITION TO THE POLAR SEA, IN THE YEARS 1820, 1821, 1822 & 1823. COMMANDED BY IIEUTBNANT NOW ADMIRAL FERDINAND VON WRANGELL, OP THE RUSSIAN IMPERIAL NAVY. SECOND EDITION, WITH ADDITIONS, EDITED BY LIEUT.-COL. EDWARD SABINE, R.A. F.R.S. LONDON: JAMES MADDEN AND CO., 8, LEADENHALL STREET. WDCCCXLIV. LONDON ■KEWSTER, PRINTER, UAKD COURT, BOWOATE. i c t P 1 t li u U] PREFACE TO THB SECOND EDITION. \j'f The narrative of M. von WrangelFs Expedition was drawn up by himself in the Russian language in 1828, and on his departure for the government of the Russian Colonies on the North-west coast of America, it was placed by the Admiralty in the hands of Admiral Golownin, in the contem- plation of its publication by the Government. The death of that distinguished officer, and the prolonged absence of M. von Wrangell, probably contributed to the subject being lost sight of by t];e RusarjD Admiralty; and at a later period, at liie request of Professor Ritter, M. Englehardt undertook to make a German translation of the unpublished manuscript. M. Engelhardt's work appearcu m 1839, uccompanied hj a map com- a 2 IV PREFACE. municated by M. von Wrangell himself. In the following year, 1840, the first edition of the pre- sent volume was pubhshed, being a translation made by Mrs. Sabine from the German of M. Engelhardt, reduced into a somewhat smaller compass than the original, partly by the omission of the meteorological tables, partly by the sub- stitution of a more simple and concise style, and partly by the occasional cuitailment of repetitions which are not unfrequent in dififerent portions of the original work.* The temperatures occurring in the text have been changed from Reaumur into Fahrenheit's scale. Distances, weights, and prices have been preserved in the original expressions, in wersts, poods, and roubles: and the English reader who may require it, is reminded that the value of the current rouble (which is the rouble here spoken of) is between lOd. and 11^., that a pood or 40 Russian lbs., is about 36 lbs. avoirdu- pois; and that a werst is about two-thirds of a British statute mile, or more exactly, that 104 wersts make 60 geographical miles. The dates are in the '' old style,", which is still in use in Russia, and twelve days are to be added, to give * The order of succession of the different parts of the work has been modified in a few instances, both by the German and the English translators, each with a view to what appeared to them the most convenient arrangement to the reader. PREFACE. V the corresponding dates in the style adopted by other European nations ; thus New Year's Day in this volume is our 13th of January, and so forth. Besides having undergone careful revision here, the present edition has gained by the correction by M. von Wrangell himself, of such errata as had found their way into the German, and had not been discovered in the course of the EngUsh translation. This edition has besides, not only the advantage of being in a much cheaper and more accessible form than the first, but it has also been enriched by a portrait of Admiral von Wrangell, and by an additional chapter, contain- ing a brief narrative of the proceedings of the Ustiansk expedition, under M. von Anjou, of whose labours the New Siberian Islands, and the sea in their vicinity, were the principal scene. I am indebted to Admiral von Wrangell for the communication of the German manuscript con- taining t^ese notices, which have not before been published, as well as for the very kind manner in which he has complied with my request — ^to be furnished with the means of prefixing an engraving of himself to the second edition, by sending me for that purpose a portrait in oils, which is esteemed, I understand, an excellent likeness. It is with Vfirv Prpnf snfiBfanfioTi fViof T ,,,v, enabled on the present occasion, to state the full i 'rr»:-yffa!rT ' . ;. ' : - »gf vi PREFACE. concurrence of M. von Wrangell in the opinions which I ventured to express in the preface to the first edition, relative to the navigation of the Polar Sea. M. von Wrangell says, in a letter addressed to me : — "The opinion expressed by you in the preface relatively to the existence of open i.avigable water in the north, corresponds perfectly to the impres- sions which were excited in me by the constantly- repeated obstacles to a further advance to the northward over the ice. According to my views it should be possible to reach and to follow this open water from Spitzbergen. If it were pos- sible to embark in a suitably fitted vessel from New Siberia, a most interesting result might probably be expected. There would then seem still to remain a wide field of research open to the spii'it of enterprise of experienced navigators, before the question of a water communication between the two oceans in high northern latitudes be decidedly solved." As I have myself seen no reason to alter or modify the opinions referred to, and as their pos- sible bearing on future researches has still the same importance in my view,-— and was in fact a principal motive to the undertaking of the present work, — I subjoin the portion to the preface of the first edition in which those opinions were expressed. I PKEFACE. Vll )pinions e to the le Polar dressed preface e water impres- jtantly- to the y views 3W this re pos- il from might 1 seem to the gators, ication titudes Iter or ir pos- ill the fact a •resent of the •essed. "Whether we view M. von WrangelVs nar- rative as an authentic account of a portion of the globe and of its inhabitants, hitherto but very imperfectly known ; — or as a personal relation of difficulties encountered and privations borne in a spirit which England cherishes in its own officers, and is not slow to value in others ; — or finally, as an essential portion of the history of Arctic Discovery, in which our own country has taken so prominent a part ; — in each, and in all of these respects, it has a claim on the attention and in- terest of British readers. " Tlie facts and circumstances made known bv an expedition which was engaged during three years in geographical researches, extending over fifty degrees of longitude of the coast of the Polar Sea, must in many instances bear, by a close analogy, on reasonings connected with the yet unexplored portion of the Arctic Circle ; and they do so par- ticularly in respect to that part, which has been, and still continues to be, the theatre of British enterprise. "There is a striking resemblance in the con- figuration of the northern coasts of the continents of Asia and America, for several hundred miles on either side of Behring Straits; the general direction of the coast is the same in both conti- nents, the latitude is nearly the same, and eacli Vlll PREFACE. lias its attendant group of islands to the north, — the Asiatic continent, those usually known as the New Siberian Islands ;— and the American, those called by Sir Edward Parry the North Georgian Group, and since fitly named, from their dis- coverer, the Parry Islands. The resemblance includes the islands also, both in general character and in latitude. " With so decided a similarity in the configura- tion and position of the land and sea, it is reasonable to expect that there should be a cor- responding resemblance in the state and circum- stances of the ice, by which the navigation of the ocean may be effected. " In perusing M. von WrangelPs description of that portion of the sea which is comprised between the Asiatic Continent and the New Siberian Islands, those who have had personal experience of the corresponding portion of the sea on the American side, namely, of the portion included between the Continent and the Parry Islands, must at once recognise the close resemblance which the ice described by M. von Wrangell bears to that which fell under their own observation. In both cases, in summer, a narrow strip of open water exists between the shore and the ice, ad- mitting of the occasional passage of a vessel from point to point, subject to frequent interruptions PREFACE. IX lorth, — 1 as the 1, those eorgian nr dis- iblance aracter ifigura- , it is a cor- ircum- of the tioii of jtween berian rience •n the 3luded lands, 3lance bears ation. open 3, ad- from )tions from the closing of the ice on the land by certain winds, and from difficulties at projecting capes and head-lands. The main body of the ice, by which the sea is covered, is at that season broken into fields and floes of various extent and size, with lanes of open water intermediate ; and in this state things remain till the first frosts of autumn, when the whole is cemented into a firm and con- nected covering, and remains so during the winter. From the circumstance of the Siberian islands being rich in the remains of mammoths, which form a valuable article of commerce, this natural bridge is traversed every year by many persons, who pass and repass in winter and in spring : — on the American side it is trodden only by the rein-deer and musk-oxen, in their spring and autumn migrations. " The thickness of ice formed in a single season is stated by M. von Wrangell to be about nine and a-half feet ; if prevented from drifting away during the summer, a second season will add about five feet; and a third season, doubtless, somewhat more. The fields of ice, which have been met with by the British expeditions in parts of the sea which are known to be cleared in every year, — in Baffin's Bay and Hudson's Straits, for example, and to the north and west of Spitz- bergen, — have usually been from nine to ten feet X PREFACE. thick; and I weU remember the surprise excited m the expedition which penetrated to MelviUe Island, at the extraordinary and unprecedented thickness Of the field-ice which they encountered, after passmg Barrow Strait, and entering, for the first time, the portion of the sea comprised be- tween the continent and the islands to its north : evidencing that on that portion of the sea the icy covenng remains for successive years. The general thickness was more than double that of the formation of a single year. "All the attempts to effect the Nortb-West Passage, since Barrow Strait was first passed in 1819 have consisted in an endeavour to force a vesse , by one route or by another, through this land-locked and ice-encumbered portion of the Polar Ocemi. No examination has made known what may be the state of the sea to the north of the Parry Islands;* whether similar impediments may there present themselves to navigation; or whether a sea may not there ,xist, offering no difficulties whatsoever of the kind, as M. von Wrangell has shown to be the case to the north of the Siberian Islands, and as by strict analog,^ we should be justified in expecting; unless, i„- soulh ,0 the north .,de of Melville Island, the largest of the - . - - --, .».U, did nut go on the land on the north side. PREFACE. XI deed, other land should exist to the north of the Parry group, making that portion of the ocean also a land-locked sea. " The equipment of the expeditions of MM. von Wrangell and von Anjou, for the prosecution of their researches, was formed on the presump- tion of the continuance to the north, (in the winter and spring at least,) of the natural bridge of ice, by which the islands are accessible from the continent : but every attempt which they made to proceed to the north, repeated as these were during three years, and from many different points of a line extending for several hundred miles in an E. and W. direction, terminated alike in conducting them to an open and navigable sea. From whatever point of the coast their departure was taken, the result was invariably the same; after an ice-journey of more or less continuance, they arrived where further progress in sledges was impossible; where, to use the words of M. von Wrangell, ' we beheld the wide immeasurable ocean spread before our gaze, a fearful and magnificent, but to us a melancholy spectacle.' [Das unermessliche, offene meer weit ausgebreitet vor uns : ein furchtbarer, grossartiger, aber trauriger anblick !] I need scarcely say, that the spectacle, which to them appeared ' melancholy,' because it compelled them to xu PREFACE. renounce the object for which they strove so admirably through years of privation and toil would wear an aspect of a totally opposite cha- raster to those whose success should depend on the facilities of navigation. " Setting aside the possibility of the existence of unknown land, the probability of an open sea existing to the north of the Parry Islands, and communicating with Behring Straits, appears to rest on strict analogical reasoning. The distance of either group to Behring Straits is nearly the same. " It cannot be doubted, that by calling again into action the energy, and the other admirable qualities vhich have been fostered and displayed m the Arctic voyages, [and which have been since exhibited in fullest vigour in the Antarctic expedi- tion]* and by persevering through a succession of seasons, a vessel might be successfully forced from the Atlantic to the Pacific, through that confined and encumbered portion of the sea, in which all the recent attempts have been made; and that this would be deemed, and deservedly deemed, an achievement of no ordinary character; but who that reflects on the interest which has been excited in this country for two centuries and a-half, by the question of a north-west passage ;- * This sentence is added in the present edition. Hi PREFACE. XIU on the heroic performances of the earher navi- gators in their frail and insufficient vessels; — and on all the efforts of modern times; — can forbear to wish that the crowning enterprise of so much exertion and so many hopes, may be more suitable to those expectations of a ' free and navigable' passage, which formed the reason- able basis of this long-cherished project.* "When, in 1583, Davis sailed through the Strait which has since borne his name, his heart misgave him when he was able to discern, though in the extreme distance, ' land on both sides of him.' Notwithstanding, ' desirous to know the certainty,' he proceeded, and when he found himself in latitude 75°, in ' a great sea, free from ice, large, very salt, blue, and of an unsearchable depth,' his hopes revived, ' and it seemed most manifest that the passage was free, and without impediment.' Those who believe that the recent researches are far indeed from disproving the existence of such a passage as Davis sought, * *' It must be borne in mind, that the ' north-west passage,' and * the determination and survey of the north coast of Ame- rica,' are distinct geographical problems ; the latter, in which the name of Franklin stands pre-eminent, and which by means of the recent highly praiseworthy exertions of the Hudson's Bay Company, and its officers, Messrs. Dease and Simpson, is now nearly completed, is one of the collateral fruits of the interest originally excited by tl;e question of ' the north-west passage.' " . -»' I — XIV PREFACE. Will undoubtedly find in M. von Wrangell's narrative a strong support to their opinion in the probabiHty which it sanctions, of the existence of an open sea in that portion of the passage which has not been traversed by ships, namely between the meridians of Melville Island and Behring Straits/' EDWARD SABINE. fVoolwichj March SOth, 1844. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Object of the Expedition. — Departure from St. Petersburg and arrival at Takutsk . CHAPTER IT. Journey from lakutsk to Nijnei Kolymsk. — Pack Horses. — First Bivoua. . — The lakuts. — lakut Settlement. — Miurui. — Yourtes. — Clothing, Customs, Songs, Food, Villages, National Charac- teristics. — The River Aldan. — The River Tuku- lan. — Forest Bivouac. — Verkhoiansk Mountains. —Wandering Tunguses.— Baralas and Tabolog Stations. — Saschivjrersk. — Inhabitants of the Dis- trict. — The River Alaseia. — The Sardach Station. — Sredne Kolymsk. — Winter Travelling Costume. — The Omolon River. — Dogs and Sledges. — Arrival at Nijnei Kolymsk CHAPTER III. General Remarks on the District of the Lower Kolyma, and on its Inhabitants .... Page. Id 44 XVI CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. Page. Nijnei Kolymsk.— Domestic Arrangements, Pre- parations for Prosecuting the Objects of the Ex- pedition.- Well-founded Doubts respecting the Discoveries of Serjeant Andrejew.— Arrival of the English Traveller, Captain Cochrane.— The New Year.— Evening Party.-Arrival of M. Kosmin. --Preparations for a Journey with Dogs and b edges.— Necessary Deviation from the Original Plan.--Tiding8 of the Arrival of the Tchuktches, on the Lesser Aniui.— Departure of M. von Matiuschkin for Ostrownoie . . , ^ yg CHAPTER V. First Ice Journey in Sledges over the Sea Departure from Nijnei Kolymsk.- Sucharnoie Island.— Baranov Rocks.— Flat Low Coast.— Great Baranov River.— Cold.— First traces of the Tchuktches.-Meteor.-Cape Chelagskoi.-Kos- mm Rock.— Wollok.— Cape Matiuschkin.— Arau- tan Island.— Loss of Provisions. Return to Niinei ^^^y^^^' \ 00 CHAPTER VI. M. von Matiuschkin's Account of the Fair at Ostrownoie.— Remarks on the Tchuktches whom he met there, and on the Shamans . . . ^q CHAPTER VIL Second Ice Journey.— Preparations.— Plan.— Departure.— Bear Hunt.— First Encampment on the Ice of the Polar Sea.— Four Pillar Island.— Ice broken up and covered with Sea- Water — Hummocks.— Deposit of Provisions.— State of the Ice -Easter.-White Bears.-The Bear Islands. — Return to Nnnei Kolvmsk . i o < CONTKNTS. XVll CHAPTER VIII. Nijnei Kolymsk. — Spring. — Scarcity. — Fish- eries for the supply of the Expedition. — Building a Shallop. — Plans for the Summer.— Warm Wea- ther. — Musquitoes. — Embark in the new boat. — Accident to M. von Matiuschin. — Rein-deer hunt- ing in the Tundra. — Arrival at Tchukotskia.— Departure of M. Kosmin to survey the Coast as far as the Indigirka. — Return up the Kolyma. — Tent burnt. — Arrival at Nijnei Kolymsk. — Visit to the lakuts of Sredne Kolymsk. — Their Summer Life and Habitations. — TrrJitions. — Albuty. — Early Snow. — Return to Nijnei Kolymsk. — Arri- val of MM. Matiuschkin, Kyber, and Kosmin CHAPTER IX. M. von Matiuschkin's Account of a Journey along the Lesser and the Greater Aniui Rivers The Lesser Aniui. — Departure from Nijnei Kolymsk. — Mammoth Bones. — Arrival at Plot- bischtsche. — Aboriginal Population of this District. — Present Inhabitants. — Causes of the Scantiness of the Population. — lukahirs. — Migration of the Rein-deer in Spring and Summer. — Departure from Plotbischtsche. — Argunowo. — Poginden. — Termination of the Journey.— The Rock Obrom. —Return to Plotbischtsche. — General Remarks on the Lesser Aniui m*. 160 177 177 § 2. The Greater Aniui. — Journey continued on Horseback.— The Mountain- Chain of the Greater Aniui. — The Kameschko wa. — Fur- Hunting. — Traps. -^ Tigischka. — Arrival at Sladnoie and Lebasnoie.—- The Emperor's Name-day. — Failure i XVIU CONTENTS. B : / of the llein-deer Hunt.— Famine. — Return by AVater. — Inhabitants of the Banks of the Greater Aniui. — TuR^ases, Lamuts, Tchuwanzes, and lakuts.-— Their Modes of Life, and Numbers.— Shamanism and Shamans. — Dolgoie. — Arrival at Bol'schajaBrussanka.— Freezing of the River. — Continuation of the Journey in Sledges drawn by Bogs. — Baskowo.— Arrival at Nijnei Kolymsk.— Remarks on the different Tribes whom we visited during this Journey Page. 190 CHAPTER X. Survey of the Coast of the Polar Sea from the Lesser Tchukotski River to the mouth of the Indigirka, by the Mate Kosmin, 1821 . . .204 CHAPTER Xr. Third Journey on the Ice of the Polar Sea. — Preparations.— Mortality among the Dogs.— De- parture from Nijnei Kolymsk. — Journey towards the North.— Waves of Drifted Snow.— Encounters with White Bears.— Deposit of Provisions.— Diffi- culties. — Accident. — High Hummocks. — Second Deposit of Provisions.— The Expedition divided. — False Appearances of Land.— Return to the Deposits of Provisions. — The Expedition re-united. Proceed Northward again.— Easter. — Breaking up of the Ice.— Hummocks. — Turn to the Eastward. State of the Ice.— Cape Chelagskoi.— Arrival at the First Deposit of Provisions.— Return to the Coast. — Pochodsk.— Famine. — Arrival at Nijnei Kolymsk. — Inundation 230 CHAPTER XTL ^ M. von Wrangell's Journey through the Stony Tu.ndra in the Summer of 1823 .... 251} CONTENTS. XIX urn by Greater s, and bers. — •ival at iver. — iwn bv tnsk. — visited Page. . 190 om the of the 204 CHAPTER XIII. Page. M. von Matiuschkin's Journey across the Eastern Tundra in the Summer of 1822 .... 292 CHAPTER XIV. Fourth Journey on the Polar Sea. — Survey of the Coast, as far as the Island of Koliutchin, in 1823 318 CHAPTER XV. Return from Sredne Kolymsk to St. Peters- burgh . 366 CHAPTER XVI. Brief Notices of the Ustiansk Expedition under Lieutenant Anjou, 1821-22-23 .... 377 Sea. — — De- ) wards •unters -Diffi- 5econd vided. :o the mited. ing up tward. ival at to the Nijnei 230 Stony , 259 APPENDIX. 1. Gradual Discovery of the Siberian Coast, and general Review of the Voyages undertaken pre- viously to the Year 1820, in the Polar Ocean, between the Sea of Karskoie and Behring Straits. —Inaccuracy of the Maps and Surveys.— Object of the Expeditions undertaken in 1820 — 1823, on the Polar Ocean and along the Northern Coast of Siberia .... 387 2. On the Ice of the Polar Sea. — The Polynia or open water.— Currents.— Gain of the Land on the Sea. — The Aurora Borealis.— On the best kind of Sledges, and on the treatment of the Dogs 501 3. General Remarks on the Winds . 513 4. Tables of Geographical Positions and Mag- netical Determinations 523 1 ■F .- m NARRATIVE OF AN EXPEDITION TO SIBERIA AND THE POLAR SEA. CHAPTEE I. OBJECT OP THE EXPEDITION—DEPARTURE PROM ST. PETERSBURG, AND ARRIVAL AT lAKUTSK. TVT ^1°" ^J^ ^^^^'"^ °^ *« various surveys of the Northern Coast of Siberia, undertaken at differ! ent periods which forms an Appendix to this Narrative, it may be seen that with the exception of the voyages of Cook and Biffings, none afforded any sufficiently precise determinations as for as geography and hydrography are concerned, the different maps varying from one another as to the position of some of the most important points, by more than a degree and a half of latitude^* Above alUhe whole coast from Cape Chelagskoi to Cape foZt'nfT^'f '?*""''y u.iknown,\nd the ac- count of Deshnew's voyage, from the Kolyma 70*5^3': S4°« h7i'Zo'^ fn5!;T'f M«p.»>,a.. Laptew, in 72° 50' "eaenstrom, in 71o 50'; according to The accord Strom 2 ST. PETERSBURG I I tlirough Behring's Straits, was so vague and ob- scure, that the English Admiral, Burney, founded upon that very account, his well-known hypothesis of an isthmus existing somewhere near Cape Chelagskoi, by which he supposed the continents of Asia and America to be united. Lastly, the tales of Andrejew, and more particularly the assertion of Sannikow, respecting a large country to the north of Kotelnoi and New Siberia, found many adherents in modern times, so that the geography of this portion of the Russian empire remained in complete obscurity, whilst on the other hand, the memorable researches of Parry and Franklin had led to the most exact examination and description of the northern coast of America. To remove this blank in the geography of his country, the Emperor Alexander ordered two ex- peditions to be fitted out, each under the command of an officer of the imperial navy, with a view to an accurate survey of the coast of Siberia,, between the lana and the Kolyma rivers, and as far east as the Chelagskoi Noss, and to a close examination of the islands situated in the Arctic Ocean. In obedience to this command, the Navy depart- ment equipped two expeditions in 1820, which were to proceed by land to the northern coast of Siberia, and to institute these surveys and researches. At the head of each was placed a heutenant of the navy, who was to be accompanied by two junior officers, a medical officer who was likewise to be a naturaUst, and two sailors. One of these expedi- tions, under Lieutenant Anjou, was to commence its rperations from the mouth of the lana; the other under my command, from the mouth of the Kolyma. My companions were. Midshipman (now Captain-Lieutenant) Matiuschkin, the Mate Kos- gue and ob- ney, founded n hypothesis I near Cape le continents stly, the tales :he assertion iintry to the found many le geography remained in er hand, the Franklin had d description Taphy of his Lered two ex- :he command ith a view to eria^ between as far east as examination )cean. Navy depart- 3, which were ist of Siberia, earches. At mant of the y two junior ewise to be a these expedi- ;o commence e lana; the nouth of the ihipman (now le Mate Kos- TO lAKUTSK. 3 min, Dr. Kyber, and two seamen, one of whom was a smith, the other a carpenter. With respect to the objects of this expedition and the means for their execution, the instructions given by the department of the Admiralty, say— From the journals and reports of all expeditions hitherto undertaken to the Polar Ocean, it appears that it IS impossible to navigate it for scientific pur- poses, even m summer, owing to the presence of immense quantities of drift-ice. On the other hand It IS known, that Serjeant Andrejew drove over the ice m the spring of 1763, with sledges; and the same was done by Messrs. Hedenstrom and Pschenizyn m 1809, 1810, and 1811, when the tW l^r'^rl *^' ^T ^^^^^^^^ ^«d the latter the Liakhow Islands and New Siberia. As this appears to be the only practicable plan for the execu ion of His imperial Majesty's des^^e its adoption has been resahed on b^ th'e d^tmen of the Admu-alty, with respect to the exploring expedition now to be sent. Accordingly, the first division of that expedition is directed to proceed mouth^of' i^ TT^ '^' 'T' '^''''^'^ fr«^ the mouth of the Kolyma as far as Cape Chelagskoi and from thence to advance northwards ovfr the ice, m order to ascertain whether an inhabited counry exists in that direction, as asserted by the Ichuktches and others." ^ namek Zf"f\' Tl.*^^' ^^^^ practicable plan ; Svn bv dn w ! ^^' ^^Pedition with sledge cliawn by dogs; but to procm^e this first requisite and to collect the other necessary supplies were tasks attended by so many difficulties^^ he in- overcome them witS!;; t^c^iTc^:^ B 2 I 5 ! I 4 ST. PETERSBURG the several public officers. It was, therefore, for- tunate for us, that the arrangement of everything relating to our expedition, had been confided to Pnvy Councmor Speranski, at that time Govemor- treneralof Siberia, who promoted it in the kindest and most actave manner, and by whose judicious measures, and kmd anticipations of our most minute wants, we were happily enabled to fulfil the task assigned to us. The following account of that part of the expe- dition which was entrusted to us, is simply the bringing together the notes and observations made by myself and my companions, during an under- takmg m which the ordinary conveniences for such purposes were almost wholly wanting In pubhshing this narrative, I havehad no other object in view than to extend the geographical knowledge of those regions; to correct nSl^ e^stmg errors ; and by a plain statement of what Z. "'f ''^^ ^''"^ '*''"^' *° °«*« -"selves useM to those who may come after us. With these views, L^^'^/^^S'-'i *" ^-^ '"'^^^'^ ^ff««« in the descrip-' ^Zf/ ?,T*"="'^ cu-cumstances and events con- W ^"'l^ "'"■ J°"T"*y' ^'^^n tl^ey happened to «llTwT, ^ T".^''" "^^"^ °f "'^r mission. In aU that relates to the natural history and uhvsical characteristics of the country, I ha7e Tdheffi^r the most part to the observations of Dr. Kyber who accompanied me as naturalist. ' Both divisions of our expedition left St. Peters- lTJ,7*^\l^'^ ^'"'^' ^S20. In Moscow I parted from the commander of the 2nd division. Lieutenant Anjou, who waited there to obtaii^ at m^T "^ ■""''^'^ ^"^ ""^ instruments. lae mate Kosmin remained with bin, f« totp charge ot the instruments belonging tooMdivi- erefore, for- ■ everything confided to e Governor- the kindest se judicious ' our most ed to fulfil )f the expe- simply the ations made J an under- ices for such lad no other eographical previously- mt of what 'es useftd to hese views, he descrip- Bvents con- ippened to ission. In id physical dhered for Dr. Kyber, St. Peters- Moscow I d division, to obtain struments. 1 ff\ i-alrck our divi- TO lAKUTSK. 5 sion Meanwhile, accompanied by M. von Ma traschkm (midshipman), I hastened to Wtak' that no time might be lost in setting on foot the possible, wf took .ithtZy c:z^r:T^ "^ teaus for our clothes &<■ JnT? ^ portman- ordinaiy post in the Ut7l^.»^ ^^''^Hf ^^ *« which are rhai^-!r . carnages called telegi, wnicn are changed at every station, and areadant ed in every case to the nature of the roa^ ^ made us amends bv the vaHpHr «!i,- i^ ^' , shaded frZ^iT,?5 "'"'^'' ''''^^' '^hich were Tor>sT^sTi;^"!'^''' ^"-- ^* pear in the pasturTS^the rf°T^ *^ "P" iiToper, we were ao-r^^aKf' " .^^'^^""g isiDena F , we were agreeably surprised by the kind 6 ST. PETERSBURG manners of the inhabitants, who spared no pains to enable us to prosecute our journey with the least possible delay. Whether by day or by night, our things might be safely left unwatnhed on the high road whilst we were changing carriages; and if we expressed uneasiness about them, the answer was always "Never fear, nothing is stolen here.'' Those whose ideas of Siberia are associated with criminals and exiles inhabiting a cold and desolate wilderness, would find instead, in this southern part at least, luxuriant vegetation, well-cultivated fields, excellent roads, large well-built villages, and general security and comfort. On the 18th of May we reached lakutsk, and alighted at the house of M. Kutygin, whose hos- pitality I shared during the month of my stay. I immediately announced myself to the Governor- General of Siberia, M. von Speranski, by whose kindness and support I was speedily enabled to complete the arrangements for our ulterior pro- ceedings. He showed me the correspondence which he had had, on the subject of our expedition, with the authorities of the different provinces through which we were to pass, in order that I might point out to him anything which might still be wanted. M. Hedenstrom, who had visited the coast and islands of the Polar Sea in 1811, came, at the request of the Governor- General, to meet me at lakutsk, and his conversation and manuscripts afforded me most valuable information. Early in June Lieutenant Anjou and the other members of the expedition arrived at lakutsk with the instruments, and on the 25th of June we left the capital of Siberia full of gratitude for the kind- ness, friendship, and sympathy which we had en- joyed there ; and which we prized the more, as we ed no pains ith the least ' night, our on the high »; and if we answer was len here/' ciated with Qd desolate s southern [-cultivated illages, and ikutsk, and whose hos- ay stay. I Govemor- , by whose enabled to Iterior pro- ence which lition, with, es through aight point be wanted. coast and ne, at the leet me at lanuscripts i the other kutsk with ne we left r the kind- e had en- lore, as we TO lAKUTSK. 7 were now to take our leave of the civilized world and of all the enjoyments of social life. ' On the 27th of June we arrived at the villace of Katschuga, 236 werstc from lakutsk sitiS on the left bank of the Lena, wh^h "able from thence. We found here a large flat-bottomed ^"^^fi^f'r: ^^l^^ ^^ ^^^ded with the proS which had been brought together by the^oXs of the ^tW T^ '* ^f "*^^' "^^ «^^^« --ening of river ""^ ^^^^"^ *° ^"'^^^^ ^^' ^^j^ltic Katschuga is a kind of entrep6t for all goods which are to be sent by water to towns or pTaces near the Lena. They are sent partly by We and heavily laden barks, which are b^roken7p forS U^2t7"^l''' ^"' ^'^-^^^^ '^ thei? arrive at lakutsk (as they are too large to return against the stream) and partly by smaller boats, whrch can be rowed or towed up the river again there are also a few good-sized decked boats^ith saUs Travellers who have but little luggage make use of small light boats, which always ke^p netr^he rderand^"'"^^^*^; ^he tLeller'is entitled to demand, at every post station, as many rowers as there are horses marked on his traveUiL pass In this way he gets on without interrupLnTd '^Tt LT"'^n?^ ^^ ^^^^^ downt&:^^ internaf ZT T* ^K^^}^ P^^^^^^^^ ^^^e for an mternal navigation, which is of the highest im Ss'^re'fr"^*^ "^^^^^ whSefetlS: WW t^! T "^^""y ^^^^"^^ ^«^st« apart, and where the northern provinces have to depend for m tne bouth. Few countries in the world arP favoured with such ahnnrlnr^f .;,,.. '!!_.. .F® as Siberiti TV,^ « -— ™„„. .^r^^ v^Ommunication as aiDeria. The great nvers flowing from South 8 ST. PETERSBURG i to North seem intended by nature to convey the superfluities of the South to the inhabitants of the barren North ; and the country is intersected, besides, by such a number of navigable streams, that there is hardly a point of any importance which cannot be reached by water. Some meal, salt, tea, sugar, brandy, tobacco, and a few cloth stuffs, are indeed sent in boats from the yearly fair at lakutsk to Shigansk, and other places on the liOwerLena; but from the imperfection of the boats, and the want of men, the passage is often so long, that winter comes on before they arrive at their destination. They have then to wait till spnng, and though a part of the most indispensa- ble articles are carried by land, this enhances the pnce so enormously, that very little is sent in that way The arnval of these stores is a subject of painful anxiety to the inhabitants; their non-arri- val often causes severe and general sickness. The stores which are left are sure to be more or less injured, and the custody of them during the winter IS a heavy charge upon the settlers on the banks ot the nver, who are held responsible for whatever belongs to the crown. * ^\*^l^® ®^^^°"^ disadvantages might be obvi- ated by the employment of a steamer, by the as- sistance of which, vessels could reach the most distant places on the Lower Lena in a month from Katschuga; and thus the passage could be made twice m the course of the summer. The whole district between lakutsk and the sea, about 4000 wersts, would receive new life, industry would be encouraged and severe suffering and privation averted ; the forests on the banks of the Upper Lena offer mexhaustible stores of cheap and easily accessible luel, the preparation of which would convey the tants of the intersected, lie streams, importance Some meal, I few cloth e yearly fair ices on the tion of the age is often they arrive to wait till indispensa- ihances the sent in that L subject of ir non-arri- ness. The lore or less ^ the winter I the banks >r whatever ht be obvi- by the as- the most Qonth from i be made The whole ibout 4000 ' would be \ privation the Upper and easily lich would TO lAKUTSK. 9 m I I S!"*'^'"°"^ employment and profit to the I return to our own navigation. With the occa sional a^3.stance of sails or oars, our boat sS Sk? 'Tie 't "'" ''^^T" '■'^h and romt tic oaniis. Ihe Lena is one of the largest rivers in ^::«ts tt" ^r''"^^ *° ^^^T^iz s *UU wersts, the country is mountainous and cover- river 'offe^r''""''"''"*/' »"'' *<= '^""■'^ ofThe nver otter a succession of v evs of picturesaue rMrtre^x^:;'^*-''-^'/-dsomZ^ rivCT^^oCrT 1"°^^^ '^'^"k™,"';"',"^^ "' ""' ^"°" '» times they Iwve recourse to .ill „ ' '°'' ""^ >■'»'• At such are yearl/filled fro,"^ fruit, ^I^^IHr. T^f"'^^ which .»™k, anu fro. which .hay can p'tiXs-e c^ atrod'^r"^; 10 ST. PETERSBURG the westward. The Lena was first discovered hy the Turiichanschi in 1607, and afterwards by Cossacks from the lenissei in 1628. Between Saborie and Kirensk the Lena winds so much that the distance by water is 105 worsts, and in a straight line is only thirty-five wersts. The river here is seven fathoms deep, and has scarcely any current. At Kirensk, the left bank consists of black slate rock, with some talc. A few wersts below I saw strata of chloride slate, in red clay. About 100 wersts lower down, the right bank consists of common clay and imperfect slate. At Schtscheki, 250 wersts below Kirensk, the rocks on the left bank are limestone, interspersed with veins of flint and calcareous spar. The banks become low and flat 350 wersts above Olekma. Here there are a quantity of fragments of green- stone porphyry, common quartz with mica, and much mica-slate. About 150 wersts above Olekma, the left bank, which is high, consists of layers of difi'erent coloured slate; the green layers are thick, and the intervening gray layers are very thin; occasionally I saw small veins of gypsum inter- spersed ; at Olekma the left bank consists entirely of cla}, with rather thick layers of grey slate, and a beautiful dazzling white gypsum. About 180 wersts above lakutsk, the right bank of the river consists of perpendicular rocks, which are called from their form Stolby, or the pillars : there are here several kinds of marble. About sixty wersts below Stolby, there are many excavations in the bluff limestone rocks. These are probably the re- mains of former attempts to discover silver ore. Dr. Kyber saw in one of these caves a larch-tree growing from the rocky floor, at the depth of several fathoms, and flourishing in spite of the TO lAKUTSK. 11 constant darkness. To these scanty notices con- cerning the banks of the Lena, I may add the mention of two mineral eprinjifs on opposite sides, loO wersts below Stolby. The one on the left bank issues from a steep limestone rock, and has a sulphurous smell, and a high temperature ; the other (on the low bank on the opposite side) is cold, very clear, and has a strong salt taste. 1 he town of Kirensk is a poor little village, chiefly deserving of notice for the success of the inhabit- ants in cultivating vegetables. They send to la- kutsk, cabbages, potatoes, turnips, and sometimes even cucumbers The gardens are all so placed as to be sheltered from the North and East, by hills rocks, or woods. ' About 250 wersts below Kirensk, the Lena passes between precipitous rocks, nearly 500 ^ ^t hiffh • the depth of the river in this part is twelve fathoms! Ihis place is remarkable for an echo, which repeats a pistol-shot at least a hundr* d times, increasing in the intensity of the sound so as to resemble a weU- sustamed running fire of musketry, or .ven a can- nonade. They told us here the sLn of a hunter, who, on his snow-shoes, had pursued an elk to the ; edge of the i^ecipice. In the ardour of the chase, both man aiid beast had been precipitated on the ice of the river, eighty fathoms below. Near this place we passed a steep rock in the bed of the river, whcrea bark laden with brandy had been wrecked th^W r' ^'^r^ ?* ^' ^ ^'^^^ ^^^^^ the mouth of UlcJc^tT ""^'f ^«,«^l^bratedfor the quantity of tifnl .^bl. '''" f' ^^^'^ ^""^ '^^ ^^^^ f«r its beau, ti ul sables, which are esteemed the finest in aU riLhtT f ^Vi««^ «f Olekma. The forests on the right bank of the uena, are rich in fnr._or.^^.i."^ an kinds, and the furs are remarkably fin^wW 12 ST. PETERSBURG as on the left bank, the skins are of an inferior quality, as well as much more scarce. This might be expected, as the vast woods which cover the right bank of the river are in immediate connexion with the forests of the lablonnoi Stancwoi Chre- bet,* into which the most adventurous fur-hunters have not yet penetrated, whereas the left bank is more lightly wooded, and better inhabited. On the 9th of June we found ourselves opposite the town of Olekma.f We had here heavy rain, and such a violent wind setting against the stream as to bring us to a stand still. We had recourse to a practice in use here in such cases, and which succeeded perfectly in ours. We bound four larch- trees together in a row, and by attaching stones to them we suspended them about a fathom under water; their tops were downwards and their roots were attached by cords to the fore part of our vessel. As the wind had no effect on the water at that depth, the under current impelled us forwards by means of this kind of watersail, in spite of the force of the wiod and the surface waves. Notwithstanding the heavy rain, we saw, as we continued our voyage, large tracts of burning forest. The bushes and dry underwood were for the most part already consumed. The giant pines and larches • This is the name of the cliain of mountains which extends southward on the east side of the Lena, and connects itself with the Baikal mountains. t The sables of Olekma are the best in Siberia : 50 or 100 roubles a piece, or even more, are sometimes given here for skins of remarkable beauty. Those which have a blueish cast are the most prized. The gray squirrels of this district, which are dis- tinguished for their very thick, long, and dark gray hair, are also much sought after, and fetch a high price. Olekma is therefore a place of importance on account of the fur-trade. It may more- over be regarded as the climate of com-rultiuatmn ip fi^bera- there is none to the North of Olekma, and the winter rye," which IS the only grain cultivated at this place, not unfrequently fails. TO lAKUTSK. 13 f an inferior This might ih cover the te connexion nowoi Chre- I fur-hunters left bank is )ited. Ives opposite heavy rain, t the stream lad recourse 3, and which d four larch- ng stones to ithom under i their roots jf our vessel, ater at that forwards by ) of the force 3 saw, as we rning forest, for the most s and larches J which extends lects itself with ;ria : 50 or 100 n here for skins iish cast are the , which are dis- iy hair, are also ma is therefore It may more- ion in Siberia; inter rye, which equently fails. stm stood enyeloped in flames; and offered a mas nificent spectacle, especially at night, when th?^ light was reflected by the waves of the Lenf^d nothmg was heard but the loud crackling of Ae rcsmons pines. These forest-fires often desolate hundreds of wersts, and almost always originate S the carelessness of hunters or traveller, whSeS dress then' food, or to drive away the clouds of musquitoes which darken the air, and are an almost insupportable torment. Besides the destruction of the trees, these fires have the bad effect of dnW the fur-animals and game of all kinds to morl remote and undisturbed districts. Yet the huntm who are the greatest losers, are not cured of thk destructive carelessness. 1 wu *^*^'" "<"■* "^^ proceeded, the more deso- kte the shores of the Lena became n every respert We had seen at Olekma the last traces WthV; field or garden cultivation : beyond it the natives ing,and fishing. There are scarcely any settle SntsT'P* *' P-'t/t^t--^ «»d the fL Inha- u wl P'"'' "•'^^'-f [y off- Those who came to sTckness '" tu?'' •""'^ ''^^^^ '•"^^n V want and sickness. This is especially the case with t!» Russian settlers, who are found as far north as ^ithm fifty wersts of lakutsk. Further north the Sabori" "°"t*^ ''"^^'y "f I"^'^"*^' -to - the Wter anf'^ ^T 'T ^ ^""''""ter the climate better, and suffer less from its severity and priva- ;„ ^{''^'■,ha"ng stuck fast one whole niaht on n T^ \'"'^' ""^ l^""^'^ ^* I«^"tsk on the 25th of July, having taken twentv-five ,l„„s j^ the Z-^ f irom Katschuga, a distance oflsoo wersr'fn 14> ST. PETERSBURG spring, when the current is more rapid, and con- trary winds are rare, this journey does not take more than thirteen or fourteen days. At lakutsk we were most kindly received by the Commandant M. von Minizkoi, in whose house M. von Anjou and myself remained during our stay ; we were indebted to him for much valuable information and advice relative to our travels in a country, which he has thoroughly studied in a residence of many years, and in frequent journeys through great part of Siberia. During the whole time that the expedition remained in the province under his command, his watchful care and assist- ance were of essential service in supplying its wants, in a country so deficient in resources ; and doubt- less contributed essentially to the success of our enterprise. lakutsk has all the character of the cold and gloomy north. It is situated on a barren flat, near the river. The streets are wide, but the houses and cottages are poor in appearance, and are surrounded by tall wooden fences. Amongst so many dry boards, there is not a green tree or bush to be seen; there is nothing to tell of sum- mer, except the absence of snow, which is perhaps rather a disadvantage in point of appearance. The town has 4000 inhabitants. It consists of about 500 houses, five churches (three built of stone and two of wood), and a convent. A stone building for commercial purposes has since been erected. The only antiquity is an old wooden fortress or ostrog, with its ruined tower, which was built in 1647 by the conquerors of Siberia, the Cossacks. The inliabitants take pride in this monument of the exploits of their ancestors, and are in general proud and fond of theii" native city, TO lAKDTSK. 15 whatever strangers may think of it. The town has ye^r^Thl I?k rPT^-«°t^ in the last thir? years. The lakutian \ ourtes, which Captain Bil- hugs saw here m 1793, have been replaced by sub- stantial houses ; the windows of ice or of talc have given way to glass in the better class of houseT and the more wealthy inhabitants begin to have higher rooms, larger windows, doubl! doors, &c These are signs of increasing prosperity, under fhe sib^srVu fh: ^%^i^7:j[t.^ bones, those cunous remains of au eariier world are brought here for sal- barter during the ten weeks of summer, fro., .nabor and lehring" Straits from the coasts of the Polar Sea and aTfrorir, "°^ "T °'^'''"''' fr°- *he Aldan and trom Udskoie, and even from Ochotsk and Kamtschatka; the whole value often exceeds two and a-half millions of roubles * As soon as the Lena is dear of ice the mer chants begin to arrive from lakutsk, blgrng wSh ness and length of the Inir^ 1L ..f ^^'^^''^J"? to the thick- also near the" root • and the * thtb "'' T\ ^^'^ ^' '^'' "P' ^^^ qualities must be combined InflTl '/ '^'' '^'"- ^^ ^hese order to form a good aTsonmem I ifnft/^'"' of perfection, in more than a thousandTinw; . i^" "^''^""^"y ^o examine tails paws, and %hll";erpTs?fr^r'^^P^^ The together and sold separately fh, TK^rl ''''"'' ^'^ J«'"^d lakutsk 500 Beaver skins m'; nkn c-^ '"^'^^ ^^'"^ ^^^^ at 2,000 Marten 20 000 St '^'. Sq"»rrels' ditto 200 Otter 35,000 Marl ''?ol'o M^k'l'oof'' ^^"'"^' '''''' SabLi teeth, and I,900'poorflSli,;??Xf -'i^'^t of Walrus note which is included between tpi^h'i^TJ''^, portion of this edition irom a MS. communication tv^',^ a i ■ , ^"^ I'le present Editok. o""»unication from Admiral von Wrangell.— 16 ST. PETERSBURG them for barter com, meal, the pungent Circassian tobacco, tea, sugar, brandy and rum, Chinese cot- ton and silk stuffs, yarn, cloth of an inferior quality, hardware, glass, &c. At the annual fair cf lakutsk one sees none ot the popular amusementa common at fairs in Europe; there is not eveii the appearance of animation and bustle which might naturally be expected. The goods are not exposed for sale, and most of the purchases are effected in the houses or enclosures of the citizens. The strangers appear generally to wish to conceal from each other the particulars of their deahngs, which are almost exclusively with the inhabitants, and scarcely ever with each other. Almost all the Russian settlers in lakutsk employ their httle capital in purchasing by degrees from the lakuts duiing the winter, a collection of furs, on which they realize a good profit at the time of the fair, when they sell them to the mer- chants from lakutsk. The Russians live entirely by trade, and have abandoned all sorts of handi- craft to the aboriginal lakuts, amongst whom there are now excellent carpenters, cabinet-makers, car- vers in wood, and even painters. The pictures of saints, the carving and interior fittings in the new church at lakutsk, are by lakuts and are neatly pxecuted> The inhabitants are not in an advanced state of intellectual cultivation : books are extremely rare : education is but little thought of; the children usually pass the first years of their infancy with a lakut nurse, from whom they learn so much of her native language, that I often found the conversa- tion of persons in the best society, very difficult to understand. As the children grow up, they learn a little reading and writing irom v^^e pries^^s. ---y are then gradually initiated into the mysteries Qt TO lAKUTSK. 17 s none of a Europe; ition and ed. The st of the nclosures generally articulars delusively with each a lakutsk »y degrees [lection of fit at the » the mer- ^e entirely of handi- hom there akers, car- pictures of in the new are neatly ed state of mely rare : le children ncy with a luch of her B conversa- difficult to they learn ;sts, Thev aysteries o,f the Sibenan fur-trade, or obtain places under government. Their hospitality is proverbial but as there are usually but few "strangers, they can tor the most part exercise it only towards each other Uiey pass much of their superabundant leisure in somewhat noisy assemblages, where eating and drmkmg play a principal part. After dinner, which 18 a very substantial meal, and at Avhich Naluaki (a kind of hqueur made of brandy, berries, and sugar,) IS not spared, the elderly gentlemen pass the afternoon with cards and punch, the ladies gather round the tea-table, and the younff peonlp dance to the sound of a kind of harp with metal strings, which is the only instrument they possess. I have heard some old people complain that the love of play, dress and expense, have increased so much of late, that many families have been ruined . thereby. My stay was not long enough to iudjje ^ how much of this complaint arose from the natu- ral disposition to regard the time of one's youth as I W "^^ ''Z' ^f .f P^^^™^^^ *« the present. 1 1.1 J ¥' '''''' Minizkoi's exertions, we were en- ..abled to prosecute our journey before the end of ;.the summer. Early in August, Lieutenant von iAnjou descended the Lena with his division of the |Matiuschkm forward to Nijnei Kolymsk, to prp- |pare for our arrival ; and as soon as the moraises ^d rive^ were frozen, the stores for th^^ of If m""^!? '^"^ '""Tr d^^P^t^hed under the charge fof M. Kosmin My own departure for Kolymsk ^took place on the 13th of September ^'''^'^'^' 18 3,1 CHAPTER 11. JOURNEY FROM lAKUTSK TO NIJNEI KOLYMSK. Pack Horses. — First Bivouac. — The lakuts.—Iakut Settlement. — Miurui. — Yourtes.— Clothing, Cms- toms, Songs, Food, Villages, National Charac- teristics. — The River Aldan. — The River Tukulan. — Forest Bivouac. — Verkhoiansk Mountains. — Wandering Tunguses. — Baralas and Tabolog Stations. — Saschiwersk. — Inhabitants of the Dis- trict. — TJie River Alaseia. — The Sardach Station. — Sredne Kolymsk. — Winter Travelling Costume. — The Omolon River. — Dogs and Sledges. — Ar- rival at Nijnei Kolymsk. Regular travelling ends at lakutsk : from thence to Kolymsk, and generally throughout Northern Siberia, there are no beaten roads. The utmost that can be looked for, are foot or horse tracks leading through morasses and tangled forests, and over rocks and mountains. Travellers proceed on horseback through the hilly country, and on reach- ing the plains, use sledges drawn either by rein- deer or dogs. On what is called the lakutsk road, which crosses fi-om the right bank of the Lena to the Aldan, there are post-stations for changing horses at distances of from fifteen to forty worsts. In summer, tra- velling is almost exclusively by water. I began my journey by crossing in a boat to the opposite side of the river, where we expected to find horses NIJNEI KOLYMSK. 19 OLYMSK. waiting for us. My companions were, a sailor who had accompanied me from St. Petersburg, and a retired Serjeant rem lakutsk, wlio had been with M. Hedenstorm to the shores of the Polar Sea, and whose experience and abiUty were subsequent v of peat service to the expedition. He was also my interpreter. We had ordered thirteen horses, three for ourselves, and the remainder for our prov sions mstruments winter-clothing, and other necessaries! When we lauded at the post-station neither men nor horses were to be seen; this was a bad be- ginmug, but the Serjeant said it was a common occm-rence, and that the lakuts had probably taken their horses to a vaUey three wersts ofiF, where there was better pa^tm-e. We sent the boatmen to look Zl^""' a""^ ",«"»"''''"« Mgtted a good fire on the beach, and made some soup to fortify ourselves ■ for the journey. The weather was raw and cold and the country showed every symptom of ap preaching winter. ■> J f » ui ip In three hours the men and horses arrived and we commenced loading them : each horsTcai^^s about 5i pood (220 Russian pounds,) 2| pooT^n each side, and half a pood on the back The horses are then fastened in a string, the bridle of each bemg tied to the tail of the next. Our string one riamg the leading horse, and the othpr fhl midmost one. These^ drivers have no easy ^^^^^^ SroVr'^" ^^^' '''' - theTorSse :'; 5>tumble on the rocks, and amongst the nrecini .p« •or break loose and try to roll of het burtC ifdifa^t'r T' '^ ^T ^" *^^ "^^^^ ^~"y at th'T f 1 f ""^ P"''^-*'"" ^^^^« ^^^^ so expert at this tliat an experienced lakut will ..o^. i-imus take the sole charge -"■' ' ~ c 2 tweiity- hor ses. 20 lAKUTSK TO i and bring them in safe. In such case, of course, he has to be more often on foot than on horseback. As the party proceeded but slowly I rode a-head with my two' companions, and came to several little lakes swarming with wild fowl, of which we soon shot several for our supper. At the close of the day we reached another post-station, where we were to pass the night. As the Yourte was filled with men and cattle, I was glad to avoid the close- and other inconveniences withinside, and nes passed a very comfortable night under the larch- trees, with my bear-skin for a mattress, a cohering of furs, and a bright blazing fire. The next morn- ing was clear and frosty, but 28" Fah. felt rather cold in dressing, and I thought, with something of a shudder, of the approaching winter, when several degrees below freezing would be called by the na- tives warm weather. However, man is a creature formed for all cHmates, and necessity and deter- mination soon reconcile him to anything. A few weeks later, I had learned to think eighteen or twenty-two degrees below the freezing point mild weather. Tea and soup were prepared, and breakfast eaten whilst the horses were loading, and we resumed our march. Our way led over a hill covered with pines, and I noticed that several old trees near the path had tufts of horse-hair fastened to their branches, and that a number of sticks were stuck in the ground near them. Our leading postihon got off his horse, plucked a few hairs from the mane, and fastened them to the tree with much solemnity of manner. He told us that this was a customary ofi'ering to the spirit of the mountain, to obtain his protection during the journey, and that foot-passengers placed a stick in the ground NIJNEI KOLYMSK. 21 With the same intention. This is a general prac- tice amongst the lakuts, and is even persevered in by many of those who have professed Christianity. My lakuts sang almost incessantly. Their stvle of singing is monotonous, and rather melancholy aud is characteristic of this gloomy and supersti' tious people ; then- songs describe the beauties of the landscape m terms which appeared to me ex- aggerated, and which I attributed at first to a poeticimagination, but my serjeant told me it was usual to t^ to propitiate the spirit of the mountain by this flattering description of his territory. On the 13th of September, we traveUed sixty- three wersts with one change of horses. The Yourte where we were to sleep had been so highly praised for its roominess, convenience, and above all Its cleanliness, that I expected an excellent mght s rest; but, though heavy rain obhged me to stay m it, I found in this, as in every other case, that one must be a native-born lakut to find the atmosphere of a Yourte endurable. We passed on the next day numerous little irfl;7n ? g^^^/ peculiarly pleasing character to the landscape, from their regular oval form, their oMhir^h^l^^^'^ "^^ '^' mirror-like stiilnes^ ^1 f i^ sheltered waters, broken only by the plash of the startled wild fowl. When we had MTuruf wv'f ^ ""^*^^ ^' ^^-^ '- the^aTey of ^Z2 Zl't '''' '^' "^ *^^ ^««* interesting spots in my journey. ^ sulnnHif I ?? f diameter. It is entirei; places ten fathoms high, and must have been at some former period the h«vV "f - -p^,;" if lake, which is- now dry. TWe^are^TS 22 lAKUTSK TO 111 11 lowest part of the valley, some small but very deep lakes abounding in fisli, This, and the shel- tered situation, and luxuriant pasture, induced a rich Tungusian chief called Miurui to settle here with his tribe. They were subsequently driven out by lakuts who had come from the south, but the valley still preserves the name. It is one of the most populous and flourishing settlements between the Lena and the Aldan. Numerous Yourtes, some approaching to the dimonsions of Russian houses, two good churches with towers, the bustle of a number of inhabitants, large droves of cattle and horses, offered a striking contrast to the surrounding desert. This remarkable settle- ment owes much of its prosperity to the lakut Golowa or superintendent, who has built and en- dowed the two churches at his own expense. His fortune is said to amount to half a million of roubles, nevertheless he has in no respect altered his original national customs. He lives in aYourte, warms himself by a true lakutian Tchuwal, or open hearth, drinks his Kumys,* eats horse-flesh, and in every thing but the Christian religion, keeps close to the manners of his forefathers. The chief branches of industry in this place are, the care of cattle, the chase, the fur-trade, and the breeding of horses. I will notice here, in passing, a few of the prin- cipal characteristics of this people. Their coun- tenance and language fully confirm the tradition * This well-known beverage, prepared from mares' milk, is made here in the same manner as in Tartary ; only the lakuts have happily not learnt, like the Tartars, to make it intoxicating. It is an agreeable beverage, and so nourishing, that a couple of large skins full of kumys, hung to the saddle, are often the only provisions taken for a foraging excursion of a few days. I MlJNEI KOLYMSK. 23 but verv the shel- iduced a ;ttle here V driven mthj hut is one of btlements j^umerous ;nsions of b towers, ge droves jntrast to 3le settle- he lakut t and en- nse. His nillion of ct altered I aYourte, il, or open flesh, and Lon, keeps The chief he care of breeding ' the prin- leir coun- I tradition res' milk, is y the lakuts intoxicating, a couple of ften the only ays. 1 i I M of their descent from the Tartars.* They are properly a pastoral people, whose chief riches con- sist in the number of their horses and homed cattle on the produce of which they subsist almost en' tirely. But the abundance of fur-animals in their vast forests, and the profit which they can make by selhng them to the Russians, have turned a large part of their attention to the chase, of which ^hey are often passionately fond, and which they toilow with unwearied ardour and admirable skill Accustomed from infancy to the privations inci- dental to their severe climate, they disregard hardships of every kind. They appear absolutely insensible to cold, and their endurance of hunger IS such as to be almost incredible. Their food consists of sour cows^ milk, and mares' milk, and of beef, and horse-flesh. They boil their meat, but never roast or bake it, and bread is un- known among them. Fat is their greatest deH- cacy. They eat it in every possible shape ; raw, melted fresh, or spoilt. In general they regard quantity, more than quality, in their food. Thev grat^ the inner bark of the larch, and sometimes ot the fir, and mix it with fish, a little meal and milk or by preference with fat, and make it into f\T rt""^^' ^^hich they consume m large quan- f i,P T I ^i'^y P^^P^^? ^'om cows' milk what is called the lakut butter It is more like a kind of cheese, or of curd, and has a sourish taste; it is not ver^ rich, and is a very good article of food eaten alone. Jioth men and women are passionately fond of naLdTctfarXfo'came'Cn tr ^"^^^^ ^^ \Tartar, sidP nf fl.o «, ''/^uo came tiom his own country on the other and married rT"'''° ^^''^""^ °" ^^e Lena, where he settled ana married a Tunffnsian woman ; th° Jn'—t.: -^i -n .' ="=^'•'^'1 i?achalary. ~ ^aivuts aua i;ali tneniselves 24 lAKUTSK TO smokinfj tobacco. They prefer the most pungent kinds, especially the Circassian. They swallow tlic smoke, and it produces a kind of stu])efac- tion which nearly resembles intoxication ; and if provoked when in this state, the consequences are dangerous. Brandy is also used, though the long inland en' iage renders it extremely dear. The Russian traders know how to avail themselves of these tastes, in their traffic for furs. The lakutian habitations are of two kinds. In summer they use Urosses, which arc light circular tents formed of poles, and covered with birch- bark, which they strip from the trees in large pieces. These strips are first softened by boiling, and are then sewed together ; the outside being white, and the inside yellow, the Urosses have a very pleasing appearance, and at a distance re- semble large white canvas tents. In the summer they wander about with these in search of the finest pastures; and whilst their cattle are feed- ing, they are themselves incessantly employed in preparing the requisite store of winter forage. At the approach of winter they occupy their warm Yourtes. These are cottages formed of thin boards in the shape of a truncated pyramid, and covered thickly on the outside with branches, grass, and mud. A couple of small openings which admit a scanty light, are closed in winter by plates of ice, and in summer by fish-membrane, or oiled paper. The floor is generally of beaten mud, and is sunk two or three feet below the ground; but richer people have it raised and boarded. There are wide permanent benches round the walls, which serve for seats in the day-time, and for sleeping on at night ; and are generally partitioned off for this purpose, accord- NIJNEI KOLYMSK. 25 iuff to the occupants. In the middle, but rather nearest the door i, the Tehuwal, a kind of open hearth with a chmi.icy up to the roof, where a constant hrc is kept burning. Clothing, arms, and a few household articles, hang round the walls, but m general the greatest disorder aud want of cleanliness prevail. There are usually sheds outside for the cows, which in wiMter are placed under cover, and fed with hay, and even brought inside the Vourte m extreme cold weather ; whereas the horses are left out to shift for thems,.lves as v eli 7' they can during the winter, by scrapin,; away the SHOW to g,.t at the withered autumn v.-a.l It IS only when they arc about to make a joi uey that they are given hay for a few days previously. The above-described habitations, though rude i are better adapted to the wants of thf people thmi those built after the Russian fashion/afew " the Ynfj"' *° *?," '"""• ^" *''« construction of ; boards, which is a great convenience ; aud the , continual change of air, maintained bv the con! stent fire in the Tehuwal, tends to purify the close^atmosphere, and is more wholes'ome V^ bv wtL^- ^^'''^ " ""der a chief or Knasez. by whom minor disputes, &c., are settled. More senous eases go befnrp the. r'„i„ -"J-oie tendp.it r.f n,5 u 1 ! •, ^olowa, or snpenn- aml^st Li V "''^' *'!''«' ^^h" i^ elected from amopgst the Knasez. The people often call in incan'Xn^to""^"'"'' '""^ h-e'recourse to h^ mcantations to recover a strayed cow, to cure a sick person, or to get good ^,-o„rt„;M ! journey, &e. &c. The laktts "have "dmosT ail 26 lAKUTSK TO I p liii been baptized ; a part of the New Testament, the Ten Commandments,, and several of the Rules of the Church, have been translated into their language, but as yet the greater number have no idea of the principles and doctrines of Chris- tianity ; and their Shamans, and the superstitions of heathenism, retain their hold upon their minds. As a nation, they are unsocial, litigious, and vindictive. An injury received by one of them is very rarely forgotten, and if he cannot revenge it- himself, he will leave the feud to his son. Their spirit of litigation is excessive; they will often undertake difficult and expensive journeys, in a cause where perhaps the matter in dispute is not of the value of a rouble. Their unsocial disposition, which leads them to prefer settling by single families at a distance from each, other, is strongly contrasted with the cheerful and ready hospitality which they show to a stranger. They very rarely settle in communities; it is only along the route from lakutsk to the Aldan, where the country is more populous, that such settlements are now and then to be met with, but beyond the Verkhoiansk chain, the solitary Yourtes are often hundreds of worsts apart, so that the nearest neighbours may not see each other for years. Such distances are far greater than can be required on account cf pasture, and are rather to be ascribed to the disposition which leads them to seek solitude, and to avoid all social intercourse. As soon as I had arrh ed at Miurui, the Golowa came to see me, accompanied by a Knasez and two clerks. They complained much of being oppressed by the Cossacks from lakutsk. I tried to pacify them, by telling them of the new re- gii gi, ho W th( up nil we nir me dis mo ace wes sel( anc be we£ onl pro the parj ?Bet like Noi lieig larc nort thai T brea west the mou O; with NIJNEI KOLYMSK. 27 iment, the bhe Rules into their aber have of Chris- perstitions eir minds. ;ioiis, and J of them ot revenge » his son. they will journeys, in dispute r unsocial 3r settling ach other, erful and I stranger, ties; it is the Aldan, that such met with, be solitary J apart, so t see each far greater isture, and tion which avoid all ;he Golowa ^nasez and L of being k. I tried le new re- gulations by which the Cossacks were to be given lands to cultivate, which it was to be hoped would put a stop to such irregularities. We continued our journey on the 15th, and though the roads were bad," and the horses sank up to their necks in a morass, accomplished nmety wersts, and slept at Aldanskaia, half a j werst from the Aldan, which falls into the Lena nmety wersts from here. There are no settle- ments between this place and Baralas, 400 wersts distant: the intervening tract is desert and mountainous, with many morasses, on which account travellers usually wait for dry or frosty weather, to enable them to pass it. They also select the strongest horses they can procure, and take spare ones to replace those which may be knocked up. We were favoured by the weather, which was frosty, and were therefore only detamed one day to procure the necessary provisions. The district between the Lena and the Aldan is characterized by elevations, forming parallel ndges like waves, from East to West IJetween the hills there are numberless caldron- like hollows, forming marshy valleys on the North side and lakes on the South side. The heights of land are generally well wooded with f^J ^ ^9'} i« clay mixed with sand; the northern declivities appeared to me much steeper than the southern. . ^ u ^^^, ^¥^^1 is here one werst and a-half in breadth; its current is rapid, and it flows in a fhf ^ Ti,^^^^^^^^^ ,^^ ^^^ i^ the distance, on the North side of the river, a range of peaked mountains covered with snow. On the 17th we were ferried across the river with our horses and luggage, in a flat-bottomed 28 lAKUTSK TO f boat, which sprung a leak when half-way over; and in spite of bahng with caps and hats, we must have sunk, but for a little island, on which we landed, and stopt the hole with dry moss and grass. That night we pitched our little travel- ling tent of tanned rein-deer leather. We proceeded at break of day on the 18th, through a desert and marshy district, and on coming to some tolerable pasture, it was thought advisable to halt, that the horses might avail themselves of it, as it was the last for a con- siderable distance. Meanwhile, as heavy snow was falling, we were glad to cluster round a little fire under the tent, and to enjoy our chief refreshment— tea. Next day was a laborious one ; after passing the marshes, we had to make our way through a thick wood of larch, poplars, and willows, to the only spot where the Tukulan could be forded. We pitched our tent on its wild shores. Before us were the sno^vy moun- tains, behind us the forest, and the silence around was only broken by the loud rushing of the tor- rent. We crossed early in the morning on the 20th, the current was formidable, and the water up to our saddles; but the bottom of the ford was hard, and we passed safely, though thoroughly wetted. We had to cross other streams less broad, but equally rapid. We found the valley of one of these so strewe with trunks of trees and masses of rock, brought down by the torrent when swollen by the melting of the snows in spring, that our horses made their way with difficulty. Winter seemed to have commenced; the thermometer was at 21°, and the ground was covered with snow. We were rather pleased with this foretaste of a nomade winter life. We NIJNEI KOLYMSK. 29 chose for the night a clear spot of ground be- tween high trees, which aflPorded some protection from the weather; we then swept away the snow and dragged to the place so cleared the withered trunk of a tree which formed the foundation of a blazmg fire that sent its light far and near. Our guides soon strewed the ground round the fire with a quantity of dry branches, on which they placed a layer of the green branches of the dwarf cedar. On this fragrant carpet we pitched our three little tents, forming three sides of a square round the fire. Our guides thought the snowy ground on the fourth side quite ffood enough, and used their saddles for pillows. Whilst we pitched our tents, they unloaded the horses, rubbed them down with dry grass, and fastened them to the trees, that they might not eat snow or damp grass till they were coolf ihe kettle was soon filled, tea and soup pre- pared, and our little country pipes lighted. After supper our guides entertained us with wonderful I hunting stories, and travelling adventures. One I nni ^ '!? tT^^. ^'^^ ^^^^^ th^^e bears at ^ ZoyT.'"''^ 7^*? ^'^ ^"^^^ ^ «^«^^d with his t talked ^^Th^ '^" '^^^ ^'^ ^ ^^^^^^ ^^««^^' : pK 1 ^ enormous strength of the Siberian I elk, which he affirmed could tear up lar^e trees -|by the roots, at full speed. Both^h^Iakut ™^^^^^^^^ ;? this country, have few pleasure so great as telling stones of this kind. It was late before we crept under our Httle tents, where we slept soundly and comfortably in our be'r skins and furs. Before lying down to rest X guides set their horses at Hbertyf to seek for grass under the snow.* ^ ^^^ Vyare of middle siz;;h:;e"as1,„\.. irk' neck. 30 lAKUTSK TO Travellers do not always enjoy sucli undisturbed repose at a place of this kind. In spring and summer the melting snows often cause such sudden floods, that it is considered a prudent precaution to select one's sleeping-place near some large tree, which will aftbrd a tolerably commodious retreat in case of such an accident. As we ax)proached the source of the Tukulan the valley gradually became narrower, the rocks steeper, and the trees more thinly scattered, until they disappeared entirely. The most abundant trees along the side of the river had been willows, and a remarkably large and lofty species of poplar. Birch and lir occupied the drier and more stony grounds; and the dwarf cedar covered the slopes of the mountains. Its small, but well-flavtjared nuts, attract numbers of black bears and squirrels. Multitudes of grouse breed in the thick larch and pine woods. On the 32nd we slept at the foot of the moun- tains, under the shelter of an overhanging rock, there being no trees. At day-break the ther- mometer was — 4«. We were now to cross the Verkhoiansk range, which is unquestionably the most difficult and dangerous part of the whole road from lakutsk to the Kolyma. We had to climb steep precipices, where, from the frequent and are very strong-boned in proportion to their size. Most of them are of a grayisli colour ; they have very long rough hair, and like the other quadrupeds of this region, change their coats In the middle of summer. They perform most laborious journeys, often of three months' duration, with no other food than toe half- withered grass, which they get at by scraping away the snow with their hoofs, and yet they are always in good condition. It is remarkable that they keep their teeth uninjured to old age ; mav this be attributed to their never having hard corn, like our horses but always soft grae-s ? They sxe roucli longer lived than our horses, and are usually serviceable for thirty years. g O] h ir P< tl th in pa th W( ro da dii va Se So fro \ bis the in^ lin Ne ch€ wit '^Lai as pla 15 meas the 1 sumi pass. NIJNEI KOLYMSK. 31 ^iTi?.^^^ ^^ *^^® ^^^''^' we were often in danger of falhng to the bottom ; and wlien we came to hollows and narrow ravines, we had great labour m clearmg away the snow sufficiently to force a passage. Our guides told us that the gusts of wind from the valleys were sometimes so sudden and violent, that whole parties had been precipitated by them mto the abysses, along the margm of which the path ran We were particularly favoured by the weather. The sky was cloudless, and when we were at the summit* of the pass the ice-coated rocks around sparkled in the beams of the noon, day sun, as if covered by the most brilliant diamonds. Below us, to the North, opened the valley of the lana, which flows into the Pokr feea ; bluft rocks shut in our prospect to the aouth; it was indeed a wild scene. This range divides the tributaries of the Lena trom those of the lana : it consists chiefly of pure black slate, and is steeper on the South than on the North side. It is in latitude 64" 20', accord- ing to our observations, and forms a remarkable hue of separation in respect to vegetation. JNeither pmes, firs, nor service trees (Eberas- t^Klt""^ ^^'* ^^^^ occasionally to be met with hitherto, are found to the North of it Irt'^J'^r^ ^r^''^ ^^^ ""^^'"'^ continue as tar as 68«; wdlows even grow in sheltered places near the Omolon and the Aniui riverf J^ome lunguses, whom we met with further on, summits aholeul ^.L'l" .Jl^^to^r iS-r^'^^l-'^r^";- ^^^'' pass. ^ "^^ "^ ^"^0 leet higher than the 32 lAKUTSK TO % assured us that a ^&^i known here by the name of Charjus fSalmo thymallusj, was abundant in the lake in which the lana takes its rise. There is hardly a worse route m Siberia (with the exception of dangerous mountain-passes) than that from the Aldan to this place, through morasses, forests, torrents, and rocks, and en- tirely unprovided with any shelter ;* whereas on the other side of these hills the patli has bton conducted o\er the most favourable ground, avoiding the worst morasses, and >\as bci n occasionally widened, or otherwise improved. The route is one of sonj'i importance, as salt and provisions have to be i!\il ly it j early to the settlements on the lana arid iBdigirka. Another great advantage on the r^orthern side consists in the erection, at certain intervals, of huts, built of rough stems of trees, imd called Powarnas, or cooLing-houses. There is no regular fire-place in them, but a sort of hearth : and an opening in the coof serves to let out the smoke : the traveller through these wild wastes at night, or when overtaken by a snow-storm, knows how to value this rude shelter. The valley of the lana has a northern direction, and is bounded to the East and West by peaked mountains, which connect themselves to the South with the Verkhoiansk range, and to the North gradually sink into lower hills, scattered over a morassy plain. Another chain, of some importance, extends from this place in a W.N.W. direction, towards the Polar Sea, and divides the valleys of the Lena and lana. It is called the Orulganski * Since 1821 the government at lakjfsk have made improve rnents in this part of the roaa, and hftc built several Powarnas. i le name of mt in the aeria (with isses) than ;, through , and en- i^hereas on has been 3 ground, has bevin oved. The I salt and rly to the Another consists in liuts, built warnaSj or fire-place ,n opening loke : the ; night, or ws how to L direction, by peaked the South the North red over a oaportance, direction, ; valleys of Drulganski lade improve' HA X. V TT n a l«C*is?» NIJNEl KOLYMSK. 33 Chain and consists, like all the heights I had hitherto seen, of clay-slate, of which thi strata run the wit. '''"^ alternately to the East and to We proewitied along the left bank of the lana un.. on the if.th. near one of the above-mentioned Powarnas, we came upon a little hut formed nf branches of trees, which at first we houghrcould not be mhabited To our astonishmeft, there came out rf : a Tunguse. who had settled in this desert with his daughter and a couple of dog for the purpose of hunting rein-deer/ One must anTtheT"^?/'" '='''""*^' """l '^'^ tl"= <=ouS^ ation of these two persons. The poor girl was Ti .*? '''/',*""*• Oft'^" «1°°'' for days tfgether whilst her father was absent in pursuitVgame in n wretched hut, which could hardly aftofnuffi cient shelter from the wind and rain even in Rummer, thus helplessly exposed in toti soSnde to the most intense cold, and often to hunger and m entire inactivity. The man was one of those Imiguses, who having had the misfortune to lose elves Zl'T*^'''' "5 °"'Sed to separate ther^! selves from the rest of their tribe, and to seek % few S ^ ° *.^ '=''""*'7' " Fortune-hunters :" IjmnS^and"?]? *' '"f^'''^ ''°"«'''' ^i* cold, case of' tW T'' "^ '^^'^•y description. The •Jmet wth I t,,""^''''^ .'"""' ^''° are'^frequently «Tf GolrZe't r^^ attracted the attention . .' Ires for ,^S' ""^ ''^? •■«««»% taken mea- *'4' river. It *''''". .^'""^ *« banks of the ^"f obtJZ^' ^'J'^.r^'^^S them with the means ■ ^otammg subsistence hv fi«l.;„„ J Un the aeth of September ;T"reached the first 34 lAKUTSK TO post-Station, called Baralas. It is 157 wersts from the mountains we had passed, and is, ac- cording to our observations, in latitude 65" 51'; we were delighted to find here a good roomy Yourte, prepared for travellers, and kept m ex- cellent order. Near the door we saw pieces of transparent ice, ranged along on clean snow, ready for the soup or the tea-kettle. The interior was well swept, clean hay was laid on the benches round the walls, and a bright fire was blazing on the hearth. The windows were closed by smooth transparent panes of ice, carefully cemented with the same ready material. After being nine days and nights in the open air, in snow and cold, un- able to take off our clothes, or to wash ourselves, lest we should be frost-bitten, we thought our- selves in a palace, and a thorough toilette seemed to give us new life. Our worthy host appeared hardly able to appreciate, for want of personal experience, our hearty thanks for so great an enjoyment. He then placed before us a good meal of Siberian delicacies, such as frozen lakut butter without salt, Struganina, or thin flakes of frozen fish, and lastly, fresh raw rein-deer marrow. We were too well pleased with our host to show any dislike to his entertainment. In the sequel we grew more used to such fare, and I own I now prefer flakes of fresh Struganina, before it thaws, seasoned with salt and pepper, to dressed fish. On the 27th we left Baralas for the next station, Tabalog, 300 wersts distant. We quitted the ordinary post-road, and took one which the trad- ing caravans follow, and which is nearly 100 wersts shorter. About twenty wersts from Baralas we had to cross the lana, which is here 140 yards NIJNEI KOLYMSK. 35 A 1 broad. The ice was as smooth as a mirror and our horses, not being rough-shod, could not get on, even when their loads were taken off The guides were obliged to ride back to Baralas, to tetch some sacks of ashes and sand, to strew on the ice, to make it passable. Along the flat banks of the lana, and under the shelter of hills, there are many larch and birch- trees on the route we followed; but they are stunted m their growth. The country offers very little variety; on the plain there are many lakes connected with each other by streams of various sizes. On the 3rd of October we came to the station of labalog, which IS surrounded by lakes well supplied with hsh, and by good pasturages. We also found here a comfortable Yourte, having had no other shelter for the night since we left Baralas, than occasional uninhabited and half-ruined huts We met here, to my great joy, Dr. Tomaschewski, who was returmng (much to his own satisfaction) from a three years^ tour of duty at Kolymsk. V^e saw to the eastward a range of serrated hills runmng North and South, having Httle conical points which looked like excrescences. These Mis form the dividing ridge between the waters |0t the lana and the Indigirka. At eighty-five |..wersts from Tabalog we passed through a valley between these hills. I had no opportunity If ascertammg then- composition, but from the nu- merous fragments of granite, consisting of white teldspar, mica and quartz, which we met with I conclude they are of that nature. We came after- V^lfi' ^^. ^ If S^/i^cular valley, still called the V alley of Death, from a tmrliHn.. thnt d--^-- ^C conque^st of Siberia, a numerous tribe of rein-deer D 2 36 lAKUTSK TO m t Tunguses retreated to this place, where they made a valiant stand against their pursuers, which ended in the whole horde being slain. A singular acci- dent happened to me here; I had rn^iiU- che party to gain a better view of the rouutry, and was rejoining it by what I thougl i a much shorter and straighter path, when, in crossing a frozen stream, the ice in the middle gave way ; my horse dis- appeared, whilst I just managed to spri^ fruiii his back to the ice, and reached the bank in safety. I thought my horse was drowned, but our native guides, who had seen the accident from a distance, came running to my aid, and laugh- ingly assured me I should find him again, both safe and diy. Tliey immediately went to work to enlarge the opening, and brought the horse out very httle the worse for his fall. It often happens, in this country, that after the surface of the stream freezes, almost all the water beneath runs off, leaving an empty space, which in this case was about six or seven feet in depth. Unluckily my saddle-bags broke open in the fall, and I lost my store of tea, sugar and rum; a serious loss to travellers in these regions. Proceeding on our route, we came to f uother valley, the sides of which, wht ver 'Jiey wt ; clear from snow, appeared to consist chiefly of slate. At two places, where I was able to observe them correctly, the strike of the strata was fronx West by North to East by South, and the dip, from North by East to South by West, at nn an^le of 30^ with the horizon. Large fragmei o- con- glomerate, consisting chiefly oi' slate m ■ j nite, were lying in the valley. We came next to a stream with picturesque banks. The singularly broken forms of the lofty NIJNEI KOLYMSK. ,7 ley made Lch ended liar acci- che party and was orter and n streauij tiorse dis- iDii, froK bank in rned, but lent from id laugh- jain, both work to horse out 1 happens, ;e of the eath runs s case was iickily my I lost my IS loss to :o f uother Wi ; clear T of slate, erve them rom West dip, from n aujj le of r^ con- i \ iiite, icturesque f the lofty 1 walls of rock on either side, resemble the ruined fXT.'':^^"''^'"^^^*^ «^ « ^'-^J-l castle We followed this stream until it conducted us to a plain, after crossing which we came to another range of saddle-shaped hills, consisting aho of Se strata so' "" '''"^'' ^^ *^^ varief forms of tne strata ; some were concentric, others diver-ed obliquely in various directions.* «iver^ed ByfoUowing the course of the Gulan^ina which winds among the hills, it conducted ^sMthe Indigirka. We saw a number of wild sheep called here Argcdy (Capra ammon) ; t'-ey are ako to be me with in the Verkhoiansk mountn' 1 the 1 tS^ tol^'^ Tt'"" V '^ 1 ^^^^ber, we reached ^^i^ 1 ^ ^^ ^^ ^^'^sc^iiwersk, on the ri-ht bank of the Indigirka, 415 ^ ersts trom Tabalo|. C Of CiJain iw *' ^^P^^^^«^« to the expedition 01 L.iptain Billing , Saf ^vei k, which before only consisted of a few huu, wa raised to the is if liQc «"'ammea. iJut poor as thiK rjiace 'g notice, lu the person of the clergyman, who them. ^ "-^ °* ^'■•" ^'^o^ "i the hills, as I conkl ; 't uscen4. 38 lAKUTSK TO is know far and Avide by the name of Father Michel At the time of our visit he was e.ghty- ^vm yeaVs of ape, and had passed about Mxty ytars here as deacon and a^ Prie^*' 'l-"^ ^^^^^ time he has not only baptized 15,000 lakuts, Tunguses and lukahirs, but has renlly made them acquainted with the leading truths of Chnstjamty; and the fruits of his doctrine, his example, and Ws counsels, are visible in their great moral im- provement. Such is the .eal of this truly venera- Kl for the extensiou of the Gospel among Ae inhabitants of these snowy wastes, that neituer hk ererage, nor the severity of the climate, nor the counttes other difficulties of the country prevent his still riding above 2000 wersts a-year in order to baptize the new-bom children of his widely-scattered flock, and to perform the other duties of his sacred calling ; as well as to assist his people in every way he can, as minister, as teachor, Tfriend ancl adviser, and even as physician Yet he sometimes finds time and strength to go to the neighbouring hills to shoot Argalis, and other game; and has bestowed so much pains and skiU on his little garden, that he has reared cabbages, turnips, and radishes He plm=ed be- fore us sour krout soup, and fresh-baked rye- bread, and his pleasure in seeing us enjoy these excellent and long-untasted national dishe'> ^^s at least as great as our own. He gave us another kind of bread of his own invention. It is made ol dried fish grated to a fine powder, in which state ftwill keep a long time, if not aUowed to ge damp ; mixed with a small quantity of meal, it makes a weU-tasted bread. Th-™ ;= ^"(-h BTass in this neighbourhood, and a number of" smaU lakes well supplied with fish, NIJNEI KOLYMSK. 39 particularly with Sigi Schnapel fSalmo Cnvaretus) and Tschiri, another species of the same genus. The population consists chiefly of lakuts, who^ during summer, tend their numerous horses and their few cattle in the best pastures, whilst they employ themselves in procuring a store of hay for the winter. When autumn arrives they move to the river, and devote themselves almost entirely to fishing, the chase being quite a subordinate employment. Those who have neither cattle nor horses live entirely by fishing, and make use of dogs and light sledges to draw their fish and their firewood home. On the opposite side of the river there is a slute rock 150 fathoms high; its hori-- zontal blacli strata alternate with thicker gray ones, interspersed with selenite; veins of white selenite intersect the whole height of the rock. The government stores of salt and meal had passed this way to Kolymsk a short time before we arrived, and a hundred horses had been re- quu-ed for their transport ; this obliged us to wait two djiys before we could procure any. On the 13th we took leave of Father Michel who gave us, at parting, his blessing, and some little provisions for our journey. The two days which I passed in his hospitable cottage are among the few bright points of remembrance in my journey. We proceeded across morasses with stunted trees, and occasional pastures and huts, where we could pass the night, until we came to the larse lake of Orinkino. Here we entered the Kolymsk district, and from this point to the Alaseia ri ^^er a distance of 250 wersts, the country is entirely uninhabited, consisting chiefly of morasses, whioh are impassable in summer, and which afford no 40 lAKUTSK TO food either to men or to cattle. These Badarany, as they are called, are never really and thoroughly dry After a continuance of dry weather in summer, there forms over them a crust, which like thin ice will support a hght weight, but gives way with a rather heavier one. The horses of such travellers as are obhged to pass m sum- mer, break in this way through the crust, but do not sink very deep, because they are brought up by the substratum of perpetually frozen earth. There can hardly be any thing more desolate than the appearance of these Badarany, covered only with half-withered moss, and bearing now and then, on rather higher spots, a few miserable larch- bushes, which just creep along the ground. Ihe winter is indeed the only season when these morasses are properly passable ; and then, though the ground is hard and safe, the traveller on these vast unsheltered wastes is exposed to the most violent tempests and snow-storms, from which he can only seek refuge in a few widely-scattered and ill-built Powarnas, in which he runs a risk ot being suffocated by the smoke which the wind drives in upon him from every side. .,,.,, We came next to the low range of wooded hilis called the Alaseia Range, which separates the waters of the river of that name from those ot the Indigiika. In the streams amongst .hese hills, there is much native iron found, it is ot excellent quality. The lakuts work it into knives, hatchets, &c. Between these hills and the Ko- lyma, lakes and pasture-ground reappear, and a few solitary inhabited Yourtes are met with, becoming more numerous as the Kolyma is am iron died, 'bn the 2 1st of October, we saw above tiie NIJNEI KOLYMSK. 41 trees, to our great pleasure, the column of red- dish smoke which indicated the site of the Sardach station, where we hoped to rest a little from an eight days' laborious journey, without any shelter, and with a temperature from — 6° to — 22-. The comfort of the house surpassed our best expectations. There was one room for ourselves, and another for our guides ; a bath-room, a store- room, an outer court, long sheds for the protec- tion of the government stores on their way to Kolymsk, a small summer-house, and a sun-dial ; stables for horses and cattle at a short distance from the house, and the whole enclosed by a neat palisade fence, running down to a little lake at the foot of the hill, on the opposite side of which there is a thick larch-grove. It is difficult to describe the pleasure afforded by the sight of this little settlement, bearing so many marks of the care and taste of civilized man. I received here the first tidings of M. von Matiuschkin's Jirrival at Kolymsk, and proceedings there. From Sardach to Sredne-Kolymsk, the distance is 250 wersts; there are three well-provided post- stations, and the road itself is rendered remark- ably agreeable for these regions, by several la^es, thick groves of larch, fine willow-bushes, and generally a more flourishing and varied vegeta- tion. The change is more decidedly marked aiter passing a Uttle ridge of hills which divides the waters of the Alaseia from those cf the Kolyma. It was here that in crossing a lake I first saw a herd of wdd rein-deer. They shot almost closo by me, pursued by two wolvJs, who succeeded m pulling down one of them. It was too dark to distinguish objects when we reached the banks of the Kolyma, on the evening 42 lAKUTSK TO of the 25 th October, but the ascending smoke mingled with sparks, the barking of the dogs and the occasional glimmering of a lamp through an ice window, told us that we were arriving at Sredne Kolymsk, the church-tower of which we had before seen from a considerable distance. This is the usual residence of the authorities ot the district, and possesses a new and well-built church and thirteen houses. In summer most of these are empty, whilst their owners are absent for the chase or fishing, or other employments. When we arrived the scene was particularly animat- ed, as the inhabitants were engaged m constructing a dam across the river, to which they were fasten- ing baskets, &c., to catch the fish m ascendmg the stream. This fishery was formerly very pro- ductive, but the fish have dimimshed m number so much in the last few years, that the people have been obhged to get rid of most of their do-s, for want of food for them, and to have rec°ourse to horses and cattle. They are giving great care and pains to this object, but the shortness of the summer renders it extremely difficult to provide forage. . • .r. The cold was daily increasing; during the latter half of our journey from Sardach to this place, we had had a temperature from --9o to I-330, with a clear sky, but happily without wind. It was necessary for us to stay a day at Sredne Kolymsk to obtain a complete travelling equipment of far clothing, such as the inhabitants wear, and which wiU be described m the followmg chapter. , , , .,1 I was so helpless, when loaded with my new costume that T was obhged to be lifted on my horse : luckily the skin of the rein-deer combines remarkable hghtness with its great thickness and NIJNEI KOLYMSK. 43 warmth, or it would be hardly possible to sustain it. The natives do very well under it, and slip m and out through the narrow doors of the cot- tages, where we novices were constantly sticking. On the 27th of October we left Sredne Ko- lymsk, and continued our journey on horseback along the left bank of the Kolyma, meeting oc- casionally with settlements. After travelling 320 wersts we came to a Russian village on the banks of the river Omolon. Here we changed our mode of travelhng, to our great joy; for the intense cold and our cumbrous dresses rendered riding highly inconvenient. We now quitted our horses, and took cur places in the light narrow sledges called Narty, which are drawn by dogs, and with which we found that we got on much more rapidly than with horses, the surface being smooth, and that we also suffered much less from the cold. Hitherto we had seen woods of larch and of poplar, and had met occasionaUy with bu-ch and with fine grassy meadows ; from this time we scarcely saw any trees, and the bushes became more and more stunted as we proceeded further North. Two days more brought us to Nijnei (Lower) Kolymsk ; we arrived there on the 2nd of November, when the temperature was — 40°. We had thus travelled eleven thousand wersts from St. Petersburgh in 224 days, and had reached the first point to which we were bound We were arrived at Nijnei Kolymsk, a fishing village, destined to be our head quarters for the next three years. rii'JS J CHAPTER III. GENERAL REMARKS ON THE DISTRICT OF THE LOWER KOLYMA, AND ON ITS INHABITANTS. The River Kolyma has its source in 6W lat.,and 146" loiiff., in the mountains known under the name of Stanowoi-Chrebet, where the Indigirka also rises: its course for the first 1500 wersts follows the direction of the eastern brar ot those mountains, or is N.N E.; it empties rc^elf into the Polar Sea in 69° 40'. For the first 800 wersts, the stream is exceedingly rapid, but the river subsequently becomes wider and more tran- nuil The right bank is steep, consisting ot blutt rocks, with the exception of the portion between the mouths of the tributary rivers Omolon and Aniui The rocks, are precipitous and otten over- hanging, composed of slate,* intersected "J^ some placis by veins of hardened clay, and chloride slate, as at Cape Kresty : in others the slate is black and pure, without admixture, as at Cape Aspidnoi (Slate Cape) : and sometimes, as at the Kandakow rocks, it is interspersed with Amygda- loid Chalcedony, Crystals of Amethyst, and large specimens of Rock-crystal. No fossils have been met \ ith. * Gr-mite is found at the Baranow rocks, and in tlie district orCapeCheh;Tskci. i observed liie first -.rncLS o, u a. .,xca,.jJ, or Bear Cape. LOWER KOLYMA. 45 11 the district » •a -i Notwithstanding the rocky character of the right bank vegetation is tolerably rich; we saw the beautiful Epilobium latifolium in bloom A species of Sanguisorba abounds, the roots of which are collected by the natives, and used as an article ot food. The left bank is more flat : in the district of Sredne-Kolymsk there are still high-ljdng pastures, but m approaching the sea, the bank and the dis- tnct become gradually lower and flatter, until at last the whole country is one enormous Tundra or moss-level, extending to the Alaseia and to the sea. Besides the two rivers Aniui (greater and lesser,) and the Omolon, there are several smaUer tribu- taries : those which have their sources in moun- tains or rocky districts, are caUed Kamennye protoki, or rock streams. Those which flow from lakes are called Wiski. Some worsts above the mouth of the Omolon an arm of the Kolyma encloses a portion of the western Tundra, forming a low swampy island, on the southern bank of which Niinei- Ko ymsk is situated. The river here has an easterly course for about 100 worsts, after which t turns suddenly to the north : forty worsts below the turn, the streams divides into two branr-her br3 T-y'^^f Merchojanow. The gTeaS breadth of ihis island is nine and a-half wersts • in length it is continued to the mouth oTthI7yer where it is much intersected by srrm]] streams The eastern arm is caUed the Ka;:H...nayroiThe Stony Kolyma its breadth is si. worsts. The western arm, the Pocliodskaia, is not above four wei^ts wide; it is also caUed tlu^ Rr^T.].! MiacUo Kolyma. About twentyrfou^werltsVrl 46 LOWER KOLYMA. ther to the north, a third less considerable arm called Tschukotskoi, separates itself and flows to the north-west. These three arms form the em- bouchure, which is about 100 wersts across. Ihe Middle, and the Stony Kolyma, have sufficient depth of water for vessels of all kinds ; the navi- gation is, however, impeded and rendered danger- ous by the number of shifting sand-banks formed by the rapid current, especially near the entrance. Besides the two above-mentioned larger islands, there are a number of smaller ones, which are low, and formed in the same manner as the sand-banks. The severity of the cHmate of this district may be attributed as much, or perhaps more, to its unfavourable physical position, as to its high lati- tude. To the west there is the extensive barren Tundra, and to the North a sea covered with per- petual ice; so that the cold N.W. wind, which blows almost without intermission, meets with no impediment : it brings with it violent snow-storms, not only in winter, but frequently in summer. This unsheltered position influences the temper- ature so greatly, that the average, or mean tem- perature of the year, is not higher than 14«. At Nijnei Kolymsk the river freezes early in September. Nearer the mouth, and particularly in the most northerly branch, which has the le^st rapid current, loaded horses can often cross on the ice as early as the 20th of August, and the icy covering never melts before the beginning of June It is true that in the course of the three months which are here honoured with the name of summer, the sun remains above the horizon for fifty-two days, but from its nearness to the horizon, .-, ^ j._„4- i4^i.f ic QpnriTnrknnif'd by little licat : the disk often assumes an elhptical lorm, and can *i LOWER KOLYMA. 47 le arm lows to he em- . The Lfficient e navi- ianger- formed itrance, islands, ire low_, -banks, ict may , to its Lgh lati- ; barren ith per- ., which with no -storms, ;ummer. temper- an tem- early in ticularly the IcJ'st cross on and the nning of :he three ; name of rizon for J horizon, tie heat; . and can % V During the season in which the sun does not set. the usual order of nature is stiU percept Me when the sun approaches nearest the horizon evening and night come on, and aU is in renose • as the sun gains in altitude nature again awakes • the few little birds hail the new day with their cheerful twittering; the small folded ye W flowers venture to expand their petals, and every tW living appears anxious to partake in the enioy! ment which the faint sunbeams afford •" ^ As under the tropics there are only two seasons spnng and summer, so here there L only suS per and winter, in spite of the opinion of the inhabitants, who talk quite seriously of a spring and an autumn. They think they recS f spring m that period when the s-m is fim Zble at noon ; though in this vernal s.as... the hermo The vegetation of summer is scarcely more i«,n, a struggle for existence. In the latter end of M he stunted willow-bushes put out Me wSd leaves, and those banks which slope oV^ds the South become clothed with a semi:verlnt h,^. w June the temperature at noon attlins ?2. ^K ' flowers show themselves «r,T^iu r ' ^''^ plants blossom .rnJ^etrmest ic'/fc""^ peXe r^airvi^r z^'^'^'T' '""^ '^^- to the inhabitan&tht- dr^'ea y'lu^hf '"" blance of summer, nnri +„ „,. iL^"^'"" ^^"^ .«em- winter again, ^^m^- ^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^ 48 LOWER KOLYMA. air, and oblige every one to take refuge m the thick and pungent smoke of the dymokuries,* which affords protection from these tormentors But as every thing in nature has a beneficent purpose, and all disadvantages are compensated bv some good, these insects render an essential service to the inhabitants, by forcing the rem-deer to leave the forests, and to take refuge m the co d open plains near the sea. This they commonly do in troops of many hundreds or even thousands; the hunters then lie in wait for them especially as they cross the rivers and lakes, and kill numbers without difficulty. The musquitos render also another service m preventing the horses from straying away m the vast plains, where they feed without keepers. Their natural instinct teaches them to keep near the dymokuries, which protect them from their enemies. One sees them grazmg on the lee-side of these glimmering heaps, in tbe cover oi ihe smoke. When the pasture is fed off, the smoke- h^aps are established in a fresh place. They are ^eneraUy enclosed by a shght tence to prevent the horses from coming too near the fire. In Hummer the rolling of thunder-storms can be heard in the mountains, but they have little influ- ence on the great plains. ., i • Winter, properly so called, prevails during nine months of the year. In October the cold is some- X mitigated by thick fogs, and by the vapour rising from the freezing sea; but m November • These dymokuries are large heaps of fallen leaves, moss and damp ^^^^^l f^\ ^' u, '^^^e "wced both in the pastures and away the musqmtoe; they ^r^^ ;^;^^f^ ^^^^, ^^^ ^j^^j^ „,usquito Tipar the houses, !sU luat tliC i.s.i.-i!iu— -- J, - season in a constant cloud of thick and pungent smoke. KOLYMA DISTRICT. in the juries,* lentors. [leficent ensated issential 3in-deer the cold oamonly lusands; ipecially lumbers rvice in \f in the keepers, gep near m their lee-side r of the 3 smoke- riiey are prevent Ls can be tie influ- 'ing nine is sonie- le vapour [ovember aves, moss, them drives lastures and le musquito ke. . ' 49 tj^' tL'&-'"\^" January encreases wild r^-^^^'^T^S^ withdraws to the deepest thLket oiZ 7^'?' whitened ij^. ^thl s^lrr.elMs '/ f"' quent auroras. On the 28t^ „/^ ,_^ ^^ ''*- t^^ght begins to be ^it at ^00'?"}.''? ' ^^'^ sufficient to dim the steJs A, ?i? ' ''"* '" "»' the cold becomes even Se mI T/t^'' whoUytoconeeaJthTJ" fr'/° '"*«»^« ^ begins suddenly when th.fi; ^ •'•'* ^"""etimes jn the middl7of w'ntlr rSs'\hlT '^'"' ^^^ M a short time, from -S?" to T^t ""Pf^ "^^' 50 THE LOWER judicial to health. There are here neither scurvy, nor other dangerous infectious diseases. Catarrhal fever, and complaints of the eyes are prevalent, but only in October, during the thick fogs ; and in December, when the severe frosts set m. The inflammation of the eyes is partly caused by re- flection from the snow, which is so powerful as to require a protector to be worn. The sickness, called Powetrie, which prevails amongst the in- habitants of the coast to the west of the Kolyma, is much more rare and less maUgnant m this district. The disease which, in 1821, attacked the dogs throughout Northern Siberia, did not make its appearance at Kolymsk till a year later than on the rivers to the west and along the Tchuktche Coast. There is here indeed, as in all Northern Siberia, that singular malady called Mirak; which, according t. the universal super- stition of the people, procf < {i-> from the ghost of a much dreaded sorcerea^, t hich is supposed to enter into and torment the patient. The Mirak appears to me to be only an extreme degree of hysteria; the persons attacked are chiefly women. The scanty vegetation corresponds to the se- verity of the climate ; the neighbourhood of Nijnei Kolymsk is especially poor in this respect. It is a low marsh, on the surface of which a thin layer of vegetable earth is intermingled with ice which never thaws; it supports a few stunted larches, whose roots, unable to penetrate into the frozen soil, extend along its surface, and derive nourishment only by the smaller fibres, which alone are completely covered. A few small-leaved willows grow on the banks facing the south. On the Tilains a hard reedy grass furnishes a food for cattle, which is better in quaUty in those parts r scurvy, aturrhal revalent, igs; and n. The d by re- 'ful as to sickness, ; the in- Kolyma, t in this attacked did not ^ear later dong the , as in all iy called sal super ^host of a jposed to he Mirak degree of y women. the se- irhood of is respect, lich a thin d with ice w stunted ;e into the md derive res, which nail-leaved outh. On 1 a food for hose parts KOLYMA DIST ICT. vhieh are occasionally over'awed by se. wator Uie nearer we aj) .roach the soa ful ^''^'"'^^*^^- become the busier- on f L i\ "^O''^ rare Kolyma they cease Z \ f ^""^ ^^ ^^^ bank of the vWevK] ^"^>"^«k; on tlic right north ; he drieTsoil r^ """''f ^^^'^^^^^ ^o the Kreuter variety, than dor^T dreTr^e. T "' " the other sido Or. ^i , ™ry icy moor on patches oitod t.'l'\P^^t\r^ ''"^^^ are get-me.,.ot% to be ^iT^'^r'r ""^ '^' f"'' biaclc a,ul the wh^:t 'aebotTr, '\'' berry, and the arnmof;« j ^^"^^ry, the cloud- J, aixu tue aromatic ( warf rr Tn/, 11111 ^= I!: 1^ |||||2:0 1.4 1.8 1.6 V] ^> A c". '^>/ ;v v' ^^ 'w Photographic Sciences Corporation d, V ^9) V -os- in oil o^oo 1 ' i °^ iukahirsand other races- in all 2498 males, of whom 3173 pay lassak. ' THE LOWER The lassak, or tribute, consists of 803 foxes and 28 sables (which may be estimated at 6704 roubles), and 10,847 roubles in money, making on an average about eight roubles to be paid by every male of the lakuts and other tribes. The peasants and citizens are chiefly descended from exiles ; and the Cossacks from those of that race who came here from the fortress on the Anadyr, when it was destroyed by the Tchuktches. Up to the year 1812 the Cossacks were reckoned as belonging to the public service, and received from government a certain provision, which however they were bound to fetch themselves from the upper district of the Kolyma. With the usual carelessness of this people for the future, they were induced, by a few successive good hunting and fishing years, to neglect this somewhat troublesome transport ; and in the year 1812 the provision ceased to be issued. Several years have since taken place, in which the fishing and hunt- ing have been less productive ; general want has frequently prevailed, when they have had occasion to rue the loss of the advantages they formerly possessed. With the exception of six Cossacks who are in public employ, the remainder form a corporation, governed by a principal, and under the commissioner at Sredne Kolymsk ; they pay no tribute, but are bound to appear when called on, provided with sabres and fire-arms. They also furnish a party of twenty-five or thirty to attend at the yearly Tchuktche fair, to keep order, and to protect the Kussian and other traders, if required, against Tchuktches. Although the Russians in this district have approximated to the other inhabitants in clothing and modes of life, and even in features, they are still easily distinguishable by their more muscular KOLYMA DISTRICT. 55 frame. They are generally taller, fairer iu com- plexion and many amongst them have li^ht brown hair, which is never seen amongst the native races. The Russian woman also, in spite of the heavy labour they undergo, and their want ot cleanhness, have more agreeable features than the natives, and many amongst them might even be caUed pretty I was particularly impressed by their general kindness, and their afieotionate demeanour towards their husbands and chUdren. 1 had often occasion to witness the return of the husband or the son from a dangerous chase or a distant journey, and the heartfelt joy of the meet- mg. Most of the Russian women sine: very agreeably songs of their own composing, of which the subjects are frequently regrets at the absence ot those who are dear to them. It is curious to remark m then- songs, the reminiscences of earlier times, m the allusions to doves, nightingales, flowei;s, and many other objects not to be met ^t'u't^.^ '^''^^''''^ ^^ "'^^^ thousand worsts, and which the songstress knows only by tradition. Ihe dwellings of the two races are much aUke. ^ he larch trees are too small to be of use in the construction of their habitations, for which they are obliged to employ drift wood. This is care- fully collected at the floods in spring, and it sometimes takes several years to accumulate the necessary timber for a house. The walls are being filled up with moss, and plastered with lime : a thick mound of earth is thrown up against them, reaching as high as the windows, and form- iri.n^'f **T f^^^'''* *^^ ^^1^- The huts are u ually from twelve to eighteen feet square, and mue leei; Ingn. The roofs are flat, and covered 56 THE LOWER ■n M' W, Kt Ki flLi V n m witl^ a considerable thickness of earth. The in- terior arrangement is always the same : in one corner of the room is the lakut Tchuwal, a kind of open fire-place made of willow-rods plaistered on both sides with a thick coat of clay; the smoke escapes by the roof. They have lately begun to make Russian stoves of hard-beaten plaister, with a chimney up to the roof. Two or three sleeping- places are partitioned off, according to the wants of the family ; and the remainder of the space serves for cooking, dwelling, working, and receiv- ing guests. Wide benches are arranged around, on which rein-deer skins are laid for guests to sit and to sleep on. Household utensils, guns, bows and arrows, &c., hang round the walls. Two little windows of a foot square, or less, might give sufficient light, if they had glass panes ; but in summer they are made of fish-membrane, and in winter of plates of ice six inches in thickness. On one side of the house is a small porch, and adjoining to it is the provision-room, made of thin boards. There is sometimes a second fire-place in the porch. All the houses have the windows turned to the south. Both near the house and on the roof are scaffolds for drying fish; and there is a small out-house for sheltering tht dogs in extreme cold weather ; but they are more gene- rally tethered outside, and bury themselves in the snow. Enclosed courts are hardly ever seen. The houses are not arranged in streets, but by accident, or at the caprice of the builder; the people do not care for baths, and those which the Government has constructed in every village are neglected, and are generally in decay. Generally speaking, there is but little cleanli- ness. Linen is only met with among a few rich • v-, — *s KOLYMA DISTRICT. w persons who have under garments of linen or cotton cloth. Those in general use are made of wifl ^,?;'^:^^.^r.sk}ns sewed together, and are worn with the hair inside. The outside is coloured red with the bark of the alder, and the edges and sleeves are tnmmed with narrow strips of beaver or nver otter-skin, which they buy at rather hi^h prices from the Tchuktches; the trowsers are of rem-deer skin Over the fur shirt an upper garment, called Kamleia, is worn. It is made of thick-tanned rein-deer leather without hair, and i' aT^^^ ^^^""^ ^y '""^^^ '• it is closed before and behind, and a hood fastened to the back of the neck IS drawn over the head on leaving the room. People of fortune have a garment of the same form for wearing in the house, made of a cotton cloth caUed Kitaika. The feet are covered with brown leather or black goat-skin, sewed to tops of rem-deer skin with the hair on; the leather is ornamented with various devices in silk and sometimes even embroidered with gold thread- two long bands are crossed round the legs, and bmd the boots and trowsers together. In the open an- they wear a double fur-cap, narrowing a? the top but deep and broad enough to cover the forehead and the cheeks : they we^ besides ittle separate coverings for the forehead, ears, nose and chin ; these are often articles of great cost ' the forehead band especiaUy, which being worn kZ. nf T^^^T* *¥^ ^^^^ i« adorned with aU kinds of coloured and gold embroidery. When the cap IS laid aside on going into a roouKthe forehead band is often kept on for show On journeys the Kuchlanka is worn over aU the above-mentioned garments. It is a wider Kam! xnaue of double skin, and with a thick large lei 58 THE LOWER f I : H 11; H 1 hood ; hand-bags are sewn to the sleeves : a small opening is left on the inside, through which the hand can be drawn when required for use, and can be immediately slipped back again into pro- tection from the cold. Instead of the house- boots, half-stockings of the skin of the young rein-deer are worn, and the Torbassy, or boots, are drawn over these. In this costume one can defy the cold for a long time. The belt carries a large knife, the Gansa a very small tobacco-pipe made of brass or tin with a short wooden tube, a pouch containing the ma- terials for striking a light, and the tobacco, which is mixed with finely powdered larch- wood, to make it go further. The Russians here smoke in the manner com- mon to all the people of Northern Asia; they draw in the tobacco smoke, swallow it, and allow it to escape again by the nose and ears. They speak much of the pleasurable sensation of the sort of intoxication thus produced, and maintain that this manner of smoking affords much warmth in intensely cold weather. The house-clothing of the women differs from that of the men, chiefly by being made of much lighter skins; rich women use cotton, or some- times even silk stuffs, and ornament the part about the throat with trimmings of sable or mar- tin. They generally bind cotton or silk hand- kerchiefs round their heads, and sometimes wear besides knitted night-caps, under which the mar- ried women conceal their hair, after the Russian fashion. The young girls allow theirs to hang down in a long braid, and wear a forehead band when they are more dressed than usual. Their gala uiGss resemules a goou deai that wbiCio. was KOLYMA DISTRICT. 51> worn some twenty years since, by women of the tradmg classes in Russia. The larger the flowers and the more various the colours of the silk, and the heavier and gayer the ear-rings, the more handsome and tasteful the full-dress is considered The traders who come to the yearly fairs know how to make their advantage of this ; they brine the finery which is gone out of fashion even at lakutsk, to the banks of the Kolyma, and sell it tor high prices, as the newest mode. To have a good idea of the customs and peculiar mode of hvmg of the inhabitant of the banks of the Kolyma, one must have really lived with him for some time; one must have gone with him trom his winter dwelling to his summer Balagan, have navigated the rapid rivers with him in his Karbass or heavy boat, or in his Wetka or light boat. One must have climbed the rocks and the hills with him, on foot or on horse-back ; have threaded with him the mazes of the thick forest • and have coursed with him over the boundless lundra, on the Hght sledge, drawn by swift dogs, m the most intense cold, and in violent snow- storms. In a word, one must have become one ot the people. Such was our life during nearly three years. We Uved amongst them, we dressed as they did, we fed Hke them on dry fish, and shared with them all the privations and the dis- comforts mseparable from t^ e cUmate, and from the frequently heavily pressing scarcity of all the necessmes of life. I am therefore enabled to give a faithful picture of life in Nijnei Kolymsk, which, apart from a few local circumstances, will apply to the whole course of the Kolyma. ^^ ^ Let us be^in with spring. The fisheries are. a« we have Uetore remarked, the most important of 60 THE LOWER all the branches of industry of the inhabitants, and indeed that on which their very existence essentially depends. The locality of Nijnei Ko- lymsk is so unfavourable for it, that in spring the people leave their habitations, and scatter them- selves along the banks of the river in search of places which appear advantageous, where they erect a Balagan or light summer-hut, and make their fishing arrangements. Most of the citizens have little settlements, or country-houses of this kind, at the mouths of the smaller streams, and begin to visit them in April, to make their pre- parations. In the middle of May, when the traders are passing the lesser Aniui, on their re- turn to lakutsk, from the yearly fair at Ostrow- noie, the whole population of the place goes to meet them ; and there are left only the Cossack commander, one or two guardians, the priest, and perhaps a few hungry families, who have nothing to sell, and who are too weak to follow the crowd. Spring is on the Kolyma the severest season of the year; the provisions which were laid up in summer and autumn have been consumed in the long winter; the fish, which had withdrawn into the deepest parts of the rivers and lakes, during the intense cold, have not yet re-appeared. The dogs are often too much exhausted by the winter work, and insufficient food, to be fit for chasing the rein-deer and elk over the Nast,* the last • When the warmth of the sun in spring thaws the surface o» the snow, it freezes again at night, and forms a thin crust of ice, which is just strong enough to bear a light sledge with its team of dogs. This state of the snow is called Nast. The hunters profit by it to pursue the elks and rein-deer by night ; and as the weight of these animals causes them to break through, they fall an easy prey. The Nast continues to form during a longer of shorter period, according to the more or less sheltered local- KOLYMA DISTRICT. 61 favottrable opportunity which the early sprinit affords A few ptarmigan are snared, Cut Tf B^e quite insufficient to satisfy the senerd VmiT Tunguses and lukahirs come In partTes W The Tundra, and from the Aniui. to the Russia^ vS! lages on the Kolyma, to escape starvation. One sees them hke wandering phantoms, pale, with! out strength, scarcely able to walk ;' they tCr j hemselves greedily on any remains of^wT skin or aught else which may in any way X^- ate the pangs of hunger; but there I litUe^m- fort for them m the villages, where want reTras likewise ; the inhabitants are'obliged to have re! ScdfortL^f '"""""^ °' *« P™"''»^» T^A- ^"^ """S*' """"y °f ^tich we often starved m consequence. It is true a magazine is established by the government for the sale of rye-meal; of ^u^ this IS without gain, and, on the contr^, at^Z^ tTf ffi ' ,?•"* 'i"'.*^ «"°""°»« distMct and the difficulties of the transport, which sometimes requires two years, raise the cost ^ .. "^ to a pncc which the greater number c. ...t > !mand although, m ordei- to bring it ,r-> > w intihrii reach purchasers are allowed to dei, payjS W t^ ^"*"'Tf "' ''»*«'• But there we^e?, few who are able to give twenty roubl^ ^1^ spoUtlX"''/'^''^' """'""''' ^ettieshalJ spout by the long journey. Whilst we were at Sredne Kolymsk, the commissioner was Tiled to give in an estimate of the quantity of^eal which ought to be sent for the use of hil Sstrirt he applied to the Golowa of the CossacIs,^to i>ast in the district. °"^ ^^^y> ^'^^^^ was no 62 THE LOWER is particularly charged with the superintendence of the Tunguses and lukahirs; the reply of tlie latter functionary was, " I do not know how to furnish you with such a definite estimate as you require, but this much I can assure you, that there are not many here who would be able, or who would even be disposed, to pay two roubles a day, to prolong their miserable life/' I have lived here through three such dreadful springs. I cannot even now look back without shuddering to the scenes of misery which I have witnessed, but which I may not venture to describe. But usually, when need is at the highest, help appears. Suddenly large flights of birds arrive from the South ; swans, geese, ducks, and snipes of different kinds. The general distress is now at an end. Old and young, men and women, all who can use a gun or a bow, hasten to the pur- suit. Fish too begin by degrees to be taken in nets and baskets placed under the ice. Tlie terrible time of hunger is ended for the present. At first the food is not very abundant, and the half-starved people are accustomed to it by de- grees, just as an experienced physician would treat his patients. At last, in June, the rivers open and fish pour in in abundance ; all hands are in activity to profit by this short harvest, in order to lay up provisions for the following year. But sometimes this season brings with it a new difficulty. The rivers cannot carry away suffi- ciently fast the masses of ice which are borne down by the current ; these ground in bays or in shallows, and thus form a kind of dam, which impedes the course of the river, and causes it to uvcniuw vxxu uaiiivo . ixi tixlo ^Td,^' tuc xucauuns uuCL IT KOLYMA DISTRICT. 68 villages arc sometimer, laid under water: and those who have not driven their horses to higher ground m sufficient time, lose them. In the su'imer of 1822 we had an inundation of this kind. It was so sudden, that we had but just time to remove oar things to the flat roof of the house where we passed more than a week. The lake to the north of Kolymsk united its waters with those of the nver, and the whole village looked like an archipelago of little islands, (the roofs of the houses,) amongst which the peeple went about in their boats, visiting each other and fishing. These overflowings of the rivers take place more or less every year. ^ '^ When the waters subside, the great net-fishing begins In spring the fish come down the stream m great numbers In some places this lasts only Tphn A'-' p • ""^^^''^ ^' ^* Pochodsk, and at the Tchukotski River, it continues throughout the Sr thf r' ^r'"^"^ ^""^"^"^' i/quantiti Ihisisthe time when sturgeon, a large kind of salmon trout [Nelma,) a large fish with bowed taken. The fish caught m coming down stream are generally very thin, for which reason the^ Treral^u'cT T'^ '" ^ '^^'^ ^^ -^ P- laid flat, and dried m the air. The entrails are boiled down into a kind of train oil, which fs oft^ used m cooking as well as for the kmps water Tf£ ^'^^ *^' ''^ sometimes agitate the water in the nver, so as to hinder the putting down the nets at the time when the |reatif sTif aVnartf /" "/' ^^^*^^ ^^ -- " Skill, and partly for want of a sufficient nnnnf^f^ hair, the fishermen do not venture to place them 64 THE LOWER I I in the mid current, where the fish are both most numerous and of largest size. The same reasons induce them to confine themselves in great mea- sure to the tributary streams. During the floods great numbers of fish are driven into these smaller rivers and the lakes connected with them ; when the waters subside they come down again, and the people take them in quantities by means of weirs, baskets, &c.j all hands engage in these smaller fisheries, which are made in some de- gree in common, the produce being divided in proportions amongst the owners of the baskets, whereas in the net fishery, the nets vjre let down in succession, according to an estabhshed order, and each cast belongs to the master of the net. It is chiefly in the smaller rivers that they take the fat Tschiri, which are a favourite deUcacy, and are prepared as ledomnaja lukola. These differ from the luchala spoken of above, by being made only of the very best fish, and are prepared with great care. The fish is split in half, the entrails are taken out, and in order that the flesh may be more tender and better dried, it is scored : some- times they are smoked instead of being dried. The upper part of the backs are usually cut off; dried separately, and pounded in a wooden mor- tar: they are then mixed with train oil, and preserved for the winter in wooden vessels with narrow mouths. In Hke manner the underpart, which contains most fat, is presented separately, as it furnishes a favourite addition to the cakes, which are not made of meal, but of the soft parts of fresh fish, cut small and baked. When these fisheries are over, large fish are beginning to go up the rivers from the sea. The^^ are taken both with nets and baskets. Whilst all these different fisheries are going on. LOWER KOLYMA. 65 )th most J reasons ;at mea- le floods 3 smaller i; when lin, and leans of in these ime de- eded in baskets, et down i order, net. ley take icy, and e differ g made ed with entrails may be : some- dried, cut off, n mor- il, and Is with ierpart, telv, as cakes, ^t parts sh are They ngon^ the swans, geese, and ducks are moulting, and bringing out their young broods on the lakes As soon as they arrive, some of the fishermen are detached to watch the nests. At first they take some of the eggs, which are replaced by new-laid ones. The chase does not begin until the birds are moultmg and unable to fly. A great number of the fishermen then leave the rivers and go to the breeding-places of the wildfowl. They employ trained dogs to pursue them, and kill great num- bers with guns, arrows, and sticks. Part are smoked, and the greater number are frozen hard and preserved in snow against the winter. This chase IS much less productive than forme r • twenty years ago several thousand geese were sometimes killed in a day. Now it fs called a good season when 1000 geese, 5000 ducks, and ^00 swans are killed at the mouth of the Kolyma * However, this does not arise from any real de- crease in the wildfowl; but the people beW 2& ""' f' ^'^'^y^ ""^'^ ^' less troublesomf and ordinarily more certain in its returns, are ant tc. delay the chase till there is veiy httle time l?ft Besides the stores of fish and fowl, good house keepers provide themselves with reinS meat When the rein-deer are in motion in large t^ops boats' 7T:^ ^'"^ ^n^^^ ^' ^P theiniuiTn boats, and others proceed on horseback to the shores of the large lakes in the Tundra The deer are driven into the water by trained dogs mg. A skilful hunter may kill a hundred deer „„* fi'^^'"^*° ^^ clearly ascertained that hirH« nf r.....^^ ,. 66 I I LOWIR KOLYMA. on the Aniui m good years, whereas, on the Tun- dra he would never get more than twenty, and sometimes not more than five; but on the other hand the chase on the Aniui is often a complete failure, which is never the case on the Tundra • moreover, the deer which are kiUed on the latter' ^'* ilu^^''^¥ ^^^^"^ ^"^^ ^^**^^ ^^^ ^^^^ tlie others! Whilst the men are engaged in fishing and iiuntmg, the women avail themselves of the short summer to collect what little the vegetable king- dom can furnish for the winter provision. I have before said that the partially thawed soil supports different kinds of berries, and a few edible roots and aromatic herbs, particularly in the moun- tains. The women are thoroughly acquainted with them all and collect as many as the more or less lavourable summer may permit. It is not indeed every year that these poor remnants of I«?i oT T^o''^ *^ maturity. In the years 1 821, 22, and 23, the berries failed so completely that none of these forest fruits were to be met with. Most of them, particularly the bilberries, grow on the east side of the Kolyma, and on the declivity of the Panteljiva mountains; they are gathered m the middle of August. The berry- gathenng here, like the vintage elsewhere, is a time of merriment. The younger women and girls go together m large parties, often pass whole days and mghts out, enjoying the open air, and mterspersmg their work with various amusements. When the berries are collected, cold water is poured over them, and they are preserved in a trozen state for a winter treat. The only plants and roots made use of are the Makarscha and wild thyme ; the latter is used no.n tor smoking articles of food, and as a con- I: LOWER KOLYMA. 67 diment. The Makarscha is a i anaceous root which IS used partly as an addition to the meat or fish cakes, to which it gives an agreeable flavour, and partly alone, as a kind (.f dessert before supper. The field-mice lay up in their holes large stores of this and of other roots. The women are particularly expert in discovering these deposits. In September the shoals of herrings begin to ascend the rivers,* and almost all the population hasten to the most favourable spots for catching them. The multitudes of these fish are often so enormous, that in favourable years 3000 or more may be taken at a draught, and in three or four days 40,000 head may be taken with a single goodnet. It happens sometimes, that when during the three preceding months, in spite of all efforts the other fisheries have given hardly any thing a good herrmg season comes, and the storehouses are filled m a few days. The herrings are hung up on the scaffolds before the frost begins, that the water which is in them may drain off before they freeze. This makes them much lighter for carrynig on journeys ; those which are collected during a frost become immediately covered with ^ xu ^^^^* ^^^^^' ^^^"^^ *P^^^^ ^^^^^ flavour About the time of the herring fishery the rein- deer hunters return from the Aniui and from the liindra: this is a period of great animation and interest. If the chase has been successful, uni- versal joy prevails ; it forms for a long time the only subject oi every conversation. The minutest cir- F 2 •68 LOWER KOLYMA. cumstances, every motion of the pursued rein-deer, the proofs of skill of the hunter, and of the dogs, &c., are narrated with as great exactness, and in as much detail, as if it were question of the move- ments of hostile armies. When the frosts begin, the summer fisheries are at an end, and the autumn fishing commences. As soon as the rivers freeze, horse-hair nets tu'e set, by cutting holes in the ice across the stream, and sinking the net below. Muksuny, Omuly (Salmo auiumnalis,) and Nelma, {Salmo nelma,) are taken in this way. This kind of fishing is most produc- tive near the sea ; it is continued with more or less success till the beginning of December, when the darkness and the intense cold oblige the fisher- men to give up their labours, and return to their homes. Besides the hunting and fishing there are other matters which cannot well be neglected. Those who possess horses must endeavour to make some little provision of hay for them; sometimes the house must be repaired, or a new one built. Snares must be set in the forest for the fur animals,* and must be visited from time to time : • These trnps, called Past, are a kind of long box in which the tait is connected with the open lid, in such manner that at the slightest touch thd latttr closes and keeps the animal shut up till the hunter comes. The Russian inhabitants of Nijnei Kolymsk have above 7,500 such traps, along the banks of the river, on the eastern side, and in the western Tundra. Sables and foxes are chiefly taken on the eastern shore of the Kolyma, and along the mountain rivers Philippowka, Panteljiva, &c. and stone-foxes on the western Tundra. The wolverine is seldom taken, as he is strong enough to break through the trap, if caught. A careful hunter visits his traps at least ten times in a winter, but few do it so often, and nearly half the animals which are caught are lost in consequence. The hunters reckon upon about one take for ovQvv ten tra^^Ss everv time they visit them. A ver" iri w.nous custom prevails among the Tunguses and lukahirs, of carrying tOWER KOLYMA. rein-deer, the dogs, 3S8, and in the move- iheries are noes. As its lire set, ream, and ily {Salmo are taken st produc- ore or less •when the he fisher- n to their are other lake some times the )ne built. r the fur 3 to time : in which the that at the 1 shut up till nei Kolyinsk river, on the nd foxes are nd along the one-foxes on ken, as he is . A careful r, but few do ught are lost one take for ivy in^^.-ious , of carrying 69 this is usually done on horseback before the first snow falls when the ground is hard frozen. After snow has fallen, sledges and dogs are used. About this time the rein-deer leave the western side of .he river, and cross to the eastern, and the inha- bitants employ a variety of devices for taking them m the passage. Parties also go with sledges to hunt the elk and the wild sheep on the Baranow rocks ; and other parties go in chase of foxes, sables, and squirrels, by pursuing their traces in the fresh Men snow, m sledges drawn by trained dogs. 1 he latter chase is especially followed by the lukahirs of the Aniui and the Omolon, who live m the mountains and forests, and by the lakuts of Sredae and Verkni-Kolymsk. On the Tundra, along the sea-shore, long rows of traps, similar to those above described, are set oK !i 7f Bering stone^foxes, which are very Th™ ' ^^r *^T '^^^^ ^'^ «f i^f^rior value' Ihey are particularly numerous once every three years, but when there are also many mice, the e 2'; rr ui^'-'' *'"^p*"^ ^y *^^ ^^^^ ^^k is meat sT'l ^-''"^ T^"^' "^ ^ ^^'^ of poisoned meat. Skill in setting the traps is highly i esteemed, and the names of the best fur-hunters are known far and wide. But thosT who are successful in chasing the elk and the blar' and who do not shun a conflict, if necessary, with otories of the adroitness, the courage, or the strength shown in these encounters. Ire the fa f ^^^^^^^ «"^ects of conversation, and^ ^rt from f ^^-ggerations, some of these storied a?e\^ 8 away the yv,un£r whpnpv^r ♦!.«., c^a .u- m The number of vounff '^vp^'h » a-'' ^y^" '^''''" ^^'^^ blind, siderable. ^ ^ °''^' destroyed m this way is very con- f \'^!T' ##-»»«w -, • ' I i If i 70 LOWER KOLYMA. extraordinary. I will relate one instance which occurred during my stay in the country : two hunters, father and son, had gone out on horse- back to hunt foxes ; they had had very poor sport, and were returning almost empty handed, when by accident they came upon a bear, in his den. Though unprovided with the proper weapons for attacking him, they determined to attempt it. The father placed himself at the one entrance of the den, and stopped it with his broad shoulders ; the son, armed only with a light spear, attacked the bear at the other opening; more tormented than injured by the weapon, the animal sought to get away by the first opening, but neither his claws nor his teeth could pierce the thick, smooth, well-stretched double fur jacket of the broad- shouldered lukahir, who kept his post till his son had succeeded in killing the bear. Such rash enterprises are not always successftd; a Russian, descending the Kolyma in a boat, alone, saw a very fine elk swimming across the river. Unwilling to let so favourable an opportu- nity escape, although the boat was much too small to have carried the animal had it been killed, he prepared a noose, and threw it over the horns of the elk; he then rowed vigorously for the shore, and, whilst the water continued deep, the elk suffered itself to be drawn ; but as soon as it felt the ground under its feet, it rapidly gained the bank, and made off at all speed for the neighbouring forest, dragging along the light boat, and the unfortunate Russian, who was some time before he could disengage himself. Endless stories of this kind are told, with the minutest circumstances, and occasionallv with embellish- ments. LOWER KOLYMA. n ice which ry : two on horse- oor sport, led, when his den, apons for tempt it. itrance of boulders ; attacked armented sought to ither his , smooth, e broad- 11 his son iiccessful; a boat, cross the opportu- luch too . it been over the ously for aed deep, as soon t rapidly ;d for the he light wras some Endless minutest mbellish- Of all the animals that hve in the high north latitudes, none are so deserving of being noticed as the dog. The companion of man in all ch- mates, from the islands of the South Sea where he feeds on bananas, to the Polar Sea where his food is fish, he here plays a part to which he is unaccustomed in more favoured regions. Neces- sity has taught the inhabitants of the northern countries to employ these comparatively weak animals in draught. On all the coasts of the Polar Sea, from the Obi to Behring's Straits, in Greenland, Kamtschatka, and in the Kurile Islands, the dogs are made to draw sledges loaded with persons and with goods, and for considerable journeys. The dogs have much resemblance to the wolf. They have long, pointed, projecting noses, sharp and upright ears, and a long bushy tail ; some have smooth and some have curly hair; their colour is various, black, brown, reddish'brown, white and spotted. They vary also in size; but it IS considered that a good sledge-dog should not be less than two feet seven and a-half inches in height, and three feet three quarters of an inch in length (English measure). Their barking is Hke the howling of a wolf. They pass their whole life in the open air; in summer they dig holes in the ground for coolness, or he m the water to avoid the musquitos : in winter they protect themselves by burrowing in the snow, and lie curled up, with their noses covered by their bushy tails. The female puppies are drowned, except enough to preserve the breed, the males alone being used in draught. Those born m winter entfir nn flioiv f«o,„;Y^™ *u^ i'„ii mg autumn, but are not used in long joumejs i ' < m^ ii»»i n i ! ■ : ( 72 LOWER KOLYMA. ■ i! : tM [«^ until the third year. The feeding and training is a particular art, and much skill is required in driving and guiding them. The best trained dogs are used as leaders, and as the quick and steady going of the team, usually of twelve dogs, and the safety of the traveller, depend on the sagacity and docility of the leader, no pains are spared in their education; so that they may always obey their master's voice, and not be tempted from their course when they come on the scent of game. This last is a point of great difficulty ; sometimes the whole team, in such cases, will start off, and no endeavours on the part of the driver can stop them. On such occasions we have sometimes had to admire the cleverness with which the ' well- trained leader endeavours to turr the other dogs from their pursuit ; if other devices fail, he will suddenly wheel round, and by barking, as if he had come on a new scent, try to induce the other dogs to follow him. In traveUing across the wide tundra, in dark nights, or when the vast plain is veiled in impenetrable mist, or in storms or snow- tempests, when the traveller is in danger of miss- ing the sheltering powama, and of perishing in the snow, he will frequently owe his safety to a good leader ; if the animal has ever been in tliis plain, and has stopped with his master at the powama, he will be sure to bring the sledge to the place where the hut lies deeply buried in the snow ; when arrived at it he will suddenly stop, and indicate, significantly, the spot where his master must dig. Nor are the dogs without their use in summer ; they tow the boats up the rivers, and it is curious to observe how instantly they obey their master's voice, either in halting or in changing the bank LOWER kOLYMA. 73 of the river. On hearing his call they plunge into the water, draw the towing-line after them, and swim after the boat to the opposite shore; and, on reaching it, replace themseves in order, and wait the command to go on. Sometimes even, those who have no horses will use the dogs in fowhng excursions, to draw their light boats from one lake or river to another. In short, the dog is fully as useful and indispensable a domestic animal to the settled inhabitant of this country, as the tame rein-deer is to the nomade tribes. They regard it as such.* We saw a remark- able instance of this during the terrible sickness, which, m the year 1821, carried off the greater part of these useful animals. An unfortunate lukahir family had only two dogs left out of twenty, and these were just bom, and indeed still bhnd. The mother being dead, the wife of the lukahir determined on nursing the two puppies with her own child, rather than lose the last remains of their former wealth. She did so, and was rewarded for it, for her two nurselings lived, and became the parents of a new and vigorous race of dogs. In the year 1822, when most of the inhabitants had lost their dogs by the sickness, they were in a most melancholy condition; they had to draw ♦ It was once unwisely proposed to forbid the keeninff of whichTsT""'.'/;^' quantiVo't'fish required for thdr supp^tf Si.V of ? T^^T"" ^'"""^ '^^ *°°^ °*"»^« inhabitants. Each hprrfn;« u^^'v ^?°^'' '"1"''*^^ ^^^X ^'^^ fi^y to Seventy herrings. But if this measure had been adopted, so far from increasing the quantity of food at the command 'of the inha" bitants. 1 would have deprived them of one of their chief means of procuring subsistence, as was most clearly proved at the t?me hLhi ?''!^V'"°«a>"y a«^ongst the dogs in 1821 and 1823 TMs high y iniudicious proposal was happily rejected by the govern- 74 LOWER KOLYMA. 1 flLi I] home their own fuel ; and both time and strength failed them in bringing home the fish which had been caught in distant places ; moreover, whilst thus occupied, the season passed for fowling and fur-hunting ; and a general and severe famine in which numbers perished, was the consequence. Horses cannot be made a substitute : the severity of the climate, and the shortness of the summer, make it impossible to provide sufficient fodder; the light dog can also move quickly over the deep snow, in which the heavy horse would sink. Having thus described the out-of-door life and employments of the people of this district, let us accompany an individual into his habitation at the close of summer, when he and his family rest from all these laborious efforts, and enjoy life after their manner. The walls are caulked afresh with moss, and new plastered with clay, and a solid mound of earth is heaped up on the outside as high as the windows. This is accomplished before December, when the long winter nights assemble the members of the family around the hearth. The light of the fire, and that of one or more train-oil lamps, are seen through the ice-windows ; and from the low chimneys rise high columns of red smoke, with magnificent jets of sparks, occa- sioned by the resinous nature of the wood. The dogs are outside, either on or burrowed in the snow. From time to time their howling interrupts the general silence ; it is so loud as to be heard at great distances, and is repeated at intervals, usually of six or eight hours, except when the moon shines, when it is much more frequent. A low door, over which hangs the thick skin of a white bear_j or of a. rein-deer, leads into the dwelling room. There the father and his sons are LOWER KOLYMA. 75 strength liich had r, whilst ling and mine in equence. I severity summer, fodder ; the deep k. • life and ct, let us ation at mily rest life after resh with 1 a solid utside as ed before assemble } hearth. or more /rindows ; ilumns of 'ks, occa- od. The d in tiie nterrupts heard at intervals, when the lent. ;k skin of into the s sons are seen making nets of horse-huir, and preparing bows, arrows, spears, &c. J'he women are sitting on the benches or the ground, making the skins which the men have brought home into different garments, in doing which they use rein-deer sinews instead of thread. Two large iron kettles are hanging over the fire, in which are boihng fish for the dogs. One of the women prepares the frugal dinner or supper, which usually consists of either fish or rein-deer meat, boiled or fried in train-oil. As an occasional delicacy they have baked cakes of fish-roe, or of dried and finely pounded muksuns, which are the substitutes for meal. The cakes are sometimes flavoured with finely chopped fish beUies, or with rein-deer meat and powdered makarscha, mixed with train oil. If a travelling guest arrives, all that is best in the larder is produced ; Struganina, the best lukola, smoked rein-deer tongues, melted rein-deer fat, frozen lakut butter, frozen Moros'kho, &c. The table, which is at the upper end of the apartment, is covered, instead of a table cloth, with several folds of an old fishing net ; and instead of napkins, thin rolled up shavings of wood are used ; but in- deed this last is a town refinement. Salt seldom appears, and at any rate is only for the guest : the natives never use it, and even dislike it. In the little towns of Nijnei and Sredne-Kolymsk the richer people have tea and Chinese sugar- candy, lukolas are eaten with the tea instead of biscuit. Bread is every where rare. From the meal, which is so dear that only the rich can buy it, a drink is prepared called Saturan ; the meal IS roasted in a pan, and butter or train oil is mixed with it thinned by the addition IS o^j^ tio Lu unii;i 11 iiitu u paste, wnich of boiling water. 76 LOWr-X KOLYMA. : fe When this diiuk is a n A. V made, nnd with good butter, it has lui agreeabiv flavour, and is very nourishing and M'arming : it may be compared to Rumford's " sparo soup." It is drunk hot hke tea, out of ^1 ^<*^ oi cups. Aniun^st the daily employments ot tbn young women, the fcrtching water for the houseliofd occupies a prom lent place : they go at certain hours of the day to holes cut in the frozen rivers, which, like the fountains and village wells in Germany and the rest of Europe, are favourite places for gossiiiing. About noon the daughter of the house puts on her best attire, and runs down to the river with her water-buckets on a little sledge, where, whilst she is filling them, she hears and tells the news of the day. Occasionally some of the young men attend ; and if one of them fills and carries the water- ve8^ \s, it is recognised as the omen of an intended maiiiage. The Sv atki* and Easter time, and particularly the Masslaniza, give a temporary animation to this otherwise monotonous life. On Christmas and Easter days the bells ring, and the inhabi- tants go to church in their best dresses : when the service is ended, the priest visits each cottage separately, and gives his blessing, whilst he sprinkles it with holy water. During the Swatki and the Masslaniz^i, there are frequent evening parties for conversation, games, songs, and some- times dancing, for wiiich, however, the huts are ill adapted in size. They have suppers, and tea is drank in great quantities : ten cups a-piece are quite common ; of course the tea is drank without • Swatki is the time from I'm: mas to the feast of the Epi- phany. Masslaniza is the »*€,', v;e.'>re of general festivity throughoi '. Ttv. ip ill ; both are scuSuus LOWER KOLYMA. 77 milk, and almost without sugar, on account of its great price : usually one little p >ce is supplier! to each individual, and suffices for the whole of his tea. A few rich people use tea-pots ; but j,^me- rally the tea is boiled in a large black teakettle, which makes it go further. Next to tea, brandy is m request at these parties, and is sometimes drank in large quantities, notwithstanding its very high price. At the Masslanliathey use the Russian pastime of sledging and slidinf> down ice-hills; a curious tribute to national customs, since they never drive in any othci ciirriages than sledges, and over no other roads than snow and ice. Such is the monotonous life of the inhabitants of these icy deserts. Happily for them, they have hardly any idea of other enjoyments; and if the fishenes and huntings have been productive, and they are safe from hunger, and if tea and brandy are not wanting, they aro content, and to a certain degree happy. The inhabitants of Nijnei Kc lymsk are a vigorous race, usually above the mid- dle height, and are well-looking. They have few diseases, and one sees many that have preserved activity in old age. This is probably due in great measure to the necessity they are under of taking strong exercise, and being much in the open air. 1 he walking in snow-shoes is particularly bene- ficial, by bringing the muscular powers into full mv)^. The scurvy, which rages so dreadfully to tae^.^stward, is very rare here. This may pos- sibly be owing to the provisions being frozen instead of salted. 78 CHAPTER IV. » Nijnei Kohjmsk. — Domestic Arrangements. — Pre- parations for Prosecuting the Objects of the Ex- pedition. — Well-founded Doubts respecting the Discoveries of Serjea?it Andrejew. — Arrival of the English Traveller, Captain Cochrane. — The New Year. — Evening Party. — Arrival of the Mate Kosmin. — Preparations for a Journey with Dogs and Sledges. — Necessary Deviation from the Original Plan. — Tidings of the Arrival of the TchuktcheSj on the Lesser Aniui. — Departure of M.von Matiuschkin for Ostrownoie. Nijnei Kolymsk was founded according to Fisher in 1644, on the northern arm of the stream, where a small fortress or ostrog, a church, and some yourtes were built. The settlement was subse- quently moved to its present site, on a low island in the other branch, which is of more convenient access. It is situated according to our observa- tions in lat. 68" 32', and long. 160« 57'. The variation of the magnetic-needle is 9" 56' E. and the dip 77' SM' N. The river is here three wersts broad : the view to th« south is bounded by the Aniui mountains, which are connected with the Panteljiva range, and the Surowoi rocks : to the North and West the eye loses itself in the barren Tundra. The Ostroar consists of a wooden nalisndp vjifli bttiqH towers at the four corners, withinside of wliich is NIJNEI KOLYMSK. 79 a large building where the authorities of the place reside, and where there are magazines, which are chiefly empty; two of these contain some stores prepared for the expedition of Lieut. Laptew in 1739; and for the vessels of Captains Billings and Sarytschew. Besides the Ostrog, the village con- sists of a church and forty-two houses. There are four other settlements in this district Karetowa in 68" 47' N., and 16P ir E. ; Tscher- noussowa in 68" 50' N., and 161" 13' E. ; Pochodsk in 69" 4' N., and 160" 55' E.; and Pantelejiva in 680 36' N., and 161" 32' E. There are besides a few mconsiderable settlements along the banks of the Omolon and the Aniui. My house, which was one of the largest in the place, consisted of two rooms, each two fathoms* square: the outer room, with a stove, was as- signed to my attendants, and served also as a kitchen; the inner one, which had an open hearth, I took for myself ; each ix)om had a small window, with a thick plate of ice ; a bench for a bed, a little rickety table, and a wooden stool were all my furniture; a porch which I built outside, somewhat lessened the cold of the house and was very useful as a store-room. ' Half an hour after my arrival, M. von Matiu- schkm returned from the mouth of the Kolyma where he had been to see what could be spared to us from the produce of the fishery. It may well be supposed that we were not a Uttle rejoiced to meet, and had a thousand things to ask and to tell each other. I learnt, to my great disappoint- ment that when he arrived at Sredne Kolvmsk on the 2nd of October, he found that the com- raissinnpr nf fViaf »>lo^^ i.„J „_i- 1 """'' 4/xav.c liiiu nuc even Dugun to * A Russian fathom is seven feet. 80 NIJNEI KOLYMSK. execute the instructions, which he had received in the summer from the Governor at lakutsk, rela- tive to our expedition. No store of fish had been procured, nor any materials for the erection of an observatory ; neither had any steps been taken, as I had desired, towards the establishment of a winter-house and deposit of provisions at the Baranov rocks. The Commissioner's only excuse was, that he did not think we should actually arrive this year. Our operations must have been even more seriously injured than they were by this neglect, but for the energetic and successful exertions of M. von Matiuschkin. During his short stay he had already procured more than half the neces- sary provision of fish ; and in spite of the intense cold, which made the carpenter's axe break like glass, he had got a tower erected on the flat roof of my house for an observatory, with windows to the four cardinal points. It was completed in a few days after my arrival, and the instruments for the necessary astronomical observations establish- ed. My first care was directed to obtain what was necessary for our journey. For this purpose I invited the richest people of the place, and the elders of the different tribes along the neighbour- ing rivers, to meet me on an appointed day. They came on the 25th of November, and our first step was to form a tariff of prices,* which was tho- • The following are some of the prices : 1 herring, 1 copeck ; I pood of dri d rein-deer meat, with the bones, 4 roubles ; a rein-deer tongue, 10 copecks. For a provision sledge from Nijnei Kolyrask to the Baranov rocks, including food for the dogs, 2 roubles a day ; a travelling sledge for the whole journey, 3i roubles a day ; a pack-horse from Sredne to Nijnei Kolymsk 25 roubles ; a dressed fem-deef skin, 2 roubles ; a pair of birch- wood sledge-runners, 4 roubles. NIJNEI KOLYMSK. 81 jceived in itsk, rela- had been ion of an taken, as ent of a 8 at the ly excuse actually en more J neglect, irtions of ; stay he le neces- 3 intense reak like ! flat roof adows to eted in a nents for jstablish- lin what purpose , and the lighbour- y. They first step was tho- , 1 copeck ; roubles ; a ledge from ood for the >le journey, n Kolyinsk ir of birch • roughly satisfactory to the inhabitants. We next discussed what each would be able to furnish, and when. The lukahirs of the Aniui, who had had a very successful rein-deer hunt, were to supply the skins necessary for a winter tent, and a great quantity of rein-deer bones, which were to be pounded for the dogs. The lukahirs of the Omolon offered to provide a good boat built of birch-wood, and the materials for constructing sledges; and the settlers along the Kolyma were to furnish us with frozen fish. The dried fish had to be brought from 800 wersts up the river, where the fishery had been more productive than at the mouth. There still remained a most essential point, the providing a sufficient number of good dogs to draw the sledges. This was undertaken by a Cossack, who had accompanied M. Heden- strom, and was generally considered to have more knowledge than any one else of the qualities and the proper treatment of dogs. All was now in train, and nothing remained but that every one should fiilfil their engagements. I met with many difficulties in this respect, which were mcreased by a sort of distrust on the part of the people in respect to payment, and by the want of good will on the part of the local autho- rities. The Commissioner of the district made every endeavour to discourage us. He repre- sented the poverty of the people to be such, that our extensive demands would overburden their resources; and described in exaggerated terms tne difliculties and dangers we should have to encounter. He assured us the dogs were too weak, and then- drivers inexperienced and un- ^ustworthy; and dwelt on the barbaritv of the Ichuktches, whom he described as the most •;,^ ! I M i 82 NIJNEI KOLYMSK. dangerous and cruel of men. Though I did not attach much importance to his accounts of the dangers that awaited us, I did not feel at liberty, until I had myself some knowledge of the subject, to disregard his repeated representations of the injury which he said would be done to the inha- bitants by complying with my requisitions. I abated them accordingly so much that we subse- quently suffered. In the following years, when I had become well acquainted with the local cir- cumstances, I found that I could obtain all that was necessary for the expedition, not only without injury, but with advantage to the inhabitants. My instructions from the Admiralty, directed that the first year we should proceed to Cape Chelagskoi, where the expedition was to be divided into two parts ; that with one of these I should proceed in search of the northern land which the Cossack Andrejew was supposed to have seen, and that the other division, with an officer, should continue the examination of the coast as far to the eastward as circumstances would permit. To do this we should require fifty sledges, six hundred dogs, and at least forty days' provision. As it was necessary to start in February, there remained only three months for preparation. We endeavoured to collect from the inhabitants all the information which they could afford rela- tive to the country, and all that was remembered amongst them respecting earlier travellers, which might have a bearing on the objects of our ex- pedition. They knew a great deal about the three officers who were here in 1767, but could tell us but little about Serjeant Andrejew, who was here only five years before, i.e. in 1762. Thev knew generally, that he had been to the Indigirka, and NIJNEI KOLYMSK. 83 afterwards to the Bear Islands, but they were Ignorant of his supposed discoveries, which are included in our most recent charts ; and when we spoke of a land north of the Bear Islands, and of traces of a numerous nomade people in that di- rection, they treated it as a fable. Some of their own people had accompanied Andrejew on that journey ; how then could the discovery and exist- ence of a large inhabited land, have been either unknown or forgotten amongst them ? Many circumstances were related to us respect- mg Pawluzki's proceedings as early as 1731 These and similar inquiries, the duties of the Observatory, practising in driving sledges, experi- ments on the distances which our dogs went over in a given time, and various other preparations tor our journey, occupied us so fully that the time passed rapidly. The polar night had set in on the 22nd of November ; and the beauty of the vaned forms of the Aurora, seen on the d"ep azure of the clear northern sky, was a source of unwearied enjoyment to us almost every evening On the 2nd of December, probably by the eftects of violent west and north-west winds the sea-water was suddenly driven into the Kolyma with such force as to produce an opposite currei'it to that of the nver, breaking up the ice, flooding the banks, and carrying away the fishing-nets which had been placed below the ice. The owners of the nets comforted themselves with the hope, that the influx of water from the sea would brino- with It such a quantity of fish, that the increased pro- ductiveness of the winter-fishery would more than compensate for the loss of their nets : and so it proved. ' The 31st of December surprised us with the G 2 I: r;i i > ! y iliMl !■ 'f 84 NIJNEI KOLYMSK. arrival of the well-known English pedestrian, Captain Cochrane.* We were all not a little pleased by this agreeable addition to our very- limited circle; subjects of conversation were abundant, and we sat talking till long after the beginning of the new year, which came in with a temperature of — Si''. The noon-day sun, which ought to have been just visible above the horizon, was intercepted by the ice and snow-hills, which bound the plain ; a grey mist lay heavy on the snow-covered surface ; the sky became of a whitish colour, and the cold increased on the 3rd and 4th of January to — 55", and on the 5th the thermometer stood for twenty- four hours at — 57°. Breathing became difficult, and the panes of ice in the windows cracked. Though sitting close to a large fire, we were not able to lay aside any part of our fur-clothing; and when I wanted to write, I had to keep the ink-stand in hot-water. At night, when the fire was allowed to go out for a short time, our bed- clothes were always covered with a thick, snow- like rime, and my guest, in particular, always complained in the morning of his nose being frozen. The nearest mountains to tht south appeared under all sorts of singular forms, and the more distant ones inverted, with their summits down- * He had not only been hospitably entertained every where by the way, but the Governor at lakutsk had given him a Cos- sack to accompany him lo Nijnei Kolymsk, and that part of his foot journey at least was made on horseback and in sledges, without any expense. He expressed a wish to join our expedi- tion in the journey over the ice, for which we were preparing ; but the great difficulties connected with means of transport, pro- visions, &c., for each individual, made me consider it advisable to decline the offer. NIJNEI KOLYMSK. 85 irards ; whilst the river was apparently narrowed to such a degree, that the opposite bank seemed to be close in front of our houses. As the continued intensity of the cold made it impossible to go on with the business of placing nets under the ice, the inhabitants returned from the winter-fishing at the mouth of the river. Still the street seemed deserted, for no one who could help It stirred from the fire side; late in the evening especially, when the death-like silence was only broken, at regularly-recurring intervals, by the howling of some hundreds of sledge-dogs. We heard that, in former years, when the lishenes were more productive, and when many elks visitea the Kolyma, Nijnei Kolymsk had been remarkable for its winter-festivities ; but the in- habitants complained that these were quite at an end. To give them a little pleasure in this way, and to show our guest some of the amusements of f^^ ^^""Id "S^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ principal inhabitants tor Twelfth Night, and engaged for the evening one ot the best and roomiest houses, belong- mg to a Cossack who could play the violin. Ihe assembly-room was lighted up with train-oil lamps; the walls were ornamented by a little drapery and the floor strewed with yellow sand. The refreshments for the ladies were tea, some lumps of white sugar, and cedar-nuts. Supper consisted of fish-cakes, Struganina, dried fish, and trozen rein-deer marrow. Our guests arrived at W«? /V"". *^^^ ^^'^ ^'> ^'^d^ ^ft^r the first burst of admiration at our arrangements, the ladies took their seats, and began to sing national songs; afterwards, the younger ones played at van- ous games, and danced wifli «i^w ^^a i .,„ laborious effort, to the-soindrf'throlTCte^I t\li , [I - •• i I Xi (! 86 NIJNEI KOLYMSK. violin. At ten o^clock the company took their leave, with endless thanks for their entertainment, nor were these mere words of course, for a year or two afterwards they still spoke of our agreeable and brilliant party as a bright spot in their re- membrance. Next day we went to visit the remains of the two vessels of Captain Billings, which a flood had carried to some distance inland from the river. Though they had been exposed nearly fifty years to the weather, the wood was still sound. On the 2nd of February, the mate, Kosmin, arrived with a large quantity of necessaries for the expedition, which he had brought from lakutsk. He had profited by the involuntary slowness of his journey, to draw up an exact topographical de- scription of the almost unknown country through which he passed. Besides more important mat- ters, he brought us a welcome and long-untasted addition to our very scanty bill of fare, namely, forty pounds of frozen rein-deer meat, and some milk and cream frozen, as is customary in Siberia, in round cakes, which keep fresh for a long time. We were now coming to the most animated period of the year at Nijnei Kolymsk, namely, when the caravan from lakutsk, consisting of about twenty merchants each with from ten to forty horses loaded with goods, halt here for a few days on their way to the great Tchuktche fair, at Ostrownoie, and sell a part of their wares to the inhabitants of the district, who assemble from a great distance. The richer traders hasten their return from the banks of the Omolon, where they pass the month of January in obtaining from the wandering Tunguses a large quantity of furs, in NIJNEI KOLYMSK. sr ok their ainment, I year or greeable their re- s of the iood had he river. years to Kosmin, ;s for the lakutsk. 3SS of his hical de- through ant mat- -untasted , namely, md some mary in 3sh for a animated , namely, isting of HI ten to for a few tche fair, wares to able from sten their here they from the if furs, iu Roubles. 8 to 10 50 - 150 2i - 3 7 10 10 25 exchange for a little tea, tobacco, and brandy. The Tunguses have a strong passion for brandy, and the traders too often avail themselves to the utmost of this weakness. The prices this year were : — Red fox - - . Black fox - White stone fox - Blue fox - - - *Sable - The prices of the principal articles brought by the lakutsk merchants were as follows : 1 lb. Circassian leaf-tobacco 1 lb. white sugar - - . 1 lb. Chinese sugar-candy 1 lb. of tea, of inferior quality 1 lb. of fine thread - - . 1 piece of Kitaika (Chinese cotton), 7 yards, or 9 arschins - - 10 1 piece of half-silk stuff, about 17 yards .... 50 1 arschin of coarse linen - - 1 1 figured cotton handkerchief 6 The superintendent of the district usually ar- rives soon after the bep^inning of the fair, for the purpose of embracing this favourable opportunity tor coUectmg the crown dues; he also hears and decides causes and his visit, by giving scope to the litigious disposition of the inhabitants, often brings dissension where cheerfulness and harmony before prevailed. MeanwhUe, we had succeeded I82i?finrit^-' °^ ^^^h' "^^""y ^^«*^y i" different years. In ionMl'''kt::,4!l\i^ the followin'g year 15 British money. ^ ^""^^' '" '''^''' '''' *^^" ^l«v«" Pence of 3 9 3^ 1,1 •i /: 1 m S8 NIJNEI KOLYMSK. in obtaining a large quantity of fish for ourselves and our dogs. The supply for the latter was estimated at 81,944 herrings.* As the time for our departure approached, I found that it would be impossible to obtain for another month the number of drivers, sledges, and above all of dogs, which were necessary for our intended expedition. Under these circum- stances, I decided on employing the intervening time in surveying the coast to the eastward as far as our means would permit with the few sledges which were ready, and on sending M. von Matius- chkin for the same period to Ostrownoie, to gain some knowledge of the Tchuktches who came to the fair, and to purchase from themf walrus skins and whalebone for our sledges. But that which I especially recommended to his care, was to en- deavour to establish a good understanding with that suspicious people, and to tranquillize their minds as to the object of our visit to their shores, by making them understand that we were in search of a navigable passage, by which ships would be able to bring them a larger and cheaper supply of tobacco and other articles. He also took with him a good supply of tobacco, beads, scissors, &c., &c., as presents to their chiefs. On the 14th of February I despatched my three • It included a quantity of rein-deer bones. For convenience in estimating supplies, every sort of provision for dogs is re- duced in calculation to an equivalent number of herrings, eight or ten of which are considered, when dried, a proper daily allow- ance for a sledge-dog. f Thongs of walrus skin are used here instead of iron fasten- ings, and are very durable ; pieces of whalebore under the wooden runners make the sledge glide along the ice far more easily, nor are they so liable as wood to be injured by the salt which is left on the ice, in places v,'here it has been overflowed by sea-water. NIJNEI KOLYMSK. 89 ourselves tter was Inched, I )tain for sledges, ssary for circum- ;er came to rus skins t which I IS to en- iing with lize their ir shores, were in ich ships d cheaper He idso 10, beads, efs. my three convenience dogs is re- rrings, eight daily allow- iron fasten- ! under the ce far more i by the salt n nworflr»WP(l travelling sledges with the proper number of good dogs, under the care of three Cossacks, one of whom understood the Tchuktche language, to an island at the mouth of the eastern branch of the Kolyma, where our provisions were already deposited. Whilst awaiting my arrival, the dogs were to be given good food and rest, to improve their condition to the utmost. A few days afterwards the Cossack who had been sent by the superintendent to Ostrownoie to give notice of the approach of the Tchuktches, returned with the intelligence that a small party from Tchaun Bay had arrived on the 8th of Febni:iry within 90 worsts of Ostrownoie, and that they were the forerunners of a much more numerous caravan from the neighbourhood of Behring Straits. The lakutsk merchants soon took their departure in hired sledges ; they were accompanied by the superintendent, and were followed on the 4th of March by Captain Cochrane and M, von Matiuschkin.* Captain Cochrane's plan was to join the Tchuktch caravan on their return to Tchukotsky Noss and Behring Straits, and to cross over from thence to the north-west coast of America; but when he became better acquainted with the Tchuktches, he gave up this scheme and returned to Nijnei Kolymsk. • The distance to Ostrownoie is 250 wersts: the usual price ot a sledge for the journey from Kolymsk and back, is about 100 roubles. 90 Hi ''••'i im li *.« / ' I CHAPTER V. First Ice Journey in Sledges over the Sea. — Depar- tttrefrom Nijnei Kolymsk. — Sucharnoie Island. — Baranav Rocks. — Flat Low Coast. — Great Baranov River. — Cold. — First traces of the Tchuktches. — Meteor. — Cape Chelagskoi. — Kos- min Rock. — Wollok. — Cape MatiiLSchkin. — Arautan Island. — Loss of Provisions. — Return to Nijnei Kolymsk. The sea-coast from the Kolyma to Cape Che- lagskoi is wholly uninhabited; on the one side the occasional excursions of the Russians ter- minate at the Baranov rocks ; and on the other, the Tchuktches do not cross the larger Baranov River. The intervening eighty worsts of coast are unvisited. The wide mossy plains and valleys inland are wandered over by those warlike Tchukt- ches who have preserved their independence, and who bring with them immense herds of rein-deer. Strangers are viewed with great suspicion, and melancholy examples llave shown the dangers in- curred by intruders. Our sledge-drivers were not entirely free from the deeply-rooted fear of these people, generally entertained by the inhabitants of Kolymsk. Our party consisted of Mr. Kosmin and myself, and the drivers of nine sledges. Only tliree of the latter were to accompany us the whole way; the other six were to return with their THE POLAR SEA. 91 Rledj^'es whenever the provisions which they car- ried sliould be disposed of. We left Nijnei Kolymsk on tlie 1 9th of Feb- ruary, and on the 2l8t we reached Suchariioie Island, at the mouth of the Kol)/raa, where the rest of our party awaited us. The next day was employed in arranging our loads, consisting of a conical tent of rein-deer skin, with a light frame- work formed of six long thin poles; two hatchets; an iron plate, on which we could light a lire; a trivet; a soup. kettle; atea-lettle; a pocket-lan- tern, with a few wax-candles; some changes of linen; a bear-skin a-piece to sleep on; and a double rein-deer-skin coverlet for every two per- sons. Our instruments were, two chronometers ; a seconds' watch ; a sextant and artificial horizon; a spirit thermometer; three azimuth compasses, one of which had a prism; two telescopes; a measuring line, and a few other trifles. The pro- visions for five men for one month were : 100 lbs of rye biscuit; 60 lbs. of meat; 10 lbs. of portable soup; 2 lbs. of tea; 4 lbs. of sugar-candy; 8 lbs of gnts ; 3 lbs. of salt ; 39 rations of spirits ; 12 lbs of tobacco; and 200 of the best smoked lu- chala, each equivalent to about five herrings. Our clothing consisted of a Parka;* a large Kuch- lanka; great leathern boots, lined with fur- a fur cap; and gloves of rein-deer skin. We had each a gun and fifty cartridges, a pike, a large knife, worn m the gu-dle, and the means of strikiuff fire A TJ""^' \%^^^ ^'^^ frozen fresh he^ngs! and 790 large Muksun luchala, and 1,200 lukola equivalent to about 8,150 dried herrings The six provision-sledges carried the greater part of tlie stores, but a portion was placed on the travel- • The rein-deer-skin shirt described in page 57. 92 FIRST JOURNEY ON ,il J it') '\ i i.|i hi 9 1 H 1 ling ones. The loading of each sledge, weigh- ing about 25 pood (about 1000 lbs.), was distri- buted along its entire length, and covered with leather. The whole was bound so tightly together with thongs, that the sledge might be overturned without anything being displaced or injured. The driver sits sideways on the middle of the sledge, or rather poises himself, with his feet on the run- ners, ready at any instant to spring off to preserve or restore equilibrium, holding on by a thong stretched lengthways on the sledge. He also car- ries a large stick with iron at one end, and bells at the other, which he uses for guiding and driving the dogs, and which sometimes serves him as a support. It was in this manner that Mr. Kos- min and I sat, each behind our driver, and ready, like him, to spring from the sledge whenever it lost its balance, which was continually happening, as the track was often very uneven. Though each of the sledges carried the above-mentioned load, they gUded so smoothly over the hard-frozen snow, that it was not difficult to push them along with one hand. When the surface was even, the dogs went ten or twelve wersts an hour. On the 21st of February the temperature was —26°; at noon, it increased to 0»-5. Though the sun was still very low, Mr. Kosmin succeeded in taking a meridian altitude (using the artificial horizon), the latitude was 69" 31'. By trigono- metrical measurement from Nijnei Kol^msk, Sucharnoie is in 161" W; our travelling compass shewed ISI" E. variation. On the 22nd the provision-sledges started at day-break for the lesser Baranov Eock, forty-one wersts off, and we followftd snoTi nftpr "Wa i^aA arranged that my sledge should always lead the way, and that Mr. Kosmin's should bring up the THE POLAR SEA. 93 , weigh- is distri- red with together erturned -ed. The le sledge, the run- preserve a thong also car- and bells d driving lim as a Mr. Kos- id ready, enever it ippening, ugh each led load, rd-frozen ^m along 3ven, the iture was Though acceeded artificial trigono- Col)^msk, compass ;arted at Ebrty-one lead the Lg up the rear. Each of us observed the direction of the course, and estimated the distances from point to point according to the paces of the dogs with which we had made ourselves acquainted bv ex- penments at Nijnei Kolymsk. Instead of going round Bear Cape, we crossed the isthmus, which connects it with the conti- nent. The snow was hard and even, and our does ran so fast that the sledges often overset in spite ot aU the balancing of our drivers. At half-past three we arrived at the powarna, where we were to sleep It was on the bank of a small river, and near a large wooden cross, erected by Captain BiUmgs, and still in good preservation. Our pro- vision-sledges, which started nearly two hours before us, did not arrive till later, owing to the J^iry .f '^'"^ ^"^^- S^^^ fr^«^ tl"« place! the ice ot the sea appeared smooth; a thick mist conceded the view of the north horizon. Finding our lodging filled with snow and ice, which It would have taken too long to remove through the door, we took off the boards wTch served a^ a roof and in less than an hour we had cleared away the snow, replaced the roof and hKv%^- Unluckily tL hut was so 'sm^U that only four persons could stay in it, and thev s^^ed" ttroth' *'^ '^^ 1*^^^ '^^- clothes we% singed . the other seven slept in the tent, where WsIT ^''' ^"™^ ^^' ^^^^ d^^r^ as the melt! We r/^"". '?/''^'^' ^^^^ ^h« ^alls of the hut. We passed the evening in entering and com Strf ^,^---t--^ -l^ich we foundio o^ t2 B^LT^'lfJ"^! ??^ «^*^^.-ast by Cap. . --— o-j "^ TTcxc tiius convmced thnf w*» m.ght place confidence m the suitZlity of the methods we had adopted. '^ 94 FIRST JOURNEY ON u^ ■J- w _ I'l \m\ !«) II The sea-coast hitherto was every where flat, except at the promontories and projecting tongues of land, which form steep rocky elevations. The right bank of the Kolyma, which consists prin- cipally of black slate, was covered with drift- wood : nine or ten miles from the Balagan at Su- ch am oie, we saw a wooden tower, erected by Lieutenant Laptew in 1739, to serve as a land- mark on entering the river from the sea. We continued our journey next morning at break of day : the weather was clear and pleasant with a light breeze from the S.W., the thermo- meter at — 39° in the morning, — 20" at noon, and — 26" in the evening. We drove rapidly over the smooth ice along the sea-coast, which became more and more steep and rocky: having gone forty-two wersts, we halted for the night at a powarna not far from the Greater Baranov rock. I had been able by the way to take a meridian alti- tude of the sun, which gave the latitude of a rather remarkable promontory near the lesser Baranov rock 69" 42'. By our reckoning its longitude was 163° 2(y. We saw a great number of those re- markable masses of stone mentioned by Captain Sarytschew, which sometimes resemble ruins of vast buildings, and sometimes colossal figures of men and animals. I shall have occasion to speak further of these remarkable rocks. On the 24th of February we proceeded with a temperature of — 24", which afterwards sunk to — 31". We left to the north the mountainous promontory of tho Greater Baranov Rock, which stretches a considerable distance into the sea, and took our way across a narrow strip of land behind it. X lie liWii V/IL70V.X T tiui'wu. pitfu^^tt \jix\j xiiv/vit-ii KjL a little river which joins the sea to the east of the t THE POLAR SEA. 95 here flat, g tongues ms. The lists prin- ith drift- aa at Su- :ected by s a laud- orning at I pleasant 3 thermo- noon, and y over the ti became idng gone ight at a mov rock, idian alti- )f a rather ' Baraiiov jitude was those re- y Captain i ruins of figures of n to speak led with a s sunk to ►untainous >ck, which e sea, and nd behind VI CXI. \jL Oi 3ast of the cape in 69° 38'. Its longitude by reckoning was 164 > 26'. Variation 17" E. From this spot the shore assumed quite a different aspect, the rocks and cliffs disappeared, and the flat coast was only now and then interrupted by slight elevations. We saw to the south, at some distance inland, a chain of mountains running in a N. W. and S. E. direction. After travelling thirty-four wersts, we arrived at the mouth of a little river, the transpa- rent ice of which promised us pure and good water, and as there was also plenty of drift-wood, we determined to halt for the night. This is the extreme eastern point of the most distant hunting excursions of the inhabitants of the district. The coast beyond had not been visited by Russians since Schalarov's voyage in 1765. I determined to deposit part of our provisions in this place against our return. To secure them from the depredations of the stone-foxes and wol- verines, we drove four posts, each nine feet high, into the sdow, and raised upon them a large rough chest formed of drift wood, in which we placed the stores, and covered them over with wood and snow. This was our first encampment. A few minutes sufficed for pitching our tent, which was twelve feet broad at the bottom, and ten feet high m the centre. A small opening in the top allowed part of the smoke to escape. A fire in the middle served for cooking and warmth, though it filled the tent with a thick and pungent smoke, which hurt the eyes. The entrance was through a nar- row opening on the leeward side, over which we hung a skin. In the high winds which are usual here, our light shelter was in constant movement g ,..,.„ fe^„^ ^„ oi«c> uut uy neaping a bank of snow round it, we kept it both steadier and warmer. 96 FIRST JOURNEY ON ,i I I' ili 111 ill K . El IB li As soon as tlie tent was pitched and the fire Uehted, we hastened to fill the kettle with clean ice or snow and to make it boil as soon as possible, for we all found tea our most welcome and strength- ening refreshment. We generally drank ten or twelve cups each. Sometimes we had a piece of rve nscuit or dried-fish to eat with it. Between tea and supper the sledge-driyers went out to attend and feed their dogs which were always tied up for the night lest they should be tempted away by the scent of some wild animal. Meanwhile we were engaged in comparing our observations, and in laying down m the map the ground which we had gone over in the course ot the day : the severe cold, and the smoke which usually filled the tent, sometimes made this no easy task Sapper always consisted of a single dish, soup, either 01 fish or of meat (as long as we had any of the latter) , It was boiled for us all m the same kettle out of which it was eaten. Soon after we had finiphed our meal the whole party lay down to sleep; on account of the cold we could not lay aside any part of our traveUing-dress, but we regularly changed our boots and stockings every evemng,and hung those we had taken off with our fur-caps and gloves on the tent-poles to dry. This is an essential precaution, particularly m respect to stockings, for with damp clothmg th^e is the greatest risk of the part bemg frozen. We always spread the bear-skins between the fi-ozen ground and ourselves, and the fur-covermgs over us. and being well tired, we usually slept very soindly. As long as all the ^^ge-dnvers con- tinued with us, we were so crowded that we had to place ourselves nke xnu spui^cs wx « „....,, ,.^-- our feet towards the fire and our heads against the 4 THE POLAR SEA. 97 tent wall. In the morning we generally rose at S.X ht the fire, and washed ourselves before™ with fresh snow; we then took tea, and immediate v afterwards dmner (which was similar to the snpplr of the night before.) The tent was then struck >tnd every thmg packed and stowed on the sled"es ^ and at mne we usually took our departure. & jom-n™ '''' ''^^''''^ *° throughout the present On the 25th of February we had a cutting east ot snow. We tried to proceed notwithstanding but when we had accomplished twenty-four werst!' our dogs could no longer face the wind Id snow and we were obliged to halt on the flat coasT' The snow continued to faU throughout the nX :° ^' r f "* ^'^ 'I"*'' buried. This i"deed sheltered ns from the storm, and we enjoyed both «.e unusual warmth and steadiness of-" our tent but we found the disadvantage next mornhiy "he TT "; rr^'^^^, contact \ith the covering of of i runo'n TA""^'*'/' '^^ ^--^d « "^"t oi ice upon it, which rendered it verv sHfF nr..! ti,„ *i ■"Ofning was quite calm, and though the thermometer stUl showed -24», the air seernfd far milder than the day before tUL covered with a smooth and soM ;ur&ce nf , """ ghded with such ease, that the dogs ranvei^lft ,'Jr:i :h':trj;: ttiz:: '^t' "'"■ ->" «'""- glides wiih incredMe easi^^.^. fi° """ """" °' '•">■ "W=li wUich is called mMal has rtr.nVr™ r™,"' ^'"^ operation, ing the runners. Tt drle^7,t!"MH.'-llr'r °fP"'-'- ice IS not covered bv snow «nri T./i" ' ^i " " J^'^*^*^^ "''•ere the soon become useless ' '' ""^'^'^ '^'' ''"^iat or ice-runners I [I I U 1 ■ 98 FIRST JOURNEY ON ' 'ill' ill M. hii without being urged. We drove at a distance from 50 to 300 fathoms from the coast, which is here low and flat. As far as the eye can reach, it sees nothing but one unvaried surface of snow. One becomes used to everything, but at first the impression produced on the mind by the unifor- mity of this vast shroud, is indescribable. We hailed the sight of a heap of drift-wood with plea- sure, and even the closing in of darkness was a welcome relief. At noon I took a meridian altitude, by which I deduced the position of the mouth of a small river 69° 35' lat., and 165« 54' long. When we had gone twenty-five wersts from our last night's station, I halted earlier than usual, for the pur- pose of taking lunar distances. The sun's altitude was so low, that we were obliged to have recourse to the stars at night to determine the time : the lunars gave 166" 11' as the longitude; our chro- nometers gave it 5' more easterly. The chrono- meters must have suffered from sudden changes of temperature, or from shocks by the frequent oversetting of the sledges. They differed also greatly from each other. We built here another Saiba, in which we de- posited provisions against our return, and sent back the empty sledges. When our fire burnt up, the ice which incrusted the tent began to melt, and produced a close damp, which was so oppres- sive that, in spite of the cold, we were frequently obliged to go into the open air. The temperature sunk in the night to — 37°, with a cutting wind from the S.W. Notwithstanding our furs, we were several times under the necessity of warm- insr ourselves bv exercise. On the next morninff M. Kosmin complained in quite an unusual man- ner of his feet. We advised him to change his Km i THE POLAR SEA. 99 a distance st, which is m reach, it !e of snow, at first the the unifor- )able. We . with plea- mess was a by which I of a small When we last night's or the pur- ines altitude Lve recourse 5 time : the ; our chro- 'he clirono- ien changes lie frequent iffered also lich we de- 1, and sent ?e burnt up, an to melt, s so oppres- e frequently temperature utting wind ir furs, we ty of warm- !xt morninff lusual man- change his boots and stockings, which he had omitted to do the night before. When the boots were taken off we saw with no Uttle alarm that the stockings were frozen to his feet. After drawing them off with great care, we found a layer of ice of the thickness of a line interposed between the stock- ings and feet. Happily the latter were not vet frozen, and by gentle rubbing with a little brandy they were soon restored. This experience gave us a further warning of the dangerous consequences ^ !l.?i^'''^-?°^^.°^ '^^^P^'^^ '"^ damp clothing, whether ansmg from external causes, or from the ; evaporation from the skin. At noon, when we were If wersts north of the low coast line, I ob- served the latitude 69" 3(y, the longitude by reck- ; onmg was 166» 27', and the variation 17Jo Lt Ihe increasing cold and violent wind made t^velhng very difficult. To guard the dogs from being frozen the drivers were obliged to p^ d^othmg on their bodies, and a kind of bootsC their feet, which greatly impeded their runninr- and the intense frost had rendered the snowToo^e and granular so that the sledge-runners ^o Wer ghded smoothly over its surfL. We co^d now only accomplish 26 wersts before we haked foT he night of the 27th, at the mouth of a ^er of TankV^tT' 'T^^^ *^^ dwellers on the banks of the Lesser Amui, under the name of the SKo'dt:^'- y^ ^^" ^^^^-- quantities of dritt-wood here, and along the whole strip of flat coast which we had passed during the day To tt'dSnrl'f -^^^^ ^^ our'ZpfnTplac: were tUstant mountains, extending to the east baukot the river. The coast here makes a bend of six fathoms. *= ™'"'^' """'' *° ^ ^"'Sl^^ a 2 100 FIRST JOURNEY ON ! Immediately to the norlh of us there appeared a white line running apparently parallel to the coast, which we afterwards found to be large torosses or hummocks of ice, which seen at a dis- tance may easily be mistaken for land. During the night I took some distances of the Moon and Pollux, but failed in determining the longitude, for when about to observe altitudes of Capella for time, I found that crystals were form- ing in the mercury of the artificial horizon, by which its surface, without absolutely freezing, was rendered too uneven to give a true reflection. Indeed our observations generally, with instru- ments of all kinds, were rendered difficult by the intense cold. We were obliged to cover with leather all those parts of our sextants which came in contact with the hand or the eye, otherwise the skin instantly froze to the metal. During an observa- tion, and particulai'ly when reading the divisions on the arc of the sextant, we had to hold our breath carefully, otherwise the surface became obscured by a thin coat of ice, or by a kind of rime ; indeed, this often happened from the mere evaporation from the skin when we were at all warm. However, by practice we were enabled to use the sextant at a temperature of — 36", and to note with sufficient exactness, the degrees, mi- nutes, and seconds of arc, by the faint light of a hand-lantern. The chronometers stopt : I had been afraid of this, and had tried to guard against it by always wearing them during the day, and by placing them at night in a box, which I wrapped in thick furs and took with me under the coverlit. In spite of all these precautions, the cold con- cpalprl flip nil in thft works. On the 28th of February the temperature varied THE POLAR SEA. 101 from— 29'* to — 25" mth a iresh S.W. breeze, but as the wind was in our backs, we felt it less. The day was so foggy that we could hardly distinguish the hue of coast to our right, but we directed our course to a high promontory visible through the fog. We pitched our tent under the shelter of a steep bank, having made only 27 wersts, on ac- count of the loose and granular state of the snow. We chmbed the hill, and found at the top some boards rem-deer-sinews, and burnt wood, which showed that there had been a habitation of some kind. Towards evening the weather cleared, and M. Kosmm was able to take some lunar distances by which we made our longitude 16r 43' By a Z^^^^"" w '*''^\^^ ^^^ "^^^^ *^^ l^^t^de was W 38 . We erected here a third deposit of pro- visions. ^ ^ In the night one of the dogs barked loudly : we all jumped up a,nd ran out, but could see nothing ; the drivers maintained that the dor must have scented a wandering party of Tchuktches, and they could not sleep a wink the rest of the ii^ht for fear of a surprise. ^ ' On the 1st of March, the thermometer was at irf^^T !J\*^ ^-^^ ^""^ ^ 1^^^* ^^^^^e from the N E. cleared the air. At noon we observed the latitude 69" 43', variation ISJ^" E. The coast, which runs here in a N.N.W. direc- faon IS tolerably high, forming a sort of waU of W ' f !f ^ ^"^^ ""^ "^^"^ ^^^^^^'^^ above the sur- face of the sea. At the foot of it we found a deserted Tchuktche hut; it had not been W forsaken, for the traces of sledges were still vis We^ Our drivers were much alarmed, and I thoult it f prudent to kfien « waf^i, o^ ^:»i-i "luugnc it t>,» ^°^.^'^ of three and a half wersts from the spot where we had observed the latitudeTt iS^ 102 FIRST JOURNEY ON |1 I i i I i II i I' ! ' \i i It M noon, we came to a considerable opening in the coast, which we took at the time for a bay, but which our survey in the following year has shown to be a passage between the continent and an island to which Schalarov gave the name of Sa- badei.* We crossed this strait, and about the middle of it came on some Tchuktche huts, built of drift larch-wood. They were empty, and we could not judge of the direction in which the inhabitants had gone, as snow had covered the tracks of their sledges. The shore of the main land is flat; that of the island is steep, and is twenty fathoms or more in height. By a meridian altitude of the Moon, the latitude of our sleeping place was 69" 49', and its longitude by distances of the Moon from Aldebaran, 168" 04/. Here we found fresh traces of the Tchuktches, and from the summit of a neighbouring hill, we saw an extensive Tundra at some distance towards the N.E. In this day's journey we saw an un- usual phenomenon: in the N.E. horizon there appeared an insulated dark-grey cloud, from which white beams streamed to the zenith and across it to the opposite horizon, resembling the beams of the Aurora, but whether luminous or not we could not tell, on account of the daylight. The phenomenon lasted about half an hour. One of our Cossacks, who had been before on the Polar Sea, maintained that the cloud was occasioned by vapour rising from a sudden crack in the ice. On the same evening there was an Aurora extending fromKE. toN.W. Next morning the weather was clear, and the temperature — 30". Soon after we started, M. Kos- min thought he saw land in the distance. We * Aiun Island in the map. THE POLAR SEA. 103 ag in the t bay, but las shown t and an ne of Sa- ibout the luts, built Tf and we ^hich the vered the the main sp, and is , meridian r sleeping Lstances of huktches, g hiU, we 3e towards iw an un- ion there ud, from snith and ibling the ninous or I daylight, lur. One the Polar sioned by J ice. On extending [•, and the [, M. Kos- ace. We immediately ascended a hill, and saw that the supposed land was nothing but hummocks of ice, piled up beyond a large Polynia, or space of opeii water, which extended from east to west, as far as the eye could reach. Our observed latitude at noon was 69" 52'. About two wersts from hence the shore becomes flat : this point of junction of the high and the low coast, is probably Lieutenant Laptew's Sand Cape, though there is no projecting point of land which can properly be called a cape ; the longitude by our reckoning was 168" 00'. Thence we proceeded sometimes over the ice of the sea, and sometimes over the coast, which is so low, that It is probably overflowed in summer • a range of sand-hiUs ran parallel at a short distance. J^riit-wood had become scarce, but we found some boards which apparently had been left by Tchukt- ches, whose traces were numerous. We halted at the end of thirty-five wersts, and made a fourth deposit of provisions. The last of the provision- sledges returned from this point, and our party now consisted only of three travelHng sledges, M. Kosmin, myself, and three Cossack drivers. Z; ^^"i"^^^ ^^^^""^^ ^^ *^^ ^««"^^ the latitude We saw this evening an Aurora of extraordinary beauty. The sky was clear and cloudless, and the stars sparkled m their fullest arctic brilliancy. Zfl V\^^ ^""""^ ^'^^ *h^ N-E. there rose in r!v« f ^^ ^/'^^* ?^^''"'^ ^^ ligH from which rays extended over the sky in the direction of the wind m broad and brilliant bands, which ap! peared to approach us, whilst they varied conti- nually m form. From the rnnirliir r.^t^. rl^l the rays shot through the whoVspace^ from the I! ihi I V I'' 104 FIRST JOURNEY ON horizon to the zenith, in less than two seconds, the Aurora appeared to be nearer to us than the ordinary heiglit of the clouds. We could perceive no effect on the compass-needle. Our Cossacks had repeatedly represented the necessity of allowing our dogs a longer rest, and we halted for that purpose on the 3rd of March, though we ourselves suffered a good deal from cold, as we were on an unsheltered flat, with a temperature from — 25° to — 33°, and a cutting wind from the N.E. ; we were also most of the time without fire, as we had barely fuel enough to cook with. We were, also, under some degree of anxiety and uncertainty as to our future proceed- ings. We were ignorant of the true position of the Cape Chelagskoi, of which we were in search, and the low state of our provisions would not admit of our taking the more certain, but very circuitous course by the coast, which here trended southerly. Whilst I was doubtful on what to decide, we saw at sunset two considerable hills in the eastern horizon, towards which we determined to direct our course. Next morning the sky was clouded, and the temperature — 2°, with a gentle breeze from the S.E. Our drivers envied the good fortune of the Tchuktches, who enjoyed so mild a climate. We kept a direct course across the ic( , until we had gone sixty-one wersts, when the weariness of our dogs, and the approach of night, obliged us to halt among ice-hummocks. We ascended one of these, and saw from its summit that the land to the east formed a promontory connected with a range of hills running to the south. As we gazed, we thought we saw the rocks and preci- pices of the promontory reflected on a smooth it '^L THE POLAR SEA. 105 ) seconds, i than the i perceive ented the ' rest, and of March, deal from at, with a a cutting >st of the enough to degree of 3 proceed- losition of in search, muld not , but very re trended L what to )le hills in etermined [, and the ! from the me of the late. We til we had ;ss of our ged us to ied one of le land to ed with a As we md preci- a smooth surface of open water; in a few minutes the open water seemed changed into a smooth surface of ice, whicli presently became covered with nume- rous inequalities, which varied their form every * moment. At last, as the position of the sun became a little altered, the whole disappeared, and we saw clearly an almost impassable range of enormous hummocks extending in every direction. The strong refraction renders these optical illu- sions and transformations extremely frequent on the Polar Sea, and the traveller is often misled by ' u?™*j ^® **^^ exhausted our fuel, and were obhged to burn three of our tent-poles, and a pair ot spM-e sledge-runners, to boil our soup; the rest of the time we had no fire: fortunately the g wind continued from the S.E., and the tern- ' perature was not below — 8". On the 5th of March, thirty wersts of laborious travelling amongst hummocks of ice, brought us to the N.W. point of the Chelagskoi Noss. The doubling this cape was a work of difficulty and danger We had often to ascend steer jeberffs ninety feet high, and to descend at ^^reat risk to the sledges, the dogs, and ourselves : at other times we had to wade up to our waists through » loose drifted snow, and if we came occasionally to smooth ice. It was covered with sharp crystallized salt, which destroyed the ice-runners, aid made ^MLthe draught so heavy, that we were obliged to i^pharness ourselves to the sledges, and it required our utmost efforts to drag them along. The Cane was sometimes totally concealed from view by ^intervening masses of ice, but wherever we ap- preached the shore, it appeared to consist of a black, dense, and fflistfinincr .^^v ,•„ i_ :Vertioal columns of=250felt aS^'^a^^T "• res. sions, which closely resemble each other th.'.u..h. out the deserts of Northern Siberia. '^e tshamans have been represented as being univer- sally mere gross deceivers; no doubt this is true ol many of them, who go about the country exhibiting all kinds of jugghng tricks and obtain- ing large presents by so doing ; but the history of many is, I believe, very different. Certain in- dividuals are born with ardent imaginations and excitable nerves. They grow up amidst a gener^ belief m ghosts. Shamans, and mysterious powers exercised by the latter. The youth receives ^ong impressions and desires to obtain a part in these supernatural communications and powers No one can teach him how to do so. His^imag nation s worked upon by soUtude, the contempfation of the gloomy aspect of surrounding nature W vigils, fasts, the use of narcotics fnd IZnC^l until he becomes persuaded that he too has seen the apparitions which he has heard of from Ws boyhood. He is then received as a Shaman with many ceremonies, which are h^l^ ,r, fi,!.n": „"!'*.. the night, and he is given ^'^^i^^. i\ • B I 'Ml 1 1 1 1 I {' 1 1 120 FAIR AT OSTROWNOIE. Still all his actions continue to be the result of his individual character. A true Shaman is not a cool and ordinary deceiver, but a psychological phenomenon, well deserving of atte'htion. When- ever I have seen them operate, they have left me with a long-continued and gloomy impression. The wild look, the blood-shot eyes, the labouring breast, and convulsive utterance, the seemingly involuntary distortion of the face, and the whole body, the streaming hair, even the hollow sound of the drum, all contributed to the effect ; and I can well understand that the whvole should appear to the uncivilized spectator as the work of evil spirits. I return from this digression to a notice of the Tchuktche camp. The tent of a chief might be distinguished among every ten or twenty, by its greater size and height. It was usually pitched near a tree, on the branches of which hung bows, arrows, quivers, clothing, skins, and household articles ; a few chosen rein-deer were tethered and fed with fine moss ; fires were burning in the open air as well as in the tents, and men and women clothed with fiirs, and covered with rime, were moving about as gaily as if it were summer, in a cold of ^— 41«. The tents consist of an outer one called namet, having an opening in the centre for tne smoke to escape, and serving as a shelter to the fire and to one or more pologs or small sheds. The polog is a sort of square chest formed of skins stretched over laths, and so low that persons inside can only sit on the ground, or at the utmost move a little on their knees. It has no opening for admitting air or lie-ht. and ia entered bv fireepiue" throiie-h the smallest possible aperture, which is then carefully reclosed. An earthen vase filled with ''Am. J be result of lan is not a sychological fn. When- ave left me ession. The labouring seemingly d the whole )llow sound 'ect; and I [)uld appear ork of evil )tice of the f might be enty, by its ally pitched hung bows, household Bthered and in the open md women nme, were mmer, in a lied namet, le smoke to fire and to ?he polog is s stretched le can only lOve a little r admitting Iff throiiff"}! ih is then filled with FAIR AT OSTROWNIE. 121 train-oil and supphed with a wick of moss, gives hgnt and warmth, and the heat of this small close box IS so great, that the inhabitants wear scarcely any clothmg dming the most intense cold. There are often two or three of these pologs under one namet, each containing one of the wives of the master of the tent with her children. Leutt invited me to pay him a visit, and I re- joiced at an opportunity of seeing something of then- domestic arrangements, but as soon as I had succeeded in creeping into the polog I was well- nigh suffocated by the fumes from the stinking ,, oil, and the evaporation from six naked people. \ My awkward entrance and disconcerted air excited . the mernment of my host^s wife and daughter, r. who were engaged in decking their hair with beads m honour of my visit. They placed before - fy^A ^'^-^^^ ^eat in a dirty wooden vessel, and added a httle rancid oil to improve the flavour; I was obliged to get down a morsel or two, whilst my host praised his wife's cookery in broken Russi^, and swaUowed a quantity of meat and broth, without salt, to which this people have a great aversion. I shortened my visit as Z^tr Pf«^^l^',but ^J clothes retained for snLrPfi ^^r"" ^""^""^ '"^^^ ^ pestiferous atmo- health ' W Warently it does not injure their ^eaith^ for they are a remarkably strong and Kr It- ^^'V distinguished from the other Asiatic races by their stature and their tnat ot the Americans, but their language is ri\: l^^y ^^^1 themselves Tchekto^^L Another Tr>yinlrtol.« r.\.:^v ._ii , ,,7 peopie. vited me -to-.;e a'^; ^rtl^^ f ^^7:^^ and came for me in his sledge. We found ^' 123 FAIR AT OSTROWNOIE. ;t number of persons from the fair, who were desir- ous of witnessing the race, and who lined both sides of the course. The three prizes consisted of a blue fox-skin, a beaver-skin, and two particu- larly fine walrus teeth. At a given signal the race began, and we admired the extreme swiftness of the rein -deer, no less than the skill of the drivers. The victors were loudly applauded by the whole assembly, but especially by their coun- trymen, whose suffrages they appeared principally to value. The sledge-race was followed by a foot-race, which I thought still more curious in its way. The runners were clad in the usual heavy and cumbrous dress of furs, in which we moved with difficulty, yet they ran as lightly and as swiftly over the snow, as our best and most elegant run- ners can do in their light jackets and thin shoes. I was particularly struck by the length of the race, which could hardly be less than fifteen wersts. The victors in the foot-race received prizes of inferior value, and some applause ; the Tchuktches appear to attach a higher value to success in the sledge-race. After the games were ended, the whole party were entertained with boiled rein-deer meat, cut up in small pieces, and served in large wooden bowls, which were placed on the snow. Every one came to receive his portion, and the good ordo" and quietness which prevailed were quite remarkable ; neither during the races nor at the meal which followed, did I see any crowding, pushing, or quarrelling. The general good behaviour was such as is not always met with on similar occasions in more civilized countries = Next day a large party of Tchuktches, both men and women, came to visit and take leave of FAIR AT OSTROWNOIE. 123 were desir- lined both consisted of ;wo particu- signal the Qe swiftness skill of the plaud6d by their coun- L principally a foot-race, in its way. heavy and moved with d as swiftly elegant run- [ thin shoes, igth of the than fifteen Lce received )plause; the ler value to games were tained with 1 pieces, and were placed receive his 3tness which Lther during lowed, did I eUing. The s not always ore civilized ktches, both take leave of me. I had nothing to set before the ladies but tea and sugar-candy. They were pleased with the sugar, but would not touch the tea. After this scanty entertainment, I distributed blue, red, and white beads, and the good humour of the party was such, that the ladies offered to show me one of their dances. They stood up in a circle, and moved their feet and body backwards and forwards without changing their place, and beat the air with their hands ; then three distinguished performers began a favourite national dance; this was much admired by the spectators generally, but we strangers could see only three mis-shapen oily hgures, who made a number of frightful grimaces and jumped to and fro, until exhaustion obhged them to desist. The interpreter recom- inended that a small cup of brandy and a httle tobacco should be given to each of the three dancers. This was done, and the whole party soon aiter dispersed, with repeated invitations to . visit them m their own country The sixth day after our arrival the fair concluded; the chiefs paid me one more formal visit, for the purpose of renewing their assurances of a friendly reception, and then took their departure in five or six cara- vans ; the rest of the assemblage dispersed in various directions; and the next fall of snow obhterated all traces of the busy scene, except a number of foxes and wolverines, who usually come to look for bones and other remnants of food which may be left. I quitted Ostrownoie on the 16th of March, the dogs were refreshed by good food and rest tr ii] '""^r "^^'.""^^^ ^^^^^^ ^y the number of travel I prs • + hoop «,««,, ™„i. *^ i . - . . ,.^,,e vnuumstuuces made our lourney a rapid one, and we arrived on the 19th of March at JNjjaei Kolymsk. 124 CHAPTER VII. i ;i Second Ice Journey. — Preparations. — Plan. — De- parture. — Bear Hunt. — First Encampment on the Ice of the Polar Sea. — Four Pillar Island. — Ice broken up and covered with Sea-Water. — Hummocks. — Deposit of Provisions. — State of the Ice. — Easter. — White Bears. — The Bear Islands. — Return to Nijnei Kolymsk. The preparations for our second journey over the ice resembled i^ most particulars those already described, being only much more exten- sive, as our journey was intended to be much longer, and our party more numerous. Some additional articles, however, appeared to be re- quisite on the present occasion, when our nightly halts would be made on the ice at a distance from land, and when we might expect to encounter frequently hummocks of ice, similar to those which he had met with at Chelagskoi Noss. The advanced season rendered it also probable that we might sometimes find the snow imperfectly frozen. On these accounts we took with us crowbars for breaking the ice, a portable boat made of skins for crossing lanes of open water, and a quantity of whalebone to bind under the runners of our sledges, when we came to places either covered with unsound snow, or with crystals of salt left by the overflowing of the sea-water. I added to the instruments, a dipping-needle, and a sounding- '* '3 —Plan. — De- mmpment on lar Island. — ^ea- Water. — rS. — State of —The Bear journey over julars tliose more exten- to be much 'ous. Some id to be re- i our nightly istance from o encounter ar to those L Noss. The •able that we fectly frozen, crowbars for ade of skins a, quantity of Luers of our bher covered ){ salt left by added to the a sounding- THE POLAR SEA. 125 hue. We took only 30 days' provisions for ourselves and our dogs (of which we had 240) trustmg that our stock might occasionally be replenished by success in bear-hunting. Especial care was bestowed on the selection and preparation of the travelling sledges which were to serve us throughout the present expedition- the SIX best and longest sledges, and the strongest and best dogs were set apart for the purpose; the stores and provisions were to be conveyed in four- teen other sledges, which were to be sent back to r^ijnei Kolymsk as they should be emptied. The dogs belonging to the travelling sledges were sent forward to Sucharnoi, where they arrived on the Ibth of March, and were prepared for the joumev by good feeding and rest. M. von Matiuschkii followed on the 22nd, to superintend the distri- bution and packing of the stores. When I arrived on the 25th, every thing was in perfect order for our departure. The sledges were all packed, the lading of each weighing about 30 pood ; the runners had been carefully covered with a thick coat of smooth ice ; and the dogs were m excellent condition. My companions were M von Matiuschkin, the retired serjeant Reschet- nikow, and the sailor Nechoroschkow. We were joined by a merchant of Kolymsk, named Beresh- noi, who had requested to be allowed to accompany sledges. The drivers whom I had selected for the traveUing sledges were three Cossacks, a Russian peasant, and two lukahirs. The provision-sledTe^ were driven partly by Cossacks and partly W citizens of Kolymsk, and lukahirs. ^ ^ "^ We started on the 26th of Mamh wjfh n ij^i,. S.E. breeze, a cloudy sky, and a temperature of 126 SECOND JOURNEY ON n -|- 21". We slept at (he lesser Baranov rock, at the same powarna wiiere we had halted in our first journey. We found here a quantity of drift-wood, and loaded our sledges with as muclt. as they could carry, forming a stock of fuel, which with due fru- gality, would last twenty-five days. The dip of the needle was here IT 37' N. My instructions directed me to begin our re- searches at Cape Chelagskoi, but after our recent journey to that Cape, I judged it more advisable, for several reasons, to go at once to the northward, from the Barnnov rocks. First, our deposits of provisions, on which th) i:ccess of the expedition mainly depended, might not have bf.e.n in safety in the neighbourhood of thn Tchuktches; secondly, the immense hummocks \\1 loIi i had seen on that part of the coast, would h&ve presented a formidable obstacle to our progress ; and, thirdly, so large u portion of the short remaining season would have been consumed in reaching the Cape, and our dogs would have been so tar wearied, that we should probably have accomplished very little towards the true objeet o( om: journey. On the 27th, at 11 A. M., as soon as the mist had cleared away, we took our departure in a due northerly direction. The twenty-two sledges, of which our caravan consisted, formed a fine of more than half a worst in length : so that the fore- most and the hindmost of the party often lost sight of each other. When we had gone two wersts from the coast, we found ourselves in the midst of a chain of hummocks, about seven wersts in breadth, running parallel with the shore; the hummocks were high and rugged, and the hollows amongst them were filled with loose snow, so that the passage was difficult; anu ibout the middle of M t'C THE POLAR SEA. 127 mov rock, at i in our first f drift-wood, ls they could nth. due fru- The dip of ;gin our re- r our receijL re advisable, e northward; ' deposits of e expedition tin in safety es ; secondly, seen on that a formidable y, so large u I would have and our dogs ,t we should I towards the soon as the eparture in a -two sledges, led a line of that the fore- ten lost sight 3 two wersts the midst of !n wersts in 5 shore ; the d the hollows snow, so that the middle ol i "S the group we came to a wide fissure in the ice. After three hours labour, we found ourselves on the outside of the chain of hummocks, nine wersts fr^^m tlie shore, on an extensive plain of ice, broken ou'y by n fe^v scattered masses, resembling rocks la the ocean. The hope of being enabled to pursue our way uninterruptedly, made us regard the view, at first, with something of the pleasure which a seaman feels at the sight of the open sea, after passmg through intricate channels, amongst dan- gerous rocks. The dogs quickened their pace of thiMv own accord, as if they shared our feelings. When we had gone eleven wersts further, I halted, to allow them to rest, and to wait for the provision sledges. The dogs had just lain down in the snow, when an enormous white bear made his appearance from behind a hummock, looking as if he meant to attack us ; but the loud barking and howhng of the dogs soon made him take to flight. Ihe whole party followed in quick pursuit, with guns, spears, bows and arrows. The chase lasted three hours ; the bear, after receiving three arrows and two balls in his body, seemed enraged thereby rather than subdued, and turned furiously on the toremost of his pursuers; at that instant another ball, in his breast, turned his rage on a new assailant ; the Cossack, who had fired, dexterously receiv;ed the enraged brute on his lance, directing Its point into his mouth, and, with admirable skill and torce, succeeded in overthrowing him- the other hunters ran to aid their companion, and the beast was soon despatched; he measured above mne feet from snout to tail, was very fat, and so leavy that twelve good dogs could hardly dra^ him along. We judged that he must wei^h above tinriv-Uvc pood. ^ " SECOND JOURNEY ON Whilst this was going on, some of the provision- sledges came up, and the drivers told us that two of their companions had been over-set in a deep cleft among the hummocks, and could not be extricated without more help. I immediately had three sledges emptied, and sent to their aid ; and to our great joy the poor men rejoined us two hours afterwards, quite uninjured, though very cold and wet. The day was now so far spent, and both men and dogs were so wearied by their exertions, that we determined to stay where we were for that night. The tent, before described, formed the centre of the little camp ; four smaller tents, or pologi, belonging to the merchant Bereshnoi, and to the richest of our drivers, were pitched near it ; and the sledges were drawn up, so as to form an outer circle, within which the dogs were tethered. This arrangement afforded entire security from any unforeseen attack by bears, for they could not approach the camp without being discovered at some distance by the keen scent of the dogs. The weather was beautiftd, and we availed our- selves of the bright evening twilight to warm ourselves before lying down to rest, by practising shooting and throwing spears at a mark. A piece of ice was made to represent the bear, certain spots on it were mp/ked as the eyes, the nose, and the heart, and whoever hit one of them obtained a right to join in the next bear-hunt. During these exercises some of the party were engaged in repairing the damages which the sledges had undergone among the hummocks ; others in skin- ning and cutting up the bear which had been killed* and in preparing supper, &c. In doing * The dogs have a remarkable aversion to bears' flesh, as long THE POLAR SEA. 129 f the provision- ►Id us that two ir-set in a deep could not be imediately had their aid ; and 3Joined us two , though very and both men exertions, that were for that d, formed the nailer tents, or Bereshnoi, and itched near it ; ) as to form an were tethered. security from Ebr they could ;ing discovered at of the dogs, e availed our- light to warm t, by practising nark. A piece 3 bear, certain I, the nose, and them obtttined hunt. During ere engaged in } sledges had others in skin- hich had been &c. In doing bears' flesh, as long this, the greatest frugality was observed in respect to wood ; the care of the fuel was intrusted to one of the Cossacks, whose duty it was to see that tte least possibe quantity was employed in boU- ing the tea and soup, to extinguish the fire the moment the cookmg was over, and to preserve every fragment of wood, or of embers, for the next da/s use. We were no less careful in respect to provisions. On the following day (28th March) the tempe- rature was -|-5» m the morning, and +10" in the Z7T^^ ^^t °f °" provision-sledgl was emp! tied and sent back. We proceeded in a N. 15« W aiTMtion, and steered our course by some ice-hills which were visible in the distance. We were favoured by a south-easterly wind, and by the smooth surface of the ice."^ At noon we halted 69» 5» tI °''^^7«*r«. ^W=h gave the latitude o» 5» . 1 he greater Baranov rock bore S. 73io e stone rr'- V 1 "•'* ^'''' """^^^O"' traces of stone-foxes which appeared to have gone in the SS XoTn?- r ^''' ^"".""^"Si this had the mce wt r."^ """ ^°S3 to quicken their pace. When we had gone forty-eight wersts wp fomed our cajip for^the night if thrmann^r above d^cnbed The observid latitude wiw ^\'a> ^A- ^l ^^^ e^^'^ter Baranov rock in a S. 56» E direction, at a distance of about thirty refWti™ 'f ^ ^V^' '" '^''^' 0" °"r eyes of the Si T *^ '"'"'' t5>e weather had been cloudless, and eveiy one complained more or less of inflammation and acute pain. Some black as K 130 SECOND JOURNEY ON !( crape, which I had brought for the purpose, was now cut up to cover spectacles and form veils for the whole party, which afforded some protection. The natives applied snuff to the'.' eyes every even- ing, which increased the pain duriLg the night, but made them better in the morning. We thought this remedy too violent, and contented ourselves with washing the part with spirits, which had the effect of lessening the pain and i-/^--^ mation. On the 29th of March, we had a covered sky, and a mild S.E. breeze, with a temperature of -[- 14° in the morning, and — 4P in the evening. We kept the same direction, and found our lati- tude at noon, 70^ 19' ; having gone two wersts from this spot, we saw, through the mist, land bearing N. 39" W. and directed our course towards it, with the hope of making a discovery. In 1769, Lyssiew, Puschkarew, and Leontiew, laid down the position of the Bear Islands, placing the easternmost of them i.i 71" 58' ; according to this the land before us could not belong to that group ; its form and size appeared constantly varying ; sometimes it looked hke high land of considerable extent ; sometimes it appeared low ; and sometimes it disappeared • together ; ? > that some of the party were of opinion, that we had only been deceived by one of the optical illusions so common on the polar sea. When wi had approached within sixteen wersts of the object of our doubts and hopes, we became convinced aiat it really was an island, of no great siz- ^r el( va- tion, having upon it three pillar-like i^ of rock of different heights. Two wersts iroui the island we had to pass some hummocks. At length we reached a promontory, and discovered behind M THE POLAR SEA. 1 purpose, was form veils for e protection. H »i ery evcn- ^ the night, .ming. We ad contented spirits, which and m^"^ , covered sky, mperatnre of the evening, und our lati- e two wersts he mist, land 3urse towards ry. ad Leontiew, lands, placing according to lelong to that id constantly high land of Lppeared low; ^her ; ' that L, that we had )tical illusions '^hen wi had ' the object of lonvinced .nat siz ^ ^r elf va- ke asi" of irsts irom the ks. At length 3vered behind I It a bay, on the sloping shores of which we were not a httlc gratified by finding diift-wood. Tiiis and the weariness of our dogs, who had come lorty-six wersts, induced us to lialt at once for the night. Tlie last provision-sledges did not come up until two hour later. Whilst our people were pitching the tents and preparing supper, we availed ourselves of tlie re- mams of daylight to chmb the hill on which the three pillars are situated. From tlie shore to this point, which i^ the highest in the island, the ground is covered with fragments of granitic por- phyry, gradually increasing in size; the hi'-'iest pieces lying immediately around the pillars. The pillars themselves consist of horizontal layers of the same rock, five inches in thickness. In two of the pillars there are considerable cracks run- ning throughout the whole mass from below up rds, and in n N. 60" E. direction, parallel with the outer side, or wdls Hence it may be concluded ^ at these thret masses of stone once formed part of one ' rge rock, and that their separation and preser lurm are due to weather- •mg, or other external cauh We jasured the pillars, and found the highest 48 feet in height ancl 91 feet m circuiuference near the ground' The form sometiiing like the body of a man with a sort of cap or turban on his head, bi with- out arms or legs. We saw at the eastern ex- tremuy o the island, a fourth pillar-like r(jck of rat -er sn der size, and we gave to the sland the name of l^air Pillar Island. We found near onv amp two old wooden sledge-runners, and .me rmn-deer sinews, showing that tht place had been w lied by others. The horizon wa«^ covered with mist, and a the K 2 132 SECOND JOURNKY ON •'.fR \lii\ N. N. W. there was an appearance of open water, with floating pieces of ice, but which might have been an optical illusion ; and when the sun was set, thick vapours of a dark colour rose from the same quarter. I attributed them to evaporation from the snow mingled with sea-salt. We re- turned by the west side of the b y, and reached the coast after a walk of five wersts. In the low grounds we found red marshy earth, bearing a scanty growth of low grass, similar to that of the plains on the main lai d. We saw numerous traces of bears, stone-foxes, and mice, but did not meet with any of these animals. On approaching our little camp, we were greeted by the welcome sight of several blazing fires, round which our companions were pursuing their various occupa- tions with more than usual cheerfulness, and we hastened to share in their enjoyment. On the following day (30th March), we had in the morn- ing a temperature of 0, with a light S. E. breeze, and a clouded sky; and in the evening -|- 7^ At noon we remarked a halo round the sun's disk. I determined to halt here for one day, which would also afford an opportunity of sending back two more empty provision-sledges, and of pre- paring a store of finely broken drift-wood. Whilst M. von Matiuschkin went round the island in a sledge for the purpose of surveying its coast, I was occupied in making various observations. By a meridian altitude of the sun, I found the lati- tude of our encampment 70" 37', and its longitude 0" 41' E. from Sucharnoi ; the variation was 14° 6' E., by corresponding azimuths, and I found the dip 79" 3', by observations in which the poles of the needle were changed several times. In order also to deduce the dip, I made a series of expe- H ' '■ THE POLAR SEA. 188 ' open water, 1 might have the sun was ose from the evaporation lit. "We re- and reached In the low 1, bearing a > that of the N numerous , but did not approaching the welcome I which our ious occupa- less, and we at. On the n the mom- 5. E. breeze, r -f 7°. At iin's disk. ! day, which ending back and of pre- ood. Whilst 3 island in a its coast, I nations. By and the lati- Lts longitude tion was 14" I found the the poles of s. In order ies of expe- 4 i nments on tlie oscillation of the needle, but the results disagreed so much with each other, that I lost all confidence in ray Inclinatoriura for that particular purpose. The most successful expe- riment showed, that when the instrument was in the magnetic meridian, the needle made exactly 1 li f ^T' "' ^""^ "'^^^^^^'^ ^y tJ' hronometer, and that when the instrument was placed in the direction perpendicular to the magnetic meridian, the needle made only 177 vibrations in the same time, which would give a dip of only 75" 30' Towards evening M. von Matiuschkin returned, having completed his survey, from which we pre- pared a map. The substance of his remarks on the formation of the shores was as follows : all the capes and projecting points of land in the sland consist, like the above-mentioned four pil- lars of perpendicular rocks of granitic porphyry in the bays the shores are less steep, and^are covered with a thin layer of vegetable earth, in which are many scattered fragments of porphyry The western part of the island may be con.^dere^d sTnf.'T^^lT^- ^* ^^ ^^^"^^d «f strata of black Slate and whitish qiiai tz containing chalcedony and 18 connected with lae rest of the island b7a W w^r^Tf ""^\"^l^?^ ^^ P^^b^bl^^ ofte^under number nf'rh''''^^^' ^"^^^^^ ^^'^ ^^ i«^«^ense in a bw f ' T\r'^ '""'^y *^^^ ^^^ ^e^tern. in a bay towards the north, there was a mnph greater quantity of drift-wood than we had f^^d two small islands were visible, but the thick ^ieZr'' *'"' '^^^^"^^ ^^^^^^ ~S The position of this island, its form, its pillars 134 SECOND JOURNEY ON of rock, and finally the two islets lying to the West and N. W., lead me to believe that our Four- pHlar Island is the same as that described by Leontiew as the easternmost of the Bear Islands. It is true that he places that island 1° 21' further to the North, but this difference, great as it is, proves nothing against the identity of the two, for a similar error runs through all his determinations of latitude along the whole of the coast of the con- tinent west of the Kolyma. We resumed our journey on the 31st of March with a slightly clouded sky and a fresh breeze from the N. E., the thermometer stood at -4- T in the morning and rose in the evening to + 14«, with a strong wind from the E.N.E. We took our departure from the eastern point of the island in a N. 5" E. direction by compass. At noon, when we had gone about 11 worsts, we found our lati- tude 70" 43' and our longitude 0° 48' E. from Sucharnoi. Hitherto we had got on without much difficulty, except in passing the hummocks, but now we came on a surface of ice, which though smooth, was covered with sharp grains of sea-salt, which soon destroyed the ice- coating of our sledge-runners. They no longer glided smoothly along, and we were obliged to relieve the dogs of our weight. The further we advanced, the more difficult our progress became. At every werst we found the snow more soft and damp, and the crust of salt thicker. The wind, which was from the E. N. E., rose more and more, bringing with it a thick fog, so moist, that our fur clothing was soon wet through. All these circumstances indicated the vicinity of open water, and our situation be- came every moment more hazardous, as the gale continued to increase, and the thick mist which iJ THE POLAR SEA. 135 dug to the it our Four- ascribed by 3ar Islands. 21' further eat as it is, the two, for errainations : of the con- st of March breeze from -j- 7" in the -(- 14°, with ^e took our :he island in noon, when nd our lati- 48' E. from on without hummocks, hich though s of sea- salt, ing of our led smoothly the dogs of ed, the more ery werst we md the crust iras from the ing with it a ing was soon ;es indicated situation be- i, as the gale mist which covered the whole horizon did not permit us to see where we were going. To advance further, therefore, was out of the question ; to halt for the night where we were was almost equally so ; the snow and ice were both so saturated with salt as to be quite undrinkable, and on this flat surface we had no point of refuge in the not improbable event of the ice being broken up by the storm. Whilst we were in this state of painful uncertainty the mist lightened in the N. 35° E. direction, suf- ficiently to allow us to perceive some hummocks at the distance of about a worst. We hastened to them, and encamped under the shelter of a thick wall of ice, five fathoms in height, to await a favourable change of weather. Here too the layer of snow, which was about a foot thick, was so mingled with salt, that I thought it probable the ice might not be strong enough to afford us a secure foundation during the approaching storm : I had a hole therefore cut to examine its thick- ness, and was satisfied on finding that it exceeded 8f feet. The upper surface of the snow which was lying on the hummocks, supplied us with pure and good water ; that which was in imme- diate contact with the ice had a very salt and most unpleasant flavour. The storm continued to increase, and became extremely violent in the course of the night; our tent was torn by the wind, and might probably have been carried away entirely, if it had not been secured to the hum- mock by strong fastenings. By our reckoning, the latitude of our sleeping-place was 70" 53', and Its longitude V 2' E. from Sucharnoi. At four in the mornmg the storm subsided, and we put oiu-- selves in motion in a N. 10^' ih. direction; there was still a thin mist, and the air was mild the 136 SECOND JOURNEY ON •m >f) thermometer stood at -|- 23**. In the evening the sky cleared and the temperature was -^ 7**. Our noon observation gave 70" 54' latitude, and our longitude by reckoning was 1" 8' E. from Su- charnoi. When we had gone 24 wersts further, we saw tracks of stone-foxes on the snow going in a N. W. direction : the horizon in that quarter was veiled by a dark blue mist, which as our companions told us, usually indicates open water. We saw hummocks which contained earth and sand. We had bound pieces of whalebone under our wooden sledge-runners, and we found that they greatly facilitated our progress over the damp snow and sea-salt. Still we were obhged to walk, and it took seven hours to accomplish thirty-three wersts, notwithstanding which our provision- sledges were so far behind, that we had lost sight of them. We therefore halted, and passed a more quiet night than the preceding. The evening and morning twilight had now melted into one. On the morning of the following day (2nd April) a N.W. wind brought snow : the tempe- rature was -j- 18**. Our course was N. 10** W. We made our way with great difficulty among hummocks of ice, and had to use our utmost efforts to drag the sledges across wide strips covered with large crystals of salt. About 14 wersts from our sleeping-place we came in sight of three seals, which were sleeping carelessly on the ice ; the dogs rushed towards them, but they made good their retreat and disappeared under the ice. On coming to the spot we found a round hole of a foot and a half in diameter. The ice here was rather more than a foot in thickness, very rotten, and full of salt. We sounded and THE POLAR SEA, 137 3vening the f T. Our e, and our . from Su- 'sts further, )w going in bat quarter lich as our open water. earth and ibone under found that er the damp ^ed to walk, thirty-three provision- ^e had lost and passed ling. The aow melted f day (2nd the tempe- N. 10° W. ulty among our utmost wide strips About 14 .me in sight arelessly on m, but they 3ared under NQ found a aeter. The a thickness, mnded and found twelve fathoms, with a bottom of soft green mud. The hue of hummocks through which we had passed ran due east and westj there were others in the same direction about four wersts to the north of the seals' airhole : we passed over a stnp three or four wersts in breadth, where the snow was deeper and free from salt. After mak- mg thirty-four wersts in a northerly direction, we encamped for the night under the shelter of a large hummock. By our reckoning, our latitude was 71" 31', and our longitude 1" 37' E. from Su- charnoi. We felt a good deal exhausted by the efforts which the state of the snow had rendered neces- sary, and by the unwonted mildness of the weather. We determined therefore, to rest by day, and to travel only during the night, when the air w?s colder, and when we should not suffer so much from the dazzling effect of the snow, whilst at the same time we should enjoy uninterrupted twilight. On the third of April, I sent back three more empty proyision-sledges, giving them a compass to aid them m their homeward course. The noon observations gave the latitude 71° 32' The weather was overcast with a light breeze from the north ; the thermometer at + 16° and damp snow fell at night. ^ We broke up after sunset, and noticed a num- ber ot tracks of stone-foxes going from W.S.W. to •fu'r J^^ ^^* ^® ^^^ ^" Pretty rapidly, not- withstanding occasional salt patches, but these gradually increased until we had gone about hlteen wersts, when we found ourselves in what may be called a deep salt moor, where it was impossible to advannp T o^or^.'-^.i ^v- -^ beneath the brme, and found it only five inches 138 SECOND JOURNEY ON "4' thick, and so rotten that it was easily cut through with a common knife. "We hastened to quit a place so fraught with danger, and after going four wersts in a S. by E. direction, we reached a smooth surface covered with a compact crust of snow. When we had gone a couple of wersts over this, I had the ice examined, and found it one foot two inches thick. The depth of the sea was twelve fathoms, and the bottom greenish mud. We halted one or two wersts further on, near some inconsiderable hummocks, where the thick- ness of the crust of ice and the depth of water were examined, and found the same as before. The water gushed up through the holes which had been made in the ice, and overflowed to a considerable distance in all directions, and^soon imparted its bitter salt taste to the snow. )en the watery particles evaporate in the sun, they leave behind a thick brine, part of which forms crysta]s and part contributes to destroy the ice. Meanwhile the north wind increased in strength, and must have raised a considerable sea in the open water, as we heard the sound of the agitated element beneath, and felt the undulatory motion of the thin crust of ice. Our position was at least an anxious one ; the more so, as we could take no step to avoid the impending danger. I believe few of our party slept, except the dogs, who alone were unconscious of the great probability of the ice being broken up by the force of the waves. Our latitude was 71° 37', and our longitude 1" 45' E. from Sucharnoi. In the morning we had a clouded sky, damp snow, and a temperature of -^- l^c" with a gale from the north : in the evening the wind moderated and shifted to N. E., the sky cleared and the thermometer showed -j- 9°. ■m I !'3 THE POLAR SEA. 139 As soon as the wind fell and the weather cleared, I had two of the best sledges emptied, and placed in them provisions for twenty-four hours, with the boat and oars, some poles and boards, and proceeded northwards, to examine the state of the ice : directing M. von Matiuschkin, in case of danger, to retire with the whole party as far as might be needful, without awaiting my return. After driving through the thick brine with much difficulty for seven worsts, we came to a number of large fissures, which we passed with some trouble by the aid of the boards which we had brought with us. The ice was heaped up in several places in httle mounds or hillocks, which at the sHghtest touch sunk into a kind of slough. This rotten ice was hardly a foot thick ; the sea was twelve fathoms deep, the ground green mud ; the countless fissures in every direction through which the sea-water came up mixed with a quan- tity of earth and mud, the' little hillocks above described and the water streaming amongst them, all gave to the field of ice the appearance of a great morass, over which we contrived to advance two wersts further to the north, crossing the nar- rower fissures, and going round the larger ones. At last they became so numerous and so wide, that it was hard to say whether the sea beneath us was really still covered by a connected coat of ice, or only by a number of detached floating fragments, having everywhere two or more feet of water between them. A single f>ast of wind would have been sufficient to driv these frag- ments against each other, and being already sunk in a few minutes, leavdng nothing but sea on m SECOND JOURNEY ON the spot where we were standing. It was ma- nifestly useless to attempt going further; we hastened to rejoin our companions, and to seek with them a place of greater security. Our most northern latitude was 71" 43' ; we were at a dis- tance of 215 wersts in a straight line from the lesser Baranov rock. During my absence M. von Matiuschkin had observed the magnetic dip, and had found it 79° 51'. I immediately gave the order to break up and to take a S. S. E. course. Before proceeding further with my narrative, I must mention the remarkable skill with which our sledge-drivers preserved the direction of their course, either when winding amongst large hum- mocks, or on the open unvaried field of snow, where there were no objects to direct the eye. They appeared to be guided by a kind of unerring instinct. This was especially the » ase with my Cossack driver, Sotnik Tatarinow, who had had grea,t practice for many years. In the midst of the intricate labyrinths of ice, turning sometimes to the right and sometimes to the left, now v>^ind- ing round a large hummock, now crossing over a smaller one, among all the incessant changes of direction, he seemed to have a plan of them all in his memory, and to make them compensate each other, so that we never lost our main direction ; and whilst I was watching the different turns, compass in hand, trying to resume the route, he had always a perfect knowledge of it empirically. His estimation of the distances we had passed over reduced to a straight Hue, generally agreed with my determinations deduced from observed latitudes and the day's course. It was less difficult to preserve the true direction on a plain surface. m THE POIAE SEA. 141 To enable us to foUow as straight a line as Zl^^! "' at a d ta„,g. if j^^^^ ^^^ snow 1 r"'"^S^\d«d by the wave-like stripes of snow (sastragi) which are formed, either on the pkmsonland or on the leveliceof the sea/by any wind of long continuance. These ridges always indicate the quarter from which the p?e! dl'°o!.'''"^ '''?^- ^^^ inhabitants of the Tun- we?,tfnff -r' *° l^'^'tl^'n^nt several hundred wersts off, with no other guide through these un varied wastes than the sastrugi. Th'ey know by" Sr"and t f "* ''"^'^ ^"^^^ »-t^ross th^ greater and the lesser waves of snow in order to amve at their destination, and they never fS I? often happens that the true permanent sStruga has been obhterated by another produced by t™m! thereby, his practised eye detects the change he carefaUy removes the recently drifter: spow and corrects his course by the lowi sastru^r^d^y the angle formed by the two. Wp availed our selves of them on the level ice of the leTfor tL compass cannot well be used whilst driving- itT "rS* wf 'V'" *" ''°^''^' ''' -^ this loses time. Where there were no sastrugi, we had itTvtSn^^etrur""^'^'*''^ ''^ '='^'"1"^' ^' inc^rdrni"'^ ?"" ^? ^^'■'*^' *••« hummocks ncreased both m size and numbers : at first the ice was only uneven ; next we met with a quantity untu'Tvl '""'T'/'f"'' S''"^"^"y increasing often of L T."^^-^u''''^mf "Ses of hummocks! otten ot 80 feet high. These sTPPt ^„..o„ „£• lee were all of a greenish-blue colour; and had "a II 142 SECOND JOURNEY ON ' ii strong salt taste. The difficulty of working our way among them was much augmented by the loose snow which lay between, concealing a quan- tity of sharp fragments of ice which often over- turned our sledges, and gave us many a painful bruise. These hummocks, which differed from all those we had before seen, were what are called winter hummocks. They had been formed during the last winter as well as in the preceding spring and autumn, when the ice of the sea, being broken by violent storms, is heaped up and cemented together by strong frost. On getting clear of these sharp-pointed winter hummocks, we came upon another group of a totally different aspect. It consisted party of conical hills, vary- ing in height* and size, and sometimes having long or round valleys between them. As we saw no detached masses of ice, we at first thought ourselves on a hilly island, but on examination it proved to be nothing but snow and ice in a some- what different form. In the hollows and on the summits of the hills we found the surface of the ice perfectly bare. It was smooth and even, its colour [)nsRing from whitish grey into black ; it had a perfectly pure taste, and was large-grained and opaque : the sides of the hills were clothed Mith snow, and afforded excellent travelling. When we had gone two worsts, we found ourselves in a small circular hollow, completely sheltered from every wind, where we formed our encamp- ment. On the 5 th of April, the sky was clear with a strong breeze from the S.S.E., and a temperature of -j- 9° in the morning, and -{- 7° in the evenin >>* OUB^' Baavli^Biib >^a ^V^Ji}*^ »/( b>>k. >^i^^.>>»> «^kb>.« ^w^^a^- — it ninety feet. *'n THE POLAB SEA. 143 Our noon observation gave the latitude 70» 30' and the longitude V 55' E. from Sucharnoi Alter sunset we resumed our march in an easterly direction, but at the end of three wersts < . found ourselves amongst almost impassable winter hum- mocks, which appeared to have been formed on and around others, consisting of the solid ice high black summit, so closely resembling a rock, that I determined to go to it in spite of ever^ r^t- 1,^' f"'' "' ^^'"^ hours, durin? which ^m ftf 1. '''•^^'S ""^/'^y/ith crow-bars fcr about 300 fathoms. We found it was only an ice-hill formed entirely of the solid ice abov"^ described We had an extensive view from its summit. To the north and east we saw impenetrable winter 10 «ie i>.h. the surface was more even and 1p^» interrupted by fissures. ' The provision sledges had been so much injured that It was plain they could not hold together much longer, and the dogs belonging to them were exhausted by hard work. ! leteL ne? therefore to form a deposit of provision in "ht' place, and tc, ^end back the empty sledges We excavated m the iceberg a kind oVcellar fi;e f^et deep, and a fathom across; in this we packed our stores, and closed the hole with the fire-wood which was to be left, and with well-trampled Inow guard against the visits of the white bears. 1 ^ent the eight empty sledges back to Niinei Kolym»k, with their drivers, who had for some time despaired of seeing their homes again, and return, that they soon eonioleted fh^ .,e-.i...oi. preparations, and "•»-» — -i"'- -^ "■'"' •„ "='^'"> were ready to start befor e sun- I 144 SECOND JOURNEY ON Hi i rise. I gave them a cor.) pass, and Serjeant Res- chetnikow took the command of the party. The merchant Bereslinoi remained with our division, which now consisted of ten persons with six sledges, and provisions for fourteen days. On the 6th of April, the temperature was -|- 18° in the morning, with the S.E. wind, and — 2o in the evening. Throughout the night we frequently heard the noise of fresh clefts opening in the ice around us, and a hollow rumbling round, resem- bhng the rolling of distant thunder. A chain of high winter hummocks to the S.E. appeared to form the southern boundary of the recent open- ings in the ice, which were every where visible to north and east. From these hummocks we saw many other ice-hills to the south, but no spaces of open water. We followed a tolerably smooth narrow path along the south side of the ridge of hummocks, seeking an opportunity of penetrating to the north. The ridge w '?^ about a hundred feet high; to our right we Lai a plain, thickly strewed with blocks of ice mi5. d with a quantity of loose deep snow, and we inferred from this accumulation of winter snow, that they were autumn hummocks, and had been since undis- turbed. The ridge on our left had evidently been formed only a few days, and belonged therefore to the class of spring hummocks. An examination of the recent fracture, and of the occasional clefts by which it was intersected, led me to infer that it had been formed in the following manner : — The sea to the north of us, had been covered during the winter by smooth ice, and compact snow. In spring the ice had broken up, partly into an extensive field, and riartly into smaller pieces, which had been subsequently forced be- ^ I • p TriE POLAR SEA. 145 neath the field, and had ^aduallv aised "^ ir., ai> obhque position. This vvoid 1. Cmft for tl SMOo^h and slopino- declivitv on t k ^L ""^ ^''^ vjiHp .. /I ^« ./^ o ^"^v on tlie .south-western thoir position. S W i „ mTti '"l^'^ '■'^'•" conld hanily be less thaflOoora ^ttel on a fr^^ment of not more thai. ,ig't cub i feet opportunity of ex ninino. ;.. „„ T ™^ "° internal fbrmriou-andSf^T /''=''"" ^^^ surprise that the"uppTr'^;],Vt ' tr ? "^ f^''* which was ir, this pTaTe deve.T f:eT th7ck h^n' tteL'"'° 'V"' »^'''"'- loss that two feet L Sot ^^J^Jl^^^i^ ott^nt-i^-sr?±trrtir^^ ^^^^'^'ed .or: o*r\::ihe ;\v.^^^ and in the N.B. quarter there was aZud note of ChS""^ b, j.onin? J:.irjr'c^ ^^thejth of April the weather was clear with a strong breeze from the east f>,^ ft ' stood It J_ p^o :„ V ^ ^^^'^^ •^^le thermometer evening. We continued~our'^SteT a^E.^dire^ II ft i I ■,%. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 ;^i^ i^ m 1^ 12.2 2.0 1.8 U ill 1.6 V] m. %. ^l '/ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 iV cF \\ % ^ .*. ^ o^ ^^0- r^ 146 SECOND JOURNEY ON l.H tion along the margin of the recent crack, the ridge of ice becoming lower and less regular or continuous, and the fissures more and more nu- merous ; we sounded thirty wersts from our halt- ing place, and found twelve fathoms ; the ground as before. After going forty-nine wersts, we halted at sunrise in latitude 70° 56', our longitude by reckoning being 3" 5' E. from Sucharnoi. On the evening of the 8th, heavy clouds came up from the south, and the temperature sunk from -|- 18' to Zero. When we had gone ten wersts we came to a wide fissure, across which we ferried ourselves by the aid of a floating block of ice. We tried the current, and found it setting j a knot in an E. S. E. direction : soundings 13J fathoms. Twenty-two wersts further on, we saw in the horizon in a direction S. 2° E. the greater Baranov rock, which by our reckoning should have borne S. 3" W. distant 114 wersts. Whilst we were discussing this difference, we saw the fresh track of a bear, and gave chase, M. von Matiuschkin and myself in two sledges which we had emptied for the purpose. We had followed the track for a few wtrsts when our whole attention was engaged by a distant noise, which seemed rapidly approaching and soon equalled a loud clap of thunder. At the same time the ice beneath was violently agitated, and began to open in various directions. We thought no more of the bear, but hastened to re- join om' companions. As we were returning, one of our best dogs had a narrow escape. He had been set at liberty to pursue the bear, and had run to some distance; when he returned, his white colour made the Cossacks mistake him for a bear^ and one of them had actually levelled his gun ere the mistake was discovered. It THE POLAR SEA. 147 k, the dar or ire nu- r halt- jround ts, we Lgitude L. s came kfrom rsts we ferried of ice. a knot thorns, in the ►aranov 5 borne e were b track dn and tied for r a few Lgedby )aching At the »itated, 8. We d to re- ng, one ae had nd had led, his m for a lied his As the breaking up of the ice had not extended to the spot where we had left our companions, and fLTffT ^^^« tired, we halted for the night; the latitude was 70M6', and the longitude 3:22' h. of Sucharnoi. Next morning, the 9th of April, we continued our course in a S. E, direction until fissures, open water, and impassable hum- mocks, finaUy baffled all our efforts, and with W ? u-^^^\ ""^ ^^^ *° ^^t^^^e «^ steps to the W ^^^^^g-pl^ce The 10th was Ea^ter-day, Sh k\ '^'"''^ throughout the whole Christian world, but especiaUy so m Russia. We joined in the prayers of our far-distant friends by the pre- scnbed service, which was read by M. Bereshnoi, and the hymns were sung by our Cossacks and sledge-dnvers. A block of ice was carved to re- present an altar, and the only wax-light we pos- sessed was burnt in front of it. The day was one of rest and refreshmmt to all; our festive-fare was frugal enough ; we had reserved for it a few rein- deer s tongues, and a little brandy; a much ^:i:ftiTi:^' ^ ^"^ '^^^ '^^* ^p ^^^^-^* On the nth, the dogs being rested as weU as ourselves, we were about to start, when one of the drivers was taken suddenly iU with violent pains K^^fl l'^^.''^u"'.^^^'^^^°^ insupportable to him throughout the day. We made some use of tne delay, by repairing our sledges. The tem- perature was from + 18" to + 12° We fre quently heard in the distance, the sound resem- ofThe • "" ^ ^^ occasioned by the crashing The constantly multiplying obstacles in the direction whinli wo h^A ^^„:^^J X- - fi.^ 1 J ~r" "" ' "C311CU lo pursue, and the slender hopes that could be entertained of L 2 148 SECOND JOURNEY ON surmounting them, in the weakened state of our dogs, induced me, after much consideration, to determiae on returning to our deposit of pro- visions, of the safety of which our drivers had, for some time, entertained doubts. Taking a due west course we soon came to smooth ice and hard snow, which enabled us to accomplish sixty- four wersts before we halted. Four Pillar Island, which by our reckoning was thirty-eight wersts from us, was just visible on the horizon, in the direction S. 62« W. The noon observations gave the latitude of our encampment 70^ 39', and the longitude 1" 45' E. On the next day we turned to the north, and came on the track left by the returning pro- vision-sledges, which we followed across some hummocks. After accomplishing fifty wersts we halted in latitude 71" 4'. On the 14th of April we came on numerous fresh tracks of bears and stone-foxes, which made us very apprehensive for the fate of our store. I followed the tracks to the N.E., with three of the Ughtest sledges, and soon came on a deserted bear's den, a fathom deep in the snow, with two narrow entrances opposite to each other, and with just room enough to contain two bears. In the neighbourhood was a scales hole, having on one side a raised bank of snow, through the lower part of which there was a small opening towards the ice-hole. The bears often throw up this sort of parapet close to a seal's hole, and lie in wait behind it : as soon as the seal creeps out from under the ice, he is caught by the powerful paw of the bear thrust through the opening, which at one pull draws him away from his only place of refuge, and he is then soon despatched. The e of our tion, to of pro- had, for ; a due id hard sixty- Island, ; wersts , in the ns gave and the 'th, and ig pro- s some ;rsts we as fresh Lade us ore. I ! of the ieserted ith two ad with In the on one 3 lower :owayds his sort in wait it from ful paw hich at )lace of . The THE POLAR SEA. 149 own old track, which we determined^ "" °" unt 1 it should conduct us ?o oTdepoit • Ztl sent back one of the sledees to tell fvf„ 1 ? ^ companions to meet us d'' We found^'tn travelling, w"e 'rhed' o^E TnVtf """ great joy found it unmolestedTwe saw n,™° "'"• traces of bears on everv sidp hn7tv. T ""serous not ascended the Sg ^e tS^'^.^^P-'j north wind andVlQ'in^l, mormng with a win. 0„£1+„L-L;~«.S ^«dde^and" woffiiiLrsr'r'' •'\*' told of the approach :? a \ear As T; ^''"'' undressed; we were soon on oTfeet Id ! T' pr-ed"^ /rf„,Tt ^''''* -- ^—5 tCliL/=didttr.i:-^^^^ 150 SECOND JOURNEY ON cipline in the mortification of seeing their prey escape. I was left alone among some hummocks, and climbed one of them in the hope of getting sight of the hunters, but I could see no one except M. Bereshnoi and my driver Tatarinow, who were standing together at some distance from me, the former armed with a gun, and the latter with a bow and a lance. A third bear appeared suddenly from behind a hummock, looked at me intently for a few moments, and then turned in the direction in which his companions had fled, and seemed Inclined to follow them, but on catch- ing sight of the two men who were standing below, he made boldly towards them. As they had but one charge, their situation was somewhat precarious ; but Tatarinow, trusting to his skill, allowed the bear to come within three fathoms, and then shot and wounded him in the shoulder ; the beast fled foaming and bleeding, and we lost sight of him among the masses of ice. The hunters did not return till morning, when two of their number were still missing and did not come in till two hours later, and then so exhausted, that if the bears had attacked them they must have fallen an easy prey. So ended this unfor- tunate chase, the only result of which was to weary both men and dogs to such a degree, that I was obhged to stay another day. On the 17th of April the day was overcast, with a light breeze from the east, and a tempera- ture of -f- 21" in the morning, and + 16" in the evening, with fine snow. There were three halos round the sun. After going nine wersts in a westerly course, we crossed our track of the 1st of April : we now left the hummocks behind, and came on a flat track covered with damp snow; I THE POLAR SEA. 151 eir prey n mocks, getting no one tarinow, ice from le latter ppeared ;d at me med in ad fled, Q catch- itanding As they mewhat ds skill, 'athoms, Loulder ; . we lost e. The a two of ot come lausted, 3y must 8 unfor- was to ;, that I •vercast, impera- >" in the 5e halos bs in a e 1st of id, and • SUOWj however our whalebone runners ghded freelv ftr tf ^' '^r '"Pli^h^^ forty-ofe werstsbt tore halting, in lat. 71" 26' and long. 0° 4S' E from Sucharnoi. Next day the tempfrature w^' ^t, z^+7x:^ '-'- ^- *^^ As we had now arrived at a part of the sea TsiO A^ been visited hy M. Sedenlhim, S 1810 I thought It useless to proceed further in this direction, and directed my course to th^ south to sm;vey the islands whfch wThad seen from Four PiUar Island, in the meridian ofwS l?^„! f 'r ? r'^*'' notwithstanding the vio- Itnce of the wind, against which the dogs could time so tlY*"^ '^^- '^^"'^ ^^' at°he sa^e time so thick a snow-storm, that the persons in the hindmost sledges could not see the leadii^g ones and were in danger if missing the 3 which was every moment effaced by fresh sTw' We therefore tied the sledges together in S' nrecfdf "'? ^ ^'''^?'^ ""^ of e!ch team t^tte preceding sledge. We drove in this manner the whole day, unable to see our way, wd Sed solely by the compass. Rnding V sheteS hummock we were forced to h^t at last on thf oi^n ice plam. This night was, doubtless, one of the most uncomfortable of our journey We were exposed to the whole fury of the storm unable either to pitch our tent or^I^t a Ire ^Th a tempera ure of + T, without tea or souS,Ind with nothing to quench our thirst, or satisfy our tanger, but a few mouthiuls of snow, a litt e rve- biscuit, and half-spoilt fish. We we^e most X next mominer. to resn^o /,,,- i—. - • • - £ , . . . ^' '^ '"."w vUx luuiuuv, out we liajl first to exbicate ourselves and sledges out of the ^11 -f ■ m m 152 SECOND JOURNEY ON I ru Kill snow, as well as the dogs, which were still more deeply buried. Our course was southerly, and we proceeded with tolerable rapidity, but as the dark weather and driving snow still continued, we were not without fear that we might miss Four Pillar Island. However, I had the great satisfaction of finding that the accuracy of our reckoning had been such, that after travelling fifty-two worsts, our course led us straight to a bay on the north side of the island, which we were unable to dis- cern, until we were within five worsts of it. After the difficulties through which we had passed, this bay was a welcome haven. We pitched our tent on terra firma, under the shelter of a high cliff, and which was better still, we found an abundance of drift-wood, with which we soon made two capital fires, one for warming ourselves and cook- ing, and the other for drying our wet clothes, which we had been unable to do for some time ; and as we luxuriated in the full enjoyment of the fire, and drank our boiiing-hot, though somewhat meagre soup, and refreshing tea, we soon forgot all previous discomforts. Nothing disturbed our satisfaction, save the thought that our efforts had not been rewarded by the discovery of the sup- posed land of which we had been in search. Next morning we felt quite refreshed, and pro- ceeded N. 65" W., towards the islands we had seen on the previous occasion. The temperature was + 9°. On arriving at the first island we were most unexpectedly greeted by the notes of some linnets, the harbingers of spring, and the first cheerful sounds which we had heard since we began our ice journey ; it is impossible to describe the pleasure they produced. In order to complete the survey of this group THE POLAR SEA. 153 von Matiuschkin went to the south, and I to the Sae M "h' t "'«''* "* *^^ °««h point of the lie in f W !r ' f "■ "Tf ^'"S *^^« "l«"P^S. a stream falls into the sea; the slopmg shore on the west side is formed of gravel. We found drift-wood in a small bay near the north-western point of the Xd It consists here, as elsewhere in this group, chiefly ^larch, m«jed with a few poplars, butlith'scS^ S ^7' /™"! *!»« nwniber of dens and burrows, this island would appear to be visited by a ^eli be inhabited by a quantity of field mice. On the southern side we saw a few rein-deer ; our encamn! ment was m latitude 70» 52', and the lonSe trigonometncally deduced, is 1» 21' W from' bucharnoi. ' The second island, which is little more than mass of fragments of granite, is about 200 fathoms f 3 t 'i m <"•- r.' 164 SECOND JOURNEY ON M long, and 150 fathoms broad; we found here only a few decayed trunks of larch-trees. This little island is not marked in Leontieu's chart; it was probably concealed by masses of ice, which still surround it on every side. The third island is itself high, but has no hills ; there are a few rocks on the south side, and more on the east and west, where they run out some distance to sea. rhe shore is shelving in the bays. Near the east point of the island there was a kind of cellar dug in the earth, and supported by posts, but we could not examine the interior, as it would have taken us too long to clear out the snow. We found on the beach a very old oar, of the kind which the lukahirs use in their wetkas;* we also saw some rein-deer sinews, and some human bones, but we could not find a skull. On the fourth island, there are two long high ridges, running parallel to each other in a N.N.W. and E.S.E. direction, connected by a cross ridge. Where the surface was clear of snow, it appeared to consist of a thin layer of gravel and vegetable earth, covered with fragments of the same rock as that which forms the pillars in the sixth island already described. The cliffs on the northern shore are also of the same rock. The southern shore consists of steep earth hills, with a quantity of Mammoth bones. By our observations, the ♦ Wetka is the name of a light, long, narrow boat, formed of three boards, used principally for rein-deer hunting. Usually only one man sits in these boats, with a single oar having a paddle at each end, which he uses alternately right and left. The wetkas are very rapid, and so light that they can easily be drawn from one lake or river to another. Sometimes two men get into the same wetkHj which in such case can contain nothing else. THE POLAR SEA. 155 lere only his little •t ; it was liich still no hiUs ; md more mt some ^ in the re was a lorted by ior, ae it out the id oar, of wetkas;* id some ill. mg high N.N.W. ►88 ridge, appeared egetable 3 rock as ;h island northern southern quantity ons, the , formed of ;. Usually r having a It and left, in easily be es two men iin nothing north pomt of this island is in 7(>> 47' The v« "tr IV'^ ""^^^« ^^ 14" 00' east. * ihe fifth island is tolerably hieh. with cliffs nf Su,°oft^pru ' "'■"'• «^" '^^'^ --« -di- in^t^"tT'"^' °? ^^^ ^^'^' °°« of ""^ drivers, m the boasting spirit common amongst these ^fo;,Trf.V^''\^'' !""» been,mfnyX agOi on the first Bear Island, which he sid w-as nsible from the mouth of the Krestowaia Ri7er aZ ml"^ , " j"^ ^''^ """"^d ' he further sdl; that this island was small, circular, and not at aU like the one on which we now were. Notwithstanding this positive assertion, we cer- the island Krestowoi, nor can there well be anv The'starof fr'".^° ''''''''' ^'' -"''s:rv^ .4. M. in ™" "^"-futi picventea oi apy distant objects at this time, bu -m- Kosmm s survey of the coast of the n-. uJ. ; in the following summer, the incorrectue». .. om stw from'*""'"' ""^ "'l^ly P'"^^'!- M. KosZ Sd f « K u?" *^^ "^^^ Krestowaia, an Kw' ° ?^^''''' *"' ^'l'^^ ga^e the name ol Krestowoi Ostrow Its appemnce was that of a M t^i V '^.'"*^'^*' '''«• ^"^ the angles which he took. It was evident that this hill was not on the nearest island, but on one behindT which accords with our sui^ey. ' fl, J" °Z^l T° ''''**™ "<"■« entire conviction on ^t f iM'823T"'"-°°^'J f • ^^o™-. - *: which intervened bet-^n-U'rore^M'tK iifll ii '* i Mi If 'I 156 SECOND JOURNEY ON M. Hedenstrom in 1810. M. Koamin left Nijnei Kolymsk on the 30th of January, with two sledges and provisions for fourteen days. On the 5th of February, with a temperature of — 31", they went upon the ice of the sea, from the mouth of the river Agafonowka, and before night reached the island which M. Kosmin had seen in the summer, and which we had surveyed. On the following days he proceeded further north, until, on the 9th of February, he reached latitude 7V 58', without having met with any considerable hummocks or any places overflowed by salt water. But though unimpeded by these obstacles, the travellers suf- fered severely from cold, which during the last two days of their return increased from — 351^° to — 40°, and the dogs were lamed by the joint effect of the cold and the hardness of the snow. He returned by the Middle Bear Island, and took the most direct way back to Kolymsk, where he arrived on the 17th of February. This expedition shows the assertion of the sledge-driver to be without foundation, and fully confirms the cor- rectness of our observations respecting the island Krestowoi and the Bear Islands generally. I have therefore restored the name of Krestowoi to the first of the Bear Islands, or that which is nearest to the continent, and have distinguished the other islands of the group according to their distance from the first, as second, third, &c., so that our Four Pillar Island is the sixth. After this little digression from the chronolo- gical order, made in order to bring together every- thing relating to this group of islands, I return to our journey. Though I had not much confidence in the driver s stor^', 1 vvouid. n >x Zj uui umib auytning wmcn THJS POLAR SEA. 157 ; Nijnei sledges 13 5th of )y went I of the icd the iimmer, llowing the 9th without ocks or though era suf- ;he last 55}" to e joint e snow, id took liere he sedition to be lie cor- ; island lly. I )woi to bich is ^uished :o their &c., so ronolo- ' every- turn to m the : which could be doMo towards investigating the subjeet, and I therefore decided to look lor the island JowZf T '/: "^^^ " ^-^-^^ ^ VV' dir etio' o, r h„;V ."I^ ™'^ gradually, but as it wa, in our backs, lud the snow was smooth, we had soon gone over U wersts, notwithstanding the driS snow, when we suddenly perceived that wTwSf no longer on the ice but on land. At firsT^ thought we had reached the island which we were seeku.g but m a few minutes we heard an excla! fox-trap bearing his own mark, whereby he knew that we were on the main-land, not far from thi river Agafonowka. He conducted us. notwith! standing the thick drift, to a balagan at he mluth of the river, where we had once more the coZfort of a roof and waUs. Our provisions being now expended, and the season {£ advanced, we deter ""°n *^f V"™ ^"""^ ^y *'«' shortest way I would gladly have taken the opportunity of Wing down this par^ of the coast, but the state of Uif weather made it impossible. The wind was from the N E. becommg more and more violent, and tlie atmosphere was completely darkened by the diiving snow. We abandoned ourselves entirely to the guidance of our drivers, who were tborou/hlv well acquainted with the district. They brought mouth of the greater TchukotkiT, where theVore forms a high cape. ^ On the 26th we crossed the hiUs to a river called lakutskaia Wiska, a distance of 24 weZ and after driving six wersts further across 70 dra, we eame to the laknts lake, where ™."f oar anvers had a store of fish from which" he ! ■! 158 SECOND JOURNEY ON ! ( 1^ % entertained us. The fish were preserved in a kind of cellar hewn out of the ice of the lake; the opening had been closed with ice and snow, over which water had been poured, so that the surface of the lake showed no traces of the store beneath, and it was perfectly inaccessible to bears. Whilst we were busied in opening and reclosing the ice- cellar, a large herd of rein-deer ran by at no great distance. The sight of them had nearly cost us dear, for our dogs all set off in pursuit, and we had great difficulty in recalling them. We slept at a balagan, 30 wersts further on. On the 27th of April the weather changed, the snow ceased, and we had a cutting S.W. wind> with a temperature of — 2". We came on a beaten track which conducted us across a lake to a village on the lesser Tchukotskia. This place, which consists of fifteen old huts and a ruined barrack, is deserted in winter, but is resorted to in summer for fishing, by the inhabitants of the village of Pochodsk, fifty wersts distant, and which we reached late in the night. Poor as this settlement is, its aspect filled us with plea- surable sensations ; we saw a few places among the huts where the spring sun had melted the snow, and where brown earth was visible ; smok- ing chimneys and the faint glimmer of lamps through the ice-windows, told us that we were again amongst human beings. The barking of ihe dogs announced our arrival, and from every door we heard the grateful sound of the Russian " welcome .'' We were soon seated, surrounded by kind faces, near a stove in a warm room, where we coidd throw off our frozen furs, and icy desert. Our good hosts soon placed before THE POLAR SEA. 159 US the best entertainment their poverty cm,lH ment of comforts^to wUah w?i J h* 'T^' T* ^1 i I ;, and 160 1^ W' CHAPTER VIII. Nijnei Kolymsk. — Spring. — Scarcity . — Fisheries for the supply of the Expedition, — Building a Shallop. — Plans for the Summer, — Warm Wea- ther. — Musquitoes. — Embark in the new boat. — Accident to M. von Matiuschkin. — Rein-deer hunting in the Tundra. — Arrival at Tchukotskia. — Departure of M. Kosmin to survey the Coast as far as the Indigirka. — Return up the Kolyma. — Tent burnt. — Arrival at Nijnei Kolymsk. — Visit to the lakuts of Sredne Kolymsk. — Their Summer Life and Habitations. — Traditions. — Albuty. — Early snow. — Return to Nijnei Ko- lymsk. — Arrival of MM. Matiuschkin, Kyber, and Kosmin. On arriving at Nijnei Kolymsk, we fonnd that spring had already brought its accustomed scarcity, with the consequent train of suffering and disease. As soon as the ice of the river began to melt, the whole population dispersed to their summer habitations on the banks of the different rivers in pursuit of ^sh and game. The experience of the past year had taught us that we could not rely for supplies for the expedition on the natives, who make but inadequate provi- sion for their own wants, and that it would be necessary to depend on our own exertions. I therefore hastened to send people with nets and ''isheries Iding a % JVea- boat. — ?in-deer kotskia. e Coast lolyma. fmsk. — -Their lions. — \ei Ko- Kyber, found Lstomed lifering e river !rsed to of the (. The us that (edition J provi- mld be ons. I ets and SUMMER EXCURSIONS. 16] betf the" X«rTi'^ -^'-^-p'--' fixed on the lesser mnW^J"'*^ °^^''= *'"' of our severaWilr K *'" ^' *^ head-quarters and lessX^^ianhtloTa^^^^^^^ tain a sSluMuJpl'* """"^ ''"'' ^' ^"^""W -^■ several a^ouths onL KolZ^t s™J^ "i*" that any sn.all veSwould rt g'::rrr:f Z' berof ^"r'e- -rl -- 'f'"'''/"'" " ™ffi««nt num. 162 SUMMER EXCURSIONS. M. von Matiuschkin, and undertook that of Kolyma myself. I further availed myself of a journey, which our travelling companion M. Bereshnoi was about to make on horseback to the eastern Tundra, to search for mammoth bones,* to send with him Serjeant Reschetmikow, with a good carpenter and two assistants to build a large powarna and a store-house of drift-wood, at a convenient spot near the Baranika river. During our absence in the second journey over the ice, M. Kosmin had been engaged in the con- struction of a large boat or shallop, which he had brought to a successful conclusion in spite of the deficiencies of all kinds under which he laboured. He had fortunately found under the snow a suffi- cient quantity of knee-timber for the frame-work, and after the scaffolding was erected, and the arti- ficers understood their instructions, the Avork pro- ceeded so rapidly, that in May a vessel was com- pleted, of excellent construction in all its parts. On the 35th of May the ice of the river broke up, and on the following night the first shower of rain fell; the banks and sunny slopes began to be covered with grass ; the willows opened their buds and put forth young leaves, and the short summer advanced rapidly; the temperature increased to -{-55° and even to -\- 68" : the progress of vegetation was sensible to the eye, but the enjoyment we felt in re- * Throughout Siberia, but more especially in the northern and north-eastern parts, mammoth bones and tusks (or, as they are there called, horns) are found in clay hills, in the tundras, and along the banks of rivers. The best season lor searching for these antediluvian remains, is in spring, when the streams, swollen by the melting snows, overflow their banks and under- mine the hills. The inhabitants resort at this season to those luculitics which aic known to be productive. \ ery long journeys are often taken with this view, and usually with good success. SUMMER EXCURSIONS. 163 iolyma 3urney, tioi was ["undra, itli him rpenter na and ;nt spot ley over he con- he had 3 of the boured. a sufli- e-work, ;he arti- •rk pro- as com- »arts. poke up, • of rain covered and put dvanced 55' and ion was 3lt in re- : northern as they are idras, and celling for ; streams, ind under- 1 to those g journeys success. turning spring was of short duration. The 4th of June brought as usual immense swarms of mosqid- fo'e in tf {"^'^^■•^ t Wtes obliged us to take^. luge m the house, and to keep up in front of thp uH: d Ir'"'^ '^ oonstantLoVwCh choked us, and made our eyes ache. We greatly reioiced therefore, when on the 9th of June ^aE fr^ +T9» ::t7^ ''Tf '''' temperaturf mentoT^ w + .V *"** "^""^ ''™y o™' tor- mentors. We could now enjoy the delight nf breathmg the air of heaven without being Wu we roamed with our guns over the countrrand seldom returned home till late in the e^nincr loaded with wild-fowl. The first birds ofp^^le had been seen on the 29th of April, but now larfe ^iZtl" '°°«""»"y P-^^^g to 'the northw^^d! and alighting occasionally on the grassy slooes where great numbers were killed. ^^opes. We were not able to launch our shallop, which we named the Kolyma, until the 11th of JuTe when the inundation subsided. The sails were Captam Billmgs' ships, and the anchor was forged by ourselves from remnants of iron belonging to small boat for passing shallows. It was on the pattern of the country wetkas, but was larger" and could carry three men. ^ ' AU our preparations being completed, our whole ZS ^P'^'S^'^fd together. Dr. xfber was toTe^e us at the first village, and MM. Matiuschkin and Kosmm at the lesser Tchukotski river, where tie horses were to meet them, and where they were to begin their survey. We had four oars, and the currant m oi^r f'^- h-^ •• ^^j <*"u iiit . i.i oi.r iciruui, bill as ir was only f of a knot an hour, and the wind was blowing fre4 and M 2 '1 164 SUMMER EXCURSIONS. dead against us, we were obliged to stop after going five miles. Mortified as we were at this detention, we had soon to regret a more serious disaster, which our companions viewed as a most evil omen, and which obliged us to alter materially our plans for the sum- mer. As we were about to land, one of our dogs, in jumping from the boat to swim on shore, became entangled in a loose rope, and would inevitably have been strangled, if M. von Matiuschkin had not sprung to his aid ; unfortunately, that gentle- man (in his eagerness to release our faithful follower by cutting the rope,) cut off at the same time a large piece of his own thumb. The wound was a bad one, and Dr. Kyber was of opinion that it might easily become dangerous. I therefore sent the docter and his patient in the boat back to Nijnei Kolymsk, to wait there until the wound should be healed, which Dr. Kyber considered would require a month, and it was also arranged that they were then to travel together up the Aniui. As soon as the boat returned, M. Kosmin and I continued our voyage, and arrived on the 28th of June at the lesser Tchukotski river. We visited by the way the villages of Tschemoussow and Pochodsk, to inquire after the fisheries. They had been successful, and we saw large quantities of fish drying on scaffolds round every house. Great numbers are taken at this season in des- cending the stream. The fishery is usually con- ducted by the whole of the Httle community uniting to erect a dam across the river, leaving an opening in the middle, in which the baskets are placed.. The produce is divided according to certain rules. After the dam has been erected, the rest of the work is so light, that the men SUMMER EXCURSIONS. 165 p after we had ich our L which le sum- r dogs, became vitably an had gentle- faithful e same wound [)n that erefore at back wound sidered •ranged up the lin and le 28th I visited 3W and They antities house, in des- ily con- munity ving an ets are ing to jrected, le men usually leave it to be attended to by the women CSS and .r' ''''1 *° *l"^ •'«'* '""""ties ducks and ' tf fu"^ ^"""^ ^"^SB quantities of aucks and geese; others on horseback foUowinir hunteT "'"if^""^ *« -''%« and streams Two Wm fl- ^r"y,S° *"S^*''''' ^a^h dragging after him a light wetka, and being followed bv two nr more tramed dogs. They either find the rein deer standing up to their necks in water to avo?d he' 717T'\T^ *" "^^^P themletS cooS tne dogs drive them into the river Meanwh.lJ can paddle faster than the deer can swim an^ having succeeded in hemming them In tW tew'Tf "'* i'^-doflightTpe^r^'c^S 2 i-OKoiiuga. If, as often happens, thev cannnf uudeTst^rm'T *t r V"^^ bl7it?n"tT unaer-stratum of constantly-frozen e.-trth, until they can come with sledges to take it awav in which case it sometimes happens tha thlwdves TtwlTt h'';!' ^K^"' '°^ «- hunterrfind notJiing left but the bones. Whilst we were in herdt"'*' T''""^ q«teunexpectedly ona We herd of reiu-deer, which were lying quietlv in the the b«. are madfS, T>7TaU.7a„1 f «'>'?<'"<• w^?'" , nXk ^^""' °' "P^"' »''''" g-» rou„T Wrkn! 166 SUMMER EXCURSIONS. The rest of the herd gained the bank in safety, and soon disappeared from our view. We were disappointed by finding that the horses we had ordered had not yet arrived at the lesser Tchukotskia. It was some comfort, however, to see that our own fishery at this place was pro- ceeding most prosperously. The drying-scaffolds were completely covered with fish, chiefly herrings and the species called Tschir, and we all set our- selves to work to erect more scaffolds, which were soon filled likewise. On the first of July a lakut arrived, bringing five horses, and the very disagreeable intelligence that it was impossible to procure more. Of these five horses only two were strong enough to carry the tent, provisions, and instruments, and there remained only three weak horses for riding. But for the great and well-grounded confidence which I felt in M. Kosmin's experience, ability, and persevering energy, I could not have ventured on despatching only three persons with indifferent horses, on such a journey, across a desert region, intersected by numerous broad and rapid streams, and devoid of all resource. Having given him my final instructions, he set out on the 2nd of July, accompanied by the lakut and a young Cossack. They took with them two light wetkas, for crossing the rivers. The next day some men, whom I had sent down the river in the Karbass, to shoot geese and swans, returned with the information that Tchu- kotskaia Bay, and even the mouth of the river itself, were still covered with solid ice. I was therefore obliged, most reluctantly, to await a change in the wind, which was now blowing freshly from the north and north* west, and drove SUMMER EXCURSIONS. 167 the sea-ice into the river instead of clearing it. f 'titer day we examined the state of the ice, sxnd still found it impossible for a boat to pass. Alter waiting impatiently for some days, I thought It best to give up the attempt for the present and turn my back on this desert plain, where the eye is uncheered by the sight of a tree a shrub or even a blade of green grass. Though It was July the wind from the north was keen and very cold; snow fell frequentlv, and remained wuf."^^^' ""^ *^^ ^^^"^d without melting. Whilst returning in the boat, I occupied myself m surveying, and in determining the position of some of the most remarkable points in the IT' . ^^ *t' ^^*^^ ^^ -^^1.^ I was at the mouth of the Krutaia, in the paraUel of the bucharnaia mountain, the latitude of which I wished to determine. My tent had been pitched amongst some willow-bushes, and a small fire had been lighted on the windward side, in order that the smoke from it might drive away the mos- quitoes, which had re-appeared on 'the weather becoming p. httle milder. I had only two people with me, having left one sailor behind to hunt, and the rest had returned to their homes, to procure the necessary provisions for their families. It really seemed as if my present attempt, which had had such an ill-omened beginning, was not to succeed ; for after all the vexatious delavs already met with, an accident happened, which had nearly deprived me of the fruits of all our preceding labours. We had rowed, as usual, into the middle ot the stream, to get pure water for cooking, that near the banks being muddy, and had not thought it necessary to extinguish the fire, on account of so short an absence, when a sudden gust of wind > •■•* f ' — — ■■yi>*' 168 SUMMER EXCURSIONS. drove it towards the tent, and before we could reach the shore, every thing was in flames. The loss was a very serious one, but it would have been far more so if I had not succeeded in res- cuing a box containing all my papers, journals, charts, and instruments, before the flames had penetrated the thick covering of fur in which it was enveloped. This accident, by destroying many articles in- dispensable for our voyage, decided my return to Nijnei Kolymsk. We arrived there on the 20th of July, and found MM. von Matiuschkin and Kyber preparing for their journey up the Aniui. As I had taken cold, and suff'ered much from rheumatism. Dr. Kyber advised me to go to Sredne Kolymsk, where the milder and less variable climate, and the use of lighter and fresher food, would probably contribute materially to restore my health. Accordingly I took the boat up the Kolyma on the 26th, and the two tra- vellers to the Aniui left Nijnei Kolymsk the same day. The further I receded from the low lands, which are subject to the blighting influence of the Polar Sea, the more pleasing became the aspect of the country, which loses the dreary uniformity of the Polar region, and is inhabited by a well-disposed and industrious population, the lakuts of Sredne Kolymsk. I quitted my boat at the village of Nisowoi Albut which is the most northern lakut settlement, and is distant 150 wersts from the town of Sredne Kolymsk, and continued my journey on horseback. After so many months passed in icy deserts, the fields covered with luxuriant grass, the vigorous larch- trees, poplars, and wiUows, the numerous herds. SUMMER EXCURSIONS. 169 2 rt» t 1 ^'"' ""'' *''<' vegetation, the milder aTd c wir-^"* °^ ^''^ ^-'^^ breathed ul AlbJtv "o'rTv '?" '', rP«°a"y luxuriant in the this dttrirt »n^T '"*"='' "'"""^ »^« ""«'^™»» in of Northel''"«l"™ '"'^°! **«= P«<="li«r features ^X r^/ •"* ''•* ''**^'- by the overflowinK various w! «,^P""g. ^T^-i ""ey form lakes of fro"ts of IS ' """^ /"" »'■ «*• The intense irosts of winter cause large clefts in the ground oy which the water rlmltf., «* . ^ b'uuua, ^urse of a f nglf^^atZetilslrslTe^Il^t ^"";i?i f , *""' f P°-J' soonTecoIe! S^Ls anT?h. tIT""* «'■'•''* °f the finest tll^e'fresh nh ^^"*' "f '■■ *■"" *» ^«"le near menL irLn'r'; '° *f '"™* "^ «'e settle- ments in this district are caUed Albuty.* the cattT/rV^ *^'? '"""""er settlements, with iwv * dressed m light and convenient stick t"?^e""'* "'''Ti I -- P-Sarty wf^^^ 7 , ^ summer habitation (letowie) of a ttbe 'ndtkh t1 "^ Y "-""^ -th Wsthole the fow, wl l^'^'i' f """le and horses from rrl f bere they had spent the winter His hZi ri.hT""'^'* " ' '-"" but smaJer nuts, in which his nearest kinsfolk and his ser vants were lodged; the whole was enclosed by times suddenly disaBnial!,?,'"'' "^ «""'" '!>« «ater some- v.siWe. In such casesl n,J '""' -"l ^"""'^"''"'n^ls being water disappears and »hi ,k ?"' " ''"'■'' ^' *« >'""' «h* large deta arc visible ' V"™ "' "" '^'<« '^ '"" ••are, t Bescrlbed iu chi'p'.eTir. "21'" "' "''"'^ °' "■» f^"^'" 170 SUMMER EH i!R»fONS, an extensive fence, within \vhi 'h the cattlf' were driven at nigfht. Everything ui nouiiced u pros- porous condition, «i»c>ciated -with patriarchal sim- pHcity, peace, iiud pujity of mariners. The hospitable and fru'rnd'jy reception which I met with, the mildness (/ iht air in these valley*, which are sheltered by the si irronnding hills and forests, the abundance of excellent milk, and other fresh food, and finally, the complete repose of mind which I enjoyed, whilst away from all anxious employment, and surrounded by the beauties of nature, — all combined to induce me to spend the short remains of summer here, in laying in a store of health and strength against the toils of the following winter. I soon felt the beneficial effects of this new mode of life ; and I shall ever remember with gratitude and pleasure the time nly not ery con- and in le great ttle and try, into climate, leir per- lerely a comfort, e inhos- ;endants lity, and pie from * The I Sredne ar. An 3 twenty ried zeal •ever he ey were such are vever, as hamans, illy con- )rn female It some- 1 cold and Did women ime mem- suited, even by Russians, in regard to finding a stray beast or discovering a theft. All that h J been said of the lakuts of the lakutsk distrieT apphes to those of tlie Kolyma. Their language then; habitatjons, their elothing, and their modes ^f rtA'^% l^'S'^' ''"* *•"= •'""ti'^g weapons of those of the Kolyma, eonsist only of bows and^arrows, and a large and strong knife ealled As their horses subsist during winter on the grass which they find under the fnow, the lakuts mgrate in spring with their herds, in order to leave the pasture in the neighbourhood of their winter-dwe hugs undisturbed^ The number of horned cattle which they can keep, depends on the supply of winter forage which they can obtain" and nothing can exceed the activity^ with which they pursue this most important object during the short summer. Throughout the whole of theliay! making season, they live almost entirely on oSnll If ' r"""* * t'^ '•""^"""^^ ''""k whole pa s-ful at a time. It agrees with them remark- ably well, and they grow fat and strong with hardly any other food. One of the ereatest disasters which can befall them is a sudden and early winter, cutting short the hay-harvest. Such an occurrence took place in this year. A keen wind from the north-west set in on the 22nd "f August, with a heavy fall of snow which snnn covered all the hay Remaining in the meadows tr ^^' ''I '^^^v'^'''^' *« '°- -- 'e-;^ fhp1;v„ V'"' ""r^"* ^^' '"'='' ^«^ere cold that the lakes froze, and troops of wolves came out of the forest and earned off above eighty cows At the same t mo tlip i^"-' , - - ,. '•- "'C xvuiviiiit Was so llllll«iinllTr swollen, that the fisheiy failed in a great meS I I '^' 174 SUMMER EXCURSIONS. A winter of scarcity seemed inevitable : but no- thing appeared to distress the herdsmen so much as being obliged, on account of the insufficient store of hay, to diminish still further the number of their cattle, many of which they had already lost by the ravages of the wolves. It was now time for me to return to Nijnei Kolymsk. I parted from these kind people, among whom I had recovered my health, and who were cheerful and happy when I first saw them, without being able to offer them anything in their distress except the expression of sincere sympathy. I left them on the 31st of August, and passed the night 40 wersts off, at a Russian village on the banks of the Timkina. Next day, l^t September, I found that my boat was already frozen in, and we had some difficulty in working it for two wersts through the ice which covered the small river : this brought us to the Kolyma, which owing to its greater breadth and stronger current was still free from ice. We descended its stream rapidly, and arrived the same day at Nijnei Kolymsk. I found there Serjeant Reschetnikow, who had returned from the Baranika, having completed the buildings. He and his people had been fre- quently disturbed at their work by dangerous visits from white bears. I learnt from him that large numbers of swans and geese resorted to that neighbourhood for breeding and moulting, and that that part of the sea was rich in a species of fish resembling Loaches (Schmerlen) called Golzy. The sailor whom I had left at the mouth of the lesser Tchukotskia, returned soon afterwards, and told me that both that river and the eastern mouth of the Kolyma had been completely frozen SUxAIMER EXCURSIOXS. 17 i 3ut no- much ifficient lumber already Nijnei people, ;h, and •st saw lything sincere \.ugust, liussian ;xt day, already rorking covered Lolyma, tronger ided its : Nijnei t^ho had upleted 3en fre- figerous im that to that ^g. and ecies of . Golzy. . of the ds, and eastern ' frozen over, as early as the 21st of August. Violent storms and frequent fails of snow had prevented him from shooting more than sixty head of swans and geese. The fishery had becnVcry successful. fifi, ? a"* Y^\^^«^^ ^^Pidly approach'ing : on the t)tn ot September there was much floating ice and on the 8th, the Kolyma was frozen over The mhabitants had not yet returned from their sum- mer occupations, and their deserted houses were completely covered by the snow, which had fallen almost without intermission. The only person • usually remains at home during the summer, IS an d Cossack, who has the charge of the town chancellery. His soHtude had been shared on the present occasion by an old woman, who was too mhrm to accompany her friends; and on my arrival the whole population consisted of these two persons, myself, and three men belono-in<>- to our expedition. The inhabitants graduahy Re- turned, and with much labour opened paths to their houses, and cleared out the snow which had m many cases filled the rooms, as the plates of ice used for windows had melted during the summer, and the shght shutters had not been in all cases strong enough to keep out the storms of wind and drifting snow. The tidings brought by the new comers were by no means cheering; some com- plained of failure in hunting, others in fishin- and looked forward to a winter of distress ami scarcity. Amidst this general anxiety I was gladdened by the arrival of the post from lakutsk • long-looked-for letters carried me back in thouo-ht to my far-distant friends and kindred, tind afforded me inexpressible delight, checked by the recollection that they had been six months in reaching me from Petersburgh. 1,:- 176 SUMMER EXCURSIONS. On the 29tli of September, MM. von Ma- tiuschkin and Kyber returned from their journey up the greater and the lesser Aniui, and a week later we rejoiced at the safe return of M. Kosmin from his coast expedition to the Indigirka. We were now all assembled again, and after spending the days in arranging our papers and journals, and entering our observations on the chart, we used to gather round the social hearth, and pass away the long evenings in recounting our several ad- ventures. 177 in Ma- joumey a week fCosmin I. We •ending als, and used to s away iral ad- CHAPTER IX. RIVERS. ^'''''' ^^^ """ ^^^^^^^ ^^^^' § I. — THE LESSER ANIUI. Departure from Nijnei KolymsL-Mammoth Bones --•Arrival at Plotbischtsche,- Aboriginal Popu- laUon of Ms mstrict. -Present InLitantT^ Causes of the Scantiness of the Population.-- lukalnrs.-Migration of the Bmn-de^ in Spring and Summer, —Departure from Plotbischtsche — ^mnowo,-Poginden,-TerminationoftheJmr- ^V'—The Rock Obrom.— Return to Plotbischt- sche,— General Remarks on the Lesser Aniui, On the 20th of June, 1821, Dr. Kvber and I N. N. W wind entered the great Aniui, which empties itself by three arms into the Kolvma opposite to the Ostrog of Nijnei Kolymsk. We were followed by the karbass in which our voyage was to be made; our few packages were soon transferred, and we rowed quickly up the stream which is here about a worst broad. anH l.o« o«a~g.i-! any current. We reached in the night the mouthi N 178 THE ANIUI RIVERS. P of two smaller wiski (streams having their origin in lakes) which are much resorted to for fishing by means of weirs and baskets, and are very pro- ductive, both in spring when the fish are going up to the lakes, and in summer when they are returning to the sea; and many summer-dwelUngs have been erected in consequence. We were detained here, engaging rowers, and making ar- rangements, till the 23rd, when we resumed our voyage. About ten wersts higher up we passed the mouth of the river Baiukowa, which rises in some distant mountains just visible to the south. Soon after we came to the branch which unites the greater and the lesser or dry Aniui, and entered the latter, and having followed its windings for 20 wersts, we halted for the night at a low sandy island, where we were secure from the visits of any of the numerous bears which we saw on both sides of the river. The two next days, 24th and 25th, we were favoured by the wind, and advanced rapidly. The boat being quite an open one, we were completely wet through by the heavy rain which had fallen incessantly during the last three days, and were dehghted to meet, at a place called Kildan, with a balagan, which had been erected for their own use by the merchants who travel to Ostrownoie. We remained there the next day to make several little alterations and improvements in our boat, one of which was to put up a mast to which a tow-line could be fastened,* as we knew that the rapid current higher up would pro- bably make such a mode of proceeding necessary. I employed myself meantime in arrangements respecting my journal, map, &c. I considered that to lay down precisely all the different wind- "' I'I .| W JH. ^~ll THE ANIUI RIVERS. 179 ongin fishing ry pro- going Ley are sellings 3 were ing ar- led our ed the n some Soon :es the mtered ngs for ' sandy isits of m hoth th and Lvanced )ne, we vy rain it three 3 called erected ravel to ; day to ements a mast as we lid pro- cessary. jements isidered it wind- of Hm? -llT^' ^J"'** *"= " "««'es3 occupation of time aud labour; I therefore contented mysdf on this journey with taking observations of kti- SCl p^Llr "' "™""' ^°" "^'^^^^^ '^^ thp^T n''^"''^°f*^ r« thus far resembled those of the Lower Kolyma by their dreary uniformity but we now began to meet with better past^'xhe nght bank is much higher than the left ft con sists of steep sand-hills 30 or more fathoms iS" afit i^ii '"""^f '' *"° *°rt to dissolve. Most of the hills were frozen as hard as, a rock ■ nothing thaws but a thin outside layer which S large masses of frozen sand to break off and fall into the stream. When this happens, mammoth bones in more or less good presemtioA areTuX found : we saw a few bones, and a skull wUcIi looked to me like that of a rhinoceros.* mulhTlT"'*', 'I*.^ '":^'""' *^ ^"'ent became much more rapid; the river makes a number of short bends, and forms many small islands It bed IS strewed with rough and sharp-pointed stones, against one of which we were driven by by the ffenor-,1 nm, J^p ' . . ^^ones, which are ca ed in New Siberia ami thpTr/^V "1 '," '^" ^'fatest abundance n2 ij 180 THE ANIUI RIVERS. ( I the current, and sprung a leak : but the boat was drawn on shore, emptied, and the damage repaired in the course of two hours. The banks became higher as we receded from Kildan, the fine reddish sand was replaced by gravel and stone, and at Molotkowo we saw slate rocks intersected by veins of quartz. The strength of the current prevented us from reaching Plotbischtsche until the third day. It is here that the rein-deer usually cross the river in their autumn migration, and we found crowds of hunters impatiently awaiting their passage. It was an anxious time, for many of the settlements were ah-eady threatened with a deficiency of food. We were hospitably received by a lukahir chief named Korkin, who gave us the best he had, namely dried rein-deer venison and train oil, but entirely refused payment. Under the circum- stances of scarcity and doubt, this liberality, which extended to many of the hunters as well as to ourselves, might appear to savour of improvi- dence; but such is true hospitality, which prevails throughout the Russian Empire, from Petersburgh to Kamtschatka, from the Caucasus to the Polar Sea ; and among the nomades of Siberia especially, the best is always for the guest. Dr. Kyber wished to remain here a little while, partly for medical pursuits, and partly for those of natural history. I tried meanwhile to learn as much as I could respecting the past anu present condition of the inhabitants. Before the conquest of Siberia by the Russians, the popula- tion was every where greater than at present. Some numerous races (as has been before noticed) "have left only their names behind ; and yet there are still, on a comparatively small surface, eight THE ANIUI RIVERS. 181 oat was epaired became reddish and at :ed by IS from . It is 'iver in owds of ;e. It iements )f food, ir chief tie had, oil, but circum- )erality, well as mprovi- prevails rsburgh le Polar pecially, a little artly for while to past and fore the I popula- present. noticed) vet there ,ce, eight or ten distinct races, some consisting of only a few families, but all distinguishable from each other by language, customs, and features : they appear to be fragments of more numerous tribes; some have perhaps come from a distance; the more mdependent nomade races retreated before their invaders further and further to the east. Our liost maintained that he himself was des- cended from the Onioki,* and that their language was still preserved in his family. This nation appears to have possessed a certain degree of civilization, and amongst other things, to have been acquainted with the use of iron before the arrival of the Russians. As the Rus- sian conquests advanced, and as the small-pox and other contagious diseases, which accompanied or preceded their course, committed fearful ravages, the Omoki determined to remove, and left the banks of the Kolyma in two large divi- sions, with their rein-deer. My host said that they went northwards, but he could not tell where ; probably they turned to the west along the coast of the Polar Sea, for there are now traces near the mouth of the Indigirka of numerous yourtes, though the oldest people do not know of there ever having been any settlement in that part of the country. The place is still caUed Omokskoie YurtoWichtche.f The deserted banks of the Kolyma were gra- dually occupied by different tribes, of which the most important were the lukahirs, the Tunguses from the Steppes on the Amur, and the Tchu- • See chapter iii., page 53. t Where are the remnants of this once numerous nation now to be found ? Can it be in Europe and on the banks of the Fetschora, as some vague traditions would seem to suggest l 182 THE ANIUI RIVERS. wanzes, who were pressed hither from the banks, of the Anadyr by the Tchuktches. Such was the state of things in 1750, when Pawluzkii, Vaivod of lakutsk, supported by the then numerous Tchuwanzes and lukahirs, undertook a campaign against the Tchuktches. In this warfare most of the Tchuwanzes perished, as well as a great num- ber of lukahirs, and the remainder as well as the Russians were dreadfully ravaged by raahgnant fevers, small-pox in its most deadly form, and other contagious disorders, some of which are not even yet extirpated. There are now on the lesser Aniui only a few families of lukahirs, who having lost their rein- deer have been obliged to relin- quish their nomade life. They have been bap- tized, and have gradually laid aside their national peculiarities, and all speak Russian. Their habi- tations and clothing resemble, and were probably the originals of, those already described as in use at Nijnei Kolymsk. They have generally black eyes, dark hair, a longish and remarkably pale face, and tolerably regular features. They still possess the cheerful disposition, un- bounded hospitality, and other similar good qua- lities, which usually characterize a nomade people, and are often lost by civilization; but, in their intercourse with the Russians, whom they still regard as oppressors, they show a sort of distrust- ful dissimulation, and will go great lengths to overreach them in trade. They are passionately fond of music, and almost all play some airs on the violin or the Balalaika. The women have rather agreeable voices. Their singing is quite peculiar, irregular and wild, but after the ear becomes accustomed to it, it is not unpleasing. They generally improvise both the words and the 1 THE ANIUI RIVERS. 183 air, but the words have nothing original ; thev appear to be entirely imitated from the Russians.^ Ihe hsheries along the banks of the Aniui are generally unimportant, as the larger kinds of fish are not met with above Plotbischtsche, the inhabi- tants have to subsist therefore almost entirely on the produce of the chase. Like the Laplanders, their food, clothing, and all their principal wants, are supplied by the rein-deer. The two most important epochs of the year, are the spring and autumn migrations of the rein- deer About the end of May these animals leave the forest.-, where they hri found some degree of shelter from the winter cold, in large herds, and seek the northern plains nearer the sea, partly for the sake of the better pasture afforded by the moss tundras, and partly to fly from the mosqui- . toes and other msects, which literally speaking torment them to death. ^' The hunting at this season is not nearly so im- portant and valuable as in the autumn ; as it often happens that the rivers are still frozen over, they attord no opportunity of intercepting the deer and the hunters can only lie in wait for them among the ravines, to shoot them with ^uns or arrows. Success with the latter weapon is rather uncertain, and the high price of powder and ball IS an objection to the use of guns; the more so as at this season the rein-deer are very thin, and so injured by insects that nothing but the extre- mity of hunger can render the flesh palatable : the ammals killed in spring are commonly only used for the dogs. The true harvest, which we arrived just m time to see, is in August or Sep- tember, when the rein-deer arc returning fron. the plams to the forests. They are then healthy i 184 THE ANIUI RIVERS. and well fed, the venison is excellent, and as they have just acquired their winter coats the fur is thick and warm. The difference in the quality of the skins at the two scjisons is such, that whilst an autumn skin is valued at five or six roubles, a spring one will only fetch one, or one and a-half rouble. In good years the migrating body of rein-deer consists of many thousands ; and though they are divided into herds of two or three hundred each, yet the herds keep so near together as to form only one immense mass, which is sometimes from 50 to 100 wersts in breadth. They always follow the same route, and in crossing the river near Plotbischtsche, they choose a place where a dry valley leads down to the stream on one side, and a flat sand}' shore facilitates their landing on the other. As each separate herd approaches the river, the deer draw more closely together, and the largest and strongest takes the lead. He advances, closely followed by a few of the others, with head erect, and apparently intent on ex- amining the locality. When he has satisfied himself, he enters the river, the rest of the herd crowd after him, and in a few minutes the surface is covered with them. Then the hunters, who had been concealed to leeward, rush in their light canoes from their hiding-places, surround the deer, and delay their passage, whilst two or three chosen men armed with short spears, dash into the middle of the herd and despatch large numbers in an incredibly- short time j or at least wound them so, that if they reach the bank, it is only to fall into the uan^xS 01 xiic women ciiitt ^.nii^^ii^/ii. The office of the spearmen is a very dangerous THE ANIUI RIVERS. 185 IS they fur is ulity of whilst ibies, a La-half in-deer iiey are d each, to form 38 from J follow ;r near a dry de, and on the les the er, and d. He others, on ex- jatisfied le herd surface jaled to Q their ly their armed he herd credibly that if nto the Qgerous one. It is no easy thing to keep the light boat afloat among the dense crowd of the swimming deer, which, moreover, make consid< ruble resist- ance; the males with their horns, teeth, and hind legs, whilst the females try to overset the boat by getting their fore-feet over the gunnel ; if they succeed in this, the hunter is lost, for it is hardly possible that he should extricate himself from the throng ; but the skill of these people is so great, that accidents very rarely occur. A good hunter may kill 100 or more in less than half an hour. Wlien the herd is large, and gets into disorder, it often happens tliat their antlers become entangled with each other; they are then imable to defend themselves, and the business is much easier. Meanwhile the rest of the boats pick up the slain, and fasten them together with thongs, and every one is allowed to keep what he lays hold of in this manner. It might seem that in this way nothing would be left to requite the spearmen for their skill, and the danger they have encountered ; but whilst every thing taken in the river is the property of whoever secures it, the wounded animals which reach the bank before they fall, belong to the spearman who wounded them. The skill and experience of these men is such, that in the thickest of the conflict, when every energy is taxed to the uttermost, and their lives are every moment at stake, they have sufficient presence of mind to contrive to measure the force of their blows so as to kill the smallest animals outright, but only to wound the larger and finer ones, so that they may be just able to reach the bank. Such proceeding is not sanctioned by the general vmpp V^nf it sppma 7ip\-prfV>f>lf»«« fr\ h« oli iHlv/oi; always practised. The whole scene is of a most singular and (1 186 THE ANIUI RIVERS. curious character, and quite indescribable. The throng of thousands of swimming rein-deer, the sound produced by t^e striking together of their antlers, the swift canoes dashing in amongst them, the terror of the frightened animals, the danger of the huntsmen, the shouts of warning, advice or applause from their friends, the blood-stained water, and all the accompanying circumstances^ form a whole which no one can picture to himself without having witnessed the scene. When the chase is over, and the spoils are distributed, the deer which have been killed are sunk in the river, the ice-cold water of which preserves them for several days, till there is time to prepare them for winter use. For this purpose the flesh is either dried in the air, smoked, or, if early frosts set in, frozen. The Russians some- times salt the best pieces. The tongues are con- sidered the greatest delicacy, and are reserved for special occasions. We passed two weeks at Plotbischtsche, and left it on the 13th of August, when the rein-deer hunt was quite over. We arrived at night at Argunowo, where we found a few families still awaiting the passage of some of the deer. About twenty wersts above Argunowo, the Aniui is joined from the north by the Poginden, a stream of nearly equal breadth. The rein-deer pass the river as high up as this place, but not much beyond, as its course is then broken by waterfalls. There are no settlements on the Poginden, but in winter, when it is frozen, it affords a smooth and convenient road to the lukahirs, who are going to the mountains and to 4"lio nQTilre (\f fVlp 'Rp»»pcrt'Woi«*- or*/! T^QforjilrQ ivlipfP wild sheep abound. At Argunowo the river-views became more THE ANIUI RIVERS. 187 pleasing : the dark rocks were replaced by gently swelling and varied slopes, and the windings of the stream were chequered by small islands, with groups of popla-.trees. A few small herds of rein-deer, which had apparently lingered behind the mam body, added animation to the scene. Ihe rapid current allowed us to advance onlv very slowly. ^ We passed the night of the 16th in a deep ravine, between two rocky hills, one of which is named from an extensive enclosure, into which the migrating rein-deer are enticed by various devices. As the evening was clear, I ascended one ot the hills, which I thought would command an extensive prospect, with the intention of ob- taiamg some angles, but I found that my view was shut in by dark rocks in almost every direc- tion, and I had to return without effecting my purpose. Next day we came in sight of the rock Obrom, which was to form the termination of our journey; its summit was veiled in clouds. We passed the fort of Ostrownoie, and arrived, on the evemng of the 17th, at the summer village of Obromsk, where we found only women and children, the men not having yet returned from the rein-deer hunt. Dr. Kyber wished to stay here a few days, during which I wandered about the country with my dogs and gun. An lukahir accompanied me as a guide up the Obrom rock : the path which we took was rugged and dangerous, but the view from the snow-clad summit amply repaid me. To the north were undulating snowy mountains, which lost them- selves m the blue ice and mist of the frozen sea ; the dark red beams of the setting sun, heralds of 188 THE ANIUI RIVERS. an approaching storm, gilded the summits of the mountains, and reflected by the particles of ice which filled the air, formed innumerable rainbows; here and there dark rocks rose from the mist, like islands in the ocean. There are features peculiar to the icy regions of the Polar Circle, which can- not be conveyed by description, but which chal- lenge no less admiration than the smiling beauty of more favoured regions. Whilst I was contem- plating the picture before me, the death-like stillness which prevailed was suddenly broken by violent gusts of wind, howling and sweeping through the ravines, and whirling up high columns of snow and sand ; my guide urged our speedy return by an easier path than we had fol- lowed in the morning, and on which the side of the mountain would afford us some protection from the storm. The Obrom is wooded half-way up ; fine larch trees grow near the foot ; these are succeeded by shrubs of the same species ; higher up, the ground is covered by the creeping cedar, to which succeed coarse grass and moss. The rock itself consists of granite, very much weathered, with occasional patches of vegetable earth. Bad weather, storms, rain^ and snow, had now set in ; the few deciduous trees lost their leaves ; the north sides of the hills were covered with snow, and broad margins of ice began to form along the river. On the 21st of August we commenced our return, and aided by a favourable wind, descended the stream at five knots an hour, and reached Plotbischtsche the evening of the second day. Wp Tioairl fprxrri \\rkf\\ a\A(^rt ""'"^"g ^°°'«- My inexperirnce i H^nnJ "^ "^T'- T^^ probably the reason why I did not even get sight of a single sable- how ever, I shot several ptarmigan, which ^Med^ very welcome addition to our supper ^^ * 9n the banks of both the greater and the lesser Aniui, there are an immense number of trans and snares of aU kinds, for catching the Ks ermines grey squirrels, wolverines, and foxes 7ei't tr^'- '^°*7*^t»d-g all the":^^s resorted to for their destruction. Prom two to three hundred sables, are often taken in the cZ e of the autumn. An industrious lukahir usua^lv sets about five hundred different traps, whe„ the first snow falls He nsits them five or six t"mes in the course of the winter, and in a good year he commonly finds one take in eveiy ei|hth Tten?^ There are a great variety of these traps; all are m.«le of wood, without any iron, and 'wfth „^ 192 THE ANIUI RIVERS. other tool than a hatchet, and show remarkable ingenuity and mechanical skill. They are so perfectly adapted to the pecuhar habits, mode of running, and degree of strength of the different animals they are designed to catch, that it would seem impossible to make any further improve- ments in them. That great practical teacher, necessity, has induced the lukahirs to exercise to the utmost their inventive faculties, on the only branch of industry by which they can earn money, and they have attained a high degree of perfection in the art, both as respects the mode of ensnaring the fur-animals, and in the necessary training of the dogs and rein-deer employed in the chase. On the night of the 26th of August, we reached the little settlement of Tigischka, on the banks of the greater Aniui ; we found no one there except two half-starved women. As Dr. Kyber was ill, and unable to continue the journey on horseback, we were obliged to halt, and to send one of our people to Sladkoie, where a great number of per- sons were assembled for the rein-deer hunt, and where, therefore, we hoped to be able to obtain a good-sized boat. The next day the boat arrived, but it was so narrow, that it was impossible to stow ourselves and our luggage in it. We there- fore agreed that Dr. Kyber should embark by himself, and that I should ride along the river- side as far as Lobasnoie, where we hoped to find a larger karbass, in which we might both proceed, according to our original plan, as far as the mouth of the Angarka, where there was formerly a small fort and where the Tchuktches were in the habit of resorting every year for barter. On the 28th of August, I continued my jour= ney ; the ground was covered with snow, and we THE ANIUI RIVERS. 193 joiir= had to make our way through thickets and across streams and morasses. High wind and falling snow continued throughout the day, and we were glad to take shelter for the night under the steep bank of the river Vetrenowka. The woods through which we had been travelling were much finer than those of the lesser Aniui. We saw, besides larch, a quantity of well-grown birches, poplars, willows, aspens, and other species of trees. We passed several old burying-places of the earlier inhabitants, which were little wooden buildings, resembling the Saibes or places for depositing provisions. The corpses were clothed and armed with bows, arrows, and spears, and the Shamans had their magic drum put in their hand. We saw at some little distance from our path, an old yvooden building, resembling a kind of fortifica- tion, and made of boards which appeared to have been formed by the aid of stone hatchets. The bad weather, the deep snow, and the lateness of the hour, did not admit of a closer examination. The Vetrenowka has many windings, and its banks are steep and rocky. The hollows between the hills and rocks are covered almost everywhere with angular fragments of stone, which have not yet been rounded by the action of water. Both here, and on the lesser or dry Aniui, I frequently met with slate with veins of spar, and occasionally with cornelian and quartz, the former in very small pieces, and the laiter in rather large masses. I found here a mamraotli's jaw-bone in tolerably good preservation. After a rather uncomfortable night, we conti- nued our journey next morning. It had struck me several times the day before, that the guide was not altogether well acquainted with tlic way : o 194 THE ANIUI RIVERS. and on seeing him to-day turn sometimes in one direction and sometimes in another, without any- apparent reason, I expressed to him my doubts as to his knowledge of the district. However, he maintained stoutly that he had often been here before, and to prove it, he ran over the names of the various hills and streams which we had passed. Meanwhile night came on, and we were still wandering through rugged and desert ravines, our horses almost knocked up, when at last the guide acknowledged that he did not know in what direction to look for the Aniui. I had now to seek a way out of the wilderness as well as I could. My own opinion was, that the river lay to the westward, and not having any compass, I directed my course to that quarter by the bark of the larch-trees, which throughout northern Siberia is black on the north, and red on the south side of the tree. The fur-hunters often direct their course through the trackless forests by this sign. We came shortly to a stream which wc supposed flowed into the Aniui, and as the darkness ren- dered the mountain-paths both difficult and dan- gerous, I determined on following the course of the stream, which became gradually larger, and assumed a north-west direction. After proceed- ing twenty wersts further, we heard to our great joy the rushing sound of the swollen river dashing over the rocks and stones which intercepted its course. We soon reached its banks, and found that, after having gone a long way out of our road, we had come out opposite to the village of Sladkoie. We sheltered ourselves from the vnud and snow in a half-ruined balagan, which stood near the river. Our fire attracted the notice of the lukahirs on ' I THE ANIUI RIVERS. 195 the opposite bank, and somo of them came across to us, gave us fresh rein-deer meat, and told us that Dr. Kyber liad arri\ed in tlie course of the day. As our horses were quite knocked up, and unfit to continue the journey, I determined to leave most of our things here under the care of our lukahir, and to cross over to Sladkoie in a little boat. Next day Dr. Kyber and I proceeded in a karbass, and after a passage which lasted seven hours, and which was rendered dangerous by the high wind and the force of the waves, we arrived on the 30th of August at Lobasnoie, where alar^^e number of rein-deer are usually taken at this season. We heard several shots fired, and as we approached nearer we were greeted by the sound of son^s We were met on landing by two lukahir chiefs, who told us that they were celebrating the name- day of the Emperor, or as he is called here, the White or free Czar, the Son of the Sun. We joined them, and distributed tobacco and brandv which added to the general hilarity. The men displayed their skill in shooting at a mark with bows and arrows, and with guns; they had also foot-races, and boat-races, and the women sans? and danced The rejoicings continued till dav- break : doubtless the day was celebrated in a far more brilliant manner in manv parts of the Rus- sian Empire, uut it can hardly have been kept any where with more cordiality and cheerfulness than at this obscure village, 12,000 worsts from the imperial residence. We found that a great number of sick people had collected here to await our arrival, and Dr Kyber decided on staying a fortnight on their account. As thfire wor*^ s'^^^o^ol — — :^-,i _- .- , , „ --:•;'■' '"'^'^^'^^ ^"itjical operations to be performed, he had his hands quite full- but o 2 ' 196 THE ANIUI RIVERS. I the uninterrupted bad weather, with thick-faUing snow, detained me almost the whole time in irk- some inactivity. It was hardly possible to make any excursion in the neighbourhood, and I had to consider myself fortunate in getting one meridian altitude for latitude. The inhabitants say that they find various crystals, chalcedony, and cornelian in the moun- tains, and at the mouth of the river flints of an unusual size, marked with impressions of plants and shells. In a high cHff of black slate near the little river of Sladkoie which we followed to the Aniui, there is a whitish earth, which has a sweet- ish, and rather astringent taste, and to which the lukahirs ascribe a variety of sanatory properties. The district of the greater Aniui must be more interesting than that of the lesser Aniui, both on account of its denser population, and of the greater variety both of plants and animals. We were therefore doubly mortified at the state of the weather, which almost precluded us from making our own observations, and obliged us to be con- tented with such imperfect and uncertain notices as we could glean from the inhabitants. The migratory rein -deer had not yet passed the river at this place. Their arrival was expected Avith the utmost anxiety, for scarcity was alreadv severely felt. It is not easy to imagine the fearful excess which famine reaches among a people whose whole support depends on one precarious incident. It often happens that many among them have to subsist during the latter part of summer almost entirely on the skins which form their bedding and clothing; and if happily a sinde rein-deer is killed it is immediately cut up, divided among the whole tribe, and literally eaten skin and all, the hair being just singed off". The y w I THE ANIUI RIVERS. 197 h contents of the stomach, and even the horns are used as food. Fish are not caught till later in the year, and even then only in small numbers, and few of the inhabitants venture to go off to the tundras in quest of game, for fear of missing the passage of the rein-deer, on which their support so essentially depends. On the 12th of September the hungry people were filled with joy, by immense numbers of rein- deer approaching the right bank of the river opposite to Lobasnoie. I never saw such a mul- titude of these animals. At a distance their antlers resembled a moving forest. Crowds of people flocked in on every side, and hope beamed on every countenance as they arranged themselves m their light boats to await the passage of the deer. But whether the animals had seen and were terrified at the crowds of people, or what- ever the reason may have been, aftei a short pause, they turned, left the bank, and disappeared among the mountains. The utter despair of the poor starving people was dreadful to witness. It manifested itself among these rude children of nature under various forms. Some wept aloud and wrung their hands ; some threw themselves on the ground, and tore up the snow ; others, and amongst them the more aged, stood silent and motionless, gazing with fixed and tearless eyes in the direction where their hopes had vanished. J^eehng our utter inabihty to offer any alleviation to their misery, we hastened to quit this scene of woe, and resumed our voyage on the 30th, not- withstanding a violent contrary wind. Beino- favoured by the current, we reached Sladkoie the same night, and JJolgoie the following day. Throughout the entire interval of about eightv 198 iff I 'I ,i| I TilE ANiri RIVERS. wersts, the river floMs along the foot of an unin- terrupted mountain ridfrc, from wliich bluff rocks occasionally project, and overhang the bed of the stream. These rocks consist partlv of light grey granite, and partly of black slate, ^between which there are thin layers of ochre. The inhabitants were now having recourse to the fisheries as their only remaining though inadequate resource. Still the greater fisheries on this river, though not very productive, are usually far more so than those of the lesser Aniui, as the former stream is less wide but much deeper, and less rapid than the latter : and consequently the fish go higher up, and m larger quantities. But in the present year .1 distress even this last hope failed; only a tew fish, and those small ones, were taken; more frequently the nets and baskets came up empty. Ihe fowhng season was over, general famine ap- pealed inevitable, and no doubt many hundreds ot the scanty population perished, as had been repeatedly the case in former years. The im- provident and careless habits of the people, the great distances between their settlements, and the generally desert state of the country, combine to make it impossible for the government or its offacers to effect any amelioration in their unfor- tunate condition. Most of these tribes were lormerly nomades, who ranged with their tame rem-deer far and wide through the tundras in search of the best pasture. After the conquest of Liberia they were subject to tribute, and were restncted to a limited circle, within which they were often unable to find sufficient food for their rem-deer.* The consequence of this restriction ,^h\ e J m ^ .° ^ l^wuwuiizes, unaei ihe conduct of a cmet named Tchaia, have been successful in retaining their 1 i THE ANIUI RIVERS. 199 has been the gradual loss of those animals, partly for want of pasture and partly from sickness, which, when It broke out in a single herd, spread rapidly amongst the rest, as they could no bnjjer be withdrawn at once to escape tlie contagiSn. ihe people gradually adopted many of the cus- toms of their conquerors, the Russians, in the torm of their habitations and clothing, and in the employment of dogs* instead of rein-deer for ^raft ; but they have retained that carelessness as to the future, which characterizes all nomade races As Russian subjects they became at comity with the Koraks and Tchuktches, who are their nearest neighbours, and many destructive conflicts have taken place between them. Attachment to the land of their birth, and Ignorance of the countries beyond th- Kolyma have combined to prevent them from spreadinjj towards the west, and to retain them in a district! where their very existence (depends on succl3s in intercepting the wild rein-deer in their animal migration. Thus hunger, wars, and .tagious diseases, which assume here a highly-malignant ATnliT ?Tt'^^ *^ ""^^^^ the^opuWon. An old chief told me that some time ago the rchuwanzes requested permission to remove to the uninhabited and fruitful districts along the Anadyr and the Penshen, but that the Commis- nomade mode of life. They are distinguished from their coun trymen by a more powerful frame of body, by t^ tents which dog. but, on the other hand, he is more difficult to Stain? ' 200 THE AXIUI RIVERS. 1; / sioners of the Kolymsk district had hitherto successfully opposed the granting of this petition, lest they should lose a large part of the advan- tages which they derived from the fur-trade with that people. The Tchuwanzes and lukahirs of the greater Aniui, from having had much less intercourse with the Russians than has been the case with the dwellers on the banks of the lesser Aniui, have retained much more of their original lan- guage, manners, and customs. The Lamuts and Tunguses along the two Aniui have also lost their tame rein-deer, and now live poorly on the uncer- tain produce of the chase and the fisheries, which are not very productive. Nor are those lakuts much better off, who have been brought by the government from the banks of the Aldan, to aid in transporting provisions and other stores to the fort which formerly existed on the Anadyr: separated from the rest of their countrymen, they have forgotten even their own language, and have assimilated to the Russians in manners, modes of life, and even physical appearance. They live almost exclusively by fishing, and their only domestic animals are their dogs, which they use for draft. The population on the banks of the Aniui has increased latterly, but this cannot be regarded as any sign of an improvement in the condition of the people. It is caused by the influx of the nomade tribes, who having lost their rein-deer by sickness or other accidents, are forced to seek their subsistence, like the rest of their country- men, in the neighbourhood of the rivers. The number of persons in this district who still con- tinue to lead a nomade life does not exceed 400. They have to pay a yearly tribute, which they bring partly in furs and paitly in money. I J THE ANIUI RIVERS. 201 They have all been baptized, and conform to the usages of the Russian Church at least once a-year, when the various settlements are visited by the priest of Kolymsk, for the purpose of solemnizing marriages, christenings, and burials, and of administering the Lord's Supper. The journey is a very difficult and laborious one, as it includes a round of many hundred worsts, at the worst season of the year, and in a wild and half- desert country. It is, however, a very profitable journey to the priest in pecuniary respects, from the number of presents which he receives. It is not uncommon for him to return with two or three sledges laden with the most costly furs, sables, ermines, foxes, &c. Pagan superstitions have been a good deal checked by the introduction of Christianity; nevertheless, the belief in the power of good and evil spirits, and of the Shamans, have re- tained a good deal of influence, which singularly enough has extended to the Russians. I have even been assured that a priest, who was about to undertake a distant journey to lakutsk, applied to a Shaman to afibrd him protection by his art against the accidents which mignt occur during the journey ! Generally speaking, however. Sha- manism has lost its religious character. With the Russians it is for the most part a mere mode of passing away the time, and they send for a Shaman to occupy an evening in the exercise of his art, just as in Europe people send for a con- juror. After this digression I return to our journey. The cold increased daily; the ice along the margin of the river bfinnTnp Kr'^qd'^v or.ri ,.,^ sometimes came to places, where the current was less rapid, which were frozen over so that we had 203 THE ANIUI RIVERS. I' / ;■. to open a passage by the aid of hatchets and poles. We hastened our course as much as possible, that before the river was actually frozen, we might arrive at some place where we could procure sledges. With great difficulty we reached Eolschaia Brussanka, where we were received at the summer dwelling of the lakut Knasez or chief. We had to wait here until the stream should be completely frozen and the winter road open. During our stay the cold seldom exceeded + 9°- The temperature of the water also altered but very slowly. In the Aniui, as well as in all the more rapid and rocky streams of this district, the formation of ice takes place in two different manners: a thin crust spreads itself along the banks and over the smaller bays where the current is least rapid, but the greater part is formed in the bed of the river, in the hollows amongst the stones, where the weeds give it the appearance of a greenish mud. As soon as a piece of ice of this kind attains a certain size, it is detached from the ground, and raised to the surface, by the greater specific gravity of the water; these masses, con- taining a quantity of gravel and weeds, unite and consolidate, and in a few hours the river becomes passable in sledges instead of in boats. On the 24th of September everything was ready for the continuance of our journey in sledges. The dogs were weak and tired from scanty food, and we could only drive slowly, so that we did not reach the lakut settlement of Potistennoie until the 28th. The above name, signifying five-cornered or fi/e-walled, is taken from a large insulated rock, which by its five perpendicular sides of equal dimensions bears a THE ANIUI RIVERS. 203 great resemblance to a five-cornered tower. We obtained here fresh dogs, and drove the same day to a village called Baskowo, where we found a few Russian families, who had not yet returned to Nijnei Kolymsk. From Brussanka to Bas- kowo, the banks of the stream are generally fiat, with a few occasional sand-hills, which are con- tinually undermined by the water. The whole district is a morass, interspersed with small lakes, with occasional low bushes and stunted larch- trees; a few taller trees are sometimes seen in places where the ground is a Httle raised. The whole district is remarkably uninteresting and dreary; we travelled through it for five days, and on the 29th of September we were glad to see Nijnei Kolymsk again, afte^ ui. absence of seventy days. The nature of th- roimtry, and the late- ness of the season, combined to render the latter half of our journey barren of interest. It may be said of the inhabitants generally, that notwithstanding the influence of the Rus- sians, they still preserve, in great measure, their original characteristics, both in their physical appearance, and in their disposition. Like'^most of the natives of the Polar Circle, they are short in stature, but broad-shouldered and muscular. Their hands and feet are very small, their heads are large in proportion to their bodies, the face is broad and flat, and the wide cheeks seem to press the mouth together and give it a roundish form. Their hair is black and coarse, and their small deep-seated eyes are dull and inanimate. Their whole outward form seems contracted by ^e^ severity ^of the chm- te, and the constant con- iiic^ wi. .. oo.ci and hunger : and from the same causes, their moral and intellectual faculties appear as if but imperfectly developed. 204 '5 i' CHAPTER X. Survey of the Coast of the Polar Sea from the Lesser Tchukotski River to the mouth of the Indigirka, by the Mate Kosmin, in 1821. I WAS directed by the commander of the ex- pedition, to commence my survey from the village of Maloie Tchukotskie, to which place he accom- panied me, and where we expected to meet guides and horses. It was not until the 1st of July that an lakut arrived, bringing only five horses, which had been collected from the different settlements about 150 wersts off. My preparations were soon completed ; the two strongest horses were loaded with provisions and other necessaries, and the three remaining ones were assigned to myself and my two companions, who were the above-men- tioned lakut and a young Cossack acquainted with the district. By the advice of the latter we took two light canoes for crossing the rivers. We started on the second of July at half-past eleven, with clouded weather, and with a temperature of + 49". The river Tchukotskia rises in a lake of the same name, ten wersts from the sea, and which is eighteen wersts long, and from seven to eight wersts broad. This lake is connected by a small arm with that of Bokowoie, of nearly the same size. About fiichf wPT-e+o fwf\*vy 4-l^r. ^^r.4. J _i« the Bokowoie lake, is that of Nerpitschie, nearly COAST SURVEY. 205 same fifteen wersts in length ; from the western end of the latter lake flows the TJbiennaia, which ioins the Kolyma neai- its mouth, while the Pochodskaia runs from the south-eastern end of the same lake and empties itself also into the Kolyma highei up. These three rivers abound in fish, and are greatly regarded by the natives in consequence. The country in a W.N.W. direction from the mouth of the Tchukotskia is interspersed with lakes of various sizes, is flat, and scarcely raised above the level of the sea. We met with a lar^e quantity of drift-wood, among which the horses stumbled and became frightened and unruly, one ot the boats was broken to pieces, and the pack- horses got loose and shook off part of their loads. Ihese circumstances made our days' march of only thirty-six wersts a very fatiguing one We passed the night in a balagan, on the Ubiennaia, resorted to from Nijnei Kolymsk for fishing. Its latitude IS 69" 37', and its longitude 159^ 27' bv reckoning. ^ Early in the morning of the 3rd of July we had violent wind and a thick fog. Snow fell in the evening with a temperature of -f 29"; it had been + 35^ m the morning. We followed the course of the Ubiennaia, which is N. 40> E and slept 12| wersts ofi" at its mouth, in a bay of the same name. The wind was so high, that we could not venture to cross the bay in small boats; we had therefore to foUow its wmdings until we came to the mouth of the Kon'kowaia, where we slept. During the latter part of this day's march, our horses had to wade up to their girths, as the violent N. E. winds had caused the sea to overflow mW" -^^^-J^ -or a i;OuBiuuraDie aistance inland. Not far from the smaU elevation where we passed 206 M. KOSMTN'S I ill the night, we found some fragments of a ship- wrecked vessel, in the construction of which iron nails had been used. We were now by reckoning in latitude 69° 46', and in longitude 159° 27'. In a N. 80" W. direction, and at a distance of about 13 wersts, we saw several Tunguse yourtes. In the night of the 4th, the wind veered to the north, and brought with it thick masses of mist, which sometimes sunk, and sometimes rose again, but were never entirely dispersed, notwithstand- ing the violent gusts of wind. Though when morning broke the thermometer showed -f- 35°, yet we suffered much from cold, being completely wet through, and the storm and the damp atmos- phere making it impossible to kindle a fire with the drift-wood, which was thoroughly saturated with sea-water. In the morning we found the ground about us, our horses, and even our own clothes, covered with a thin white finely crystal- lized crust of a salt flavour. I had subsequently several times occasion to observe, that during N. and N. W. winds, the ground becomes covered with crystals of salt. The horses appear to like them, and eat with avidity the dry hard grass when it is covered by them. As the storm continued, and as the Kon^kowaia is here half a werst broad, we could not take our horses across it, and had to follow its course up- wards for six wersts, when we came to a place where it was only 70 fathoms in width, and where we crossed without difficulty. But after passing the rapid stream safely, we met with a misfortune where we least expected it. We had returned to the coast and were crossing a shallow bay, when the Cossack's horse took fright, and threw his rider and two packages which contained my h I COAST SURVEY. 207 I ship- ;h iron koning r. In about to the >f mist, again, istand- when -f-350, pletely atmos- re with burated nd the ir own 3rystal- juently •ing N. covered to like i grass 'kowaia ike our irse up- a place I where passing fortune rned to Y, when rew his Led ray journal and our store of tea and of ammunition. The tea, which was our only cordial, was spoilt^ and the powder was rendered wholly unfit for use ; the latter loss was the more important, as we expected to encounter bears very frequently, and we had no weapons left except the Takut's bow, one hatchet, and a couple of knives. Whilst the others were engaged in catching the horse, I rode to the Tungusian village before men- tioned. It consisted of thirteen scattered yourtes situated on some of the flat hills, called ledoma' which occasionally break the uniformitv of the Siberian tundr s. The houses were built partly of wood and partly of bark, and were inhabited by thirty Tunguses and lukahirs with their chiefs. They usually come here in the beginning of sum- mer, i. e. in June, and remain about Uvo months for hunting, fishing, and fowling. In Au*^ust' they travel along the coast in quest of stone-foxes and mammoth bones, and wlien the cold weather sets in, they return to the forests, and engage in the chase of the fur-animals. In December they assemble at Tchetyrech, on the Alaseia, to meet the Government Commissioner, and to pay him their jassak or tribute of furs, and to purchase tobacco, ammunition, and other things. During the remainder of the year, they wander over the tundras between the Kolyma and the Indigirka As I approached the yourtes I was met by the inhabitants, who took me at first for one of the Russian merchants, who occasionally travel through the country from Kolvmsk to barter tobacco and brandy for furs. On learning who we were, they did not alter their intended kind ----r •'* "^. in aaurii lur uur eutertammeiit 1 gave them some of the wetted tea, which they 208 M. ROSMIN's D were much pleased with, and assisted me in dry- ing the remainder. They gave us two new boats in place of the old ones, which were almost worn out. , . , , I have nothing to add to the accounts which the other members of our expedition have given of the different races; but I maybe permitted to remark that I regard the nomade Tunguses and lukahirs as the happiest people in Siberia. They are not tied down to any spot, but wander as circumstances induce, always taking with them their families and their small possessions, and never feeling the grief of parting from a home. They scarcely seem to have any anxiety for the future, but cheerfully enjoy the present. The strong mutual attachment in families, and between friends, so rare among half-civilized people, and the purity of their manners, are really deserving of admiration. , . , , m • i The group of hills on which the Tungasian vil- lage is situated, extends eight or ten wersts to the west, where it increases in height, and turns in a N. E. direction towards the sea, forming a ridge of some elevation on the east side of the greater Tchukotskia river. One of the most important and productive of the numerous lakes scattered over the low lands of this district, is situated on the north side of these hills; the Mawrina flows from it. The Ostrownoie lake, on the south side of the hills, sends forth the lakutka river, near which there is a summer balagan belonging to some of the citizens of Nijnei Kolymsk. On the western declivity of the hills there is a large quantity of drift-wood, among which the Tungusiaiis had found fragments of a vessel, which, from the irons nails adhering to it, appeared to be r COAST SURVEY. 200 of a different construction from the simple one in use here. We left this hospitable settlement on the 5th of July, at noon, and proceeded in a N. 27" E. direction. We followed the coast for twenty-six worsts, and halted for the night in 70" 00' latitude and 159° 41' longitude, by reckon- ing. The sea horizon was covered with ice and large hummocks, extending to within two worsts of the land, and we heard the usual thunder-like sound of the icebergs driven against each other, and on the shallows, by the violent north wind. The morning of the 6th was misty, but towards noon the violent north-east wind dispersed the fog which had veiled the whole country. My thermo- meter showed -|- 35". Still following the low-coast, we reached the Tchukotski promontory, on the western side of which we halted, in a balagan, near the greater Tchukots river. It is in latitude 70'' 07' and longitude 159" 39'. For a distance of ten worsts, in a N. 8° E. direction, the coast is low and flat, it then rises again, and forais the Tchukotski Cape, situated in 70" 07' latitude and 159" 48' longitude. The Cape is seventy-five feet high, with steep sides; a number of coni- cal fragments, about twenty or twenty-five feet in height, are scattered at the foot. We found a lake on the summit, so completely frozen that we rode across it. Looking over the sea, we saw from E. to N. extensive fields of apparently solid ice and hummocks, but between S. and E. there was drifting ice. In the direction S. 5" W. the coast was low. I remarked an insulated hill bearing N. 8" E., which, as we advanced further, we perceived to be separated from the coast. It WHS TTrpsfnvrki flip flvef rjf flio "Rr^o^ T<^1^^,1„ ^V^n bay of Tchukotski, into which the river of the 210 M. KOSMIn's III same name empties itself, is four or five wersts across : its west shore is almost level with the sea. Whilst I was engaged in surveying the shores of the bay, I sent the Cossack to measure the depth of water near the entrance ; he brought back word that we might safely cross it ; but, unluckily, he had not examined the bottom of the ford as well as its depth, and in trying the passage the foremost horse sunk so deep in the soft mud, that the night was far advanced before our efforts were successful in extricating him. We, of course, did not attempt the passage again, but halted for the night on the shore. As our provisions were rather low, we tried our net, but we caught only one fish. On the 7th of July, as we could not hope to ford the bay, we ascended the river for nine wersts, and, having crossed it, we rsturned along its western bank to the sea-coast. The river enters the sea in a N. 70" E. course, is deep, has rather high banks, and a very rapid current. It forms the extreme northern boundary of the grazing- grounds of the citizens of Nijnei Kolymsk. Still following the coast, we reached on the 8th of July Cape Krestovoi, which is, by reckoning, in 70o 17' latitude, 159" 55' longitude. It consists, like the Tchukotski Cape, of a greyish clay, and it rises sixty-five feet above the level of the sea. I could plainly discern from it Krestovoi Island, bearing N. 5" E. The sea-ice appeared soHd for some distance, with numerous large hummocks. Six wersts from the cape, and N. 71'^ W. from it, begins a strip of land three wersts long, and only 200 fathoms broad, which divides a lake about seven wersts in length, and five or six in breadth, from the sea. This natural dam is hilly, and COAST SURVEY. 211 Consists like the two capes of grey clay. Further to the west, where the coast takes a N. 40" W. direction, it is intersected by several streams, and the soil consists of black vegetable earth. After riding thirteen wersts further, we came to a deep, though not very broad river, which I named Pro- kopii, after the saint of the day, and on the banks of which we passed the night. Next day, about ten wersts further on, I found the ice near the coast covered with a kind of grain which at first sight closely resembled rj^e ; I after- wards learnt that they were the seeds of the Stipa pennata, a grass which grows abundantly along the coast, and of which the seeds are carried great distances by the wind. On the 9th of June, the sun just broke through the clouds, so as to admit of my taking a meridian altitude, which gave the latitude of our halting- place at the mouth of the Prokopii river 70" 28'. Its longitude by reckoning was 159" 43'; Kres- tovoi Island bore N. 20° E. We continued our route along the low coast in a N. 31" W. direction, and 4|- wersts from our sleeping-place we came to the mouth of the Agafonow River, which enters the sea in a course N. 60° E.: on its western shore there is a balagan. Fourteen wersts further on we halted near another river, having passed seven dried-up streams, where there was a quantity of drift-wood, amongst which I found fragments of a ship with iron bolts and nails, and a boat-oar, on which the green paint was still visible. We continued our journey on the 10th of July, with a temperature of -(- 49°, and after proceeding six wersts along the coast in a N.W. direction, leet high, formmg the northern termination of a p2 212 M. KOSMIN's range of lo\7 hills coming from the westwai'd. We slept* 5J wersts further on, near the river Kres- tovaia, the mouth of which opens to the east, and is between seventy and eighty fathoms across. On the eastern bank of the river there are a bala- gan, a few ruined yourtes, and apparently very old crosses, from which the river is named. This point is situated in 70° 44' latitude by my noon observation, and in 159° 15' longitude by reckon- ing. The northern point of Krestovoi Island bore N. 59° E., the high hill upon the island bore N. 62" E., the south point of the island N. 66 J" E., and Cape Krestovoi, S. 61" E. In the afternoon the weather cleared up completely, and I again saw the bill on the island bearing N. 58" E. from the point where we then were. We were roused in the night by loud cries from one of the numerous broods of wild geese which covered the lakes ; they had been terrified by the sight of a black bear, and sought refuge with us ; our horses too came round us for the same reason. We made ready our few weapons, but the bear, apparently alarmed by the barking of a dog which accompanied us, returned to the tundra. This little adventure enabled us to kill a few of the frightened geese. On the morning of the 11th of July a thick fog circumscribed our horizon to a few fathoms, and as I was anxious to determine accu- rately the longitude of this place, and the position of the Bear Islands, I determined to wait a day, in hopes of better weather : our horses too stood in great need of rest. Next day the fog still con- tinued, and a north wind covered the heivens with dark clouds, which promised snow rather than clear weather. I determined, therefore, to continue our journey, sooner than incur a longer and probably il — --iL.^_ COAST SURVEY. 213 fruitless delay. The temperature at noon was -f- 38°. After riding thirteen wersts, wc came to the Baigatschowa river, and slept fourteen wersts further on, at the mouth of the Kuroshajina.* The latter river is deep, though only ten fathoms broad ; it falls into the sea in a N. N. E. course. We saw here the remains of a but built by M. Hedenstrora for fishing. This day's march was a very fatiguing one for our horses, as the flat coast had been overflowed by the sea, and their legs sunk deep in the soft soil. On the 13th, the sky was still overcast, but to- wards noon, a fresh breeze from the east t cPsttcrec' the clouds, so that I was able to take an jMtud" of the sun near the meridian, by which I ^tcr- mined the latitude 70" 54'. By ten lunar distances I found the longitude 158° 56' : the longitude by reckoning was four miles to the west of the observed longitude. In the afternoon we proceed- ed along the coast, which followed a N. 60 W. direction, bending gradually to N. 70° W. Our day's march was twenty-eight wersts. The Kuro- shagina is between one and one-and^a-half wersts broad, and empties itself into the sea by three outlets, two of which were almost dry. About ten wersts from the western bank of the river, there is a range of hills running in a N. W. direction at a distance of from three to seven wersts from the coast, and extending to the Kuropatosh river. The low flat strand, which scarcely rises above the level of the sea, consists of a hard greyish clay bearing a scanty growth of very thin grass, and covered with a crust of fine salt, and with small shells. A quantity of scattered feathers showed that 2rreat TniTnhf^rs n€ o-ooco r^^^r.^ * Kuradajina in the map. 214 M. KOSMIN S I II here in the moulting season. "We saw but little drift-wood, and that so rotten that it crumbled to pieces under the horses' hoofs ; the water of some small lakes was quite black, apparently from the eflfect of the mouldering drift-wood which they contained. We halted on the 13th near a considerable hill, to which I gave the name of the Northern Par- nassus. I had an extensive sea-view from its sum- mit. A row of hummocks ran parallel with the coast about six worsts from our encampment, and beyond them I saw floating fields of ice. A quan- tity of drift-wood among the hummocks was kept in constant motion by the waves, and by the pres- sure of the ice. The pieces of wood sometimes rising erect, and sometimes sinking again, had a very singular appearance. We killed here four geese and two divers. Next day, (14th of July,) we had a clear sky and a light breeze from the south, and at noon the temperature was -j- 53". I tried to dry some of our damaged powder, of which we felt the want more than ever, for provisions were getting low, and we could not hope to meet many moulting geese which we might be able to catch. A meri- dian altitude gave the latitude of the place 71" 01', the longitude was 158" 10' by reckoning, and the variation 10° 00' E. In the afternoon we crossed five inconsiderable streams from the hills, and made twenty-eight worsts in a N. 89" W. liirection. We had an opportunity of proving that we had succeeded in drying the powder by shooting a few geese. The Northern Parnassus bore S. 89° E. The air continued soft and mild, and on the jLwxT. tixv i.:>xt^xxu02-ii\_.tv^I oxiv/Truv^~T — \J l . X liC IIUUIJI, observations gave the latitude 71° 04', and the COAST SURVEY. 215 longitude 157" 23'. We arrived in the afternoon at the mouth of the greater Kuropatosh, which falls into the sea in a north direction, and is from I|- to 2 worsts broad, but so shallow that our horses easily waded through it : our day's march was 31 worsts. The range of hills mentioned above as running parallel with the coast, takes a S. W. direction from the Northern Parnassus, and terminates S. 23" E. from the mouth of the greater Kuropa- tosh. West of this river there rises towards the sea a high hill, the summit of which bore S. 80" W., distant seven worsts. Not far from it is a balagan, from whence the steep part of the coast called Ku- ropatosh Jar begins, and continues as far as the little Kuropatosh river. This perpendicular cliff consists, in great measure, of ice which never thaws, mixed with a little black earth and clay, amongst which are a few long thin roots of trees ; and where the waves have rolled against the masses of ice, and have washed away the earthy particles, mammoth-bones may not unfrequently be seen. On the 16th of July our observed latitude was 71° 04', and our longitude by reckoning 156" 26' ; the temperature at noon was between + 73" and + 74«. We followed the coast in a S. 60° W. direction ; and after we had gone seventeen worsts we came to the Little Kuropatosh river, which enters the sea in a N. 50" E. course, and is about two worsts broad. This river flows between two ranges of hills ; it washes the foot of the eastern range, but the western is four worsts from its present bed, and the whole valley appears to have been once occupied by the stream. We saw a nnlsiorji-n of flip \irpof oirlA r>€ ^^a ^~^^i-i*-^ „^i.v_ — : .Q,»M» ,11. i,iic >icov oitii^ ui LUC iiiwui/xx \ji tuu nvcr, but we did not halt until thirteen worsts further I: 216 M. KOSMIN S i ' ! i .1 on. The coast is low, and follows a S. 65" W. direction for 4| worsts, after which it assumes a S. 52° W. direction, and rises to about thirty or thirty-five feet, consisting, like the shore already described, of ice, clay, and black earth. I drew out some of the insterpersed roots, and found them chiefly birch, and as fresh as if they had just been severed from the trees : the nearest woods are 100 worsts ofi'; a low strip of fine sand at the foot of the cliff, was covered with partially weathered mammoth-bones. We saw no drift- wood. On the 17th of July our observed latitude was 70° 57', and our longitude by reckoning 155** 31'. The thermometer stood at -\- 69°. The warm weather of the last three days might well have made us forget the latitude, if the fields of ice which covered the sea, and the perpetually frozen ground beneath our feet had not reminded us of it. Three days before, we could not lay aside our thick winter garments, and now the lightest clothing seemed too warm. The sun had been constantly shining for the last seventy-two hours in the clear and cloudless sky. This was the last day that we saw it in its full magnificence, heightened by the refraction which the great evaporation from the sea produced. The size of its disk, its altitude, and its light, appeared to vary incessantly. One moment it seemed to con- tract, to assume an elliptical form, and to sink into the ocean ; it would then suddenly rise again in full size and majesty, and float above the horizon in a flood of red or yellow light. This magnificent spectacle lasted throughout the day, ■nr»v r»milrl \xrf> TA-fVaiTi -pfrvm rrorii-nrr n-n if nrtfTn-ifVi- standing the pain which the brilliant light caused COAST SURVEY. 217 to our eyes. In the night of the 17th I measured with the sextant the apparent diameter of the sun, when on the meridian below the pole, and found it 37' iry in a horizontal, and 28' 20" in a vertical direction. We had followed the low coast in a course S. 65" W. for twelve worsts from our halting-place; it then bends suddenly to N. 82" W. We rode on for fifteen worsts further, and encamped for the night at the foot of a flat hill. On the 18th of July, a few light clouds were visible near the horizon, and the sky above us was still, clear, and bright, but towards evening a strong wind rose from the north, bringing heavy clouds, and obliging us to have recourse to our furs again. My noon observation gave the lati- tude 70" 58', and the longitude was 154" 45'. The direction of the coast S. 57° W. The ground was flat for some distance inland, with numerous small lakes and much drift-wood. During the day's march of 19|- worsts, we had to cross four rivers, of which the first and most considerable is the greater Konetschnaia ; the next, distant two worsts, is the lesser Konetschnaia ; the third, the name of which my companion did not know, is four worsts further ; and the last is the Schku- lewa, near which we halted for the night. These four rivers wind between low hills, and have steep banks; the three last enter the sea in a N.E. course. Two of the horses were so knocked up by their long and toilsome march that we were forced to distribute their loads among the rest, and my two companions had to go on foot. On the 19th of July, the north wind increased in SlrftTlp-fh ? it rflinPrl fTl«a -O/Vinlo Tvirk*.nii-i« nyi'-' "■■*■ noon, notwithstanding a temperature of -\- 57", 218 M. KOSMIn's i i I I I ll I' heavy snow fell. Our observed latitude was 70'' 54', the longitude by reckoning being 154° 13'. In the afternoon we pursued the line of coast S. 79° W. for nine worsts, then crossed a broad stream, and after going three and a half wersts further in a S. 69° W. direction, we came to the eastern arm of the Alaseia, called Lagoschkin. This deep and rapid stream follows a very winding course between steep banks, and before entering the sea, divides, so as to form at its embouchure an island two wersts in length, lying east and west. We crossed two wersts above the island, at a place where the water is 150 fathoms broad : three and a half wersts further on we crossed another arm of the Alaseia, the greater Alaseiskoi Protok, and halted for the night on its western bank. Among all the rivers which enter the sea between the Kolyma and the Indigirka, the most important is the Aleseia. It rises in latitude 6T in the Alaseia mountains, and receives a number of tributaries, some of which flow from the moun- tains, and others from different large lakes. Its depth is considerable, it winds very much, and empties itself into the sea by five arms, of which the two above-mentioned are the largest; the other three, which are to the westward, having at all times much less water, and being frequently quite dry. The two eastern arms are divided from each other by an island twelve wersts long in a N.N.W. direction ; the current of the La- goschkin arm is rapid, and its mouth is two and a half wersts across. A sand-bank extends some distance into the sea from the point of land which forms the western limit of the embouchure. To our great joy we met near the Lagoschkin arm, A COAST SURVEY. 219 the the lakut chief Sosonow, with two followers and six horses, which he gave us instead of our own weary ones. He had come here from the nearest lakut settlement, which is 150 wersts up the Alaseia, and had been expecting us for the last five days. The 20th of July brought a return of clear, mild weather, with a gentle breeze from the E.N.E., and a temperature of -\- 56°. Our ob- served latitude was 70'' 50', and our longitude by reckoning ISS** 43'. We were delighted with the addition of the society of two new persons to our own small party, and determined to spend the rest of the day here. We cast our nets, and caught six large salmon-trout, and above a score of smaller fish, with which we entertained our guests, and they helped us to repair our damaged harness and our two boats. We resumed our journey with our fresh horses in the afternoon of the following day, after I had determined the longitude of our halting-place by means of ten lunar distances. I found it 153" 43', and was satisfied as to the correctness of my pre- vious reckoning. The variation was 10" E. After passing another arm of the Alaseia, thirteen wersts from our halting-place, we came to the mouth of the lesser Alaseiskoi, crossed it by a convenient ford, and slept on the other side. From this place the low coast takes a S. 70" W. direction, it is covered with drift-wood, amongst which a kind cf slender grass grows. On the 22nd of July the sky became overcast, with a strong breeze from the east, which towards evening shifted to the north, and brought with it JR, think fnff ? fhp: fpmnpr««fliv:mi. in the same manner. After making eight -^trsts xnore in a S. 70' W. direction, we halted for the night at the mouth of the Uschiwaia, which opens to the north, and is by ieckoning in latitude 70*^ 55', and lon- gitude 152° 1 5'. The mouth of the Uschiwaia is from seventy to eighty fathoms broad ; its depth is considerable, and its banks form terraces or steps. The stream is very rapid, and undermines the banks in such a manner that large masses of earth often fall in, and usually discover a quantity of mammoth- bones, of which the lukahirs obtain a good supply every year. The whole of this part of the coast is generally rich in mammoth-bones. There are on the eastern side of the Uschiwaia, a balagan, a yourte, and a large wooden cross ; the latter, the inhabitants of the banks of the Indigirka told me had been washed here by the sea, found by them among the drift-wood, and set up on its present sue. XllCii; \>UO cm illO'UJL HJliitJXj. •J'-'" ^•-i »^ effaced that I could only guess < r single letters, and could not make out their sense. COAST SURVEY. 221 line of red six 11 river eleven mother more, idnaia, ' rapid, cross ed the , where ly solid a half le same re in a t at the J north, nd lon- enty to ierable, stream . such a fall in, mmoth- supply coast is ; are on agan, a :ter, the told me 3y them present but so 1 letters. \\ On the 23d of July, still following the coast, we made twenty-six wersts in a W. by N. direction, and halted near the little river of Delakowaia. We hnd plac(?d ourselves on a slight elevation, but the continuance ot the north wind raised the level of the water bo much, that we were twice in the Jiight obliged to change our ground, and barely escaped being reached by the waves. Next morn- ing the wind changed, the waters subsided, and we condrmod our journey as before, along the low coast, in a N. 45" W. direction. After five wersts we leached the easternmost arm of the Indigirka, called the Kolymskian outlet, Kolymskoi Protok. The strong north wind blowing over the immense fields of ice lowered the temperature so much that it was only -|- 33^^ at noon. In the evening the wind sunk a little, and we had rain. Between the eastern continental bank and the island of Kolessowsk, the northern part of which was concealed by thick mist, the breadth of the Kolymskoi Protok is from two to three wersts. We followed its eastern bank for six wersts in a S. 52" W. direction, crossed the little river Pro- padschaia, and slept 5 J wersts further on near the mouth of the Bludnaia, in latitude 71° 00', and longitude 151" 10', both by reckoning. The Bludnaia enters the Kolymskoi Protok, by two outlets, one culled Malaia, (the little,) and the other Bolschaia, (the great,) Bludnaia. We found near the former three solitary yourtes belonging to a few famihes, who had settled here for the sake of fishing, and on account of the goodness of the pasture. I left here my tired horses under ihe care of a lakut, to recruit their strength, and emuarkcd in a boat with a Cossack and one of the people of the place, to visit the settlement of ^: ■i I ; * H r i' 222 M. KOSMIN S ledomka, sixty wersts off. Summer appeared to be very nearly at an end. On the 25th and 26th of July we had rain, hail, and snow, and on the latter day the thermometer showed + 34" at noon, and only + 30" in the evening. Our boat was towed up the stream by tour doffs, besides which, we had two oars, and when- ever the windings of the river brought us before the wind, we put up a sail made of rein-deer skins. We were sixteen hours in reaching the small vil- lage of ledomka, situated in 70° 56' latitude, and 1510 06' longitude, on a rising ground near the junction of the Petrowaia and the Kolymskoi Pro- tok. The inhabitants were absent on fishing and hunting excursions : winter was visibly approach- ing- the whole plain was covered with snow, wWch increased at night to a depth of six inches. We halted here, and were visited in the evenmg by an old man, who had just arrived in the hopes of finding some of the inhabitants, and of pur- chasing fron them a little tobacco, which they oc- casionaUy obtain from travelling Russian traders, in exchange for furs or fish. We were much gra- tified by this addition to our society ; our visitor was made happy by a small present of tobacco, which he had not enjoyed for a long time; and we passed a very pleasf.nt evening together. He volunteered to accompany us next day to the mouth of the Russkaia, and gave me by the way much valuable information respecting the various arms and tributaries of the Indigirka. He also related me to his own history, which appeared a rather remarkable one. Kotchewtchikov, who was now eighty years ot age, was born at Kirensk. At the age of titteen he accompanied his elder brother on a voyage COAST SURVEY. 223 ►peared to and 26th id on the li" at noon, 1 by four md when- ns before leer skins, small vil- itude, and . near the nskoi Pro- ishing and approach- ith snow, six inches, le evening the hopes id of pur- 3h they oc- m traders, much gra- our visitor rf tobacco, time; and 3ther. He lay to the 3y the way the various . He also b appeared down the Lena. It was one of those migrations in search of fortune, without any definite object m view, wliich used formerly to be more frequent than they now are, amongst the inhabitants of a land which offers few charms to foster strong local attachments. Several families often joined in an expedition of this nature. On the present occa- sion the party consisted of forty persons, men, women, and children; they descended the Lena in the hopes of bettering their condition, under the conduct of a citizen of Kirensk named Afo- nassii, in a vessel built by himself. They passed two winters in desert wastes, where they lived on fish and wild geese, and collected a large quantity of mammoth-bones. More than half the party including the leader Afonassii, died in the course of the second winter. The elder Kotchewtchikov, I being the most experienced navigator among f- them, succeeded to the conduct of the survivors. A little before the beginning of the third winter they arrived at the Polar Sea, and navigated along Its shores for some tiiae, strugghng with count- less sufferings and dangers, until they were ship- wrecked at the mouth of the Indigirka. The ves- sel was completely destroyed. The two brothers parted from their companions and went inland carrying with them their share of the few things which had been saved. As winter had now begun, they built a hut near a river where they found much fish. The place where they had settled, was only fifty wersts from ledomka, but they never met any of its inhabitants, aud during the whole winter they neither saw any of their fellow-travel- lers, nor any of the natives of the country. They learcd being visited by the latter, having heard much of their rapacious and murderous disposi- 224 M. KOSMIN S I ( tioii, and when, in the following summer, they one d;iy saw two men approaching their hut, they actuaUy determined to kill them. ^" bi;.iy hefore they could execute their purpo ", .'-- Uncovered that the strangers were Russians, and fortune- hunters like themselves. They then received them with hospitality, and were finally persuaded by them to leave their sohtude, and to embark with them for the purpose of ascending the Indi^ixKa, but on the third night the two brothers secretly leit the boat, and stole back to their hut. A\ hen I asked the reayon of their flight, as their previous life could not have been an agreeable one, and as they miglit have hoped that this oppor- tunitv would have enabled them to have reached their'home, the old man told me that when two wandering parties came together in this way, the custom was, that on the first valuable discovery or successful hunt, a combat should decide to whom the prize should belong on that and on all subse- quent occasions ; the vanquished party became m such case in some degree servants or slaves to the conquerors, and were usually treated by them with much severity. As the two strangers were both powerful men, and in iuV, health and vi- gour, whereas they were themselves worn down by long-continued privation and hardships, they were not disposed to await and ^okie by the law of the strongest, but preferred returning to their wilderness, where they passed another year and half. In the fifth winter, during a distant hunt- ing-excursion, thev came to a small village 'al I Ruskoie Ustie, where fifteen Russians hau bccxi settled for some time. Being at length tired of solitude and of wandering, the two brothers jomea the little colony, and remained with them en- COAST SURVEY. 2l> ;r, they ut, they , before covered fortuiie- ed them aded by ark with idioii-KU, secretly , as their igreeable is oppor- reached rhen two way, the 30^ ery or to whom Jl subse- ecame in es to the by them revs were and >i- >rn down ips, they y the law g to their year ni »^ mt hunt igf 'a1 i hau bucii h tired of bi's joineu chem en- tirely; they never heard anything more of their original associates. The old man was so pleased to find an auditor to whom his account was a novelty, that he had not finished his story when we arrived on the 27th of July at the village of Stantschik. This little settlement, consisting of one boarded house, one yourte, one large tent of rein-deer skins, and a couple of sheds, presented a scene of great animation. The inhabitants of ledomka had determined to leave their own village, on account of the failure of drift-wood, md were engaged in removing their houses and all 'heir goods to Stantschik, where wood was plentiful, and where the fishery was more productive, as it is near the junction of the x^undshin with the Kolymskoi Protok, which abounds in fish. Stants- chik is in 70" 51' latitude and 150" 12' longitude. »v e continued our voyage next morning (28th July) with a mode fite brc^ ze from the north, and a terapei'it. -e of -\- 40°, smd after twenty-three hours we found ourse s at the above-mentioned village of Russkoie istje, hej we were hos- pitably entertained by old . tcliewti hiko. As I found myself very tolerably sitiu 'ed here, I de- termined to remain till the middle of September, to arrange my papers relating to the survey ; and at the commencement of winter to begin my homewai-d journey in sledges and on horsf ack, by the si aightest and shortest road. I availed mjjsclf oi every clear day for excur^oMS in Uie neighbourhood, and for a^^tronomical and otl er observati tis. By six meridian altitudes n; the nnn, the latitude of Russkoie Ustie is 71" OO' 19'' • its Ifmp-it.iirlp bv '^S iiino»' /1io4^.»^^«r, ,i:..:,i i -•--!._ 10 sets, 149' 30' 53''. The variation by siagle f lipt » n 226 M. kosmin's azimuths, 9" 53', and by corresponding azimuths 10" 00'. Mean, 9° 58'. This little settlement, consisting of only a few houses or huts, is situate on the western bank ol the western arm of the Indigirka, called, as well as the village itself, Russkoie Ustie, or the Kus- sian mouth. , Two wersts in a S. S. W. direction, there is another village, called Ustlelon, on a nver of the same name, flowing E. N. "^.. ; the upper part ot this stream is called by the lakuts Biunuloch. The inhabitants of the three settlements, ledomka, Russkoie Ustie, and Ustlelon, are all Russians, and are classed under the general denomination of dwellers on the Indigirka. At the last census, the number of males was 108. Their employments are fishing, hunting, and col- lecting mammoth-bones; the fishing is only tor their own food. They take a great number of stone-foxes in traps along the coast, and sell the skins, as well as mammoth-bones, to traveUing traders. In order to avoid disputes as to the hunting-rights of the three settlements, it is arranged that the hunting-grounds of the inhabit- ants of ledomka shall extend from that place to the Kuros'hagina ; and that those of the people of the two other villages shall range from the mouth of the lana to the Kondratieva; and those limits are conscientiously respected in setting the traps. In summer, only the women and children remain to look after the fisheries, whilst the men disperse over the tundras with dogs and small boats, m pursuit of rein-deer and wild geese, and in search of mammotVs-teeth and bones ; they collect the latter into heaps, distinguished by the name Ox the proprietor, and leave them in this manner m V I COAST SURVEY. 227 zimuths ly a few bank of , as well he Kus- there is er of the part of loch, lements, Ion, are general fka. At /ras 108. and col- only for imber of i sell the ;ravelling IS to the ts, it is J inhabit- t place to people of he mouth 3se limits the traps, m remain a disperse boats, in in search joUect the name of nanner in the tundra, until they fetch them with yledges in the winter; and, much to the honour of these apparently imperfectly civilized men, a marked heap is considered quite safe, and has never been known to be touclied by another of the hunters. From the accounts which I received, swans and geese appear to resort, in the moulung season, to the banks of the Tndigirka in far larger numbers than to those of the Kolyma, but the fish of the latter river are more plentiful, and better in quality than those of the Indigirka. The lakes of this district abound with a species of fish known here by the name of Krasnaia ryba, (red fish) which, however, must not be confounded with the sturgeon, called by the same name in Russia. The people of the Indigirka are more industrious than those who Hve along the banks of the Ko- 1 lyma, but the latter are more advantageously ' situated for disposing of the little property they obtain, as the lakutsk merchants, who travel through their country, buy their furs from them direct, either for mone) or for goods ; and there is some degree of competition which ensures tolerably fair prices ; but no one passes through the country on the lower Indigirka, and they can only sell to the very few speculators from lakutsk or Kolymsk who are tempted to take a long and laborious journey in hopes of an enormous profit. In dealing with these monopoHsts the inhabitants are obhged to accept excessively low prices for valuable commodities, and it is only in this way that they can obtain a few indispensable articles of clothing and fishing-nets. The want of nets frequently prevents them from obtaining the their industry and the quantity of furs and of Q 2 r^mm^'mvmmmM ■a;;: "J . ;" ijj. i i n'K i it.j^ i . i . f m' ( lA 238 M. KOSMIN'S mammoth-bones which they obtain, they often suffer severely. , . tt ..• ^i. In the neighbourhood of Russkoie Ustie there are many traces of former large settlements, con- cerning Vhich I could obtain no certain informa- tion. According to a rather general tradition, it would appear that the numerous and powerful tribe called Omoki, had lived here for a time, and had then removed to the westward, where, how- ever, I am not aware that any traces of them have been found. When the present Russian settlers first arrived here, they found near all the nvers which join the Indigirka numerous ruined yourtes and mud-huts with fire-places. Stone-hatchets, and remains of weapons totally different from those now in use, are still occasionally picked up, so that there can be no doubt of this district having been formerly inhabited by a population who have now disappeared. • , t • I was visited during my stay by the few inhabit- ants of the neighbouring villages, who brought me presents of what they consider their greatest de- Hcacy, the fat of the back of the rein-deer. I gave them in return a small quantity of tea and to- bacco, with which they were greatly pleased. On the 2nd of September, floating ice appeared in the Indigirka, and on the 5th the river could be passed in sledges. On the 23rd cf September, Lieutenant Anjou, the chief of the Ustiansk expedition arrived, having completed his survey of the coast of the Polar Sea, from the mouth of the lana to Russ- koie Ustie. My own survey of the coast, from the mouth of the Kolyma to the eastern arm of the Indigirka, was now ready, and I began to prepare for mv return. The coast-route, which I COAST SURVEY. 229 'y often :ie there its, con- informa- iition, it powerful ime, and ;re, how- Lem have 1 settlers he rivers i yourtes hatchets, mt from icked np, s district opulation r inhabit- ought me jatest de- V. I gave I and to- sed. appeared iver coiild had travelled in the summer, was ill-suited for a journey at the present season, as the intense frost renders the snow near the sea so hard, that the horses cannot scrape it away to get at the grass beneath. I determined, both on this account, and also because it was the shortest road, to go straight across the tundra, and on the 26th of September I began my journey with sledges drawn by dogs, which took me in two days to ledomka. I then crossed the waste and unin- habited tundra on horseback to the lakut settle- ments on the Alaseia, where I obtained fresh horses, and on the 6th of October arrived at Nijnei Kolymsk. Nothing deserving of remark occurred during this journey, which lasted ten days. We encoun- tered on the tundra many large troops of wolves, which alarmed our horses very much, particularly at night, so that we were obhged to keep watch by turns. We drove one troop away from a rein- deer, which they were devouring, and which fell into our hands very opportunely, as om* whole stock of provisions was reduced to a very few biscuits. at Anjou, 1 arrived, ist of the I to Russ- )ast, from im arm of began to e, which I m ,# mT 8 aaTianr«u .i w > n "i i nn i jp.jjiiiio. I. vards the ncounters nsions. — mocks. — aepedition — Return xpedition —Easter, :s. — Turn lape Che- t of Pro- chodsk. — —Inunda- tlie inha- larked by h of the by a long in was a lC general s added a NJi in this >■ amongst ilf during the lana, and the Indigirka. Very soon after the begin- ning of winter it reached the banks of the Kolyma. As our intended journey over the ice depended on our having the ninety-six dogs required for eight sledges, I sought anxiously to adopt such precau- tions as might secure those we obtained from in- fection. Orders were given to procure as quickly as possible at least a hundred healthy dogs, and to take them immediately to the greater and lesser Tchukotski rivers, to be kept there at the expense of the expedition, cutting off all communication with the neighbouring district. Part of our pro- visions had also to be conveyed to the store-house, which had been built near the Baranicha river. But whilst we were endeavouring to execute these plans, the malady spread so rapidly that we had the utmost difficulty in obtaining thirty-six dogs instead of the required ninety-six ; and though they were instantly sent away, they almost all died. The mortality increased daily with the in- creasing intensity of the cold, and it soon extended to all the villages and settlements in the Kolymsk district. The inhabitants felt the loss of these valuable and almost indispensable servants more acutely than they did the scarcity, to occasional returns of which, they are in great measure accustomed and resigned. Such was the unhappy state of things at the opening of a new jeax (1822). As the time of our departure was near, I gave up all hopes of procuring more dogs in our own district, and sent one of the most trustworthy of the Cossacks to the Indigirka, where the sick- ness did not prevail, with a commission to pur- chase sixty, and to keep them in readiness until further orders near the greater Tchukotski river, feedmg them well. On the 5th of March I re- .,81 Twanniiiwii ■»» » ' IWiW»iii 232 THIRD JOURNEY ON m ceived information from him that he had found it impossible to collect more than forty-five good dogs, with which he awaited me at the appointed place. As the intensity of the cold diminished, the sick- ness gradually abated, until at last it entirely sub- sided ; but not until the inhabitants had lost four- fifths of their dogs. Most of those which survived were the property of the Cossacks, who, on seeing the difficulty in which I found myself relatively to the journey which it was our duty to make, came forward of their own accord, and in conjunction with some of the citizens, most generously volun- teered to fit out twenty sledges, with twelve dogs each. We had now nearly three hundred, includ- ing those at the Tchukotski river, but there wera not more than sixty amongst them which we c( - i depend upon for a distant journey ; the rest were all so weak as to be almost unserviceable. I was obliged, therefore, materially to alter my original plan, which had been to form the expedition into two divisions. This was necessarily given up, as well as the intention of beginning our journey over the ice from the mouth of the great Baranicha, where a large hut and a store had been construct- ed, as before mentioned. The store was empty, as it had been barely possible, for want of dogs, to convey provisions as far as Sucharnoie. Every thing was at length ready for our depar- ture, the sledges being loaded with dried and fro- zen fish, and other necessaries ; and we left Nijnei Kolymsk on the 10th of March. My companions were J^'^^M. Matiuschkin and Kosmin, and the sailor Nechoroschkow. Dr. Kyber was bent on o'»""r«TAQyiTnTi« -Jia nntxi'-.flistnnflinp' bis weak state of health, and actually set ofl" with 'is; but in spite THE POLAR SEA. 233 found it ve good ppointed the sick- rely sub- ost four- survived >n seeing itively to ke, came ijunction ly volun- slve dogs [, includ- lere were. we c( -i rest were ;. I was T original tion into !n as up, rney over aranicha, onstruct- LS empty, f dogs, to ur depar- l and fro- 3ft Nijnei mpanions and the bent on ^eak state it in spite of all his efforts, he found himself obliged to return from Sucharnoie on the 14th. We had only five proper travelling-sledges, with teams of dogs fit for the whole journey; the remaining nineteen sledges carried provisions, and were to return as soon as empty. One of the dri- vers was to serve as interpreter to the Tchuktches. We reached Sucharnoie on the 12th of March, and spent the 13th in necessary preparations. We took provisions for ourselves for forty days, and for the dogs for thirty-five days, and' began our journey over the ice on the 14th. On the 15th we reached the greater Baranov Rock, where we took up as much drift-wood as we could add to our loads. Unluckily we found only larch, which is heavy in carriage, and burns quickly. Having become aware of this on our previous journeys, I had had a store of birch-wood brought from the two Aniui rivers to Nijnei Kolymsk, and dried to make it lighter. We had enough for fifteen days consumption, besides four pood of train-oil, which would serve for ten days more. Altogether we had fuel for nearly forty days, but our sledges were rather heavily laden in consequence. On the 16th we drove northwards with a strong breeze from the east, dark weather and snow. The N. N. W. sides of the greater Baranov Rock, which are washed by the waves, consist of perpen- dicular slate-rocks, six fathoms in height, and oc^ casionally broken by a few ravines. After going eight wersts, we found ourselves at the most north- ern point of the rock, where a few iudukijed piUars give the appearance of a ruined casti ' From this point we took our coarse straight across the sea, in a N. 30" E. direction. It ap- peared to me that the object of our journey would 234 THIRD JOURNEY ON ill ' I • |i ! ■Ji I J be best answered by proceeding to the N. E., until we should come to 71^" lat. in the meridian of Cape Chelagskoi, and 150 wersts distant from that promontory. I then proposed to form a deposit of provisions, to send back the empty sledges, and with the remainder to pursue my researches to the east, north, and north-west. In this manner our present journey would form a continuation of that of the preceding year, and we might hope for a satisfactory conclusion in respect to the existence or non-existence of the problematical northern land. About one werst and a-half from the shore, we came to a considerable grjap of irregular hum- mocks, and after driving among them for eighteen wersts, we halted ; not that we required rest, but in order to repair two of the travelling-sledges which had been injured, and to wait for the pro- vision-sledges, which did not come ap with us till late in the night, and then in a very bad condi- tion. They had been so much damaged in passing the hummocks, that we were obliged to expend a large part of our store of birchwood in mending them. This unsatisfactory work occupied us dur- ing the whole of the following day, and we could not continue our journey until 11 o'clock on the 18th. We had heavy snow, a cutting N.W. wind, and a temperature of -(- 2". The hummocks dimi- nished in size and number, and at last ceased en- tirely : but in their stead we found a large plain crossed by immense waves or ridges of snow, and though the sledges suffered much less on the soft snow than among the hummocks, our dogs were wearied by having continually to ascend and descend. The height of these drifted waves of snow, which was two fathoms and upwards, showed THE POLAR SEA. 235 le N. E., meridian bant from 3 form a le empty irsue my «^est. In d form a jrear, and :lusion in ce of the shore, we liar hum- r eighteen L rest, but ig-sledges r the pro- dth us till lad condi- in passing expend a L mending ed us dur- we could ck on the .W. wind, ocks dimi- ceased en- large plain of snow, ess on the our dogs Lscend and waves of ds, showed that a great deal of snow must have fallen, and that east winds had chiefly prevailed. By the noon observation we were in 69** 56' latitude; our longitude by reckoning was 0° 14' east of the great Baranov Rock. Our day's march on the 18th, was only twenty-three wersts, chiefly from the delays occasioned by the provision-sledges. On the other hand we succeeded in killing a large white bear, whose flesh was very acceptable to the dogs. In the night the temperature fell to — 24°, and continued the same throughout the 19th, but there being very little wind, it was endm'able. To- wards noon the weather cleared, and we saw the greater Baranov, distant forty wersts, bearine S. 11° W. The next day we accomplished eighteen wersts, between 9 a.m. and noon. The noon observation made the latitude 70° 12', and the longitude by reckoning 0° 50' E. from the greater Baranov Rock. After completing thirty^siv jv^ersts, we were obliged to halt earlier than usual, on account of the violent N. W. wind, ana thick diifting snow. Our sixteen provision-sledges (we had emp- tied and sent back three) were as usual behii d, and it was not till late at night that fourteen of them came in, but the drivers were unable to tell us any thing of the two which were still missing. My uneasiness on account of the two drivers was increased, by knowing that a number of white bears were roaming about; one even broke into our camp in the course of the night, but was im- mediately killed. As soon as the day dawned we were on the look-out for our missing sledges ; at length they arrived, and the men told us that hav- ing lost sight of their companions in the thick snow-dritt, they were obhged to halt where they MiuMMayMI 236 THIRD JOURNEY ON ' i I were ; that they had suffered much from the seve- rity of the cold, having neither fire nor food, and had passed the night in constant fear of the bears, which happily, however, had been deterred from attacking them, by their shouts, and by the bark- ing of their dogs. We deposited part of our pro- visions in the ice at this place, and sent back three more empty sledges. The N. W. wind became still more violent, and the snow-drift thicker. The thermometer showed — 9°. Notwithstanding the badness of the day, we were able to obtain an observation at noon, which made our latitude 70° 19'; our longitude was by reckoning 1° 6' E. of the greater Baranov Rock. On the 21st the wind abated, and veered to the east, but the sky was still overcast, and the thermo- meter showed — 11°. At 10 a. m. we continued our route to the north-east among hummocks; the noon observation gave 70° 26' latitude, and 1° 22' east of the Baranov. In the afternoon we killed a bear which had followed us, and had wounded three of our best dogs. Some of the sledge-drivers were so tired of our meagre fare, that they made up their minds to try some slices of th<. bear's meat, notwithstanding tiie aversion generally entertained lor it in the country. They assured us that they found it very palatable. At night we had a violent east wind, and a tempera- ture of —24°. On the 22nd of March we continued our route, after repairing our sledges, which had bev.n da- maged among the hummocks ; the noon observa- tion gave the latitude 70° 39', and the longitude hv rfinkonine' 1° 51' east of the erreater Baranov Rock. By our portable azimuth compass, the 'i« \": THE POLAR SEA. 237 the seve- food, and ;he bears, •red from the bark- f our pro- lack three )leiit, and 3r showed the day, at noon, longitude f Baranov red to the e thermo- continued immocks ; tude, and jrnoon we and had ne of the agre fare, ome slices 3 aversion ry. They ;able. At , tempera- our route, be^n da- n observa- longitude r Baranov ipass, the variation was 14}° E. The deep snow and large hummocks impeded us so much, that we could only accomplish fourteen wersts before r ^;:;ht-fall, when the wind and snow-drift became niore and more violent, and the provision-sledges, which did not arrive until six hours later, probably owed their safety to the drivers having obeyed the repeated orders which had been given, to keep close together so as to be able to assist each other. On the 23rd, to our great joy, we had the warm wind, mentioned in an earlier chapter, with a clear sky, and the thermometer soon rose to -|- 35°. We hastened to avail ourselves of such a favourable change, by drying our tent, harness, bedding, and clothes of every description. Meanwhile, M. von Matiuschkin went forward with two sledges to examine whether the diffi- culties in the north-east direction abated. He brought back word, that on the contrary the hummocks increased in size and number, but that there appeared to be an opening to the west, and we therefore proceeded in that direction ; our noon latitude was 70° 42', and our longitude 1° 51' E. by reckoning. We soon came again to bad hum- mocks, amongst which we met with constant accidents; the traces of my sledge broke just when it had attained the summit of one of the highest hummocks; the dogs flew down the steep declivity, leaving the sledge and myself at the top. Unluckily, at the foot of the hill, they came upon a fresh bear's track, and followed it notwithstanding our cries, until they were stopped ))y the broken traces which they dragged after them becoming entane'led. in some blocks of ice • but for this fortunate occurrence, we dhould pro- 1 1 I' ! > IP 238 THIRD JOURNEY ON bably have lost them altogether, and have been in great difficulties in consequence : after a long chase W( found them four wersts from the place where they had left the sledge, and quite ex- hausted by the efforts which they had made to free themselves. Though we had advanced but six wersts, we were forced to halt under the shelter of a la ge block of ice. A long range of elevated hummocks extended to the S. E. ; our provision-sledges were as usual much behind, and it took them ten hours to get over the six wersts. We had much wind from the S. W. during the night, but it abated towards morning. We started on the morning of the 24th, with a clouded sky, and a temperature of -f- 7° : about noon snow fell ; our difficulties this day were greater than ever, we had to break our way with crow-bars across higher and more rugged hummocks than any v*f^ had before met with. The ice of which tbe) ware formed, was very solid, and had a kv>.ot;i;^' appearance; the hummocks were covered in mai?y places with blue clay and gravel. In spite of the greatest care, the sledges were frequently overset; sometimes sliding down the smooth summits, and being pre- cipitated into the narrow ravines, from which we only extricated them with the greatest difficulty. The efforts of both men and dogs were taxed to the utmost, and all of us were hiui; by falls. As the provision-sledges had suffered most, and al- ways caused the greatest delay, I determined to send them home from this place, and to deposit in the ice the provisions which they had carried. We excavated receptacles for these with great J ^T^^r^A ^-VtAvyi iin •riri+li fViinlr VkloplfS '^f ^O.P,^ CarC, UllU. UlUOCU. IXXUiXL Uj-f tTiVii i,xM.ty.-r,. -,.^-,^~~^ — """' filling up all the crevices with snow, and pouring #1M^-. • 1 THE POLAR SEA. 239 ve been r a long tie place aite ex- nade to rsts, we a la ge oamocks ^es were ;n hours ch wind ; abated rning of Derature BSculties :o break id more ore met ed, was ice; the ith blue ;st care, metimes ling pre- hich we ifficulty. ;axed to ,11s. As and al- lined to deposit carried. ;h great s of icej pouring water over the whole, so as to fori i it inf a solid nass, which could not be distiirl ^d by tht beirs. Wii '\ this was done, ne proceeded to n^end the sledges, which stood greatly in need of it ; but the joy of the drivers, at being permit! 3d to return home, was so gieiit, that fatigued as they wore, they sung over tlieir work, winch they completed with extraordinary rapidity. The 25tli was spent in these employments. Towards evening the horizon cleared a Httle, and we saw two mountain-like eltv.ttioiis. One, which bore S. 19« \V., I consirlored to be the greater Baranov Ror\, rlistant by reckoning 130 worsts : the other 1 ore 5° W., but whether both were really moui inins, I cannot 1 sure. On deter- mining our piesent position I . the bearing of the one supposed to be the Baranov Rock, it was found to agree with our reckoning, and it ap- peared that were now thirty worsts to the east of the most eastern point of our previous ice-journey. On the morning of the 36th, the thirteen sledges began their return to Nijnei Kolymsk. I had sent M. von Matiuschkin the day before with two sledges and provisions for five days, to look for a way by which we might penetrate to the north- east, and I now went northwards with M. Kns- min, taking three sledges and provisions for three days. As it was arranged that we should all meet here again on the 29th, the large tent was left on the spot till our return. We took first a N. W. direction, in which the hummocks were smaller and less compact. When we had gone fourteen worsts, the noon observation gavej the latitude 70» 52' ; the longitude was V 56' E. of the Baranov Rock' by reckoning. The hnmmnel^s of r»lrl ion p-vo^iii ally diminished in number, and further to the ^ ^*>, VJ>^.. •^>^> ^...v^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) %. ^ u .'^Z ,^ \^^ :\ '^^ \ ^.^ o^ U 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 240 THIRD JOURNEY ON north, we came to another group consisting of more recent ice; these had been formed by the packing of drift-ice in the winter, and were dis- tinguished by a greenish-blue colour. We found here a strip of ice bare of snow, run- ning along the margin of a new crack, in a W, N. W. direction. Having driven five wersts on this smooth pathway, we were astonished by falling in with old sledge-tracks, which on examin- ation we recognised as those of our journey in the preceding winter. As by our reckoring we were thii-ty-fivc wersts from our last year's route, it is probable that the N. W. wind, which prevails throughout the summer, had caused the whole field to drift thus far to the eastward. We accomplished this day fifty-one wersts, among recent hummocks, meeting occasionally with a few old ones, the sides of which were often partially covered with gravel and sand ; the even- ing and night were clear; the temperature was — 13°, with a gentle breeze from the S. E. ; we had hummocks around us on every side. On the 37th our noon latitude was 71° 13', our longitude by reckoning 2° 13' E. of the greater Baranov Rock ; variation, 15° E. During the ob- servation, M. Kosmin thought that from the sum- mit of one of the highest hummocks, he saw two hills to the north-east; our attention being di- rected to them, they appeared clearly as two dark- blue mountainous hills, sometimes visible, and sometimes obscured; the highest of the two bore N. 40° E. ; opinions were divided in respect to them; M. Kosmin and I considered that it was land, but the sledge-drivers regarded it as one ^fi i-ixn r>.■n*■inn^ illiioioTiQ wlii'^h Visivp hp.PTi jilrp.adv spoken of. We drove on in a N. 40° E. direction. THE POLAR SEA. 241 and when we had gone about a werst, we came to a piece of nearly rotten wood embedded in the ice. The further we advanced the clearer the hills appeared, presenting the aspect of a hilly country of moderate elevation, at no great dis- tance from us; we could plainly distinguish, as we supposed, the valleys between the hills, and even several single rocks ; every thing confirmed us in the hope of having reached the long-sought-for land, the object of all our toils. We hastened for- wards amidst mutual congratulations, but as the evening light altered, we suddenly saw oui' newly- discovered land move 40° to windward, anc extend itself along the horizon, until we appeared to be in a lake quite surrounded by mountains. We halted for the night, full of disappointment, after a day's journey of forty wersts; we had a sharp E. N. E. wind, with a temperature of — 4°. Next day, the 28th, we had a repetition of the optical illusion by which we had been deceived on the preceding day. After going eleven wersts and a-half, in a N. N. W. direction, we found our latitude, by the noon observation, 71° 34/, our longitude being 2" 50' E. of the greater Baranov Rock byreckoning, variation 17° E. The hummocks did not appear to diminish, and it was time to return to the spot where we were to meet M. von Matiuschkin. We travelled faster in returning, partly because the dogs always run better and quicker over a track with which they are acquainted, and partly be- cause some of the worst places had been smoothed in our previous passage; we had returned fifty 'vrersts before sun -set. I In ■fnP 9.QfVl Qr» OQqfo-wlTr l\'nri'^''£t ■j.^^J^^-^J i-T- _ atmosphere moist, the thermometer stood at R 242 THIRD JOURNEY ON I ! I i ..I I ,i' II 4- 12°. We saw several tracks of bears, and of their parasites, the stone-foxea. Late in the evening we arrived at the place where we had deposited our provisions, and found M. von Ma- tiuschkin awaiting us. He had made ninety wersts, ir a N. B. direction, in three days, and had reached 71° 10' latitude in the meridian of Sand Cape ; he had met with fewer obstacles than before, but had still found many difficulties, par- ticularly from the large quantity of deep snow, in which the dogs and sledges sunk sometimes entirely. He too had been deceived by the ap- pearance of land on the horizon; besides the tracks of stone-foxes he had seen that of a red- fox, a singular circumstance at such a distance from land. The sledge-driver, who was to serve us as inter- preter, if we should meet with Tchuktches, was attacked with violent cramps in the stomach. Fortunately we had with us a lukahir, who was considered a surgeon on the banks of the Omolon, and who always carried a lancet. He was proud of being consulted, and decided that it woiild be right to open a vein, which he did with much expertness; whether this contributed to the pa- tient's amendment or not, the pain subsided. We remained where we were for a day, to allow him to recover strength. We all suflFered, as before, from, inflammation of the eyes, which was miti- gated, in some degree, by the use of black crape veils and spectacles, and by gently rubbing the eyes with spirits. Whilst our patient was resting, we occupied ourselves in taking provisions for twenty days from the deposit, and packing them on the sledges. We resumed our journey on the 31st of March, 1 1 THJr. POLAR SEA. 243 at 2 P.M., in a north direction, which appeared to present rather fewer difficulties than the north- eastern one j however, we only made twelve wersts before night. The evening and the night were perfectly calm with a clouded sky, but next morn- ing (1st April) an east-wind, which veered in the afternoon to the south, drove away the clouds. We could only accompHsh twenty wersts, being always obliged to walk, and frequently to assist the dogs in drawing the sledges. ^ We rested on the 2nd of April, being Easter- day; double rations were issued to every in- dividual: the mildness of the weather, and the bright sun-shine added still further to the refresh- ment and cheerfulness of the day. The bright mild weather continued on the 3rd, but large and numerous hummocks prevented us from accomplishing more than eighteen wersts. Two of the drivers were hurt by the oversetting of their sledges, and one of our best dogs was killed: we met with numerous other accidents, and on the 4th of April, after travelling thirteen wersts, we were obUged to halt to repair our sledges. The runners of three of them had been broken among the hummocks, and had to be replaced by some of the birch- wood which we carried with us, and which we found very useful for this purpose. After repairing damages as well as we could, we continued our route on the 5th of April. It led across a plain of ice covered with crystals of salt. We saw a seal lying near a hole in the ice, but he escaped us. We found the ice nearly four feet thick, the depth of water twelve fathoms, and the bottom greenish mud. The temperature of the water was -f 29^ that of the air + 25«. We found a current setting from W. N. W. to E. S. E. R 2 244 THIRD JOURNEY ON ^ After a march of nineteen wersts we halted for the night, and kept a more careful watch than usual, as we had seen numerous tracks of stone- foxes and hears, and we wished to avoid a noc- turnal surprise by the latter. During the day we had a fresh breeze from the east, and a thick fog, which thoroughly wetted our tent and clothes, and covered them with rime. On the afternoon of the 6th of April, after toil- ing through thirty wersts, we found ourselves at the point where M. Kosmin and I had turned ba^k on the 28th of March, so that it had taken seven days to accomplish the distance which we had then travelled in 2j days when our sledges were lighter. Before halting for the night we went 9^ wersts further ; the hummocks had lat- terly increased both in number and in height; many of them were of the class of old hummocks, and were very difficult to pass, chiefly on account of the deep snow which filled the intervals between them. The exertions of the sledge-drivers in par- ticular Ti'ere very great. Our interpreter was again attacked by severe cramp in the stomach. Being totally unable to procure for him any other assistance than the lancet of the lukahir, to which it did not appear prudent to resort a second time, our anxiety on his account was very great. It was, moreover, evident, that whilst we could do nothing to relieve him he would probably cause us long and frequent delay. Under all the circum- stances, I determined on sending him back to the Kolyma, though we were 250 wersts from land, and 390 wersts from the nearest inhabited place. We could ill spare either men or dogs; still it appeared the least evil to despatch the patient -with two companions to take care of him, on one THE POLAR SEA. 245 of the best sledges, drawn by twenty-four instead of twelve dogs. This double team left one sledge mthout any dogs : I had it broken up, and used the pieces m repairing the others. We buried the stores which we were unable to carry, in the ice, against our return, together with a few other things which we thought it possible to dispense with. Our load was still further lightened by giving our tent to the returning sledge for the use of the sick man : we ourselves retaining only two pologi, or small summer travelling-tents. Our party was now reduced to six persons with three sledges. On the morning of the 7th of April a breeze from the north dispersed the thick mist which had gathered round us the night before, but it re- turned in the afternoon; the temperature was -\- 21°. After only three wersts tolerably smooth tra- velling we found ourselves in a fresh labyrinth of hummocks. In vain we looked from the summit of the highest for some outlet : we were forced to open a path for ourselves by means of crow-bars : five hours' toil brought us through the worst difficulties, and we were able to advance thirteen wersts further, still amongst hummocks of dif- ferent sizes, partly of old, and partly of recent formation : two of the sledges were much injured, and in consequence I did not arrive at the little camp till late in the night. On the 8th we travelled two wersts amono- crowded hummocks, and five and a half wersts over a flat surface covered with salt crystals, bounded on the north by masses of ice of recent fracture, running from east to west. We had an extensive prospect from their summit. To the 246 THIRD JOURNEY ON north we saw several parallel ranges of recent hummocks of a greenish colour : they resembled the towering waves of the ocean when violently agitated by a storm. To the south, beyond the flat surface which we had crossed, and which looked like a wide river running between chff's of ice, we saw high snow-covered hummocks of old formation, which by their inequalities, gave to that part of the sea the appearance of a country intersected by deep hollows and ravines. The contrast, between the southern old hum- mocks and the northern recent hummocks, was too striking for us to doubt that we had reached the extreme limit of the shore-ice of the continent, and that we had before us a sea not bounded by land to the north, at least within a considerable distance. We passed two groups of the recent hummocks and halted for the night amongst a third group. We had met with several wide fis- sures, where we had found 14^ fathoms, and a bottom of green mud. We again buried part of our provisions, that we might be enabled to press forward to the north more rapidly. On the 9th of April, we had a clear sky, a moderate breeze from the E., and a temperature of -]- 9». The noon observation gave the latitude 71" 50', the longitude by reckoning was 3° 20' E. of the greater Baranov Rock. Variation 18f « E. After crossing the ridge behind which we had passed the night, we found ourselves in the midst of one of the wildest groups of hummocks which we had ever seen, and in which, aftey working seven hours with crow-bars, we had advanced only three wersts. As there appeared no end to ««w loVkoiir IT! +Viifi oHn'^s nf ine. and as the ex- hausted state of the dogs, and the dilapidated THE POLAR SEA. 247 condition of the sledges, threatened ns daily with their entire loss, I held a council with the two officers who accompanied me, requesting them to give me their opinion, whether, under present circumstances, they saw any possibUity of our making any material advance. They both said that even if we should not be stopped by open water, still m the exhausted state of our dogs we could scarcely accomplish thirty wersts in a week across these rugged hummocks. Perfectly coinciding in this opinion, I deter- mmed to return ; but that we might have nothing to reproach ourselves with, I sent M. von Ma- tiuschkm, on whose zeal and conscientiousness I had the most entire reliance, in an unloaded sledge with two companions, to examine the ice to the north, m order to ascertain whether it was actually impossible for us to proceed. He went on the 10th of April; we had had a moderate breeze dunng the night, and had heard the sound ot the ice-fields breaking up. In the morning we liad a sharp breeze from the north, and the ther- mometer showed -f- 14". Whilst M. von Matiuschkin was absent, I de- iS""?.^.^^^® i^*^*^^^ ^^° ^2'' ^^d the variation io o^ 1. • ^ R.^ longitude by reckoning was ?^T. ^^ ^'^^ Baranov. We had fourteer tathoms and a-half water with green mud. At the end of six ^ours, M. von Matiuschkin returned; he had passed high and very difficult hummocks, and had crossed wide fissures, not- withstanding which, he had been enabled, by the lightness of his sledge, to accomplish ten wersts in a due-north direction, when aU further advance was StODDed bv thn onmnlpfp V»i.nQL-i««. , ^ ^v_ ice, and a close approach to the open sea. He 24^ THIRD JOURNEY ON had seen the icy sea break its fetters ; enormous fields of ice, raised by the waves into an alnaost vertical position, driven against each other with a dreadful crash, pressed downwards by the force of the foaming billows, and reappearing again on the surface covered with the tom-up green mud, which every where here forms the bottom of the sea, and which we had so often found on the highest hummocks. On his return, M. von Ma- tiuschkin found great part of the track he had followed already gone, and large spaces which he had just traversed were now covered with water. All idea of advancing further was now at an end, and it was necessary to hasten back to our last deposit of provisions, that we might secure them before they were reached by the breaking up of the ice. Having replaced them in the sledges, we were so fortunate as to find a some- what less difficult route, by which we accomplished sixteen wersts in a W.N.W. direction. We saw numerous traces of bears going northwards, pro- bably to seek for seals among the new openings in the ice. On the 11th of April we had a moderate fall of snow : the observed latitude of our halting-place was 71° 54/, and its longitude by reckoning 2° 52' E. of the greater Baranov Kock. Our W.N.W. coiu*se soon brought us again amongst old hummocks : to avoid them as much as possible, we proposed to turi; to the N.E., but first ascended one of them, fifteen fathoms in height, to obtain a view of the state of the ice in that quarter. As far as the eye could reach, we saw new and impassable hummocks ; and a sound resembling the rolling of distant thunder, and numerous columns of dark-blue vapour, ascending at various points from M.E. to N.W., were clear THE POLAR SEA. 249 indications of tlie precarious state of the ice. We had here the opportunity of observing, that when the ice cracks, even in places where it is otherwise thick and sohd, vaporisation immediately ensues, which is more or less dense to the view, according to the temperature of the atmosphere, and usually shows itself in the form of vertically ascending columns of dark vapour. As we could not ad- vance to the N.E. we held our course a little further to the W., and halted twenty-four wersts from our last night's resting-place The warmth of the day had melted the train-oil, so that we had lost the greater part of it. There was so little wood left, that we could only allow ourselves tea and cooking once a-day, and had to be con- tented at other times with frozen fish, and with snow to quench our thirst. On the 12th, 1 sent M. von Matiuschkin to exa- mme whether it would not be possible for us to penetrate through the old hummocks to the north: at the end of three hours he brought back word that it would be very diffir : .^ ' h- not altogether impossible. We made tL ate. t, and had ad- vanced six wersts, when iv-^ mi) a very thin ice, which had broken in many plav ., and was covered with a quantity of salt water; these unequivocal indications of an approaching generg- '*reak-up, warned us to proceed no further, particularly as the north wind continued to increase. The depth of the sea was here fourteen fathoms and a-half, and the bottom no longer green mud as before, but gravel. We were now in 72° 2' latitude, and 262 wersts i /^o in a straight line from the nearest land, i. e, the ««^y greater Baranov Rock. Throughout the whole extent which we had traversed in so many different 250 THIRD JOURNEY ON ' directions, the nature of the ice, and the increasing depth of the sea, had indicated that we had in- creased our distance from the continent ; and we might presume with great probability, that if any considerable land existed to the north of us, we had at the utmost only travelled over half the interval which separates it from Siberia. It was not from this consideration, however, or from any cause but actual physical impossibihty, that we now at last relinquished the attempt to proceed northwards, and sought instead to reach the meridian of Cape Chelagskoi, due north of which the problematical land was supposed to be situ- ated, according to my instructions. We therefore retraced our steps, and slept at the spot where we had halted on the 10th of April. On the 13th we reached the deposit of provi- sions which we had formed on the 6th. We saw numerous traces of bears, which had probably been attracted by the smell, but all their attempts to break the covering of ice had failed. On open- ing our crypt with crow-bars, we foimd the hollow filled with water, which had come up through a recent crack in the bottom ; fortunately the cre- vice was a small one, and though the fish was wet through, none of it had been lost. We halted the next day, both to dry the fish as well as we could in the air, and to rest our exhausted dogs. We resumed our journey on the 15th, with a light breeze from the N. N. E., the thermometer showing — 1°. We travelled thirty-six wersts in an E. S. E. direction, along a kind of path, be- tween two rows of large hummocks ; at last the masses of ice (which were in many places covered with earth,) approached closer together, and the narrow ravines between were filled with such deep THE POLAB 83A. 261 icreasing had in- ; and we lat if any )f ns, vre half the , It was from any that we I proceed each the of wliich be situ- therefore where we of provi- We saw probably attempts On open- he hollow ;hrough a Y the cre- ti was wet i^e halted (Fell as we id dogs, th, with a rmometer wersts in path, be- t last the Bs covered , and the such deep snow, that both men and dogs were buried in it, and after extricating ourselves, we were obliged to retrace our steps for a short distance. We felt the cold very much during the night; the tern- perature was —13°, and we had no fire. On tiie 16th, we continued our course to the eastward, with clear and calm weather. A good noon observation gave our latitude 71 « 3(y, and our longitude by reckoning 3« 54' east of the greater Baranov Rock. In spite of deep snow, and other difficulties, we accomplished thirty wersts. Although, on the morning of the 17th, the temperature was not lower than — 9*, a violent cutting S.W. wind and snow-drift obliged us to halt during the day. At noon we availed our- selves of a favourable moment, when the sun appeared between the clouds, to obtain an obser- vation, which gave our latitude 71" 18'; the longitude by reckoning was 4° 4/ E. of the greater Baranov Rock. Variation 18° E. On the 18th, the storm subsided, and we con- tinued our route across old hummocks covered in many places with green mud. When we had gone eighteen wersts we encountered two bears, which we chased with no advantage, and with much damage and loss of time. We killed one of them it is true, but he was so thin, and his flesh so hard, that it was useless : several of our dogs were wounded ; we lost great part of the day, and encamped for the night much wearied by the hunt. During the night we saw signs of return- ing spring, in a large flight of black ducks (Anas nigra) proceeding to the N. W. ; the floating ice to the north of Siberia, is often covered with these birds. 252 THIRD JOURNEY ON On the 19th, our observed latitude was 71° 18' and our longitude by reckoning 4° 36' E. of the greater Baranov Rock. A violent storm from the N.W., accompanied by a heavy snow-drift, obliged us to halt at noon for the rest of the day. Next morning, although the wind and snow had not ceased, we continued our journey, and three wersts from our halting-place found a tolerably smooth path, bounded to the north by hummocks running in a S.S.E. direction. We sounded in a cleft which was only covered by a thin crust of ice, and found twenty-one fathoms, green mud, with a rather strong current running E.S.E. In the north-eastern horizon there were columns of dark-blue vapour, similar to those which we had noticed several times before when the ice was breaking. We had this day travelled thirty-nine wersts, and halted for the night under the shelter of a large ridge formed by the junction of old and recent hum- mocks : the latter extended ea stward as far as the horizon. Early in the morning of the 21st of April, MM. von Matiuschkin and Kosmin went forward in a light sledge, to seek for the best route to- wards the east, but after going over rugged hum- mocks with great effort for a single werst to the N.N.E., they came to a space of open water, at least two wersts across; this opening extended from E.S.E. to W.N.W. beyond the visible horizon ; the ice on the other side of it appeared to be intersected by numerous fissures, and from the summit of a hummock they clearly saw extensive open water, with fields of thin ice drifting to the E.S.E. a strong current setting to the S.E. ; the depth of the sea was 19^ fathoms : bottom green mud. THE POLAR SEA. 253 As the open water made it out of the question to attempt to proceed in that direction, we made towards the meridian of Cape Chelagskoi in a ^5.fe.J^ direction, where the old hummocks offered rather fewer difficulties than the recent ones : we travelled the whole night, but the deep snow pre- vented us from accomplishing more than twenty- seven wersts. ^ On the morning of the 23nd, we were sur- rounded by a thick fog, which concealed even the nearest objects. When it cleared, we saw plainly to the soutn the black bluff rocks of Cape Chela/- skoi appearing above the horizon. The south- eastern point of the coast bore S. 45° "^ the middle summit S. 40° E., the south-western point ot the promontory, distant fifty miles or eikty- seven wersts, bore S. 33° E. At 3J P.M. we found the variation 18° 49' E Ihe noon observation gave the latitude 70° 53' and our longitude derived from the bearings of t^ie land, 6° 40' east of the greater Baranov Rock. Our reckoning was in error 24', corresponding to an actual distance of eight mHes. An observation ot the dip, m which the poles of the needle were not reversed, gave 79° 57' N. The constantly-increasing depth of the sea, and the number of spaces of open water, so little cur- responded with the vicinity of the continent, that It we had not been assured of its existence by the evidence of our senses, we could hardly have im- agined that we were within ninety wersts of the mam land. This remark leads to the inference tnat our hitherto fruitless endeavours to find the supposed Polar land maij prove nothing against Its existence : strictly speaking, they only prove that notwithstanding all our efforts it was im- possible for us to reach it; whether the ins^r- 254 THIRD JOURNEY ON mountable obstacle8 T/vhich stopped us, would always present themselves, I do not venture to decide. Two circumstances should be noticeii: first, although in this vicinity we met with many recent fractures, the ice itself was every where thick, and covered with solid snow : where- as, further north, the ice was very thin, and had very little snow on its surface: — and, second, north winds are always damp winds : both these circumstances indicate that the general state of the sea to the north differs materially from its condition in the vicinity of the continent. Towards evening a fresh S.S.W. wind covered the sky with clouds : the state of the ice induced us to take a S. S. E. course ; we found a piece of half-decayed fire-wood, which was a very accept- able addition to our scanty stock of fuel. After travelling nineteen worsts, our further progress in a S.S.E. direction was stopped by a mass of impassable hummocks, which extended to Cape Chelagskoi. The rocks of the Cape were clearly distinguishable; their outer point bore S. 30« E. Although the horizon was remarkably clear, we could not discover any indications of land, either to the east or to the north. Assuming that any land, which was not extremely low, must have been visible at a distance of fifty worsts, and that we were eighty worsts distance from Cape Chelagskoi, it is manifest that in the meridian of that cape no lane" exists for a distance of 130 wersts to the northward of the Cape. We have already seen that there is no land for 300 wersts to the north of the greater Baranov Rock. Having only food for four days for our dogs, ..^A v^;>,.» onn wf>rsts frnm onr denosit of nrovi- sions, the season also being very far advanced. THE POIAE Si!A. 255 tZ23rHTrf to return wif... at delay, and on the 23rd of Apnl travelled twenty-six worsts in a In the afternoon we saw, to the south, a con- tmuons low co^t, apparently raised above the but as the interval which separated us from the coast was not less than ninety-eight wersts, tC effect must have been produced by the stro^ refr^tion of these regions, which haT often led tf the «lJSCoveiy of remote objects. On the 24th we I'Zt f **"'''y-fi^e wersts, meeting with frequent tracks of bears and stone-foxes. I Sl'^J'^^ ^'J*'* *^ ^°°^ observation gave 70° 54' ^ S' rY °"f '?'l\by reckoning, was 3° 12' W. of Cape Chelagskoi ; hummocks and loose snow ^hTr?**.."" ^r"* .^^"■"Pli^ing more tC tbrty-eight wersts. Large flights of black ducks passed over us to the westward. On the 26th, though the ice was stiU difficult we made forty-three wersts; a piece oFfresh aspen-wood was picked up near our halting-place Our provisions were now quite consumed, and the dnvera were very uneasy about the dogs, which lose their strength very quickly when food fails, JJut in re lance on our reckoning, by which we coiddnot be more than one day'f joLIe^ Lm our deposit, we pushed on cheerfuUy on the 2rth. over a less-difficuIt route than heretofore, and amved at the spot in the evening, after a mw^h of forty-wersts. Ten wersts before reachingTt we — •^'VX "^"^ tr«uis. 01 jlM. von Matmsrhkin^a Pledge. The 29th was a day of rest f» Z dogs! 266 THIRD JOURNEY ON and of refreshment for ourselves, enhanced by finding a large piece of drift pine-wood, which enabled us to make a good fire. The marks of teeth and claws about the block of ice, and the torn-up snow, showed, that during our twenty- eight days' absence, the bears had made numeroui and vigorous attempts on our store-house, but happily without success ; we found every thmg uninjured. As the advanced season, the low state of our provisions, and the dilapidated condition of our sledges, forbade any continuation of our jour- ney, I thought it best to return to Kolymsk by the track we had already travelled ; it had been so much improved, by the consolidation of the loose snow, which had since taken place, that we ac- complished fifty-five wersts on the 29tli, fifty wersts on the 30tli, and reached the coast on the evening of the 1st of May, where we halted for the night, half-way between the greater and the lesser Baranov Rocks. i i, 4. Weary as we were, we rose very early the next morning, to enjoy the long unseen aspect of the brown earth. The grey moss, the low leafless bushes, and the notes of the few birds, all told ot land of spring, and of a return to animated nature : and we wished each other joy of our recent toils and privations being over for the It is with the warmest pleasure that I here record mv grateful thanks to my two excellent companions MM. von Matiuschkin and Kosmm, for their zealous support throughout the difficul- ties of the journey we had just completed; in which all hands had frequently to join m dragging +T i..A^^^ ^^^r^^^crh noiivW hottomlcsi "uow, aud over perpendicular cliffs of ice; and I cannot but THE POLAR SEA. anced by ►d, which marks of }, and the p tweiity- numeroui ouse, but ery thing I low state ndition of ■ our jour- ►lymsk by id been so ' the loose at we ac- J9th, fifty fast on the ted for the the lesser y the next ect of the )w leafless all told of animated oy of our 3r for the lat I here 3 excellent d Kosmin, he difficul- pleted; in n dragging "now, and cannot but 257 believe tliat it was in great measure owing to their example that our sledge drivers encountered so many toils, privations, and dangers, cheerfully and Without a murmur. ^ On the 4th of May we arrived at Pochodsk. where a new and joyful surprise awaited me. Mv friend and brother officer Lieutenant Anion had just arrived from the island of New Siberia with the expeditioii under his command, proposing to visit Nynei Kolymsk, and return along the cSast to the lana. Our happiness, in meeting thus un- expectedly in these remote regions, could not but be alloyed by the sight of the suffering and mi- sery which surrounded us. Six half-starved Tun- pse famdies, urged by despair, had exerted the last remnant of their frilling strength to reach this place, where they found the few inhabitants in a scarcely less sad condition, their stores bein- quite consumed, and they themselves supporting life as well as they could on the remnants of bone and skins, unti the aj^proaching spring should briuff the anxious y-looked-for relief. We divided amongst them all the remainder of our provisions, and had reason to hope that this assistance saved the lives of several. On the 5th of May we reached Nijnei Kolymsk after an absence of fifty-seven days, in which time we had travelled 1355 wersts. I found here new orders from the Governor-general of Siberia in reference to our employments for this year. Our worthy companion Dr. Kyber was only partially recovered, and was suffering with his "usual pa- tience and cheerfulness. The town was empty all the inhabitants being absent on their summer employments, except the invalid Cossack who always remains on guard, and our old house- keeper, g \ \n [it: 258 THIRD JOURNEY ON THE POLAR SEA. On the IQth of May the first rain fell, but summer had not yet arrived, and we had snow repeatedly afterwards. About the 17th, fresh grass began to appear on the sheltered banks; and on the 22nd, the ice which had covered the river for 259 days broke up. On the 26th of May the usual inundation followed, forcing us to take refuge with all our goods on the flat roofs of the houses, there to await the termination of the flood. To provide against cases which sometimes occur, of the buildings being materially injured by drift- ing masses of ice, or of the inundation reaching the roof, we had boats at hand, to enable us to retire, if needful, to the Panteljiva mountain. The inhabitants always take care before leaving the place to remove all their portable goods to the roofs of their houses, which certainly present a singular aspect, being covered with sledges, chests, casks, and household utensils of all kinds. On the 31st of May, the water began to subside, and we were soon afterwards able to return to our dwellings ; but in spite of the constant fires which we kept up, it was long before we got rid of the cold damp atmosphere proceeding from the walls, which had been thoroughly saturated with moisture. i i '1/ lii 259 CHAPTER XII. M. VON WRANGELL's JOURNEY THROUGH THE STONY TUNDRA IN THE SUMMER OF 1822. , I HAD designed to employ this summer, partly '"l-Pf ?f ^uT' ^^'; """^ ^^^* winter-journey, for which the balagan built near the great Baranika was to serve as head-quarters, and partlv in sur- veymg the coast from the mouth of the Kolvma to the greater B^anov Eock, and in repeating the astronomical determinations of the principal t'e'^r^f 1821 ''''^*' "^^""^ "^ ^^^ ""^^^ ^ *^^ ^^- As soon as the spring floods subsided, I des- patched four trustworthy persons to the viUa^e of Panteljiva, from whence they were to proce^ on horseback to the balagan, to build a karbass there, and to take as many fish as possible with nets and baskets, to form the staple of our pro- vision for the next winter^s journey. They were On''.^ o^ef Tn «^^^«.a^d geese as they could. On the 23rd of June, Lieutenant Anjou, M. von Matiuschkm, M. Kosmm, and myself, descended the nver m our own boat, the Koiyma, and visited m passing, the settlements of Kre.towoi, Tscher- noussow and Pochodsk, where fisheries for the use of the expedition were in progress. At Po- chodsk, Lieut. Anion auitt'^'l ii° t 1 horseback to the Indigirka, with three companions. S ti 260 M. VON WRANGELL's JOUENEY \ m S MfiU« On the 26th we reached the rocky point on the right bank of the Kolyma, called Krest, (the Cross,) where two Russian families had settled for fishing. The Uttle river of Panteljiva falls into the Kolyma fifteen wersts from this point. The situation of Krest possesses such great and important advantages over that of Nijnei Kolymsk, that it would be very desirable to remove the little town to it, for the sake both of the inhabi- tants of the place itself, and of those of the district generally. The high bank, which is quite large enough to admit of the buildings standing at suitable distances from each other, is above the level ever reached by the spring-floods. There is abundance of drift-wood of the best kind for building ; and both on the bank, and on several islands in the river, there are good pastures, which might even supply winter-hay for the horses. Vegetation generally has far more vigour and variety than at Nijnei Kolymsk ; the larch- tree attains greater height and size, and many herbs and berries are to be found. Krest is also tolerably central in respect to the various villages and settlements, whose inhabitants have to resort to the town at different seasons of the year, and to whom, therefore, the change would be highly advantageous. As the distance is twenty-five wersts down the river, it would not be difficult nor expensive to remove whatever was worth the carriage ; lastly, the situation and neighbourhood are far more agreeable and healthful than those of Nijnei Kolymsk, and sheltering hills and woods render it far less cold. In short, the removal would be such a benefit, as would repay a hun- dred-fold the little cost and labour which it would require. THROUGH THE STONY TUNDRA. 261 bend at Krest m a N. 40" E. direction, consists of indurated clay, of a dark-red and of a L^reen fc /^"^^^^.^'^ds obliged us to remain here a day so that we could not continue our voyage until the 28th of July. Rocks, similar^ those at Krest, foUow the direction of the river tW^^""'' T'*'.' f'T"^ ^ ^l^ff «teeP bank; ti^ey then retire inland, and join the west side of me mountain of Surowaia, which is washed bv tnJT-f^'''''' J^'' ^^"' '' *^^1^« fathoms broad at Its mouth ; we turned into it, and our boat which was drawn by twelve dogs, ascended the stream rapidly; the banks are covered with a layer of vegetable earth, in which sand-willows and alder-bushes grow. The weather was warm, and the clouds of mos- quitoes tormented us so much, that we were glad to take refuge m an out-house filled with smoke, on amving at the village of Panteljiva, which is situated on the left bank of the river, amidst good pastures and among lakes abounding in fish. On nt.7f^ P ^^^^- ^* ^^^^* .'^^^* ^^^«*^ distance, w ?^/^<^^lj^^a mountam with its two summits! fl.P o .^ ^''1°^'' S'^^^ travelHng companion, the active merchant, Bereshnoi, who helped us out of a great perplexity. I had not been able to obtain the number of horses which we required, and the short summer might easily have been lost in truif less endeavours to procure them, if M. Be- reshnoi had not most kindly offered us the use of ten ot his ; at the same time entirely refusing any payment. "You travel by the Emperor's order\ and for the general good,- said he, "and wh^ Should I take any money from you? God has blessed my industry, and I do not want it " 262 M. VON WRANGELL's JOURNEY M" I i)'i!!i He was preparing for a journey to Tchaun Bay, in search of mammoth-bones, and as it was part of our plan that M. von Matiuschkm should explore that country, he offered to jom M. Be- reshnoi, which was a very agreeable ana usetul arrangement for both paities. i.«. 4. Every thing being settled for our different iourneys, we availed ourselves of the mild weather to make an excursion to the Panteljiva mountain, and followed a very narrow pathway leading to the summit. This mountain affords a shelter from north winds, and favours vegetation m a high degree; it is a place of great resort lor gathering the Vaccinium uhginosum (the whortle- berry), which is very abundant and fine here. Unfortunately, the thick larch-woods, which once covered the hill and part of the plain at its toot, were destroyed fifty years ago by a forest-lire, which spread from the banks of the Aniui to t^e extreme northern Umit of the woody region. A young growth of larch has sprung up withm the last two or three years ; its Uvely green is most pleasing to the eye, and many flowers grow amongst the young trees. Higher up, thyme and other herbs are met with, and still nearer the summit the dwarf cedar creeps over the stony ground: the summit itself has no vegetation, fave grey moss and a few hchens. The view is extensive, and at this season pleasing. From N W. to S. the eye loses itself in the vast tundra interspersed with lakes of various sizes, forming the left bank of the Kolyma, and adjoining the mouths of the two Aniui Rivers. One can toUow the course of the Kolyma, and its numerous islands, for 130 wersts, from above ISijuei Kolymsk to the sea. To the north the view is ?chaun , it was should M. Be- useful ifFerent weather mntain, ding to shelter on in a sort for whortle- le here, ich once its foot, rest-fire, ui to the ^ion. A ithin the I is most rs grow ), thyme II nearer the stony 5getation, le view is g. From ist tundra , forming )ining the 3an follow numerous e Nijnei lie view is TUllOUGH THE STONY TUNDllA. 2(33 bounded by the neiglibouiing low hills, behind which rise others covered with perpetual si;ow • and stiU further off the black and pointed summits of the rocks near the sea are visible Towards the east, are seen the White Rocks, which form a rather long chain, running in an E. S. E. direction ; it is only the nearest end of the chain which is visible from the Panteljiva. In the distance, in the S. and S. E., are the plains and mountains adjoining the rivers Aniui and Tun- kina. The tract of country descried extends aoout 300 wersts, in almost every direction. The highest summit of the Panteljiva is covered with fragments of black slate, among which there are traces of weathered whitish gramte; the rock, of which the mountain itself is composed, is nowhere visible. The southern decUvity form:; an angle of 30° with the horizon ; the north side is steeper, but there are no ravines of any importance. There is a second lower summit to the west of the principal one. From Nijnei Kolymsk, the angle subtended by the highest point, is 0° 48' 45'' the distance being 14,758 fathoms, which gives 1,491 feet for the vertical height above the Ostrog. In calm, clear weather, at 5 p.m. the temperature at the top of the hill was 4- 35° and at its foot + 43°,. After taking the neces' sary angles from the summit, we returned to the village, the latitude of which, by the angles, and by a meridian latitude, taken on the 28th of June, is 68° 57', and its longitude, 0° 40' E. from Nijnei Kolymsk ; the variation is 12J° E. Immediately after sunset, the thermometer sunk below the freezing point, dark clouds gathered 264 M. VOf VKJI "I^III,'* JOURNEY y It lit i II 1 i;!: . round the uMiMntuin, a ^d a stoTin fame on from the west. Iti the mormiig, the upper luiif of the hill wns covered with thick snow, and ton «rjts of rain fell \)^ the low grounds This had weather detained us rill the first of July, when we resumed our journey witli a clear atmosphere. MM. von Matiuschkin and Bcreshnoi went first to Ostrow- noie to procure an interpreter for communicatmg with the Tchuktchea. They were to travel from thence to Tchaun Bay. I proceeded to tlie sea- coast, for the purpose of repeating, in ohedience to my instructions, Captain Billings' determmation of the position of the Baranov Hocks. I was ac- companied by M. Kosmin, a sailor, and two lakuts, with six loaded pack-horses. We slept the first night on the north side of the Panteljiva mountain, near a small lake ; the con- trast between this tract, which is exposed to the north winds, and the sheltered and smiling dis- trict which we had just quitted, was very great; at every step the larches became fewer and more stunted, and soon ceased entirely, being replaced by small sand-willows, and dwarf-birch, less than a foot high. More generally the ground is bare, or at most, covered with grey moss, and a little thin grass, turned yellow by frost; a few blackened stems of bun t; larch still remain. The ground in these valleys is generally clay, but the small lake, near which we halted, is clear, with a gravelly bottom. The air was mild ; the sky clear, and the temperature at midnight -f 43°. The summits of the Panteljiva Mountain, and of the White Rocks, were reflected ir the glassy surface of the lake ; I availed myself o. ^-his nctural mirror to take their angular height, f*- -^•^e'^ time nor circumstances ^ ,W/'U THROUGH THE STONY TUNDRA. 265 L from of the tilts of eathcr isumed ►I. von )strow- icating :l from \\e sea- edience ination was ac- lakuts, e of the ;he con- Ito the ng rlis- y great ; id more replaced ess than is hare, a little ackened round in lall lake, gravelly and the mmits of :e Rocks, e lake ; I ake their mstances k admitted of my measuring the elevation of these hills in any other manm;r. From this i .f'asure- meut I obtained the heights as follows ; The central point of the White Rocks, ^jOO feet. The eastern summit of the Panteljiva, 17 tO feet. The western summit of the same 1IG7 feet. Much snow still lay on the sloping-sides of tlije White Rocks, (so named on that account,) but their summits were bnre; chiefly, no doubt, from the influence of tJie vvind. This frequently hap- pens at all seasons of the year, and renders it difficult to determine the height of the snow-hne. On the tundras, though exposed to the full beams of the sun, the earth never thaws to a greater depth than from seven to ten and a- half inches; masses of ice remain on the sea-beach unmelted throughout the summer, and the snow often lies in the valleys from year to year ; probably the whole surface of the sea would be perpetually frozen, if the ice were not broken up by tides and currents, and by the violent storms wliich always prevail in spring. On the 2nd of July I determined the latitude by a meridian altitude, 68° 42', the longitude being 160° 51', variation 12|° E. The tempera- ture was -f- 50°. After a march of twenty wersts, we slept on the banks of the Philippowka : the intervening tract is marshy and barren, but near the river we again met with larch-trees and rasturcf. and found whortleberries, and the Knasheniza fRubus arcticm,) which grows here abundantly. This plant resembles the straw- berry, and the fruit is something hke a raspberry in appearance, but its fine arc^matic scent and flavour are such as one would not expect to meet with in such a climate. 1 f k } 266 M . VON wrangell's journey The Philippowka is a rapid stream which rises in the White Rocks, and empties itself into the Kolyma. The Salmo thymallus is both large and abundant in its waters. Its valley used to be famous for numerous elks, until the great forest fires of 1770 drove them away. They gradually returned as the trees began to grow again, and in the winter of 1812, almost every hunter killed as many as six. Perhaps too many were thus destroyed, as they have been extremely rare ever since; even a single elk being seen in the Kolymsk district is now quite an event. Their disappearance is a severe loss to the inhabitants. On the 3rd of July we had a warm south wind, the temperature was + 50° in the morning, and 4- 56° at noon ; both ourselves and our horses suffered in consequence so much from the stings of the mosquitoes, that we wished for cold weather again. The meridian altitude gave the latitude 68° 53', the longitude by reckoning was 162° 9', the variation was 13° E. We foUowed the lower arm of the PhiUppowka for sixteen worsts, and for the sake of the pasture, halted early in the valley, as we could not expect to find much grass on the next day, when we were to cross the ridge which joins the Sucharnoi Hills to the Larionow Rocks, on the right bank of the Kolyma. The woody region terminates here in latitude 69' beyond which there are only very few small and stunted shrubs. This is the Hmit of the stony or rocky tundra. It was now so cold that we were forced to wear our furs again. At sunset the thermometer showed + 30°. On the 4th of July we crossed the ridge by a broad track maue by the rein={ieer. — i ""7 highest point I took a meridian altitude, which * h rises ito the •ge and [ to be ; forest adually in, and I* killed re thus re ever in the Their tants. Ii wind, ng, and horses e stings weather latitude 162° 9', le lower sts, and r in the 3h grass lie ridge larionow a. The 3 69° 5', aall and le stony that we t sunset Ige by a At the e, which THROUGH THE STONY TUNDRA. 267 gave the latitude 69° 5', the longitude being 162° 9', and the variation 15° E. In clear wea- ther the mouths of the Kolyma may be distinctly seen from this point, but they were now concealed by a mist, which only allowed me to take two angles. The north side of this ridge is steeper than the south. We descended into a deep narrow valley, running S. 56° W. ; the surface rock is nowhere visible, but we saw numerous fragments of white granite and black slate. From the north side of the ridge we saw to the right the Sucharnoi Mountains, covered with perpetual snow, which run N.N.E., and form the centre of this group of hills. In the valleys through which we passed, we often met with snow so firm as to support the horses. At night we had a N.E. breeze, with a temperature of + 26°. On the 5th of July our observed latitude was 69° 18', our longitude 162° 03', and the variation 15|° E. We crossed two shallow and rapid arms of the Sucharnaia, which unite and fall into the Kolyma, near the balagan of Sucharnoi. We also crossed another small river called " the deep stream," which falls into the Kolyma, near Lep- tew's tower. Its banks are earthy, and are said to contain many mammoth-bones. After passing a few hills, we came to the Medweshia or Bear River, which is ten fathoms across, and so deep, that it can only be forded at a few spots. We killed, on some neighbouring lakes, a number of wild-geese, which had come here for moulting; they were very acceptable, as was a kind of onion which we found growing in dry sandy places. We slept at the foot of the hills which joined the Baranov Rocks. Snow fell at night, and the temperature was + 25°, next morning it rose to + 43° with fine weather. i'i 268 M. VON WRANGELL S JOURNEY Our way lay across the Strand Hills, which run parallel with the coast ; they consist chiefly of earth and ice, and are not connected with each other, but divided by deep ravines. We had an extensive sea-view from one of these hills, and saw large drifting hummocks to the north, but a solid sheet of ice adhering to the coast of the continent. We reached the shore near the little Baranov Rock, where Captain Billings' expedition landed, and where we found the cross erected by him, and inscribed "1787, 1 2th July;" it was still in good presentation. I, pitched here our little camp for the purpose of repeating the observations which that navigator had made fifty-five years before. The weather on the 7th of July was very favour- able. The sky was clear, and the temperature -f- 43° at noon. We had two sextants, one of Troughton's and the other of Carey's ; with these, M. Kosmin and I obtained the double altitude of the sun's lower limb, as follows : — .Troughton's sextant Carev's . . . . 82° 16' or 82 17 02 The mean is 82 16 32 Whence the latitude 69° 38' N., and the longi- tude, deduced in our former survey, is 162° 49' E. The variation was 12j° E., which surprised me, as the easterly variation ought rather to have in- creased since our last observation, which was further to the south. T ^A^^ 4. — 4. 4.T — - — J. ^jf n — fa-*,, pm: — »„ xii wiu.ci Lu icjjcaiy tiic icai/ wi Vyaplaiix Ijixuxi^ a observations, on the spot where they were made by him, we followed a steep, rocky, and difficult THUOrOH THE STONY TUNDRA. 269 mmte"'"^ n°°^ *''^^''s<' "^ *e sea, to the no it o/th ^ ""^'l '"*' °^ *« »°^t projecting point of the lesser Baranov Bock. This is thp of J,,^^'"^?''^*'''? ^'"'"Ss observed on the 29th conJJff ^f ™''''' °" *'''' ""«'* side of this Cape, consist of common quartz, with large drusy cavi ties, m which we found very regular crystals about an inch long. Further to ^the eaTthe surface IS covered with fragments of a fine-grained whitish granite, strata of which crop out in an irregdar manner towards the sea; on the smnmit n r o^"''^ f'^''^^ °^ ^ ^''"aaj granite. Un the 8th of July we had clear weather, and a noon temperature of +48°; we found the me- ndian double altitude of the sun's lower limb bv Troughton's sextant Carey's sextant 81° 81 46' 48 53' 00 The mean 81 47 26 Whence the latitude 69° 41' 48" N • lonp-itTiH,. 163° 19' E. Variation 13° E. ^- ^^"S^tude rZl'''^ this point we proceeded to the spot where Captain Billings observed the latitude on the 6th ot July, which we identified as well as we could by means of the Admiralty map. After crossing Uie ridge, which runs inland from the Baranov Kocks, we saw on the eastern side hollows, where tne rock, being covered with vegetable earth formed grassy valleys, in which large flocks of wild sheep were feeding. They climb these almost perpendicular cliffs with wonderful a-ilitv and are nowhere so nii^^r^^''^"" «- -^ -^i *' ^ Ai^ — jw iiaxii,.j.\jvis3 aa ut uiuse rocks, 270 M . VON wrangell's journey li.l which are called from them Baranov Rocks,— Barau signifying Sheep. ., r 4. x ^i. The mountain is covered, from the loot to the summit, with immense fragments of rock; they are of the same white granite as the upper pillars, which are fifty or sixty feet high, and have the form of a four-sided parallelopipedon, ot which the northern and southern faces are the broadest. To the east of the granite rocks, slate reappears, and forms the extreme point of the rocks, thirty feet high. ^ ^ ^ . , _ The general form of these rocks is an elonga- tion from W.N.W. to E.S.E.; the eastern and western sides are steep; the ravines through which the streams flow to the sea, have aU a W.N.W. direction. From the summit of the hill we had an extensive view over the sea, and over the wide bay between the two Baranov Rocks. The bay was covered with fixed ice, as was also the sea in a N.N.E. direction, as far as the eye could reach. In the evening the air was perfectlv calm, the sky clear, and the temperature + 43 at midnight. j 1,1 u- On the 9th of July the meridian double alti- tude of the sun's centre was by Troughton's sextant 81° 27' 38''; hence the latitude was 69° 40' 34" ; the longitude was 163° 52'; variation 13i^° E. The promontory of the lesser Baranov Rock, behind which is our place of observation of the 8th of July, bore S. 89° 30' W. distant seven geosrraphical miles. I cannot be quite sure whether our observations were made exactly at the same spot as those of Captain Billings on the 6th of July 1787, as the sl)ore is here verv sloping, and there is no striking i i ■ THROUGH THE STONY TUNDRA. 271 locks, — t to the ik; they r pillars, lave the ^hich the jroadest. jappears, ts, thirty L elonga- tern and through ive all a it of the sea, and 9V Rocks. was also J the eye perfectly ire + 43° uble alti- oughton's itude was variation ' Baranov jrvation of tant seven )servations IS those of !S7, as the 10 striking j feature; we were guided by the distance from the lesser Baranov Rock. The want of provisions obliged us to go some- what mland, in order to kiU some of the numerous wild geese which breed on the small lakes. We soon shot seventeen, which our guides accounted a good number, according to the present standard Formerly many more geese were killed here than IS the case at present. For some few years past they seem to have resorted in preference to the shores of the Indigirka, where many thousands are kdled every summer. They are sometimes dnven m flocks into a large empty hut, or knocked down with sticks in the open plain. A good deal of experience and skill are necessary on the part of the fowler, as though the moulting birds cannot fly, ihey run extremely fast. When in danger, they cower on the ground, stretch out their necks, and hide their heads like the ostrich between the little moss hillocks. They lie in this way so motionless, that an inexperienced person passes them by, supposing them to be already killed. They usuaUy form large flocks, each of which has a leader, whom they never quit except in great danger. The natives distinguish four kinds of geese : the white goose which used to frequent the sea shore in great numbers, but seems to have disappeared ; the proper wild grev- goose (gumennik) which is the largest kind; and the kosarka and piskun, which are much smaller. The piskun is not larger than a tame duck. Many of the lakes in this neighbourhood are surrounded by earth-hills containing mammoth- bones. These hills, and the lakes which are between them, are bounded on thn south b'^ a range which rises to the E.S.E. of the lesser 272 M. VON WRANGELl's JOURNEY. Baranov Rock j the latter looks from a distance like a detached island. Out pursuit of the geese conducted us to the sea-coast fifteen wersts east of the greater Baranov Bock, where we slept on the 9th of July. On the next day the air was calm, and the temperature 48^ The noon ob- servation gave the latitude of our haltmg-place 69° 36', its longitude by reckoning was 104 6Z : the north point of the greater Baranov Rock bore N 50^ W. The variation was 13|^° E. *As Captain Billing's fourth and last observation on this coast was made at the most northern point of the greater Baranov Rock, I went thither, leavin"- two of my companions to continue fowling. A lar^'e flock of geese covered the small river Semlanaia, which flows into the sea at the foot of rock, but as we approached, they filled the air with their loud cries, swam across the open water at the mouth of the river, and gained the sea-ice, over which they ran away with incredible swift- ness. I have since had occasion to remark that rein-deer escape from their pursuers on the ice m the same manner. As we ascended the south side of the greater Baranov, we saw a numerous herd of wild rein-deer feeding on the young grass in the plain below, but they were alarmed by the barking of our dogs, and fled so quickly that we could not kill even a single one. We found the plain where they had been feeding strewed with their hair; our guides said they always sought the coast when they v^ere changing their coat, as there are much fewer mosquitos near the sea than Hitherto we had pursued a route along the flat coast, but now it became necessary to make our way across the rugged and broken ground ot the THROUGH THE STONY TUNDRA. 273 iistance le geese sts east jlept on air was oon ob- ng-place 64° 32' : 3ck bore lervation aorthern thither, fowling, all river 3 foot of the air en water i sea-ice, lie swift- lark that lie ice in he south lumerons mg grass d by the ■f that we ound the wed with rs sought r coat, as ; sea than g the flat make our nd of the greater Baranov. The observation of Captain BiUmgs, of the 21st of July, 1787, which I was directed to repeat, was made on board ship, three miles north of this promontory. The spot which I selected as most probably coinciding m lonffitude with the position of Captain Billing's ship, is the N. E. point of the promontory: we arrived at this spot the evening of the 10th, which was the finest of the whole summer, perfectly calm and clear, with a temperature of + 55° oii the nth of July we had a fresh breeze from the west, with the thermometer at + 43°; our noon observation gave by the mean of the double altitudes of the sun, with the two sextants, the ^al^t f ^f .^' ^^''' *^^ l^^git^de being 164° 10 E. and the variation 12° 35' E. In the afternoon a mist, with occasional showers of rain ^^"^f T' ^""^ *^® weather continued the same untd the 19th; it was therefore very fortunate tnat we had completed our observations. The following is the comparison of the latitudes we had observed, with those of Captain Billings : North Point of ) o^'J\ ,1822-„ Pf- Inov^^''^"" ^^''' k ''""^ ^^' ^^ ^"^ ^^ -^"^y ^' ^^ *^ *8 14 22 Between the i West Side of > , , ,„ ^„ the Lesser Bar C'^^^y 12.69 22 48) , , ^ ^„ anov . ' . . \ July 13. 69 22 44 1 ^"^y ^' ^9 38 15 14 North-east ^ UreaLrl^ov V"'' ''• ''' '' '" •'"'^ "' "" « '' « » Ostrog of Nij-1 nei Kolymsk . . J 68 17 14 68 3151 14 37 Captain Billing's observation of the 21st of l«i 274 M. VON WRANGELL's JOURNEY m ■ 11 I'M 1 Ik 1 !i ;1{ July, was made three miles north of the shore, consequently the difference of 8' 00", on that occasion, should be increased to 11' 00" ; some doubt may exist whether his observation of the 6th July, and ours of the 9th July, were pre- cisely at the same spot ; the places of observation on the three other occasions were identical, and give a systematic difference of about 15'. The variation, generally, from Nijnei Kolymsk to the Baranov . Rocks, has decreased in the thirty-five years, about 5°, as is shown by the following observations : 1787. 1822. Diff. o ' o ' o ' Nijnei Kolymsk .• 13 04 9 56 5 08 Between the Lesser and the Greater Baranov.l7 12 12 30 4 42 At the Greater Baranov 17 40 12 35 5 05 After completing these observations, we re- turned to the mouth of the Semlanaiix, which we found very much swollen by the entrance of sea-water. Along the whole of this coast, west and north-west winds cause the sea to flow into the rivers, and to raise their level, which sinks again with southerly winds. We were never able to perceive any regular ebb and flood, nor had the inhabitants ever remarked any. This part of the coast generally is characterized by dark rugged rocks, from which nothing can be seen on the landward side save the desert tundra; whilst to the north, the Icy Sea offers a still more dreary view. Death-like stillness reigns; no traces of men are visible; and but few of animal life, save for a short portion of the summer, during which the rein-deer resort here to avoid the mosquitoes, ftY,fl fv,« w^l/l-fnwl sppIc the mouths of the various small rivers, where they find most food, and i THROUGH THE STONY TUNDRA. 275 3 shore, on that '; some L of the ;re pre- ervation cal, and Lolymsk in the hy the 822. Diff. » O ' ) 56 5 OS 2 30 4 42 2 35 5 05 we re- i, which ;raii'J8 of %&t, west flow into Lch sinks 3ver able p had the irt of the £ rugged a on the whilst to re dreary traces of life, save ig which asquitoes, le various bod, and where they moult, and bring out their young broods, at a distance from human habitations We resumed our march on the 12th, but halted tor that night and the following day near a river, where we found good pasture for our horses. The weather was raw and unpleasant. A north-west wmd brought with it a thick fog; the temperature at noon was only,+ 34'>, and at night tlfe small lakes became covered with a thin crust of ice. We found near our halting place, several mam- moth-bones and pieces of whale-bone, but they were not m very good preservation.* On the afternoon of the 14th of July, as we were crossmg a river, M. Kosmin^s horse started, and threw him; he gained the bank by swim- ming, and immediately changed his clothes; but as the evenmg was cold, and as we had first a fog and then heavy rain, I thought it morj advisable, instead of ha tmg for the night, to continue ou^ nde, by which the blood would be kept in ch-- culation, and bad effects from the chill prevented: this precaution was quite successful. After a march of eighteen hours, we reached the balagan, which had been built in the pre- ceding summer, near the mouth of the ffreat Baramka. It consisted of one large room with a hre-place, and a store-room for provisions. The nver IS a werst across at the mouth, but so shal- low that when the water is low, banks of mud are left dry m the middle of the river. The ri-ht bank IS steep and rocky : the left, near which Sur are*foT,nH^T "^^^^f^P^^-bonfj as well as the greatest number, are tound at a certain depth below the surface, usually in cJav In l3, more rarely in black earth. The more sol d the clay, he better the bones are preserved. Experience has nlso ohov' n tnat more are found in elevations situated near hidier hills than along the low coast or on the flat tundra. ^ ' t2 276 M. VON WRANGELL's JOURNEY balagan was built, is flat and sandy. The honzon from S. E. to S. W. is bounded by a range of snow-covered mountains, where this river rises, as well as another which empties itself into the sea thirty-five wersts to the westward. Both rivers are called Baranika,by the people of the country, from the numerous wild sheep which are found near their sources, and which are great objects of chase in winter. Our balagan was surrounded by small lakes, where large flocks of wild geese are always assembled by the 10th of July. About the 1st of August, swans usually arrive for their moulting season, at a part of the coast thirty wersts to the eastward. There are many traces of a former Tchuktche settlement about one werst below our own build- ings, such as large heaps of bones, marks of fire, and household utensils, among which was a lamp formed of basalt, and extremely well executed. I had the satisfaction of finding the people whom I had sent here from Nijnei Kolymsk safe and well, and busily engaged in building a boat, and making nets and other preparations for fish- ing. They talked much of roving parties of Tchuktches, who they suspected had been in the vicinity in the night, but this idea appeared to us groundless, and to have been suggested only by their fears. On our last day's march the lakuts and the pack-horses had been left behind, with all our baggage, including instruments; as the day passed without seeing any thing of them, we became uneasy, lest something had befallen them. They arrived late at night, having been delayed by meeting a large black bear, which frightened the horses so much that they broke loose, and could not be caught for some'time : the baggage 1 ' THROUGH THE STONY TUNDRA. lonzon nge of ises, as ;he sea rivers ountry, ) found jects of ounded i geese About )r their ; thirty luktche 1 build- of fire, a lamp Lted. ) people ask safe a boat, for fish- irties of 1 in the ed to us only by J lakute nd, with 1 as the hem, we 3n them. delayed ightened ose, and baggage had fallen into the which mai ^ thermometers 277 things was our water, were spoilt, and one of c broken, so that we had only „ ^ „,, stay we employed ourselves partly in setting for- ward the fishery, the success of which was essential tor our next year's expedition, and partly in ex- plormg the country. When the weather waa unfavourable for fishing, we rambled over the tundra on horseback, visited the coast and the difterent lakes, shot wild geese, and once killed a large black bear, and acquainted ourselves, as much as possible, with the best places for the rem-deer hunt. One day we visited the river h^osmma, twenty wersts east of the Baranika, in our new boat. The middle of the river was na^d- gaole, but a great deal of ice still adhered to the banks. Whilst we were there the ice detached Itself, and completely blocked up the stream, de- taimng us for three days, during which we were constantly exposed to heavy rain, without anv shelter. At last a south wind cleared the river of ice, and allowed us to return home. The Kos- mma is not so broad as the Baranika, but it is much deeper, and abounds much more in fish especially salmon trout, and another kind of red fish, called by our companions Krasnina, which we found very well tasted, but unwholesome, causing sickness and a feeling of langour in all the hmbs. Among other natural products, point- ing to an earHer epoch, were some half frozen, half-mouldering sheU fish, similar to those called shrimps m England, and such as I never saw any where else in Siberia, either living or dead. The flora of this part of the country is limited to mosses, a low hard grass, and a very few flow- ering plants. The sea-cabbage fCrambe maritimaj 278 M. VON WRANOELL's JOURNEY I )" is occasionally met with, but it is very rare, and I never saw any of it. During the whole time of oui- stay clouds and mist were more frequent than fine weather. It often rained, and sometimes snowed heavily. The warmest day was the 24th of July, when the ther- mometer showed 4- 55" at noon, and + 53° at midnight.* This day, and particularly the night, reminded us of the sultry summer days and nights in the southern part of Russia. The calm of the atmosphere was unbroken by the slightest wind, and the perfect stillness which prevailed was m- terrupted only by occasional loud claps of thunder to the east. This weather was followed by a thick mist, which concealed objects a few fathoms dis- tant. I examined the temperature of the sea- water whenever we could go 100 fathoms from shore in the boat, and found that at that distance, and at a depth of a fathom and a half, the tem- perature of the water varied from-(- 34» to -^- 40 >, without any sort of agreement with that of the atmosphere. The sea-water was less salt than might have been supposed, owing probably to the number of rivers, and to the quantity of melting ice and snow which came from the coast. As 1 have before mentioned, neither here nor elsewhere could I perceive any regular ebb and flood. West- erly winds, (particularly from W. N. W.) cause a current along the coast, varying in strength with the force of the wind, bringing the drift ice near the shore, and raising the level of the water three or four feet, until a land wind drives back the water, or a calm allows it to regain its natural level. When the wind is from the N. E. the cur- • After the 6th of July the thermometer averged + 2S" ; at noon it was usually + 35«, and seldom rose as high as + 48°. ■ m.. THROUGH THE STONY TUNDRA. 279 and I Is and jr. It . The 3 ther- 53° at night, nights of the ; wind, ^as in- lunder \ thick Qs dis- le sea- s from stance, e tem- + 40>, of the t than to the nelting Asl lewherc West- cause brength rift ice e water !s back natural he cur- j- zo" ; at 4-48°. rent seta to the west; but as the wind icldom blows long, or with much force from that quarter, the easterly current is the prcvaiHng one. The sea was never free from ice, which remained immovably fixed along the horizon, whilst only small pieces drifted about in the open water close to the shore. On calm days we could distinctly hear the distant sound of the crushing of the ice. When it is remarked in addition, that northerly winds raise very httle sea, it will appear a highly probable inference that i he part of the ice which we now saw to the north, and in which we buried our provisions last spring, is permanent ; and this is in accordance with the distinction between the hummocks of old and of recent formation, pre- viously drawn from their appearance and colour. On the night of the 21st of July, MM. von Matiuschkin and Bereshnoi arrived with the Tchuktche interpreter. They stayed a week with us, and then continued their journey to Tchaun Bay. On the 31st of July we obtained fifty lunar dis- tances, which gave the longitude of our balagan, 166» 41' E. The latitude is 69" 31'. Variation 15" 25' E. After completing these observations I resumed my journey on the 31st of July, with two men on horseback, and a pack-horse carrying our baggage and instruments: my purpose was to ascend the greater Baranika to its source, and to proceed thence to the lesser Aniui and Kolyma. M. Kosmin remained with four persons to direct the fishery : as soon as his presence should be no longer requisite he was to return by the shortest route to Nijnei Kolymsk. Our first day's march led us over some low hills at a little distance from the river, in order to find a convenient ford across a tributary stream which 280 M. VON WRANGELl/s JOURNEY ( ■1 j 111 V I'f 1 yi h H'w 1 1 tt nl i 11 . 1 ) i i ii 1 i il falls into it. We met with a great number of holes of stone-foxes, all containing young cubs, which are called Nornik for the first four weeks. Their skins, which are brown with light curly hair, are very soft; and are used in the country for lining and trimming the Parka, or fur under gar- ments. The dog killed a great many, which the lukahir, our companion, skinned with wonderful quickness. The natives have always remarked that stone-foxes are abundant every three years, and they had assured us for the last two years, that there would be a great number of young foxes this summer. We slept in a dry pasture twenty-two worsts from our balagan, and four worsts from the Baranika. My companions were surprised at this place by the novel sight of two cranes : these birds are extremely rare visitants, and their appearance, when it does occur, excites great attention. The noon observation on the first of August, gave the latitude 69" 23', variation 15" E. The temperature t^ as mild and agreeable, but I could not determine its amount during the present journey, as one of our two thermometers had been broken, and I had left the other with M. Kosmin to continue the observations on the temperature of the sea-water. As we approached the Baranika, the hills and rising grounds gradually diminished both in num- ber and elevation, until we found ourselves on a great plain with numerous lakes of various sizes ; we rode on for twenty-six worsts, and halted for the night on the left bank of the river, thirty-eight worsts from its mouth. It is here about twenty crossed by ridges of rock, which afford convenient fords. The right bank was steep and rocky, and THROUGH THE STONY TUNDRA. 281 iber of 5 cubs, weeks, ly hair, try for er gar- ich the nderful marked t years, ► years, young pasture id four as were of two isitants^ , excites August, ^. The I could present ad been Kosmin perature lills and in num- es on a IS sizes; ilted for [•ty-eight ; twenty -1 — "— .; nvenient cky, and s the ground was generaUy covered with small fragments of black slate and green-stone porphyry, amongst which we found flints, and some good specimrns of dark-red jasper and corneHan. The river, which bears the name of the greater Baranika, is formed by the junction, at this place, of two rivers, the easternmost rising in mountains to the south-east, and the other in mountains to the south of us. On the 2nd of August, we found ourselves, by the noon observation, in 69° 09' latitude, and in 11' of longitude W. of the balagan by reckoning; variation, 15° E. The sky was overcast, but the air was mild and the weather perfectly calm. We crossed some rocky elevations, and near the bank of the western arm of the river came to an insulated hill of weathered granite and black- slate; the strike of the strata of the hill was W.N.W., dipping to the N.N.E. at an angle of 60° with the horizon. At the foot of this hill the Baranika makes a bend to the west, which we crossed the river to avoid, keeping a southerly course; and, after passing some more hills of black-slate and conglomerate, we rejoined the stream, which divides here into two arms. We followed the western one, which is rapid and only five fathoms broad, and halted for the night on its banks, twenty-two wersts from our last sleep- ing.place. We had much rain and wind from the north, during this night and the following morning. It cleared up at noon, so that I was enabled to obtain an observation which gave our latitude 68" 57'; the longitude was 0« 14' W. of the balagan by reckoning. .^^^v^x xiyiiv^Tvm^ ilic iuin ui me i5araniKa lor six wersts, we found it divide into three streams, of 282 M. VON WRANGELL^S JOURNEY which we chose the middle one as our guide. The valley narrowed more and more, and we soon found ourselves shut in among mountains and precipices, often overhanging dark ravines filled with snow. After much toil and difficulty, we reached the summit of the mountain late at night, but found it to consist of a deep morass, affording neither pasture for our horses nor a dry resting-place for ourselves ; and we were forced to drive our jaded beasts seven wersts further, along a small stream which rises in this upland morass, and flows southwards to the Poginden. At the last fork of the Baranika the rock con- sisted of weathered granite. In the ravines on the north side of the hills, I saw black hard slate, and veins of quartz. On the 4th, the weather was clear and warm ; the noon observation gave 68° 47' latitude, the longitude by reckoning being 0"' 29' W. of the balagan. I had hardly finished the observation, when my whole attention was called to a highly interesting, and to me, a perfectly novel spectacle. Two large migrating bodies of rein-deer passed us at no great distance. They were descending the hills from the N.W., and crossing the plain on then- way to the forests, where they spend the winter. Both bodies of deer extended further than the eye could reach, and formed a compact mass, narrowing towards the front. They moved slowly and majestically along, their broad antlers resembling a moving wood of leafless trees. Each body was led by a deer of unusual size, which my guides assured me was always a female. One of i-Yip, 'U^^Ac rwroa ofpolfllilv folloWfid bv a WOlf. whO tilt; 11UXU.O IT tivj iji">.-.»»- J •■ -J ^- was apparently watching for an opportunity of THROUGH THIS STONY TUNDRA. 283 guide. '2 soon IS and I filled ty, we ate at norass, r a dry forced urther, upland ^inden. jk con- nes on i slate, warm j de, the of the ken my resting, , Two d us at ing the ilain on ;nd the further jompact T moved antlers . Each bich my One of olf, who unity of seizing any one of the younger and weaker deer which might faU behind the rest, but on seeing us he made off in another direction. The other column was followed at some distance by a large black bear, who, however, appeared only intent on digging out a mouse's nest every now and then so much so that he took no notice of us. We had great difficulty in restraining our two dogs, but happily succeeded in doing so; their barking, or any sound or motion on our part, might have alarmed the deer, and by turning them from their course, have proved a terrible misfortune to the hunters, who were awaiting their passage, on which they are entirely dependent for support. We remained for two hours whilst the herds of deer were passing by, and then resumed our march. After travelling twenty wersts, we armed at the foot of another chain of hills which we had seen in the morning. We saw, to the east of U.S, another stream, flowing towards the Poginden ; to the west, the hiUs rose into high and pointed rocks. The stream which we fol- lowed turned suddenly to the west, and conducted us into a vaUey, sheltered by the surrounding hills, and characterized by a more vigorous vege- tation; the bushes no longer crept along the ground, and the grass was thicker and of better quality; the ground was less marshy, and on some sandy places we found a quantity of wild leeks. The sensible alteration in the temperature and in the vegetation, and the much greater ra- pidity of the stream, all indicated that we had decidedly passed the dividing ridge, and were now on Its southern decUvity. We slept five wersts the foot of a hill of no great elevation, consisting 284 M. VON WRANGELl's JOURNEY of conglomerate, near which a stream from the south falls into the Poginden. On the 5th of August we had a fresh east wind, with a cloudy sky, which prevented the usual noon observation. We continued our route towards the west, following the valley of the Poginden, which is here only seven fathoms across, but so deep and rapid that it can only be forded where its course is interrupted by rocks, forming waterfalls : the hills to the south of the valley soon became in- significant, whereas those to the north preserve their height and steepness. Twelve wersts from our sleeping-place, I was dehghted by the sight of a small wood. I had been eagerly looking out for the first trees, that by determining their lati- tude, T might follow up my observations on the limits of the woody region in the country east of the Kolyma. M. von Matiuschkin and I had agreed very nearly in placing this limit at two dif- ferent points in 68" 54'. In the Tundra towards the Indigirka, M. Kosmin had found no trees beyond 68" 40'. Here the woody region terminated in 68"* 36', but this might probably be owing to the elevation of the ground. As we had gone thirty wersts, I determined to' halt for the night under the shelter of a grove of larch. During the night a wolf swam across the river to us, but the barking of our dogs frightened him away before wc had time to use our guns. On the 6th of August the weather cleared a little, and the noon observation gave 68" 37' latitude, the longitude by reckoning being 1° 28' W. of 1 e balagan, and the variation 14" E. The valley became gradually wider, and the gently- windino" river alternately bathed the foot of the northern and of the southern hills. Its banks THROUGH THE STONY TUNDRA. 285 were fringed with willow bushes and occasionally with flourishing poplars, alternating with the darker bluish-green of the larch-trees on the more stony ground. The number of weeks which had passed since we had seen so much verdure made it a very pleasing scene. After a march of twenty-four wersts we halted for the night in a thick grove of willows. The valley was here five wersts broad, with the hills on both sides lower. Those to the north consist of mica slate. On the 7th of August we had a strong breeze from the east, and a clouded sky. The noon observation gave the latitude 68*^ 12', the longi- tude, by reckoning, being 2° 01' W. of the balagan. In the afternoon the wind increased so much that we rode with difficulty, and the rain fell in tor- rents, but we could not afford to wait for better weather, as our provisions were almost expended. The state of the ground, from the heavy rain, ren- dered it impossible for us to accomplish more than sixteen wersts, and the exhausted condition of our horses forced us to allow them two days rest. Meanwhile the wind subsided, but it rained incessantly during the 8th, and on the 9th heavy snow fell. The swoln river soon overflowed its banks, and laid the valley under water. The rising ground, on which we had encamped, was entirely surrounded, and would apparently soon have been covered likewise, when, on the 9th, a sharp frost released us from our uncomfortable position. From this point the burnt stumps of trees, such as I had before seen on the Phillip, powka, re-appeared ; they give a dreary character to this part of the vallpv nf flio P^o^«ri<^^ reckoning, our latitude was 68" 41', and our Ion gitude 2« 25' W. of the balagan. i I Si li: m 286 M. VON WRANGELL*S JOURNEY On the 10th of August we travelled on with thick drifting snow. The mountains here gradu- ally sink into the plain, and I determined on proceeding due south, so as to reaxjh the lesser Aniui as soon as possible. We sought in vain for a ford, by which we might cross the Poginden, but its depth and rapid current bafled every attempt, and we were obhged to wait on its eastern bank, near a waterfall, till the subsidence of the flood would allow us to cross. During the night the water abated considerably, and at day- break we hastened to try the passage across the rocks, which formed the water-fall, before the beams of the morning sun thawed the snow on the hills. We crossed safely though the water reached the saddle. We then ascended a stream which falls into the Poginden near this place, and hoped to find some grouse among the young larch trees, and high bushes, which covered its rocky banks. We were in great want of some mnforcement to our provisions, which, for four days past, had consisted only of a few rye biscuits. One of our guides, who was detached for a better chance of finding game, remained out of sight so long that we became uneasy lest some accident had befallen him. We discovered him at last, asleep, among some bushes near the river, quite exhausted by the long and fruitless search. He had killed only one bird, and we did not even see another until we reached the Aniui. The stream which we were ascending has a very short course of only eight or nine wersts : its left bank consists of black slate rock ; there is a morass, with stunted bushes, on the right side. After -,^;^^ +iip oopr*^** f^f "Ellis' littlft river, we followed for three wersts the southerly course of another THROUGH THE STONY TUNDRA. 287 »n with gradu- led on 3 lesser rain for ginden, I every on its sidence ing the at day- 'oss the are the mow on s water , stream s place, B young ered its af some for four biscuits, a better sight so accident at last, er, quite ch. He lot even li. The sry short eft bank , morass, . After followed another stream, near which we halted for the night We saw to the east the Lobogen mountains, the sum- mits of which are crowned at several places by pillars of rock, and from which the Loboeen river flows, and empties itself into the Aniui. On the 12th we travelled twenty-one wersts across a marshy plain, to the west oi the Poein- den, about eight wersts distant. We saw in the same du-ection the Leledinski mountains, which extend towards the S.S.E., and approach the Anim, near the mouth of the Poginden. Several niUs, with pointed summits, were to the south of us, at no great distance. Our halting-place for A oo'?.o* .'^^*- ^^ reckoning, in 68" 3' latitude, and 2" 23' longitude W. of the balagan. Early m the morning of the 13th August we were disagreeably surprised, on waking, to find that our horses, which had been, as usual, grazing near us, had all disappeared, except one, which was old and feeble. They had probably been tnghtened and scattered by wolves or bears We spent the whole day in a fruitless search for the fugitives, and returned to our tent late at night, weary and disappointed; the last biscuit had been eaten the day before, and a little tea and sugar were the only provisions which we had remammg. Our difficulties were further in- creased by finding that the lukahir, who was supposed to be our guide, did not know where we were. He said that the hills before us were quite unknown to him, that the summits which he saw to the south were quite unlike those which approach the lesser Aniui, in the neighbourhood ot Konowalow, where his tribe sometimes reside and that we must still >»p a ion"- ^r^^^ f -^i ' summer habitations of the lukahirs. Unavoidable It*' ■: I' I m I i ■i ii f 288 M. VON WRANGELL's JOURNEY errors in reckoning might certainly cause some uncertainty in my determinations of longitude, but our guide was not even able to say whether we were too far to the east or to the west. He was so far bewildered that he did not even re- cognise the Poginden river. The provisions being expended, our case seemed a bad one ; there was no time to be lost in reaching the Aniui, which would conduct us to some inhabited place; I de- termined to continue our journey next morning on foot, if the horses were not found. Early in the morning of the 14th, we packed up our tent and most of our things, and hid them in a place which could be easily recognised. We took with us our tea apparatus, and the instru- ments, and loading the old horse with them, con- tinued our journey on foot, through ram and wind. We avoided the marshy places as much as possible, and made across low hills, towards the mountains to the south of us. It was a laborious day's march, sometimes wading through morasses, and across deep and rapid streams, and sometimes forcing our way through tangled thickets. At the end of eight hours exertion, we were so ex- hausted, that we were forced to halt, though we had only accomplished fifteen wersts. Luckily the rain ceased, and we had the comfort of drying ourselves and our clothes by a good fire, and alter takinff our unsubstantial supper of tea, we slept tolerably soundly, caring little for the absence of shelter The next morning hunger made itselt felt in good earnest, and became every hour more urgent. We were at first in hopes of finding m the burrows of the field-mice the sweet mealy .--^ „^ii^.i iv/r°i^«i^«''1i« which often affords a re- source to the lukahirs in such cases as ours, but THROUGH THE STONY TUNICA. 289 ) some gitude, hether ;. He ven re- } being re was which ; Ide- Loming packed d them I. We instru- oa, con- tin and inch as trds the iborious orasses, netimes its. At e so ex- mgh we Luckily e drying nd after we slept sence of ie itself wc more ading in t mealy :ds a re- )urs, but the do burr^ mice uo not Durro / in marshy ground Obliged to have recourse to another expedient in pSledTff t^^'rrf ^1% younglS tree! WrhJl. ! «^t% ^k, and then cut the soft mner bark into small pieces, which we boiled until covPrPd >. '^ *^' ^"'^^ ^^ '^' kettle became covered with a resinous scum, which was carefully removed; the broth was then seasoned with sah and pepper, and m spite of the remaining par- tides of turpentine, it tasted well, and filled the mTffetfrl^r'^^-^'^^^^^^^^ Whilst we were breakfasting, the sky became overcast, and it rained occasionally throughout the rest of the day; the hills rose gradually Into mountains, as we advanced towards the place where by my reckoning I expected we should find the Aniui After a march of thirteen wersts we reached the highest point of the mountain^hahi whence we had a view of the surrounding country The mountains stiU continued to the south-west but immediately in front of us to the south was a deep valley, at the bottom of which we at length descried the eagerly looked for Aniui. Our guide mstantly recognised the vaUey, the river, and the winter habitation of his tribe with loud excW tions ofyjy, and m spite of weariness and hunger broke out into a merry national song. I was especiaUy rejoiced at this confirmation of the cor rectness of my reckoning. We had still before us nine wersts and a-half to the river and two wersts more to the Httle settle- ment of Konawolowo, which we hoped to reach be- lore night; but when we p-ainprlthA hq«i.^^^u„ _^..^ o, ^ . , ,' o '^•''^ '-'aurvvi. iiic river. alter an uninterrupted walk of eleven hours and a- u 290 M. VON WRANGELL's JOURNEY halfover difficult mountain-paths, we were so com- pletely knocked up, that we preferred passmg the nieht in the rain to attempting to proceed any further. Our lukahir offered to go on to Kona- wolowo, and to bring us some provisions from thence. We impatiently awaited his return round a good fire. He came back at the end of an hour and a-half, empty-handed; he had looked mto all the store-places of the inhabitants, who were absent on their various summer excursions, and had found nothing but melancholy evidence ot the scarcity which must have prevailed, ioo much wearied to begin preparing bark-broth, we comforted ourselves as well as we could with tea, and with the assurance of finding inhabitants and provisions, twelve wersts off, at Ostrownoie. We started early in the morning of the Ibth, and arrived there after a march of three and a- half hours, but only to meet a fresh disappoint- ment. The inhabitants were absent for fishing or hunting, and had taken with them whatever had been left in their provision-stores, which were per- fectly empty. Much cast down, we set about preparing another meal of bark broth; meanwhile I despatched my two companions to a summer habitation six wersts off at the foot of the Obrom mountain, where some of the lukahirs usuaUy await the migrating rein-deer, and where I hoped to procure some provisions from their chief. He actually did send us all the remainder of his pro- visions, consisting only of a piece. of/em-°;f ^ meat, two rein-deer tongues, and one fish. Ihe men brought us a sad account of the severe dis- tress that had prevailed for some time past. The spring rein-deer chase had failed, and even now, when the deer were in full migration, only a I com- ig the ;d any Kona- I from round a hour nto all ► were IS, and Qce of Too )th, we Ith tea, its and e 16th, and a- ppoint- hing or ver had ere per- ; about anwhile summer Obrom usually I hoped ef. He his pro- ein-deer h. The reve dis- 3t. The en now, only a THROUGH THE STONY TUNDRA. 291 single one had ytt been killed by these poor starving people. As I learnt that a Cossack had arrived from lakutsk with letters and money for the expedition, and had been waiting for me at Nijnei Kolymsk tor the last month, I determined to return thither at once, instead of examining the upper part of the Aniui as I had intended to do. I therefore sent my lukahir with two other trust-worthy men on horseback to fetch the things which we had lett behind, and to catch the stray horses if they could, whilst I made the best of my way back to JNijnei Kolymsk by water. I embarked early in the morning of the 1 7th of August, and was borne quickly down the stream by the rapid current of the Aniui. Its winding course and verdant banks ottered vaned and pleasing prospects. As both the nver and the adjoining district had been ex- amined m detail by MM. von Matiuschkin and Kyber, whose account has been given in the IXth Chapter, I thought it useless to make any delay for a similar purpose, and arrived at Nijnei Ko- lymsk on the 20th of August, after an absence of two months. A week later M. Kosmin returned from the Baranika. The fishery had not been very productive, so that our chief hope rested on obtaining a sufficient supply of herrings, which were entering the Kolyma in large shoals. M. von Matiuschkin had accompUshed his pur- pose of penetrating as far as the Tchuktches. He arrived on the 24th of September, the latter part of his route having been a winter journey, as the Kolyma was frozen over on the 18th of September. u 2 292 CHAPTEll XIII. M. von Matiuschkm's Journey across the Eastern Tundra in the Summer of 1822. I PARTED from M. von Wrangell at the village of Pantelejiva on the 1st of July, in company with our former travelling companion and friend, M. Bereshnoi, who was going to Tchaun Bay. His objects were to trade with the Tchuktches, and to seek for mammoth-bones; mine was to execute the charge intrusted to me by the com- mander of the expedition of examining and sur- veying the district over which we were to travel. It was agreed that we should go round by Os- trownoie, where we expected to find a Tchuktche interpreter. After crossing to the right bank of the Pantel- iiva we loaded and mounted our horses, and be4n our journey by following for three wersts a narrow path along the mountain-side ; we then turned to the east to avoid two rivers which were so swollen by the heavy rains, which had latelv fallen, that we could not hope to be able to ford them : we rode till sunset over rocky hills clothed with wood, and marshy valleys intersected by streams, and crossed by twihght the Nuptschag, which rises in the AVhite Rocks, and joms the which we had left. The traces of the storm ot Eastern ) village ompany I friend, m Bay. aktches, was to he com- md sur- o travel, i by Os- jhuktche J Pantel- ses, and wersts a we tl\en licli w ere ad lately le to ford ls clothed lected by uptschag, joins the IP, village — ■ — o ' storm of M. VON MATIUSCHKIN's JOURNEY, &C. 295 the previous day were every where visible, and our way was frequently impeded by the uprooted trees which lay across our path. We pitched our tent at night, and the horses were allowed to graze. On the second of July the wood became gra- clually thinner as we approached the White Rocks, until there were only low bushes, with occasional stems of larch-trees which had been burnt. The morassy ground was overgrown with moss, and mtersected in every direction by small brooks, liiere were here many marsh-birds, and it is the most northern station at which we saw them. As we advanced, both vegetable and animal life be- came more rare, except the immense swarms of mosquitoes, which continued to torment both our- selves and our poor horses, dreadful^ We hoped to escape them by halting for the night on a barren elevation, exposed on every side to the wind, but unfortunately it fell caln^ ; it was in vai i that we crept under horse-hair nets, or surronv I od our- selves with thick and suffocating siuoke from the smouldering heaps of moss and leaves ; nothing availed, until the increasing (>old of the night brought us a short respite; but as soon as the beams of the morning sun were felt, our tormen- tors renewed their attacks. T.r?? the morning of the 3rd of July, we left the White Rocks, which gradually diminished in height towards the east, and took a southward course across a hilly country watered by several streams. At first we met only with bushes, but the woods soon became so thick that we had great difficulty in making our way through. We could not follow nnv ,-knA f\f W^o, «;,r« 1 Ji -i they all flow towards the Aniui, they enter it a 294 M. VON MATIUSCHKIN'S '-*._ the kettle. Weak as the broth was, and little of 312 M. TON MATIUSCHKIN S it as fell to the share of each, we felt strengthened by it. The cloudless sky made us hope for a fine day for crossing the mountains, but in the night a violent wind rose, and next morning the ground was covered with snow. The ascent of the moun- tains was rendered more fatiguing by often having to wade up to our knees in snow ; but at length we reached the summit of the ridge, when the sun broke for a moment through the clouds, and showed us on every side steep snow-covered hills. In our descent, the snow saved us from material injury in the frequent falls which we met with. We reached the foot of the mountain by dusk, much bruised. Notwithstanding our weariness, we had little sleep that night, for, after three days' fast, and continued exertion, the pangs of hunger were acutely felt by all. On the 24th, we climbed a lower range of hills, from the summit of which, to our great joy, we saw a wide valley, with numerous groups of trees ; and by night-fall we reached a small lake at the foot of the hills. I now proposed to kill one of the horses, but the lakuts said, that in the heated state of their blood, the use of their flesh as food would be certain to occasion severe illness. We had just strength enough remaining to place a net in the lake, before we sunk on the ground ex- hausted with hunger and fatigue. The sun was high when we woke next morning (25th of August) ; no one seemed willing to draw the net, for all feared that it would contain nothing, and dreaded to be assured that it was so ; when at length we made the effort and the net was drawn, it contained three large, and several „™-.n^— ii^X^nc^ . ni^-r\tMr\oc>\/vnt3 rkf fViQ-nVcirt'lTnriO' AT joy, and of mutual congratulation, were heard on <* JOURNEY IN THE TUNDRA. 313 jtlieiied r a iine le night ground ! moun- L having c length the sun ds, and ed hills, tnaterial ;t with, y dusk, jariness, ir three pangs of of hills, joy, we >f trees ; :e at the 11 one of e heated L as food ss. We ace a net und ex- sun was ;25th of the net. mg, and when at net was several TrJ-nor nt tieard on every side ; a fire was made in a few moments, and an excellent broth, seasoned with wild leeks and herbs, soon appeased our hunger, and in great measure restored our strength. When the meal was finished, we resumed our route, and, after going round the lake, we came in sight of the Aniui ; before arriving at it, how- ever, we had to cross a torrent, which, with our exhausted horses, was no easy matter. The bed of the river was strewed with large blocks of stone, and the water was often up to the saddles. After going five wersts further, and fording or swim- ming several other streams, we reached the Aniui, near the mouth of a small river. Two flights of geese were passing to the south- ward, a hawk pursued them, and pounced on a goose, which fell to the ground dead, but before he could carry off his prey, we had come up and secured it. We halted on the 26th, in a grove of poplars, near the confluence of the Schichutina with the Aniui, and before night-fall constructed a weir across the former river and set our net : on draw- ing it up again, at the end of an hour or two, we found more than 200 fish of various sizes ; having made an excellent meal, we cast the net again repeatedly, and took in all about 800 fish : we did not lie down to rest until the day began to dawn. The night is the most favourable time for this fishing. On the 27th, the net was down the whole day without taking a single fish ; and in the fol- lowing night we caught 2000. We were now so rich in fish, that, notwithstanding the enormous appetite of the Iakuts,*we could not eat them all, ♦ The appetite of these people is extraordinary ; each of them would eat daily sixty fish, or more, when 1 found ten of the same size quite sufticient. ^...^,. 314 M. VON MATIUSCHKIN^S and with the recoiitction of our own hunger fresh in our minds, we prepared a deposit for the use of other travellers, who might not arrive at so favour- able a season. We constructed a Saiba on two larch-trees, and placed in it 50(KJ fish, which we were sure would keep good, as the frost had now set in decidedly. We erected a large wooden cross to draw attention to the spot, and some months afterwards, had the pleasure of hhtoing that some wandering families, when reduced to the extremit J of hunger, liPfl happil} arrived at this place, and that our store had saved them from perishing, anu had supported Ihem for a whole month. We hail p?i; sed tlie 29th in form- ing this deposit, and m-iM wiiih? our horses were recruitings their strengtl bs the pasture was still good, though covered with snow. The 30th of August was a day dear to every Russian, as the name-day of the Emperor Alexander: we cele- bratpd it as well as we could ; in the afternoon we had sliooting at a mark with bows and arrows ; a large travelling-knife, a hunting-knife, and a bridle, formed the prizes, and the wild shores re- sounded with our songs. A very opportune and agreeable circumstance closed this cheerful day. As we were to start early on the following morn- ing, the lakuts were collecting the horses from the wood, when they came to a Saiba, where several winter-garments had been deposited. Our own clothes were nearly worn out by the journey, and could ill protect us from the daily-increasing cold j we took from the store as many fur-shirts, gloves, and boots as we required, and placed in their stead an ample compensation in tobacco, powder and shot. W^e ah r erected a larsre cro^iS to which we affixed a direc^ ..n to our fish-stor- , JOURNEY IN THE TUNDRA. 315 cele- I Direction-marks of this kind, for various purposes, are frequently met with in these wildernesses. At dav-break, on the 31st of August, we loaded our hordes, refreshed by five days' rest, with our bag gag • and a store of about 1000 fish, and re- sumed car journey. Steep hills obhged us to cross the Aniui repeatedly, but this was not diffi- cult, as, from the freezing of the smaller streams, the water was low. On the 4th of September we came to some yo^irteSj inhabited by five families, who cleared out a large balagan for our reception. Our lakuts were delighted at meeting with auditors, to whom they could relate their travelling adventures with as many embellishments as they pleased ; nor was our presence the shghtest restraint to them in this respect. There was good pasture here, and M. Bereshnoi resolved to remain for a time to rest both himself and his horses. I determined to employ the short remainder of the season in sur- veying the Aniui to Nijnei Kolymsk, a distance of 500 wersts. I had a raft constructed of trunks of aspens, bound together by willow rods, navigated by two oars,* and on the 6th of September I began my voyage down the stream, accompanied by a young lukahir, recommended to me as know- ing the rocks, shallows, and rapids, by his father, with whom I left my gun and ammunition, for the hunting-season, in return for his son's services. Our vessel was awkward and very difficult to manage, especially when we came to falls : on the * These rafts are made of nine or ten stems of trees, of a light kind of wood (straight aspens or poplars) the ends of which are drawn together to a point. At the other end the stems are i^picau xsxix ill u lail'iitkc iiiaUzic:, axlU sulaii u-jai\xa ai c pusiicu into the interstices : the whole is bound together by willow rods. Such a raft is very solid, and its form makes it move through the water tolerably fast. 316 M. VON MATIUSCHKIN S '■• 9th we reached Mungol, on the 11th Plotbichtche, and on the 13th Maloii Wetrennoie. I had visited all these places in the preceding summer, with Dr. Kyber, when the banks were lined by busy and successful hunters; now, birds were roosting in the deserted huts, and wolves were prowling round them. On the 12th we met with the family of Korkin, who had entertained me so hospitably when I was last here, and who had now only one meal in forty-eight hours. Our raft was much injured, and unfit to encounter the floating ice which we began to meet with. As we were trying to repair it, Korkin came most kindly to offer me the use of his boat, in which we departed on the 13th. We put up a sail, and, with a favouring wind, soon reached Molotkowo. Not- withstanding the rapidity of the current, there was already so much ice that we had occasionally to break through it with some difficulty ; but the severe frosts were now so close at hand, that I feared we might be frozen up in the stream at a distance from any inhabited place, and I therefore hired seven dogs, which I took in the boat, in order that in case of such an accident we might proceed along the ice. In the evening, just as we approached an island covered with larch-trees, our boat was caught between two large masses of ice, and crushed to pieces. We got safe to shore on the island, and succeeded in saving our things likewise. As we might be detained here some days, we built a hut of branches, and covered it, first with moss, and then with snow, over which we poured water, which froze immediately, so that we had a very comfortable and air-tight dwelling. Oiii« rloo-H TTPrp fp^lie^'Prl nntsiflfi. to jornarfl n.orainst a surprise by bears. We waited here two days, till the ice was strong JOURNEY IN THE TUNDRA. 317 lichtche, I had mmmer, incd by ds were es were net with id me so had now raft was I floating we were dndly to departed L, with a 0. Not- at, there lasionally ; but the d, that I •earn at a therefore boat, in we might ust as we reh-trees; masses of } to shore ur things ere some overed it, ver which V, so that dwelling, 'd fip-ainst • — --n enough to bear us, and on the 18th we crossed to the right bank of the stream, close to which we drove slowly along, as our dogs were weak, and the ice still so thin, that it sometimes broke under us. On the 20th it became apparently quite sohd, and on seeing smoke on the left bank, I attempted to cross, but in the middle of the stream the ice gave way, and I should have been drawn beneath it by the current, but for a pole which I carried with me, and which supported me, till the guide threw me the end of a very long thong by means of which he drew me out. On the left bank we found a Lamut family, whose rein- deer had been destroyed by wolves, and who were supporting themselves by fishing. They had been successful, and had collected a large store of dried and frozen fish, of which they let us have as much as we wanted for ourselves and dogs. In the night the " warm wind " set in, and weakened the ice so much that we were detained two days. On the 23rd we were enabled to proceed, and on the 24th I arrived at Nijnei Kolymsk, after an absence of ninety-four days. My papers had been so thoroughly wetted, that I had great difficulty in deciphering them, so as to draw up from them the survey of the country through which we had traveUed. ras strong 318 CHAPTER XIV. Fourth Journey on the Polar Sea.- iu^'^y of the Coast, as far as the Island of Koliutchin, m 1823. The winter of 1822—23, was generally con- sidered a veo mild one at Nijnei Kolymsk : the temperature was only once as low as —51 (on the 10th of January), and auroras were rare, and not so brilliant as usual. Whilst we were engaged in various preparations for our spring expedition over the ice, and in arranging our surveys and other papers, the mo- notony of our life was cheered by the arrival of M. Tarabukin, who had recently been nominated to the command of the Kolymsk district, m who took a warm interest in the success of the expedition. The fisheries on the ..olyina had oeen gene- rally successful, and the sickness among the dogs having entirely ceased, th n numbers had agam augmented. These circumstances were highly favourable for obtaining the requisite means for our journey, and M. Tarabukin, Mways just and considerate towards the inhabitan , b ^^® , J^^^: cious exertions, guided by a lor k. wledge oi the people and country, obtained lor us m excel- 1 1. 4-:—,^ -.11 +!.« T^T.r»TnaiAn« wliinh we were m want of. Knowing the great uncertainties attending FOURTH JOURNEY, 319 m; uf the tchirij in illy con- isk : the -51° (on •are, and sarations , and in the mo- irrival of jminated rict, and IS of the en g ne- the dogs ad again e highly neans for jnst and his judi- wledge of m excel- B in want attending I a sufficient supply of dogs, and the large propor- tion which would probably be found useless when collected, I applied to the dwellers on the banks of the Indigirka, the Chroma, and the lana, whose dogs are usually well trained, as well as to the inhabit.. iits of the Kolymsk district, and travelled myself to those rivers in November, remaining a few days at Ustiansk where Lieutenant Anjou gave me every assistance in his power. Having obtained the promise of fifteen good teams of dogs, with provisions for them for two months, I re- turned to Nijnei Kolymsk, which I reached at the close of the year. Our great journey could not be be^un till late in February, but on the 30th of January 1823, M. Kosmin started wiia two sledges for the Bear Islands, to ascertain beyond doubt the true po- sition of Krestowoi Island, and to assure himself of the exxstence or non-existence of the other island of th;. samr n? me, of which we had been tol ' He returned on the 17th of February, after a iourney whi^ the season had rendered severe, and gave mr a ver^ exa^ t survey of the islands generally, and of itowoi in particular. He had made a thorough t nination of the space around for a considerable distance without dis- co\ ring any island besides those which we had previously visited, and it may thei .fore certainly be concluded that no other island exists. Not only our own people, but aLso most of the inhabitants of Nijnei Kolymsk were i full ac- tivity in preparing for our last great j >urney, in which we hoped to complete the fiilti nent of the duties intrusted to us b^ our instructions. Old sledges were repaired or improved, new ones made, our travelling tent put Intc order, &c. 820 FOURTH JOURNEY ON found that I should have a sufficient number of sledges and dogs, to enable me to divide the ex- pedition into two parts, one of which under M. von Matiuschkin should survey the coast of the Tchuktche country as far as Cape North, whilst the other under my own com^ and should proceed in search of the supposed nortiiern land. Dr. Ky- ber joined M. von Matiuschkin, hoping that the coast would afford more of interest in natural history, than the ice of the sea could be expected to do, and I was accompanied by M. Kosmin. On hearing that the dogs were arrived from the west, I went on the 22nd of February with M. Tarabukin to Pochodsk to receive them; but unfortunately we found that the greater part were altogether too weak to be depended upon for a iourney over the Polar Sea. We took the few good ones with us to Sucharnoie, where sixty chosen dogs, the estabHshment for five sledges, had been previously assembled ; and on the 26th we took our departure along the coast to the eastward. On the 1st of March we were over- taken by a Cossack who had been sent on from Nijnei Kolymsk, with despatches and instructions from the Governor-General of Siberia.* I sent back with him two of the Indigirka sledges, as the dogs showed symptoms of an infectious dis- temper. We continued our journey with nine- teen sledges, and reached the same day the balagan which we had built near the Baranika, * These papers had been conveyed the enormous distance of 11,000 wersts from St. Petersburg to the mouth of the Bere- sowaia on the Polar Sea, in only eighty-eight days, including a short detention at lakutsk for the purpose of drawing up in- structions conformably to the orders received from the capital). xhe ordinary pose \vuuiu uavc letjun-uu «>. ivcsuv «j.. •.•- - — a-half for the journey. I THE POLAR SEA. 321 aber of the ex- der M. of the , whilst proceed Dr. Ky- hat the natural xpected aiu. rom the y with m; but er part ipon for the few re sixty sledges, he 26th : to the re over- on from ructions I sent idges, as ous dis- th nine- day the aranika, iistance of the Bere- ncluding a ing uj) in- le capital). ■•oRtlis and and which afforded us a very welcome shelter, the cold havmg increased to — 42 . We now proceeded to distribute and pack the stores which we found her(^, as well as those which we had brought with us. Our provisions con- sisted of 7i pood of rye biscuit, 6 pood of frozen fi-esh meat 3J pood of g. is, 1 pood of saturan,* UbO jukola, 224 salmon-trout, 12 geese, 12 lbs. ot tea, 10 lbs. of sugar, 15 lbs. of sugar-candy, 8 jars of spirits, 20 lbs. of salt, 20 lbs. of oil, 1 pood of Circassian tobacco, 5 pood of train oil and some fire-wood. For the dogs we had 7580 juchula and jukola, 4116 herrings, and some other lisli. Besides provisions we carried a uross or tent made of rein-deer skins, 2 crow-bars, 2 spades, a tea and a soup-kettle with an iron triv'et, 5 guns, 5 pikes, 100 cartridges, a pocket- lantern ana some wax-lights, two sextants, ? artificial horizons, a pocket chronometer, 3 teles- copes, a dip circle, 2 pocket azimuth compasses, 2 spirit thermometers, 1 lb. of quicksilver, and a sounding-lmr. It took us three days to arrange all these things m our sledges ; and on the 4th of March, Nihen we were ready to start, we were detained by a tremendous storm from the W N W We thought the balagan would have been blown down by the force of the wind, but it stood, and afforded us valuable shelter : the temperature was —^4 ; our dogs and sledges were buried in the snow. On the 5th of March, the storm having nearly subsided, we dug them out, and resuming our journey, arrived on the 8th at Cape Chelae, skoi, where we were accidentallv ])rought into contact with a people with whom we had long wished m vam to become better nnmininteri * See page 75. Y 322 FOURTH JOURNEY ON M. Kosmin and I had gone some way in ad- vance to select a good halting-place, when we saw coming towards us a sledge drawn by rein^deer, and driven by a Tchuktche. He stopt at a short distance and called to us ; but perceiving that we did not understand him, he made signs to us to come nearer : we did so ; and as I was extremely anxious not to lose so favourable an opportunity, I made every sign I could think of to detain him till we could be joined by the interpreter. I do not know whether he comprehended me, but with- out showing the least fear or embarrassment he got out of his sledge, and held out his gansa or pipe to ask for tobacco : we hastened to give it him, and he began to smoke very composedly. After a few minutes he repeated several times the word Kamakai, which means elder or leader, and then suddenly getting into his sledge again, we soon lost sight of him among the hummocks. In the evening when we were all assembled, we received a visit from three Tchuktches, two of whom were in sledges, and the third ran along by their side driving the rein-deer. As they ap- proached our camp, one of those in the sledges began to make numerous signs, apparently to in- dicate that they were unarmed, and had no hos- tile intentions. They stopped at the circle of sledges which surrounded our camp, and one of them, a little man about sixty years old, dressed in a loose wide garment of skin, fearlessly passed the barrier, and told us that he was the Kamakai, or chief of the tribe settled near Tchaun Bay. His quick and decided movements indicated a powerful frame, and the little fiery eyes which o.lnT-/^o«1 Ai/^rr^ iipflo|' liie sliorf rnnTsfi hnir. showed resolution and the habit of self-dependence. THE POLAR SEA. 323 in ad- A'e saw a-deer, a short hat we o us to remely tunity, in him . I do it with- lent he ansa or give it )osedly. nes the ler, and ;ain, we ks. )led, we two of long by liey ap- sledges V to in- no hos- iircle of i one of dressed r passed amakai, m Bay. cated a s which . showed T endence. After the first greeting "Toroma.'^* he offered me a piece of seal and some fresh bear's meat 1 took him into the tent, and entertained him with the best we had, tobacco, fish, &c. His behaviour was as calm and unembarrassed as if we had been old acquaintance ; and with the in- terpreter's help a long conversation ensued. He was principally desirous of knowing what had induced us to travel so far at this cold season how many there were of us, and whether we were armed. We gave him true answers, and en- deavoured to explain the object of our journey and our thoroughly peaceable views and feeUngs' Our appearance had obviously created uneasiness, and his piercing and restless eyes followed our slightest movements. He answered our questions m return with good-humoured openness. We asked whether his people had seen the cross which we had erected at Cape Chelagskoi in 1820 He said that they had, and had left it untouched, adding, that he himself was the first to discover It, and that he had been the more surprised, as no tootsteps or tiaces of men were visible on the drifted snow. The seal and bear-hunting had been particularly 'successful that spring, and his tribe^had attributed it to the cross, and had sacnhced a young white rein-deer before it.f He told us that there was no permanent settle- ment at Cape Chelagskoi, but they usually came there at this season to hunt the white bears, * The Tchuktche pronunciation of the Russian salutation Sdorowo, which ihey have learnt at the fair of Ostrovvnoie t A cross, which a Russian priest had erected near tht hp?"" "^'^'^'i ^^^" P"''^'^ '^''^^" ''"^^ '^"'■"t V the Tchiikt- nla"! 7*1''"' P'f^^' ^^^"^'^'^ *^ey thought that since it had been placed there, the number of fish in the river had diiuiuished. Y 2 324 FOURTH JOURNEY ON n ! ' f which they pursue among the hummocks, and kill with spears. In the course of conversation, the old man told us of his own accord, that he was descended from the Chelagi, or as they are usually called by the Tchuktche, the Tchewany, who many years since migrated towards the west, and have not since been seen. The first of these names has been preserved in that of Cape Chelagskoi, and the second in that of Tchewan or Tchaun bay and river. Our guest took his leave, after a visit of two hours, well pleased with his reception, and with some little presents which I made him at parting. On the 9th of March the Kamakai repeated his visit, with his wives and children, and a young man whom he introduced as his nephew. As we were drinking tea when they arrived, we offered them some, but on tasting it they all showed signs of great dislike, and took up a handful of snow* from the ground to get rid of the taste ; but they were much pleased with the sugar, which we next oflPered them. It is surprising that the quantity of tobacco which they use both in smoking and chewing, should not have blunted the sensibility of their taste. The nephew was particularly pleased with the sugar, and told us he had eaten some before at Ostrownoie, when he was baptized there. I questioned him further on this subject, but he could tell me nothing, and even referred me to his wife for the name which had been given him. She remembered it, as well as her own, and showed me the small metal crosses which she and her husband had received • We afterwards saw that it is a common practice with thern to eat snow after every meal, even when the weather is very cold. THE POLAR SFA. 325 at the time, according to the custom of the Rus- ^^'. "^^^ ^""^ ^^"^ knowledge went no further. Whilst our attention was engaged by this inquiry, her little son took advantage of the opportunity to pilter a knife and some beads, which he hid in his fur shirt. I was unwilling to disturb the general good understanding, and therefore took no notice of the child's theft. The Kamakai was a very civiKzed person in his own way. When I had told him the object of our journey, and had apparently succeeded in satisfy- ing him that we had no designs against him and his people, but that we were come to examine the form and situation of their coast, and to learn bv what route Russians could best brin - them tobacco and other articles for barter, he not only gave me an accurate description of the limits of his country, which extends from the great Baranika to Cape ^orth, but he also drew for us with a piece of burnt wood, the form of Cape Chelagskoi, - ^ich he called ^m,— Arautan island, which wa. cor- rectly represented, both as to form and position — and another island to the east of the Cape, which we afterwards found there. He further assured us positively, that there was no other island alone the coast. When I asked him whether there was any other land to the north beyond the visible honzon, he seemed to reflect a little, and then said, that between Cape Erri (Chelagskoi,) and Cape Ir-Kaipu (Cape North,) there loas a part of the coast, where from, some diffs near the mouth of a nver, one might in a clear shimmer's day descry snow-covered mountains at a great distance to the north, but that in winter it ivas impossible to see so far. TT u a.i . o ^ , .*■ f. „i„ 1 _i rti. iuxiueiiy iicras oi rein-aeer sometimes came across the ice of the sea, probably 326 FOURTH JOURNEY ON from thence, but that they had been frightened back by hunters and by wolves ; that he had him- self once seen a herd returning to the north in this way, in the month of April, and that he had followed them in a sledge drawn by two rein-deer, for a whole day, until the rugged surface of the ice forced him to desist. His opinion WJis, that these distant mountains were not on an island, but on an extensive land, similar to his own country. He had been told by his father, that a Tchuktche elder had once gone there with a few followers, in large Baidars, or boats, made of skm, but what they found there, or whether they ever returned, he did not know. Still he maintained that the distant northern land was inhabited, and adduced as a proof of it, that some years ago a dead whale had been found at Araut Island, pierced by spears pointed with slate, and as the Tchuktches do not use such weapons, he supposed that the whale must have been wounded by the inhabitants of the northern land.* I thanked the old man for his readiness m answering all our questions, and made him a handsome present, promising at the same time, that if his information proved to be well founded, the government would not fail to send him a valuable reward. He wss extremely grateful, and entreated me to get the Emperor to send him an iron kettle, and a sack full of tobacco, which he said would make him thoroughly happy. I as- sured him that I should use my utmost exertions * The inhabitants of the Aleutian Islands use spears pointed with slate in killing whales ; and as those animals are known to swim great distances in a very short time, it is very jpossible that the whale found at Arautan loland inuy have eome trom thence. I ■ THE POLAR SEA. 327 htened id him- orth in he had m-deer, of the as, that island, lis own ', that a ;h a few of skin, ley ever ntained :ed, and rs ago a Island, i as the upposed L by the iness in i him a le time, founded, L him a eful, and L him an rvhich he J. I as- 3xertions ars pointed e known to ry possible I towards his obtaining his wish, and soon after- wards he and his party left us, much pleased with our acquaintance, and with our reception of them. I availed myself of the fine clear weather to take a meridian altitude, and 22 lunar distances, by which I found the latitude of the isthmus 70° 03', and its longitude 171° 3' E. The varia- tion was 18° 3' E. On the 10th we continued our journey to the eastward, with a temperature of — 26|°, and a violent W.N.W. wind, which repeatedly caused the sledges to upset. Some of the party were so much delayed by these accidents, that they lost sight of the leading sledges ; and the thick-falling snow often making it impossible to distinguish the hue of coast, they went astray for a time, and were only warned that they were getting further from the shore by the increasing size of the hummocks. The coast continues steep a«id rocky for eigLteen wersts to the mouth of a river, where ^ e halted and repaired our sledges. On the Uth the wind fell, and the temperature was — 11° in the morn- ing, and — 24° in the evening. At noon we reached the Kosmin Eock, and by the meridian altitude determined its latitude 70° 01', its lon- gitude being 171° 55' bv reckoning. The varia- tion was 18° E. From this rock the shore be- comes uneven and hilly. We saw several large heaps of whalebones, but very Httle drift-wood. We crossed over a stream, and halted for the night, twenty-four wersti, beyond the Kosmin Rock, at the wide moutli of a river, called >>y the Tchuktches, Werkon. Tlie two points of ' land between which it enters the sea, are 11* geogra- phical miles apart ; the eastern shore is 'low, and 328 FOURTH JOUUNEY ON covered with coarse gravelly sand ; the western is rocky, and forms a steep promontory, 280 feet high, to which I gave the name of Cape Kyber. Above the rocks rises a conical mountain, called by the Tchuktches, Etschonin. There was a good deal of drift-wood on the sandy beach. About three and a-half worsts north of Cape Kyber, there is a rocky island of two and a-half worsts circumference, entirely surrounded by hummocks. I subsequently learnt that the Tchuktches call it Amgaoton. I gave it the name of Schalarov, after the man whose enter- prise, courage, and perseverance, and finally, whose deatli in these regions, have well deserved that his name should be so recorded. Part of the shore of Schalarov Island, is covered with heaps of the bones of whales ; these are pro- bably the remains of the dweUings of a people, who lived on seals and fish, and chiefly on whales, of which the bones were employed as timber in building their huts. We were told that their language was very difforent from that of the wan- dering rein-deer Tchuktches, and resembled that of the people who live near Behring Straits in mud huts, supported on the inside by whalebones, and having their only entrance from above. They are the same race as the Aleutians and the Green- landers, which have peopled the coasts, from the eastern part of North America, along the Polar Sea to Cape Chelagskoi. On the 13th we had a light breeze from the west, a thin mist, and a temperature of — 11° in the morning, and — 24° in the evening. After taking from the eastern shore of the river as vrrnoii .^viff.wnnrl an mir sledfffis could carry, we left the coast, and directed our course over the THE POLAR SEA. 329 ice towards the north. , AVhen we had gone four wersts from the shore, we deposited some of our provisions in the ice, with the precautions which have been before described, and sent back the empty sledges to the Kolyma. The ice was not above three feet thick ; the depth of water was five fathoms, and the bottom green mud. On the 14th of March, after going 17 wersts m a N.N.E. direction, over a tolerably even sur- face, and with a temperature of — 24° and 31°, we came to some very rugged hummocks, where* we had to make our way with crow-bars with such labour, that the evening found us completely exhausted, after having accomplished only three wersts more. On the 15th the cold diminished a little, the temperature being —13°, and the sky overcast. After toiling the whole day with crow-bars we had only advanced five wersts, and our sledges were so mjured that it was necG^.''>iy to halt to repair them : about the middle of the day we met with a fissure in the ice, of which I availed mvselfto obtam soundings, and found nineteen fatho ns with a bottom of mud and sand. Being convinced of the impossibility f f forcing our way through these rugged hummocks with our heavily-loaded sledges, I determined to send back eight of them, and to deposit here the great(;r part of our provisions. We excavated twr receptacles, and placed in them a supply for twenty-three days, for men and dogs. With the four remaining sledges and five people, M. Kos- mm and I proposed to try to advance towards the north. As it was absolutely necessary to carry very httle weight, wp nnlv font wifli no r^«^„:c,•^^.. lor about five days, and a very small quantity of 330 FOURTH JOURNEY ON i I I! 4' t : fuel. Our observed latitude was 70° 12', and our longitude by reckoning 174° 00' E. On tbe 17tb violent wind and snow prevented us from beginning our journey, and increased m the night to a tempest, which broke up the ice m such a manner, that we found ourselves on a detached ice-island, about fifty fathoms m diame- ter. As the storm continued to rage, we were tossed to and fro, and the fissures on every side ot us opened more and more, till some of them were fifteen fathoms across. Thus we passed part ot the night, quite aware that we were m consider- able danger. At length day broke, and with it came a favourable change of wind, which pressed our fragment of ice against the rest ; and by the evening of the 18th we were again m contact and connexion with the firm ice. The depth of water beneath us was nineteen fathoms. On the 19th the storm had subsided, and the, sky cleared, but we saw plainly to the north the dark vapours which rise from open water and which left us but little hope of the possibility ot making any considerable advance m that direc- tion. We did not give up the attempt, however, but used oui- utmost exertions throughout the day to open a path for ourselves amongst the hummocks ; sometimes we had to go a long way round to avoid wide lanes of open water ; at otJier? we crossed over the young ice just formed, which could hardly bear us : when evening came, we had only accomphshed ten wersts, and were still ni sight of the coast. On tlie 20th the weather was calm and hue, the northern horizon was dark blue, and the thermo- .„_i.„„ „^^^;i ..f .iio Thft hummocks to the north of us now becoming absolutely and entirely THE POLAR SEA. 331 ad our vented ised in I ice in J on a diame- e were side of oa were part of tnsider- with it pressed . by the act and f water and the 3rth the ;er, and hiUty of at direc- lowever, lout the Qgst the long way at other? d, which 3, we had e still in L fine, the 5 thermos :s to the i entirely impassable, we tried to take a W.N.W. direction : but after making about eight wersts we came to an open space, at least five ' orsts across, and only covered by a thin crust of i'^e, which from its perfect smoothness, we knew to be just formed. Going round the opening was out of the question, for it extended further than the eve could reach, from W.N.W. to E.S.E. We halted for the night near the margin; the depth of water was 19 J fathoms, the bottom mud and sand. Our first care on the morning of the 21st was to examine the possibility of further advance ; be- yond the fissm-e near which we stood, the hum- mocks appeared to be of old formation, and less steep and crowded, so that we might hope to find them passable if we could but reach them. This, liowever, could only be done by trusting to the thin ice of the channel, and opinions were divided «as to the possibility of its bearing us. I deter- mined to try, and the adventure succeeded better than could have been hoped for, owing to the in- credibly swift running of the dogs, to which, doubtless, we owed our safety. The leading sledge actually broke through in several places, but the dogs, warned, no doubt, of the danger, by their natural instinct, and animated by the in- cessant cries of encouragement of the driver, flew so rapidly across the yielding ice, that we reached the other side without absolutely sinking through. The other three sledge? followed with similar rapidity, each across such part as appeared to them most promising ; and we were now all as- sembled in safety on the north side of the fissure. It was necessary to halt for a time, to allow the dogs to recover a little from their extraordinary' exertions. iJ 332 FOURTH JOURNEY ON i{;i I availed mvself of the unavoidable delay to take a meridiaA altitude, which gave our latitude 70^20'; the longitude deduced by angles, trom points visible on the main land, was 174° 13 , the variation 2U° E. We profited by the hght of a beautiful aurora in the north-east quarter, to con- tinue our march until the night was far advanced, when we had accomplished twenty-four wersts since noon among old hummonks and loose snow, which afforded comparatively easy travelling. The morning of the 22nd was fine, but towards noon a gale sprung up from the west, and we had thick drifting snow, which often placed us m great danger, by conceaUng from us open places, till the foremost dogs of a team had fallen into the water, when they usually narrowly missed dragging the sledges after them : after advancing with caution for twenty-four wersts N. by E., I sounded, and found twentv-on^; fathoms water, with clay and fine sand. We - cm ten wersts further, and slept among a group oi hummocks surrounded by fissures. During the night the wind rose again, and widened the openings in the ice : fortunately it subsided before morning, and we were able to get out of our island by forming a kmd of bridge of loose fragments of ice. Besides the serious difficulties presented by the state of the ice, the provisions for our dogs were beginning to fail. To make them hold out as long as possible, I sent back two sledges to the last deposit, and divided their share among the two which I still retained, and with which we resumed our route to the north, more for the satisfaction of knowiiip: that we had left nothing undone that was in our power to do, than with any hope of a favoi:rable result. Till noon, on elay to atitude 8, from 13', the ;ht of a to con- vanced, wersts e snow, towards we had in great ;, till the e water, ^ing the caution ounded, dtli clay her, and nded by \e again, tunately 3 able to )f bridge d by the ogs were i out as 3s to the Qong the ^hich we ! for the nothing han with noon, on THE POLAR SEA. 833 the 23rd of March, we h. I clea" weather, with a light breeze, Mhicli, towards the m ;rnoon became fresh, with gathering clouds; wliile from north- west to north -( iist, the horizon was covered by the dense blue vapour, win h, in thtse regions, always indicates open water. Notwithstanding this sure token of the impossibility of proceeding niucii further, we continued to go due north for about nine wersts, when we arrived at the edge of nn immense break in the ice, extending east ; west further than the lye could reach, and wh at the narrowest part, was more than 150 fatho) across. The sha,rp westerly wind was widening the gap and the easterly current was running at the "ate of a knot a 1 a-half. We climbed one of tho loftiest ice-hib , when wc obtained an ex- to* ^i^ '^ view towards the north, and whence we beheki the wide ir imeasurable ocean spread before our gaze. It was a fearful and magnificent, but to us a melancholy spectacle ! Fragments of ice of enormous size floated on the surface of the agitated ocean, and were thrown by the waves with awful violence against the edge of the ice- field on the further side of the channel before us. The colhsions were so tremendous, that large masses were every instant broken away, a id it was evident that the portion of ice whi' h still divided the channel from the open ocep i, would soon be completely destroyed. Had we attempted to ha 3 ferried ourselves across upon one of the floating pieces of ict , we should not have found firm footing upon our arrival. Even on our own side fresh lanes of water were continually forming, and extending in every direction in the field of ice behind us. We could go no further. With a painful feeling of the impossibility of « ; •iu t>. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) Y A A is. (A 1.0 I.I 1.25 ■^ HIS 2A 1.8 1.4 III 1.6 V] <^ /2 ^;. y^ /^ w y Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 % W 7i 334 FOURTH JOURNEY ON overcoming the obstacles which nature opposed to us, our last hope vanished of discovering the land, which we yet believed to exist. We saw ourselves compelled to renounce the object for which we had striven through three years of hardships, toil, and danger. We had done what duty and honour demanded; further attempts would have been absolutely hopeless, and I decided to return. According to my reckoning, the point from which we were forced to return, is situated m 70° 51', and 175° 27'. Our distance from the main-land, in a direct line, was 105 wersts. We had 22J fathoms water, with a clay bottom. We proceeded rapidly along our old track, to- wards the coast, and, though impeded by several fresh openings, formed during our short absence we made good thirty-five wersts, before haltmg for the night in a group of old hummocks. On the 24th, we set oft' early, with a moder^e breeze from the west, and a temperature of — ^ • We had every reason to hasten, for our old track, which we tried to follow as much as possible, was frequently interrupted by fresh hummocks, piled up since the day before, a proof of the very dan- gerous state of the ice. We had to ferry ourselves across many fresh breaks, on pieces of ice which were sometimes too small to hold a sledge with its team of dogs. In such cases, we made the dogs swim, and help to tow us across, but the strong current which generally prevailed m the lanes ot open water, rendered this a matter of difficulty. Not far from our last deposit of provisions, the current set E.S.E., with a velocity of four miles an hour; the temperature of the sea at *u;. „inno wa« O- 28°. while that of the air was 4- 9|°. At night, we reached our deposit, antt THE POLAR SEA. 335 found the two sledges wHch we had sent back and the provisions, safe. ' On the 29th, we had a ^gentle breeze from the east ; a thick mist concealed from us the coast of the contment. In the morning the temperature was — 2° and in the evening + 10°. The strong current ceased with the change of wind, and many of the fissures in the ice closed again. Still our position on this frail and broken-up surface, which the first sea-wind would cause to separate again, was too serious to admit of my allowing the exhausted condition of the dogs to detain us a moment from attempting to gain the coast with our provisions. Whilst we were preparing to start, our best sledge-driver was suddenly taken with such violent pains in the back, that he could not raise himself up ; this obliged us to remain lor the day, and to try what our few means, which were merely rest, and rubbing with spirits and oil, could do for him. I may take this occa- sion to give to our drivers the praise which is so justly their due, of having shown unwearied courage, patience, and cheerfulness, in the greatest perils and toils, as weU as in every privation. Whilst thus reluctantly detained, two stone-foxes were discovered in our neighbourhood, and perilous as \7as our situation, the innate love of the chase so far prevailed, that the three other drivers, instead of taking the opportunity of rest, occupied themselves in constructing a couple of very ingenious traps, baited with a portion of their own scanty rations, in which they succeeded in taking one of the foxes ; the other was found at a short distance, having died of hunger. The severe cold was daily decreasing. On the 26th of March, with a mild "S.sTe. breeze, T^"had, mum 336 FOURTH JOURNEY ON in the morning, a temperature of + 27 , and m the evening of + 14°. Our patient was better foi the twenty-four hours' rest which we had allowed him, but was stiU quite unable to drive. Everj' houi increased the danger of remaining where we were, and M. Kosmin, always ready to do the ut- most in his power, undertook to drive the sledge, putting the sick man into his own place. We could not, by any contrivance, manage to carry a^^ our provisions with us, and we had only to hope that we might be able to fetch away such part as we were obliged to leave. After dnvmg on y three worsts, we found our old track coinpletely obUterated by fresh ,1'"«™°<'1'«,.^"* ^'T^^' which rendered our advance so difficult that we were at last forced to abandon a part of the stores which we carried. After toiling on for two wersts more, we found ourselves completely surrounded by lanes of water, opening more and more, until, to the west, the sea appeared completely open with floating ice, and dark vapours ascending from U obscured the whole horizon. To the south we StiU saw what appeared a plam of ice but it con- sisted only of larger fragments, and even the^ we could not reach, as we were separated from them by a wide space of water. Thus cut off on everv side, we awaited the night with anxiety; happily tot us, both the sea and the air were calm, and this circumstance, and the expectation of a night-frost, gave us hope. Dunng the night a gentle breeze sprung up from the W.N.W and gridually impelled the ice-island on which we were, towards the east, and nearer to the larger surfalce before-mentioned. In order to get over ti,„ .^m-iri'"' space, we hooked with poles the smaller pfeces of ice which floated about, and THE POLAR SEA. 337 and in tter for iliowed Every lere we the ut- sledge, B. We larrv all to hope part as ig only Qpletely fissures, that we le stores wersts rounded e, until, ly open ing from south we t it con- en these ted from it off on anxiety j air were pectation bhe night .W., and rhich we ;he larger get over poles the )out, and formed with them a kind of bridge, which the mght-frost cemented sufficientlv to admit of our crossmg over upon it before sun-rise on the 27th We had hardly proceeded one werst, when we found ourselves in a fresh labyrinth of lanes of water, which hemmed us in on every side. As all the floating pieces around us were smaller than the one on which we stood, which was seventy-five fathoms across, and as we saw many certain in- dications of an approaching storm, I thought it better to remain on the larger mass, which ofltered us somewhat more security; and thus we waited quietly whatever Providence should decree. Dark clouds now rose from the west, and the whole atmosphere became filled with a damp vapour. A strong breeze suddenly sprung up from the west, aad increased in less than half an hour to a storm! Every moment huge masses of ice around us were dashed against each other, and broken into a thousand fragments. Our httle party remained fast on our ice-island, which was tossed to and fro by the waves ; we gazed in most painful inactivity on the wild conflict of the elements, expecting every moment to be swallowed up. We had been three long hours in this position, and still the mass of ice beneath us held together, when sud- denly it was caught by the storm, and hurled against a large field of ice ; the crash was terrific, and the mass beneath us was shattered into frag- ments. At that dreadful moment, when escape seemed impossible, the impulse of self-preserva- tion implanted in every living being saved us. Instinctively we all sprang at once on the sledges and urged the dogs to their full speed; they flew across the yielding fragments to the field on which we had been stranded, and safely reached a part z 338 FOURTH JOURNEY ON u [ ' / i^ |E; ■ ■ li ^B^^Hb !'■ 1 M i 1 1 i i of it of firmer character, on which were several hiimmocks, and where the dogs immediately ceased running, conscious, apparently, that the danger was past. We were saved; we joyfully embraced each other, and united in thanks to God for our preservation from such imminent peril. But the continued raging of the tempest, and the crashing of the ice around, warned us net to delay, and, after a few moments' repose, we has- tened onwards, guided by our view of the coast, to our first deposit of provisions, four worsts from the shore. There we loaded our sledges with as much as they could carry, and before it was per- fectly dark reached the land. We passed the night near the mouth of the Werkon, where an overhanging cUff afforded some protection from the storm, and enabled us to light a fire, and to refresh ourselves with food and tea, of which we stood greatly in need. On the 28th, the storm subsided, we had a moderate breeze from the E.N.E, the sky was clear, and the air mild; in the morning the temperature was + 9^ and in the evening -f- 3°. We spent the day in bringing away the stores that still remained near the coast, and the calmer state of the atmosphere gave us hopes that a steady frost might yet enable us to recover the provisions, which had been left in our more northern deposit, supposing it still to exist. Such an increase of our means would have been very important to us in our journey to the eastward, as we could not depend much on receiving assist- ance from the Tchuktches. On the 29th I allowed the exhausted dogs to rest. The weather was clear, and the tempera- 1.. THE POLAR SEA. 339 several ^diately bat the joyfully inks to irainent 3st, and met to we has- coast, to its from with as lyas per- L of the led some to light and tea, e had a sky was ling the ig + 3°. le stores and the as hopes Q recover our more 3t. Such )een very tward, as ig assist- 1 dogs to tempera- ture from - 8° to ~ 11°. By the meridian alti- tude I found the latitude of the north point on the east side of the Werkon river, 69° 51', its longitude by reckoning being 173° 34'. The variation was 18° 56' E. As the cold continued, and on the 30th of March increased to —15°, I thought it not im- probable that an attempt to reach our deposit in the ice might be successful. M. Kosmin started with three empty sledges, but returned at the end of SIX hours, having been stopped by wide open places which had not been frozen over. During his absence I surveyed the eastern bank of the mouth of the Werkon, which consists of a group of rounded hills, on which are many pillars or columns, similar to those on the Baranov Rocks ; these are called by the people of the country^ Kekury. The hills terminate in a low point of land projecting some way into the sea, forming the eastern point of the mouth of the river. I gave to the whole promontory the name of Cape Kekurnoi, from the above mentioned Kekury or columns. It bears from Cape Kyber S. 80° E., dista.nt thirty worsts. The coast between them consists of low flat islands separated from each other by the several arms into which the river . divides ; the principal arm is on the east side, and IS half a worst across. The observed latitude of Cape Kekurnoi is 69° 51', and its longitude A heavy fall of snow, and a strong E.N.E. wind with a temperature of -j- 5", induced me to remain during the 1st of April. On the 2nd we took our departure towards the east, and were m hopes of meeting with M. von Matiuschkin, to whom I had intrusted the survey of the coast ; as unhap- z 2 » 340 FOURTH JOURNEY ON pily there was now nothing more to he done to the north, I wished to reunite our two parties and to complete the survey together ; in case he should arrive at this place after we had left it, I had a signal erected on one of the most conspicuous hills, with a notiape Che- feet high, , he had seen ere probably with a ridge still higher, joining it to another cHff to the east ; the whole is connected with the con- tinent by the low isthmus mentioned above. Captain Cook considered the sea which he saw beyond the tongue of land to be a bay, or the mouth of a large river. As soon as we came in sight of the Tchuktches, we slackened our pace, and halted on the ice at the distance of a worst and a half, in order to avoid causing alarm hy a sudden approach. In spite of this precaution, our very unexpected ap- pearance seemed to produce considerable commo- tion ; we observed them running to and fro, and gathering in groups, apparently in earnest con- sultation. Two men then detached themselves from the rest, and approached us at a slow pace : I sent the interpreter to meet them, and to ex- plain our views and pacific intentions. When he came up to them, they saluted him gravely, and sat down without speaking. The interpreter then filled their pipes, still without a word being spoken; and it was not until these had been smoked out, that he began his discourse. It lasted a long time, and seemed to make a favour- able impression, for the two men stood up, and allowed themselves to be conducted to our sledges. When they arrived, one of them said that he was Etel, the chief of the tribe ; and in token of good-will, offered me two freshly caught seals. He added that he was perfectly satisfied of our peaceable intentions, and was ready to give us any assistance in his power towards the execution of our undertaking. In the course of conversation we learnt that he was related to our friend the Kamakai at Cape Chelagskoi, and the news which we were able to give of his kinsman contributed ■If llli. 348 FOURTH JOURNEY ON not a little to confirm a good understanding L>e- tween us. I presented him with tobacco and other things, and at parting, he repeatedly invited me to return his visit, which I did next day, (12th of April). He received us in a large tent of rein-deer skin, surrounded by his various treasures, which were arranged with some degree of elegance. There were a number of stone-fox skins, wide thongs of walrus-skin, a quantity of whale-bones, some small rein-deer sledges remarkably neatly made, leathern cuirasses, javehns, bows and arrows, and a variety of implements for fishing, seal-hunting, &c, "There," said he, "look well at all those things, take from them what you like, and give me in return a gun, and powder, and shot, I am very fond of hunting, and I am sure I could use a gun better than the Mountain Tchuktches, amongst whom I once saw one, and shot with it." He continued to urge this request, and at last I promised to grant it, if he would procure for us tlurteen seals for our dogs ; fetch for us, on his sledges, a supply of firewood, from twenty wersts off; and accompany us to Koliutchin Island, where he had told me that he had a married sister living. He probably expected to have been asked a great deal more, for, without a moment's deliberation, he agreed to all my proposals, praised my moderation and liberality exceedingly, and immediately gave the necessary orders respecting the drift-wood and the seals. Our departure was arranged for next day ; I thought that having the chief of the tribe with me, I might venture to leave the greater part of our stores in his hut until our return which li^^htened our load verv much. As I was going away, Etel stopt me with THE POLAR SEA. 349 nding be- acco and ily invited next day, deer skin, hieh were B. There thongs of les, some itly made, rows, and l-hunting, )se things, jve me in ■ am very use a gun ;, amongst md at last ;ure for us us, on his nty worsts in Island, a married have been moment's lis, praised ngly, and respecting arture was having the irenture to n his hut load verv )t me with a request, that he might take with him a batas,* intended as a present for his sister. I could easily perceive that he was thinking less of his sister than of being thus armed with the peculiar weapon of the Tchuktches, but I made no objec- tion, and we parted excellent friends. Etel made his appearance early next morning (13th of April), fiilly equipped for the journey. He appeared to have put on his best clothes, and carried on his back a kind of havre-sack, with tobacco, and some few other European trifles, in- tended for barter at KoUutchin. His cap was much ornamented with beads, and ear-rings, and surmounted by a large raven's head, which he told us would ensure us a fortunate journey, and a good reception. We set off, and were accompanied, for some distance, by the greater part of the inhabitants of the village, who were evidently under some anxiety respecting their chief; at length the}' took their leave, with many ceremonies, and repeated entreaties that Etel might come back very soon. Late in the evening we arrived at two single Tchuktche huts, where Etel advised us to pass the night. The inhabitants were roused from their sleep by the barking of the dogs, and being frightened at the sight of so many strangers, caught up a large Shaman drum, and made a hideous din, till their friend Etel came forward with his raven's head, and by this significant emblem, and his assurances of our peaceful inten- tions, induced them to be quiet. There were only four men and five women, they seemed very poor, and could only spare us one seal. * A kind of straight sword or large broad knife, fastened to a long handle. Tl*"***- "", " '.1 .1. !*!«>>< -— ■— — II * 3 l 350 FOURTH JOURNEY ON This place is ninety wersls from Cape Ir-Kaipie (or Cape North) ; the coast between is low and flat. About forty wersts from the promontory there is a river called Ekechta, narrow, rapid, and very full of fish. We passed also three incon- siderable streams which fall into the same bay. Drift-wood is scarce along this coast, partly from the consumption by the numerous parties of Tchuktches, and partly from natural causes ; the rivers of this district, coming from a country pro- ducing no other trees than a few willows, bring no wood, and the ice opposes, in great measure, a barrier to its arrival by sea. The greater part of the drift-wood found between the Chelagskoi and Tchukotsky Noss is, however, probably of Ame- rican origin, for it consists chiefly of stems of pines and firs, which do not grow along any of the rivers which enter the sea between the mouth of the Indigirka and Tchaun Bay. Trunks of those trees are brought down in abundance by the Lena, but they are not often drifted as far as the Indi- girka, and are rarely seen among the quantity of larch, aspen, and poplars which are floated down by the other rivers of northern Siberia. My opinion, that the drift-wood on this part of the coast comes from America, is confirmed by the assertion of the Tchuktches, that among the trunks of fir they not unfrequently find some which have been felled or hewn with stone axes. On the 14th of April we continued our journey along the sandy shore, and after proceeding twelve wersts we came to the Amguema river, which is two and a-half wersts broad at its mouth. Etel told us that the rein-deer formerly crossed the river in their annual mifl'rations, and that the Tchuktches were in the habit of resorting here from Koliut- chin Island on that account, but that the rein- THE POLAR SEA. 351 ,pe Ir-Kaipie is low and promontory J, rapid, and three incon- e same bay. partly from \ parties of causes; the country pro- ws, bring no measure, a eater part of Blagskoi and )ly of Ame- of stems of g any of the he mouth of nks of those by the Lena, as the Indi- 5 quantity of bated down iberia. My part of the med by the among the J find some tone axes. our journey eding twelve i^er, which is th. Eteltold . the river in Tchuktches rom Koliut- at the rein- deei had ceased to pass this way. Fourteen wersts from the river the sandy shore is replaced by a steep bank of moderate elevation, and the plain rises gradually to the foot of a chain of mountains runnmg paraUel with the coast, at a distance of from twenty to thirty-five wersts. At the point where the steep coast begins, I found the latitude by observation, 68" 10', and the longitude, bv reckoning, 182" 6'. ^ » :/ Our progress was so rapid that we accomplished eighty-four wersts in the course of the day, and passed the night at a Tchuktche settlement on the west side of the Wankarem river, and close to a cape of the same name. Our dogs were too much knocked up to bark ; so that the inhabitants were not roused by our approach. Before Etel woke them, he went to a spot not far from the huts, where he had previously told us that some of his ancestors were buried, and repeated, with much earnestness, a short prayer, and offered some leaves of tobacco to the manes of the buried. When this was completed, he entered one of the huts, and, I suppose, gave his countrymen a lavourable report, as the head-man of the village came out to welcome us, and we obtained from him several seals for our dogs, for which we made him a handsome present. There is a remarkable similarity between the three promontories of Che- lagskoi, Ir-Kaipie, and Wankarem; all are of fine- grained sienite, with greenish-white feld-spar, dark-green hornblende and mica, and are united to the main-land by a narrow isthmus : the height of the cape and the breadth of the isthmus are greatest at Cape Chelagskoi, and least at Cape Wankarem. On the 15th we started at day-break, the sky ■■I R*' 1 352 FOURTH JOURNEY ON was clear, the horizon to the north dark-blue, the air mild, and the temperature + 7« in the morn- ing, and + 5° in the evening. On crossmg the isthmus of Wankarem, we saw towards the east, five wersts from the cape, a small island about two wersts in circumference. High rocks of gra- nitic porphyry begin to appear twenty-five wersts S .E. of Cape Wankarem. By a meridian altitude, which I obtained sixteen wersts from our halting- place, I found the latitude of this point 67° 43', the longitude, by reckoning, being 183" 34' E., and the variation 23" E. Cape Onman was dis- tant ten wersts; it is distinguished by a high mountain and a detached range of columns at a short distance from the cape, 140 feet in height, and resembling the ruins of colossal buildings. Among the masses of rock on the beach, at the foot of these remarkable rocks, were a few Tchuktche huts. As soon as we had rounded Cape Onman we saw, on the horizon, Koliutchin Island, appearing like a round mountain, distant thirty-three wersts. We found a well-beaten track leading to it, over which we advanced rapidly. After passing Cape Onman, the coast trends away sharply to the southward, and this cape may be considered to form the western point of Koliutchin Bay, the eastern side of which we could not distinguish on account of the fog. The shore of KoHutchin Island, (Burney Island of Cook,) consists every- where of steep rocks of reddish granite; it is about three and a-half wersts across. The Tchukt- che \dllage, which we proposed to visit, is situated on the southern point, which does not rise much above the level of the sea. When we were within a quarter of a werst of the huts we halted on the THE POLAR SEA. 353 ice. As soon as the Tchuktches had perceived us the whole place was in commotion ; the women and children were sent away to a hill behind, and the men, armed with spears, batasses, and bows arranged themselves ic fighting order to await our approach. Etel asked us to let him go forward alone to speak to his countrymen; he did so, and in a very short time they were so well satisfied that they laid aside their arms, and we were soon on a friendly footing. They were very much pleased at my proposal to barter beads and to- bacco for whales' flesh for the dogs; they had plenty to spare, having killed last summer no less than fifty whales, besides wah-uses. Our good understanding with the islanders was soon made known to the Tchuktche settlers along the neigh- bouring coast, and they flocked in, bringing on their sledges whales'-flesh, wah-us-skin thongs and wood, which they hoped to exchange for to- bacco. Above seventy men collected in a short time, and the ice round our little camp soon resembled a busy fair. Every new arrival ex. pected a present of tobacco before we should begin to trade : the wealthier people sat in their sledges, drawn by four or five dogs harnessed abreast, and driven by a man of inferior condition who ran by the side. Most of them called them- selves chiefs, and as every one expected a larger present than his neighbours, our little store of tobacco was soon exhausted. Among the strangers was a chief from Behring Straits, whose dress was adorned with many un- usual decorations; he had round his neck some little metal images of saints, and two writino-s secured between bits of wood, to which he attached great importance. One of these writings i<«^M*«WMflMJ|mpi 1 I 1 li till 354 FOURTH JOURNEY ON was to say that he and his three sons had been ba«ti"ed, and the other, that he had sent the eleror a fine blaclc fox-skin, and had remvedm retSm an upper garment (kamlem) of red cloth as a mark of the imperial regard. He was a So^t feesome boaster, and femed to consider Wmself entitled to make the most impudent demands, without offering .anything in return or doing us the slightest service. ^'* ^".fX tion we were tolerably well satisfied witli_ the behaviour of the people towards us, though in spHe onOl our care a good many things were stolen ■ nor does it appear that they conhne the exereU rf this disposition to their dealings with Sners, for our friend Etel asked us to take charie of his property for him, as he did not trust altogether to his countrymen of Kohutchin. The fatigue of our dogs made it necessary to remain two days at this island ; their condition X^the great exertions and exposure to which tTey had feen subjected in the iee, the want of tobacco for purchasing a fresh supply of pro- Ss! and ^the advanced state of the season, obliged me to think of returning to Nimei Ko- Jymfk, from which we were 1060 wersts dis^n , and to relinquish the hope which I had enter- tSned of su^eying the Asiatic coast the whole wT to Behring Straits. Though however I Tould not accomplish so much I had he satisfac tion of knowing that geography would not lose anything of importance, as my survey was met at this place by that which Captain BJ^gs'^ expelion had made of the coast, from the Straits to Kohutchin Bay. We took our departure on t?A°S of the 17th: up to the last moment fresh peopfe continued to arrive and to torment THE POLAR SEA. 355 US for presents, and we were even followed by them for some distance. The south point of Koliutchin island is in 67' 27' latitude by meridian altitudes, and in lon- gitude^ 184° 24' E. by reckoning. Variation 23" 26' E. We could not make any observations of dip, as the instrument had been so much in- jured, as to be quite unserviceable. Early on the morning of tlie 20th we reached the village of Ir-Kaipie ; the inhabitants were overjoyed at the safe and prosperous return of their chief, and gave us back the things we had left. They had besides procured for us the seals which I had asked for, which took two days to prepare for travelling. I had hoped to avail my- self of this delay, to obtain a more exact astrono- mical determination of the position of the Cape by lunar distances; but unfortunately the weather was overcast, and I had to be contented with the latitude determined by four altitudes of the sun, taken with both our sextants : the result gave Cape North or Ir-Kaipie in 68" 55' 16''. The longitude dependent on that of Cape Jakan, which had been astronomically determined, is 179° 57; E.* Variation 21« 40' E. On the 22nd of April we commenced our return along the coast to the westward. Before I proceed with the account of our return, I will give here the principal particulars which I collected during our short stay among this people hitherto so little known. The Tchuktches inhabit the north-eastern part of Asia, extending from Tchaun Bay to Behring * Captain Cook determined the latitude of Cape North, or Ir- Kaipie 68" 5G\ and its longitude 180" 49' E. from Greenwich by the ship's reckoning. ' 2 A 2 4 I ;>' 1 356 FOURTH JOURNEY ON Straits in one direction, and in the other fiom the Anadyr, and the upper country of tae Aniui, to the Polar Sea. Their neighbours to the south are the Koraks, and to the west the Tchuwanzes and lukahirs of the Aniui. They formerly occupied a more extensive territory, before the Cossacks from the Lena subdued the country through which the Kolyma flows This is proved bv the names of the Greater and Lesser Tchukots- ski rivers, and by numerous traditionary stories respecting their conflicts with the first Russian settlers tn the western banks of the Kolyma Posromnoie and XJbennoie Pole, (the Valley ot Desolation, and the Valley of Death,) derive their names from these encounters. The Tchuktches, though still in great measure a nomade race, have less of the characteristics which usually accom- pany such a mode of life than the wandermg Tanguses : they are more covetous and more saving tv an belongs to the character of genuine nomade races. They lay up stores for the future and m o-eneral do not remove their dwelhngs without an obiect, but only when it becomes necessary to seek fresh pasture for their rein-deer. They are disgraced by the most shameless hcentiousness, while the manners of the Tunguses are compara- tively pure. The Tchuktches also appeared to us far from possessing the cheerfulness of the fun- guses, whose constant liveliness and gaiety had been a frequent subject of remark amongst us. iheii dress differs greatly from that of the Tunguses which is tight and close-fitting, and well adapted to an active wandering life, whereas, the clothing of the Tchuktches is large, loose, and cumbrous. They wear long wide trousers made of fur, and an ample Kuchlanka. THE POLAR SEA. 367 The coast of the Bay of Anadyr is inhabited by a people very distinct from Tchuktches in figure, countenance, clothing, and language, called On- kilon (sea-people). Captain Billings in the de- scription of his journey through the Tchuktche land shows, that the language of this coast people has a close affinity to that of the Aleutians of Kodiak, who are of the same stock as the Green- landers (Esquimaux). There are traditions which relate that two centuries ago the Onkilon occupied the whole of the coast from Cape Chelagskoi to Behring Straits; and it is true that there are every where along this tract the remains of huts constructed of earth and whalebones, and quite different from the present dwellings of the Tchukt- ches. A disagreement between Krachoi, the principal chief of the Asiatic Esquimaux, and an Errim, or head of a tribe of rein-deer Tchukt- ches, broke out into decided hostilities ; Krachoi was defeated and forced to flee, his people mi- grated, and the coast was deserted. The inhabi- tants of Ir-Kaipie relate, that Krachoi, having killed a Tchuktche Errim, was closely pursued by the son, and after some time retreated to the rock of Cape North, where he intrenched himself be- hind a kind of natural rampart which still exists. The young Errim followed him thither, and suc- ceeded in killing Krachoi's son, by which, accord- ing to the ideas of these people, the debt of blood was paid. Krachoi let himself down from the cliff during the night by means of thongs, and got into a boat which was waiting for him at the foot of the rock. He at first steered towards the east to mislead his pursuers, but the following night he turned westward, and reached Schalarov Island, where he built the earthen huts of which we had seen the remains. He was gradually •«•»■■ • s ■ \ i ll •k^-^ 358 FOUKTH JOURNEY ON ioined by his kinsmen, and others of hi^ own tribe ; and they all finally fied together in iifteen baidara to the country, of which the niountams are said to be sometimen visible from Cape Jakan. In the course of the winter, a Tchuktche who was allied to Krachoi, disappeared with his family and rein-deer; and it was supposed that he too had gone to the northern island. Formerly all the Tchuktchos lived on the pro- duce of their rein-deer ; but those among them who lost their herds by sickness or other causes settled by degrees along the coast, where they kill whales, seals, and walrusses. These animals the whales especially, are particularly abundant about KoUutchin; they become more rare in going west- ward, and are not met with at all west ot Cape Chelagskoi. This is, no doubt, the reason why we found the population along the sea-coast increase as we approached Behring Straits. The people of the countrj' are now divided into two classes, the settled Tchuktches who live on the coast, and the rein-deer or nomade Tchuktches who inhabit the mountainous parts of the countiy. The latter, who form the chief bulk of the population, call themselves Tennygik. The two classes live on good terms with each other, and interchange their different commodities. The inhabitants of the coast fii- lisb to the nomades, whales' flesh and bones, w.^Jvn^skin, rnd train-oil, which is a favour ^ :ti e of fooa; and receive m return rein-deer skins, both raw and made up mto ^ \he huts of the settlers are clustered in little villages along the shore. They are formed of 1 ^ \ «i^Tr/-»«orl r»vp*' Tvifn skin, and poles, or oi uuucs uOw^r^a ^\^- ■"■- — - — -• coming to a point at the top, where there is a hole for the smoke to escape. The low entrance is \ THE POLAR SEA, 359 fllwhvs turiicu to the south, and is at the narrow end of the hut : the opposite cud which is bowed 18 niuch broader, and in it is a low scjuare inner tent which forms the sleeping and living apart- ment. In sevcro cold weather it is also used for cooking in, by the heat of a lamp of train-oil with moss wicks. The usual cooking fire is made of bones which have bem soaked in train-t il ; drift- wood for fuel being extremely scarce. At Ir-Kaipie, the principal occupatioi are taking seals and walruses. Seals are »mt times caught by a sort of net formed of tho ijs, which is placed under the ice, and in wl oh !» ; animal becomes entangled. Sometimes the follo\\ ng method is used: ^he hunter dresses hi^ If in white, that he nia} not be noticed on ti snow, and lies down near one of the openings b hich the seals come out o the water to sun them elves : he is armed with a 1 nee, and carries an tru- ment made of five bears^ claws fastened to a ick. With this he keeps gently scratchhig the sn v or the surface of the ice the whole time ; the p pie say that this sets the seals to sleep, but its niore probable use is to cover the noise made by t'e hunter as he gradually creeps nearer, till he .s able to reach the anin d with his lance. This method rarely fails of su« cess. "Wolves are killed by a very ingenious de^ ce. The two ends of a strong piece of whalcbon aie bent together, and fastened by a thread ; wa er is then poured over the ring till it is covered ^dth a crust of ice suffi- ciently strong to make it retain its form ; the thread is then cut away, and the whole is smeared over with fat. The wolf on finding it swallows it greedily, when the ice melts and the elastic vrhale- bone springs asunder and cnokes him. Walruses are taken by cutting ofi" their retreat to the water, ?~ I 360 FOURTH JOURNEY ON when they are despatched with ease. The walrus is almost as useful to the settled, as the rein-deer is to the nomade, Tchuktches. The flesh and the blubber are both used for food, the latter for the lamps; the skin is made into durable thongs for harness and other purposes, and into strong soles for boots; the intestines furnish a material for light water-proof upper garments for summer use ; a very durable thread is prepared from the sinews ; and lastly, the tusks, which are of the finest ivory, are sometimes formed into long narrow drinking- vessels which it takes a long time to hollow out, but are more frequently sold to the rein-deer Tchuktches, who convey them to the Russians. The most dangerous chase is that of the white bears, which the hunters pursue to their dens am^ong the hummocks, and which are killed with spears, frequently after a severe combat. For fishing they use baskets of thin willow rods, which they sometimes sink in the water, and sometimes use like nets. For fowling they employ an in- strument consisting of a number of long slender thongs, to the ends of which stone pebbles or bits of wabus' teeth are fastened. This they throw up into the air with great dexterity among a flight of geese or other wild-fowl, and the birds, becoming entangled in the loose thongs which fly in every direction, are brought to the ground. Though the Tchuktches, as already mentioned, pursue the white bear, the flesh of which is a favourite article of food, they are not in general fond of the chase, although their country abounds in wild rein-deer and sheep, foxes, wolves, bears, and other large fur-animals. They have bows and arrows, but they are not pai'ticularly expert in their use. Their principal weapons are diff'erent kinds of spears, and particularly the batass already THE POLAR SEA. 361 The walrus le rein-deer 3sh and the tter for the thongs for strong soles Qaterial for immer use ; the sinews ; finest ivory, w drinking- hoUow out, e rein-deer e Russians. ■ the white their dens killed with mbat. For rods, which I sometimes ploy an in- ong slender )bles or bits ey throw up g a flight of s, becoming fly in every a. Though , pursue the urite article f the chase. Id rein-deer other large arrows, but their use. it kinds of iss already described. Iron being scarce, they sometimes employ walrus' tusks instead. The settled Tchuktches use dogs for draft, but instead of harnessing them two and two, as is done on the Kolyma, they drive four abreast. Their sledges are also of a different construction, and rather resemble the rein-deer sledges, only they are not so large. The dogs are smaller than those em- ployed for draft in other parts of Siberia, and inferior both in strength and swiftness. It is remarkable that in 1831, the Tchuktches lost great numbers of their dogs by the same malady as that which made such ravages among those of the Kolyma, the Indigirka, the lana, and the Lena. From much observation and repeated inquiries, it appears that a kind of bondage exists both among the settled and the nomade Tchuktches. We found among the wealthier people whole families who had always been in a state of ser- vitude ; they have no property, they cannot leave their masters, on whose arbitrary will they are entirely dependent, and are employed by them in all sorts of hard labom* and attendance, in return for which they are fed and clothed. Neither our interpreter, nor the Tchuktches from whom we inquired, could give us any information respecting the origin of this state of things. They said, " It always had been so, and must continue to be so." Possibly the slaves are descended from captives. The Tchuktches use only animal food ; boiled rein-deers* flesh with seals' blubber is a frequent dish : they are particularly fond of the flesh of white bears, and of the skin of the whale with a layer of meat adhering to it eaten raw, which bears some resemblance to sturgeon. Meat broth is taken q^te cold, and is often mixed with snow f! 362 FOURTH JOURNEY ON and drank out of large wooden vessels as a beve- rage to quench thirst. Every individual carries about with him a little tube of rein-deer bone, through which he sucks up the liquid from the large vessel. Fish are not much esteemed, and only eaten when other food is wanting. Salt is never used. It is strange, that in a country of such intense cold, where one would suppose that every means of getting warmth would be most acceptable, every article of food is taken cold. They usually conclude their meals with a lump of snow, and I have often seen them, with a tem- perature of — 36°, and even colder, take up from time to time handfuls of fresh snow and eat it with great apparent relish. On the 23rd of April we left Ir-Kaipie and con- tinued our route towards the west. On the 24th we came to the place from which M. von Ma- tiuschkin had begun his journey over the ice to make a last attempt to look for the northern land. We found a large wooden cross erected by him, with a short notice to the effect that he had met every where wide open places, and that after several attempts to advance further, the breaking- up of the ice in every direction had forced him to return, without having been more than sixteen wersts from the coast. We slept on the 25th at Schalarov's hut, near the Werkon river, seven wersts N. 80° E. from Cape Kekurnoi. We found this building, which had been erected sixty years ago, in tolerable preservation. All the side timbers were stand- ing; the roof only had fallen in. We examined the mingled earth and snow which filled the hut, and luuiiu sOiuc ixu.ixi«,iJL uoxi^o^ «ii^.s. ^.^ r,-.i— — pouch for cartridges, made of wood, which wa? THE POLAR SEA. 363 overgrown with moss. The Kamakai at Cape Chelagskoi afterwards told me that, when he was a boy of ten years old, several corpses had been found in the hut; and that five men of this unfortunate company had gone away on foot towards the Kolyma district. Early in the morning on the 1st of May we reached Cape Chelagskoi, and roused the Kama- kai who was still asleep, in hopes of obtaining some provisions from him. Unfortunately his hunting and fishing had been unsuccessful and he could scarcely spare us anything. He gave me a letter which M. von Matiuschkin had left with him for me, containing some more details of his proceedings during his unsuccessful attempt on the ice. Our dogs were very much exhausted by their long journey, and their feet were so injured by the sharp ice, which had now lost its covering of snow, that their track was marked by spots of blood, and some of them were so lame that we were obliged to put them into the sledges to bring them along. The provisions both for them and for ourselves were quite consumed; and an at- tempt to meet with the Tchuktches, who usually visit Aiun or Sabadei Island with their herds of rein-deer had failed ; they had left it, and nothing could be done except to follow the practice of the country, which is, when dogs are in a very bad condition, to drive them on without stopping, till they reach a place where they can have good food, and can rest for some time. We did so, and with much difficulty succeeded in reaching the balagan at the mouth of the Baranika, where we iuuuu. oumuicni/ pruviBiuncs lO ixuiiixi/ KJL aiiuw iil^ our poor dogs two days' rest» We had had only 364 FOURTH JOURNEY ON I a light breeze, and a temperature of + ^^\ b^* on the 3rd the thermometer suddenly fell to — 8° ; however the cloudless sky made us amends for the severity of the cold, by enabling us on that and the following days to add some good meridian altitudes to our previous observations for latitude. We resumed our route on the 5th of May. As we came nearer to Nijnei Kolymsk, the signs of approaching spring became more perceptible, the banks of the river were clear from snow, and although the ice was still strong enough to bear us, it was covered by the water formed by the melting snow, and brought down by the more rapid mountain streams which were now open. Draft was very difficult, and but for the strong smooth whalebone runners which we had pur- chased at Koliutchin, would have been impossible. At length on the 10th of May, we reached Nijnie Kolymsk, after an absence of seventy-eight days, during which we had travelled 2300 wersts. M. von Matiuschkin had arrived six days before. During his homeward journey he had completed the survey of Tchaun Bay, without meeting with Tchuktches anywhere except at Cape Chelagskoi, where the Kamakai gave him a friendly recep- tion but could not spare him a supply of pro- visions. The results of his journey were a number of good geographical determinations, into the details of which it is needless to enter ; they will be found in the map, to which the reader is referred for a complete view of what o^ir united labours have accomplished in this respect. Our return to Nijnei Kolymsk closed the series Oi attempts made by us to uiscover a nortiiern land; which though not seen by us, may possibly THE POLAR SEA. 365 exist, and be attainable from the coast of the continent under a combination of very favourable circumstances, the principal of which would be a long, cold, and stormless winter, and a late spring. If attempted in this way, it would be most ad- visable to leave the coast about Cape Jakan, which all the native accounts concur in representing as the nearest point. We had now completed the execution of our instructions, and were free to leave Nijnei Ko- lymsk, and to commence our homeward route, as soon as it should be practicable. MM. von Ma- tiuschkin and Kyber took their departure early m July. They ascended the Kolyma, went from thence to Verkni Kolymsk, and up the Omekon to lakutsk, where they spent the summer in researches of natural history. I was detained at Nijnei Kolymsk until the 1st of August, when I received orders to await the arrival of a function- ary at lakutsk, who was commissioned to examine all my accounts with the inhabitants of the Ko- lymsk district, and all the payments which I had made them. Unfortunately the arrival of this person was long delayed, and though T occupied myself during the interval in arranging my journals, surveys, and maps, yet I own I felt this delay m the highest degree irksome, and a greater trial of patience than aU our toils and difficulties hitherto. At length the person arrived, the simple ac- counts were soon gone over, and all being settled I left Nijnei Kolymsk with M. Kosmin, after a stay of three complete years. We soon reached sredne Kolymsk, where we hired horses to take ^- L„ ^rt!v„iSiv iiuixx uuL oiQ cicquamtance i\I. iiereshnoi, and on the 19th of November com- menced our journey with a temperature of — 40^ h 366 * f 1 CHAPTER XV. Return from Sredne Kolymsk to St. Peter sburgh. On the 19tli of November we left Sredne Kolymsk, with hired horses, which were to take us to lakutsk. Instead of the post road through Saschiwersk and Tabalog, we followed the nor- thern road which is taken by the trading caravans across the heaths inhabited by lakuts, along the Selenacha river. Although by this means we traversed the country in quite a new direction, the uniformity which prevails throughout north- east Siberia is such, that a detailed description of our return to lakutsk would be little more than a repetition of what has been said already; I will therefore confine myself to the mention of a few circumstances, which had not before fallen under my notice. The preference given by the trading caravans to the route along the Selenacha, is on account of the excellent food afforded to their horses by a species of equisetum, which grows abundantly on the sandy banks of that river, and is not met with along the post road. In summer, this plant is bitter and distasteful to the horses, but the first frosts, without altering its green colour, give it a sweetish flavour ; it is then much liked, and the horses soon become strong and fat from feeding on it. This useful plant, which is hardly an inch \ RETURN FROM SREDNE KOLYMSK. 367 '^ ml^u*' '' ^"TT" ^^ *^^ ^^"^tO^ by the name of Tchiboga. Although it requires frost to render It palatable, it is sometimes injured by a lonff continuance of extreme cold, which renders its hollow tubes so brittle, that the hoofs of the horses m scraping away the snow, destroy them. We always tned to pass the night on the best spots for pasture, though they were not always the best m other respects. On the 9th of December tor instance, with a temperature of — 43° ^y^ slept on an exposed plain, where we had no shelter from the north wind, round a fire kindled in the open air. I had a good opportunity of remarkinji: in the lakuts who accompanied us, the degree to which men can harden themselves, by long habit against cold and exposure in the severest winter journey. The lakuts do not use any kind of tent or covering, nor any of the larger fur gar- ments, without which we could not venture into the open air when the cold had attained a certain intensity. An lakut, when travelling, wears, only his usual in-doors clothing, and at night, spreads a horse- cloth on the snow, which, with a saddle for his pillow, forms the whole of his bedding; his only covering IS the fur jacket which he has worn during the day, and which he pulls off, and puts over his back and shoulders, while the front of his body has scarcely any covering, and is turned to the blazmg fire. When he has lain for some time m this way and feels so warm that he is near perspirmg, he stops up his nose and ears with little bits of fur, and covers his face so as to leave only an exceediiigly small aperture for breathing, and this IS all that he requires in the most intense- cold, not to be frozen during sleep. Even in 368 EETUBN FROM SEEDUE KOLYMSK. Siberia the lakuts are catted iron men, and I fiCe that there are not any other people in the w3d who endure cold and hunger as they do. I have slen them frequently in the severe cold of twl counter, and when the fire had long been e^lngS and the light jacket had fV9^oS to shoulders, sleeping quietly, completdy ex- noted to the heavens, with scarcely »»? d°*J»| on M^d their bodies covered with a thick coat of "Thev are also remarkable for the acuteness of thJir sLht A middle-aged laknt assured M von T C Tat he had several times seen that blue ^"fiL^ting to Jupiter, swallow up another very il'^^ Soon afterwards send it forth again: ?Cf he had observed with the naked eye the im- tnus ne iid . £ e ^f Jupiter's satel- Utr Th^r~a^d local saga^ly are also ve^" surprising, and are of ^e greatest use in tW ioumeys through these extensive and lui- ^/l'' w^es A pool, a stone, a bush, a nse of Ir^ndlosSht ,»tobe hardly perceptible, objects S an Eufopean scarcely notices, axe deeply im- r^"in thdr memory, and serve years after- S to guide them over the trackless and desert '*X" march was often rendered more difficult by a nCnrSion pecuUar to these regions resem- a phenomei u F ^ r^ ^ ^jg ^ different bhng *e gla^e^^ . t^°^gi„i ^ the long valley :X"Dogdo) where the gravky soil is parched bv the hft summer and the dry autumn which JJX follows, it often happens that in the mid- T„f winter when the cold is most intense, a die of winter, wnen ^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^_ JrfarSCair^Ser, and imLdiately free.es. TO ST. PETERSBURGH. 369 This first crust of ice is soon broken by fissures, through which fresh water rises, and a second crust is formed ; and in this way fresh layers are added, as the effect of the frost presses up more water from deep cavities in the hollow ground, until at last the height of the whole mass is such, as to cover the bushes and shrubs, and even trees of moderate growth. These fields of ice, which are called Taryni, continue during the winter; and when they are melted by the force of the sun in spring, they form a number of streams of greater or less size, which rush down to the lowest levels, and sink into the earth as the ground thaws. On the Ochozk route, and in the Omekon mountains, large fields of ice are met with, which being in elevated places, and shaded from the sun, do not melt in the heat of summer. These masses are probably only formed by the accumulation of rain and snow-water, and diflFer therefore mate- rially from the Taryni of the Dogdo river. The ice of the latter is of a dazzling white colour, and seems to contain a quantity of calcareous particles, as we judged from its taste, and from its being so hard as to be quite unfit for washing or for making tea. When the Taryni are completely frozen over they are both difiicult and dangerous to cross. The surface is so smooth, that even horses pro- perly rough-shod can scarcely keep their feet, and are often borne down by their loads, and not uii- frequently killed on the spot. It is particularly dangerous, when, in passing ^ ravine, or a decH- vity thus covered, the caravan is caught by one of the furious and irresistible gusts of wind, common in this country, and which sometimes hurl men and horses down a precipice. The passage of the Taryni is less dangerous, Taryi 3 B .>' 870 RETURN FROM SREDNE KOLYMSK but not less troublesome, when they are covered with a fresh overflow of water not yet congealed, and the caravan has to wade through the ice-cold water, v hich sometimes causes both hands and feet to freeze. But the hardy lakuts are not hurt : after wading through an ice-cold bath o this kind, and their high fur boots (torbassy) being completely wetted tlirough, they plunge their legs two or three times in the snow ; this draws out the water through the skin of which the boot is made, and forms a crust of ice which is easily scraped off; if the time smts, the boots are then dried by a fire, but this is usually de- ferred till the mght halt. On the 22nd of December, we arrived at Yerk- hoiansk (called by the lakuts Boronuk), where we took leave of our fnend Bereshnoi. His horses had brought us from Sredne Kolymsk, a distance of 1224 wersts m thirty-two days, ihe little town of Verkhoiansk consists «f only five wooden houses, and a newly-built church of the same material, which is not yet consecrated It is on the western side of the .lana, but will pro- bably be transferred in time to the opposite side as, ftom the bend of the river, the bank on which it stands is graduaUy undermined. I stayed at the house of M. Gorochow, a merchant ; and my sur- prise and pleasure were great on seeing there a good-sized, neat, and clean room, with regular windows, good furniture, a handsome fire-place, some prints, and above all a small book-case con- taining a coUection of our best authors It was years tince I had seen any book, except the very few which Ihad brought with me. Whilst enjoy- incr fV unexpected sight of these marks of cmhzed ta?te'and intellectual"'cultivation, I was summoned t— =a, .. TO ST. PETERSBrilrr attempt over the ice to the eastward from New Siberia, where M. von Hedenstrom had tned with- out success in 1820, but the prevalence of westerly winds during the preceding winter appeared to lustify the hope of finding a considerable extent of firm ice in that direction. On the 9th of April he accordingly took his departure from Cape Ka- mennoy ; on this occasion a supply of dnttwood was carried which had been previously unneces- sary. A north-easterly direction was followed as nearly as possible, great difficulties being en- countered by reason of hummocks and uneven ice On the 11th ascending vapours were seen to the north, and on the 14th, having made good about sixty miles from Kamennoy, thm ice was met with extending towards the south-east. Here a white bear was killed, and soundings were taken, fifteen fathoms mud. The edge of the thin ice was then followed to the S.E., columns of vapour to the eastward shewing that there too the sea wus not covered by ice ; three open places were gone round, where the depth of the sea was found to be thirteen fathoms, with mud bottom ; further south twelve and a half fathoms were found. Impassa- ble hummocks, and the approaching failure of food for the dogs, obliged M. von Anjou to make for the continent, which he reached on the 27tli near the river Krestowaia, having been eighteen days from land ; he then proceeded to join M. von Wrangell, at Nijnei Kolymsk, where he arrived on the 5th of May. Meanwhile another part of the expedition under the Mate, Ilgin, to whom M. von Anjou had en- trusted the survey of the coast of the continent westward trom the mouth of the Lena, had pro- ceeded in the execution of this service as far as the river Olenek. , ft THE USTIANSK EXPEDITION. 385 M. von Anjou Imving, as lie considered, arrived at the conviction that all efforts to advance by the ice to any considerable distance from land ninst prove unavailing, now offered to attempt the same object with a boat, but the Admiralty regarding this project as too hazardous, refused their consent. The expedition was now directed to employ the following spring, 1823, in surveying Belkova Island, and in examining the sea to the westward of that island. On the 10th of February M. von Anjou left Ustiansk for the little island of Lach, near Cape Bikovskoi, where he remained from the 14th to the 21st, to complete the preparation of the sledges and dogs. Ht then went with six sledges along the sea shore to Barkin, where he took in a sup- ply of drift-wood. He had been informed that m 1815, a lakut Maxim Lachow had discovered two small islands to the west of Stolbovoi, and that in the parallel of those islands the sea is found to be frozen much farther to the westward than elsewhere. On the 25th he took his departure in a N. 1€°E. direction; at the end of fifty- nine miles a large crevice was met with ; and on the 28th of February, in lat. 74° 25', where the edge of the thin ice was attained, they found fourteen and a quarter fathoms soundings. It now became necessary to alter the course to an easterly one, so as to follow the edge of the thin ice, and of the line of vapours which indicated the presence of open water, and on the 2d of March they reached Vassiliev Island, one of those dis- covered in 1815. This, and the neighbouring island of Semenov were sm-veyed, and their position astronomically determined, and on the Oh the journey was continued as nearly northward from 2 c 386 THE USTIANSK EXPEDITION. f the nortlieriimost point of the hitter islsind, as the hummocks which were met with permitted. On the 9th of March, the party found themselves on ice less than two inches in thickness : from this point, (where they had soundings twenty-one fathoms, mud), they withdrew twelve miles N 60" E. before halting for the night. JNext morning they followed along the line of ascending vapours, in a N. 15° E. direction, and after going ten miles found themselves among very large hummocks, which had manifestly been very re- cently formed by the heaping-up of freshly broken ice : soundings again shewed twenty-one fathoms, mud. Nine and a half miles of very difficult travelling now brought the party to the island ol Belkova, which they proceeded to survey, and de- termined its position astronomically. Its western side is formed by a high cliff, which seemed to be sandstone, and its eastern shore is partly earth, and partly a slaty rock. Drift-wood is found abundantly all round the island. The observations being completed, the pn^^ crossed the ice to the wintering station on Koteinoi Island, and then traced the whole of the western shore to its southernmost point at Medvcji, cor- recting and confirming the previous survey by as- tronomical determinations. On the 21st of March they left Koteinoi Island, and reached the village of Murasch on the mainland, on the 27th, and Ustiansk on the 28th. Here Lieutenant Aiijou found orders directing him to close the operations of the expedition, and to return to St. Petersburg. The "-eographical determinations obtained by the Ustiansk expedition are given in Appendix. u I APPENDIX. I.—GENERAL REVIEW OF THE PROGRESS OF GEOGRAPHICAL KNOWLEDGE RESPECTING SIBERIA. Gradual Discovery of the Siberian Coast. --General Review of the Voyages undertaken previoushi to the Yearl%20, in the Polar Ocean, between the hea of Karskoie and Behring Straits.-^Inaccu- racies of the Maps and Surveys. —Object of the Ex'peditions undertaken in 1820—1823, on th^^ Polar Ocean and along the Northern Coast of Siberia. '' The wh' of the immense extent of country trom the -.vTiite Sea to Behring Straits, embracing 145 degrees of longit de along the coast of Asia and Jiurope, has been discovered, surveyed, and described by Russians. All the attempts of other maritime nations to find a passage by the Polar ^>eii from Europe to China, or from the Pacific into the Atlantic, have been limited, in the West by the Karskoie Sea, and in the East by the men^jan of Cape North. The impediments, which stopt the progress of others, have been conquf>r.-d by Russians, accustomed to the seve- nty ol xie cUmate, and to the privations insepa- rable from it. ^ The first voyages to these icy deserts were undertaken by private individuals, attracted by tlie hope of larsre nrofits frnm « t^ario i« fi,« «^c.4.u. rurs 01 the animals with which those regions ''ji'diaS formerly borne the name of Piissid -"htchmtheSanioied dule« means I flat plain without wood. . The Skater part oNorOem Siberia, along the Polar Sea, consists "■J";;,""?'-" plam.. «- in the language of the country are called Tundra. I 1 APPENDIX. 391 which he reached at the point where it receives the Moloda, and built two small vessels, in which he descended the Lena, and in ten davs reached the ocean. Five days afterwards, he discovered the mouth of the lana ; and, after ascending the river for three days, fell in with some tribes of lakuts, on whom, as usual, he levied, a consider- able yassak. On the lana, Busa built four new vessels, with which, on the return of spring, he descended the river ; and by one of its arms, running eastward, entered the River Tshendoma, where he found a settlement of lukahirs, living in half subterranean huts, with whom he remained two years, examin- ing the country, and levying a large yassak on this and several neighbouring tribes. About the same time that Busa entered the lana, the Indigirka was discovered by Ivanow, surnamed Postnik or Observer of Fasts. He sub- dued the lukahirs scattered along the banks, and established a wintering station, where he left a garrison of sixteen Cossacks, who, after the de- parture of their chief, built a couple of boats, with which they examined the course of the river to its mouth, and received tribute from the inhabitants. They even ventured a considerable distance out to sea, and seem to have obtained some knowledge of the mouth of the Alaseia. We have no positive knowledge of the period at which the Kolyma was discovered. Fischer, in his History of Siberia, mentions it for the first time in 1644, in which year the Cossack, Michael Staduchin, formed a winter-establishment at about 100 wersts from its mouth, from which afterwards arose the little town of Nijnei Kolymsk. From Staduchin we have the earliest accounts of the 392 APPENDIX. I warlike nation of the Tchuktches, and of a large island situated further to the North in the Polar Ocean. He had been assured that an island was visible from the coast, somewhere between the mouths of the lana and Kolyma ; and that the Tchuktches were in the habit of gomg over in one day in their reindeer sledges, and returning with valuable loads of walrus teeth. The fur-hunters scattered about the country confirmed this report, maintaining, however, that the supposed island was only a continuation of Novaia Zemblia. ^ta- duchin also heard much of a large river by the name of Pogytsha, or Kowytsha, which he was told fell into the ocean about three days sail further to the east. The greater part of this information was subse- quently found to be incorrect. The large island can have been no other than the small one bearing on our maps the name of Krestowoi, and which belongs to the group of the Bear Islands. Though of small extent, it can be seen from the coast in clear weather, and it is also true that the tnbes on the Tchukotch River can go across the ice to it in one day in their rein-deTer sledges. It is also possible that the natives may even then have had some indistinct knowledge of the islands lying opposite to the mouth of the lana ; and that this may have led to some confusion in their de- scription of the Bear Islands. The first attempt to navigate the Polar Ocean to the east of the Kolyma, was made in the year 1646, by a company of fur-hunters under the guidance of Issai Ignatiew. The sea was covered with thick drift-ice ; nevertheless, the navigators found a narrow passage, through which they ad- vanced with little impediment for two days, when APPENDIX. 393 they ran into a bay surrounded by rocks, and obtained by barter some walrus' teeth from the Tchuktches dwelling there. Their ignorance of the language of the natives, and the warlike dis- position of the latter, made it appear prudent not to venture farther ; and Ignatiew returned to the Kolyma. From his imperfect report it is difficult to judge how far his voyage extended ; from the time employed, however, it is probable that he reached Tchaun Bay, in which, opposite the Island of Arautan, there is such an inlet as he describes, surrounded by steep rocks. Ignatiew's account of a nation rich in walrus' teeth, and not yet subdued, was sufficient to sti- mulate the restless conquerors of Siberia to a new undertaking, which did not appear to present any greater difficulty than those they had already over- come. They resolved on an expedition into the country of the Tchuktches, from which they pro- mised themselves, not without reason, important advantages and large profits. A company of fur- hunters was accordingly formed under the guidance of Fedot Alexeiew, a man in the service of a Mos- cow merchant ; and the necessary preparations for the expedition proceeded with the greatest ac- tivity and zeal. At Alexeiew's request, a govern- ment functionary was attached to the expedition, for the purpose " of attending to the interests of the crown ;" this person was the Cossack Semen Deshnew, who afterwards distinguished himself by making the voyage round the north-eastern extremity of Asia. In June 1647 the expedition sailed in four ves- sels from the Kolyma, designing to reach the River Anadyr, which, it was supposed, fell into the Polar Ocean. The immense fields and hum- * I !■' :n* ' ill ^^^Sv^n Ml Hffl ■ If i||{l ^K4y| |i 394 APPENDIX. mocks of ice, however, which the navigators en- countered, obliged them, after many vain efforts, to return to Nijnei Kolymsk. Staduchin's report of the river Pogytsha, and of a large island in the Polar Ocean, had, in the meantime, induced the authorities at lakutsk to send him back to Nijnei Kolymsk, with orders to proceed in search of the supposed river, and to reduce the tribes residing there under Russian subjection. Staduchin left lakutsk in June, 1647, wintered on the banks of the lana, and, towards the end of the winter, arrived on the Indigirka, where be built himself a vessel, in which he pro- ceeded to Nijnei Koiymsk. It was not till 1649 that Staduchin sailed from the Kolyma in search of the Pogytsha. He had procured a second ves- sel for this purpose, which was wrecked almost immediately after starting. He then continued to sail in an easterly direction for seven days, without finding the mouth of any important river, nor was he able, on landing, to obtain any infor- mation on the subject from the natives. The crew obtained some walrus' teeth by barter, but could get no provisions of any kind. The steep and rocky character of the coast, according to Staduchin, made it impossible to fish; so, as the ship's stores were nearly exhausted, he was obliged to turn back, without having obtained the object of his voyage. From the time occupied, it is probable that Staduchin and his companions must have been beyond Cape Chelagskoi. This is also borne out by his description of the coast, which, in the vicinity of that cape, consists of rocks and cliffs projecting to a considerable distance into the sea. if I . APPENDIX. 395 avigators en- vain eflforts, ogytsha, and , had, in the it lakutsk to ith orders to river, and to ader Russian n June, 1647, and, towards ;he Indigirka, vhich he pro- not till 1649 ma in search a second ves- ecked almost en continued • seven davs, iportant river, ain any infor- natives. The ay barter, but i. The steep according to sh ; so, as the tie was obliged led the object iccupied, it is apanions must This is also coast, which, s of rocks and distance into The failure of the first attempt to reach the Anadyr did not discourage the indefatigable ad- venturers. On the contrary, the candidates for a second expedition were so numerous, that shortly after Alexeiew's return (1648) seven new vessels, or kotschy,* were built, and in the following year were able to proceed to sea. Four of them were probably lost,t as Miiller speaks only of three, which were commanded by the Cossacks Semen Deshnew and Gerasim Ankudinow, and by Alexeiew as leader of the fiir-hunters. Deshnew was so firmly persuaded that his voy- age would prove prosperous, that, on his departure. ♦ Burney, in his " Chronological tiistory of North-Eastern Voyages" is of opinion that these vessels were not kotschy, because the expression does not occur in Coxe's extract from Deshnew's original report, and derives the name from the English word " ketch." I believe, however, that all the vessels, used about this time by the Siberian navigators, were of very nearly the same character, and must all be described by the same term. This is confirmed by Miiller, who says in a note at page 373, ** The kotschy must have the length of twelve fathoms ; in every other respect, all that is requirett of them is, that they should bear the outward appearance of a ship." f Burney says, in the work just mentioned, but without assigning any authority, that these four vessels were wrecked on an island north of the Kolyma, and that the crews were saved. In Berg's " Geschichte der Nordlichen Polarreisen" in which much is said about people with beards said to dwrll :n America on the river Jassuweren, we find the following passage, page 89 : " The belief in the existence of this people is founded upon the cir- cumstance that four of Deshnew's kotschy wi^re lost there." Lastly, in a periodical work, the Sibirskci Vestnik 1821, we find it asserted that the island Kotelnoi, opposite the mouth of the lana, had been peopled by the crews of those four vessels, whereas it is known that the island is completely desolate and uninhabited, besides which it is scarcely possible that the vessels could have been wrecked there. These vague and contradictory accounts show, that nothing positive is known of the fate of these four kotschv. 396 APPENDIX. he promised to bring back at least 280 sable skins* from the banka of the Anadyr. On the 20th of June, 1648, he set sail with his small squadron, undeterred by the countless hardships and dangers that awaited him in the inhospitable regions which he was to be the first to explore; and, doubtless, little foreseeing that to him and his bold companions would the honour belong, of being the only persons, to the present day, who have completed a voyage by sea from the Kolyma to the Pacific Ocean. It is much to be regretted that we possess no circumstantial and precise account of this remark- able voyage. All that we know of it is gleaned from the meagre reports which Deshnew forwarded to the authorities at lakutsk, to whom he relates his misfortunes, but makes only casual allusions to the voyage itself.f His report commences with a description of a promontory, which he calls the Great Tchukotsky Noss, consisting entirely of steep rocks. He distinguishes this from another promontory, to the west of the Kolyma, on the river Tchukotschoi. The Great Tchukotsky Noss • " These skins," observes the • Sibirskoi Vestnik,' " were the golden fleece of those days and of those regions, and tempted not only Cossacks and fur-hunters to brave the severest hard- ships, but even induced persons of much higher rank to leave their families and abandon the conveniences of life, in order to plunge into the fearful and unknown wildernesses of Siberia, in the hope of enriching themselves by the fur- trade. It is to the credit of the national character, however, that their desire of gain never drove them to the atrocities of which the gold- thirsty conquerors of Peru and Mexico were guilty." t These remarkable documents are now in the Imperial Li- brary at St. Petersburgh. It is singular that Deshnew makes no mention even of impediments by ice ; this justifies the conclu- sion that he met with open water, the more so as he says, on one occasion, " this part of the sea is not always so free from ice." APPENDIX. 397 was not, however, the first cape tliat Deshncw passed after leaving the Kolyma. He had pre- \iously met with another, the Svatoi Noss, or Holy Promontory ; but the former is nmch larger, and was the more remarkable to Deshnew, be- cause Ankudinow's vessel was wrecked there, and because some of the natives, while rowing about in their boats, were captured there by the Rus- sians. Of Tchaun Bay, as of the island Koliut- chin, he makes no mention, nor of the many other remarkable points which he must have passed during his voyage from the Kolyma to Behring Straits. Nevertheless, from his description of the Great Tchukotsky Noss, from its direction in regard to the mouth of the Anadyr, fj-om the sit- uation of two islands that he mentions, and from the circumstance of the natives that he met there having pierced lips, in which they wore a variety of ornaments made of walrus teeth, it is evident that Deshnew cau have been speaking only of the eastern extremity of Asia; and that he must really have sailed through the strait which, eighty years later, was attained by Behring, who has enjoyed the honour of having been the first to discover this strait, and thereby to solve the question of the separation of Asia from America. The Svatoi Noss of Deshnew is no other than what is now known as the Chelagskoi Noss, the first cape of any importance eastward from the Kolyma. Burney, always seeking to support his favourite opinion of a connection between Asia and America, by an isthmus situated somewhere near Cape Chelagskoi, has recourse to many suggestions and suppositions; araona: others, that Deshumr rUrl 398 ENDiY. not sail in a kotscha, but in a Shittik/ which he supposes capable of being taken asunder and put together again with great facility. Upon this he grounds his belief, that Deshnew did not sail round Svatoi Noss, but that he took his vessels to pieces, and conveyed them over the isthmm. In support of this belief, he cites the voyage of Taras Staduchin, who sailed eastward from the mouth of the Kolyma, and, finding it impossible to double the Great Tchukotsky Noss, left his vessel, and proceeded by land across a narrow isthmus, to the other side of the cape.f ^ • j ^v ^ As it has now been distinctly ascertained, that the whole of the northern and north-eastern coast of Siberia is surrounded by the sea, there is no longer any ground for withholding from the Cos- * ^hittik is the Siberian name of a kind of open fishing boat, fnrmfdb hollowing out the trunk of a tree, with a bulwark ot Eds on^acSe fastened together by a kind of basket-work of willow twigs. The hollowing of the tree, and the prepar.ngof the tS, w4h must be soaked in hot water before hey can obUn ?heTequisite flexibility, demand considerable time and fabour In Deshnew's days the shittiki were clumsy vessels o nhnnt five fathom in length and two in breadth, with a deck and 1st but wthoS a keef They were caulked with moss, their Trdaffe wis thongs of elk leather, and their sails were made ol rein-deerskins ; their anchor usually consisted ot the knotty rein-oeer sKu« , fastened to it. Burney ratfuev^'U'mgmktn whenh'e says of the shittiki. page 69, ' It was customary to construct vessels in a manner hat adniit- ti ortherrin- with ease taken to pieces, by which means Sey could be carried across the ice to the edge, and there be put '"^; Tirofog^aphical knowledge we have since obtained of the colntrv of thf Tchuktches makes it highly probable that Stauu- chin's progress was prevented by fixed ice. and that he crossed near the spot where Koliutchin B.y runs inland so far that it nnnroaches the south-eastern coast of the Tchuktches-land, and ffiorms a khKl of isthmus that connects the hilly peninsula with tne rest o» uk ^^^--j- ■I % APPENDIX. 399 sack Deshnew, the honour of having been the first Avho succeeded in sailing from the Kolyma River, through the Polar into the Pacific Ocean, as far as the Anadyr River; there is the less reason to doubt it, since he had it in contempla- tion, as we shall see hereafter, to return also by the same way. After this sHght digression, we return to the adventures of Deshnew and his companions. The crew of Ankudinow's vessel, wrecked on the eastern point of Asia, was divided between the two that remained. On the 20th of September, (1648,) they had a battle with the Tchuktches, in which Fedot Alexeiew, the second in command, was wounded. Shortly afterwards, the other vessel was separated from Deshnew's by a violent storm, and never joined company again. Besh- new's was driven about by contrary winds till the end of October, when it was cast ashore consider- ably to the south of the Anadyr, and probably somewhere about Oliidtorskai'a Bay. We shall see by-and-bye what became of Alexeiew and his companions. As soon as Deshnew was convinced of the im- possibility of getting his vessel afloat ag'in, he resolved to set out on foot with his twenty-five companions, in search of the Anadyr. Unac- quainted with the country', without a guide, the adventurous party succeeded, nevertheless, after a severe and painful march of ten weeks, in reach- ing the mouth of the Anadyr ; but truly wretched was their condition in the barren uninhabited wilderness, unprovided with food, or the necessary apparatus for fishing. It was resolved to send twelve of the party up the river, in the hope of its proving a more wooded country, where they might 400 APPENDIX. find game. After wandering twenty days, with- out discovering any trace of population, or finding food, except the bark of trees and a few roots, and after nearly half had perished of hunger and ex- haustion, tiie few survivors returned disconsolately to their companions. How Deshnew spent the winter it is difficult to infer from the scanty accounts he has left us. He states, however, that in the summer of 1649, he ascended the river in boats,* with the twenty remaining men, and discovered a tribe called Anauli, With these people he remained a con- siderable time, and induced them to pay him d yassak : but as they afterwards refused to continue it, and manifested a refractory and hostile dispo- sition, they were all put to death. In the same year, Deshnew laid the foundation of what was afterwards called the Anadyr Fort, (Anadyrskoi Ostrog,) originally, no doubt, in- tended merely for a winter station, as it was always his ^vish to return to the Kolyma, or at least to send some account of himself thither, as soon as possible. During the inteiTal, efforts had been made at Kolymsk to obtain more precise knowledge of the existence and geographical portion of the river Pogytsha, respecting which the first imperfect ac- counts had been furnished by Michael Staduchin. It was now ascertained that this river could be no other than the Anadyr, its mouth therefore was not to be sought on the northern coast of the Tchuktche land. It was also learnt, that the • They had probably, during the winter, constructed a couple of boats of drift-wood, which is found in great abundance along the coast of Siberia, more particularly near the mouihs of the large rivers. APPENurx. 401 sliortcst way to the river was across a chain of mountains. These particuhirs were -hirfiy ob- ained /rom some captive Chodyn/i^ a tribe on the Upper Amui subdued by the Cossacks in 1650. who offered to act as guides. A company of Cossacks and fur-hunters was soon formed who obtained permission to proceed to the Anadyr and to reduce the tribes residing there to a tributary condition. In March, 1050, the expedition set off under tlu^ command of bemen Motora, accompanied ly a Chodynzi diief, and, after a journey of four weeks, discovered 13eshnew and his companions on the Anadyr, to the mutual joy of both parties. This expedition was soon followed by a second, under Michael Staduchm, who took a different road, so that he /lot find Deshnew's winter settlement, but reached the Anadyr after a march of seven weeks, and earned on his operations independently: Deshnew and Motora, being acquainted with Stal duchin s jealous and restless character, deter- mined to avoid him, and with that view proceeded to the nver Penshena. In this, however, they were anticipated. Staduchin and his people ar- med there before them, but they probably pe- ^f them ^""^^ as nothing further was ever heard fn.?f ^'''!^ ^''^. ^""^^^^ ^°^ built vessels for lurther discoveries. About the end of 1650 Motora was killed in a combat with the Anauli. In the summer of 1651, Deshnew went down the river m his new-built vessels, and discovered a large sand-bank, (called Korga in the Siberian ^St±''^!^^'''Jt --^^^ -f tjie Anadyr, on nniw T'^ '"t ^'''"''' "^°iDer« 01 walruses. He collected an abundant cargo of the teeth of these 2d 402 APPENDIX. JJ ' animals, with which he returned to the settle- ment, well satisfied with the result of his ex- pedition. In the following year (1652), Deshnew began to build a large kotscha, in which he intended to send the tribute he had collected from the diiferent tribes to lakutsk by sea. He prepared a sufficient quantity of wood, but could not complete the vessel for want of iron and other necessary articles. Being also informed by the natives that the sea along the coast of the Tchuktche-land was not always so free from ice as he had found it in 1648, he abandoned the plan of returning by sea, but paid a second visit in 1653 to the Korga. In this voyage he was accompanied by Juschka Seliwerstow, a Cossack, who had lately arrived from lakutsk, with orders to carry on the walrus- fishery on government account. Seliwerstow claimed the first discovery of this bank, which he stated he had seen and known in 1649, in Sta- duchin's first voyage ; but Deshnew insisted, and no doubt justly, on his own right of discovery. This led to a tedious dispute between them, to which we are indebted for the preservation of what we know of Deshnew's memorable voyage ; for in support of his claim, he forwarded to the authorities at lakutsk several explanatory reports, from which Miiller obtained a variety of details, having found the original documents in 1736 in the archives of lakutsk. On the occasion of this visit to Korga, Desh- new directed his course along the coast, where, seeing some Koriak huts, he landed to ob- tain information. Here he was informed by an lakut woman, who had accompanied Alexeiew on his voyage, that the vessel had been driven on i '1 APPENDIX. 403 the settle- b of his ex- shnew began 3 intended to 1 the different ;d a sufficient complete the issary articles. that the sea land was not Qd it in 1648, r by sea, but 3 Korga. In by Juschka lately arrived in the walrus- Seliwerstow mk, which he 1649, in Sta- insisted, and of discovery, een them, to •eservation of »rable voyage ; nrarded to the latory reports, ety of details, ts in 1736 in Korga, Desh- coast, where, mded to ob- formed by an 1 Aiexeiew on ;en driven on shore; that Aiexeiew and one of his companions had died of the scurvy , that the greater number of the remainder had been killed by the natives • and that the others had escaped in boats, but whither they had gone, and what had become of them, she was unable to say. In the sequel, it was ascertained that they reached the Kamtschatka river, where they lived for some time on good terms with the Kamtschatdales, but in consequence ot some misunderstanding, were at length put to death by their hosts and the neighbouring Konaks. ^ From the year 1654 we completely lose sight of Deshuew, who, during six years, had pursued his object with unexampled activity and perseverance overcoming all the difficulties which hunger, the climate, and the inhabitants placed in his way Muller who had access to the archives, appears to have obtained no information whatsoever respect- mg the fate of this remarkable man. To give some idea of the hardships and dangers to which in those days the navigators of the Polar Jsea exposed themselves, I will here give a short account of the expedition of Buldakow, taken from the Stbirskoi Vestnik of 1821, havin- cor- rected the date on Miiller's authority. In the year 1649, the Cossack "Timofei Bul- clakow was sent on public duty from lakutsk to the Kolyma. He wintered at Jigansk, arrived on the 2nd of June, 1650, at the mouth of the bena, and attempted to put to sea, but a continu- ation of north-east winds had brought in so much ice that he had to wait a month before he could get^ away He then sailed, without much diffi- cul.j^ as far as Omoioi Eay, where he met a great quantity of ice, amongst which his vessel was 2d2 t ^t ^1 1'} ■|l 404 APPENDIX, driven about for eight days, and so much injured, that he was obliged to land on one of the islands opposite the mouth of the Lena, which cost him two days of arduous labour. After six days spent in repairing his vessel, he thought he observed, that, notwithstanding the variable winds, the sea had become clearer of ice, and he therefore determined to sail again to Omoloi Bay, where he became again entangled in the ice, and with great difficulty and danger effected a return to the Lena. Here he found eight other vessels, the property of private indivi- duals, Cossacks and fur-hunters, who were waiting for a favourable opportunity to put to sea. They associated themselves with Buldakow, and as soon as circumstances permitted sailed in company to Omoloi Bay. They fell in with much ice on their way, but succeeded in reaching the Bay. There they found the usual passage between the shore and an island completely blocked up with ice, of which many masses had grounded. There being no other channel, thev were obhged to cut a pas- sage through. In the bay, they found four more vessels, from the Kolyma,* bound for the In- digirka. , , . . On the following day a favourable wind arose, which brought the little fleet in safety to the mouth of the lana, where they were again de- tained, endangered by the ice, and owed their safety to the shallow water along the coast, which prevented the larger masses from approaching them. Avaihng themselves of this protection they o-ot round the Sviitoi Noss in safety. This cape had from the earliest period been deemed one oi * So in the original; it should probably be the Lena instead of the Kolyma.— Than s. 1* AlPPENDIX. 405 luch injured, )f the islands ich cost him g his vessel, [Standing the learer of ice, ail again to entangled in and danger 3re he found )rivate indivi- were waiting ;o sea. Thev T, and as soon 1 company to h ice on their Bay. There len the shore p with ice, of There being to cut a pas- md four more 1 for the In- le wind arose, safety to the ere again de- d owed their e coast, whicli I approaching rotection they y. This cape ieemed one of the Lena instead the most difficult and dangerous points in the navigation of these seas, and, on this account, had received the name of Svatoi, or the Sacred Pro- montory, from the awe with which it inspired all who approached it.* Another day brought Buldakow to Kromskaia Bay, which was filled with drift-ice, making further progress extremely difficult ; the more so as the night frosts had already set in. On the 30th of August the whole surface of the ocean was frozen over, as far as the eye could reach. Some of the vessels lay close to' the shore, and Buldakow was in hopes the ice would be strong enough to allow him to get his lading on shore. He made the attempt, but on the 1st of September a violent land wind arose, broke up the ice, and the vessels drove with it for five days, always in great daro'er. The storm was followed by a severe frost; ai . i as the ice was thick enough for the men to venture upon it with loads, Buldakow sent some of the crew to ascertain the direction of the nearest land. On their return, and whilst preparing their loads, the ice again broke up, and a violent land-wind again drove them beibre it for five days more. On its subsiding they were frozen in, but out of sight of land. The men, ex- hausted and dispirited by the hardships they had endured, now adopted the desperate resolution of setting out on foot for the shore, taking with them only so much provisions and other necessaries as they could draw after them on sledges. This was carried into execution, but with difficultv, as the ice again began to break up ; they saw the vessels * A similar motive may have induced Deshnew to dve the same name to the Chelagskoi Noss. '''^in«jlMp'<«^*>'t'-^^8!>w^>»»M^~ 406 APPENDIX. they had quitted crushed by it one by one, and totally wrecked. -, . , .1 Worn out by hunger, cold, and sickness, they at length reached the coast, not far from the month of the Indigirka ; but even then their suf- ferings were not at an end, for they had still a long and dreary journey to reach the winter settle- ment of Uiandinsk. How many perished is not known, but only a small proportion of the party ever returned. In 1653, two years after this disastrous expe- dition, the Cossack Rebrow was sent from lakutsk, to take the command of the Kolymsk Ostrog, with instructions to make inquiries respecting the large island, which is mentioned in Staduchm s report. It would appear, however, that Kebrow obtained no information, for Miiller says, that m the archives of lakutsk he found no subsequent document, referring to Staduchin's supposed dis- covery, of an earlier date than 1710, about which time the attention of the government was again directed to the subject; and from the different accounts of the Cossack, who had navigated the Sea of Kamtschatka and the Polar Ocean, a kind of general statement was drawn up, full of in- accuracies and contradictions, and displaying an entire ignorance of the geographical position ot the several coasts and seas. The most important points of this statement are the following :— Somewhere between 1661 and 1678, the Cos- sack Nikifor Malgin, accompanied by the mer- chant Voropaiew, went by sea from the Lena to Kolymsk. As far as the Swatoi Noss, they kept close to the shore, but there the ice forced them to stand further out to sea. During this voyage, the ship-master, Rodion Michailow, pointed out APPENDIX. 407 to them an island on this side of the mouth of the Kolyma, which, though at a great distance, could be clearly seen by all on board. On their arrival at Kolymsk, a merchant of the place, Jakow Watka, told Malgin, he had once, during a voyage from the Kolyma to the Lena, been driven with three of his vessels to this island, where he sent some of his men on shore : it was entirely uninhabited, and they had found nothing but the traces of unknown animals. Michael Nasset, (who mentioned at the same time aland he had seen in 1702, from the southern extremity of the mouth of the Kamtschatka river,) reported that during a voyage from the Kolyma to the Indigirka, he had seen land out at sea, and that the ship-master assured him, it was connected with the land opposite to Kamtschatka, and that it extended far towards the mouth of the Lena. In 1710, the Chancery of lakutsk received a written report Trom the Cossack elder, Jakow Per- makow, residing near the mouth of the lana, de- claring, that during a voyage from the Lena to Kolymsk, he had seen an island opposite Svatoi Noss, and another opposite the mouth of the Kolyma. The mountains on the latter were visible from the main land. The island seen by Malgin and Watka, is one of the Bear Islands, probably Krestowoi. Michael Nassetkin describes quite accurately the first of the Kurile Islands, and the first of the Bear Isles. The assertion of the ship-master is completely absurd. Permakow's report;, no do^ibt, refers to the first Liakhow Island, and lo Krestowoi Island. These, and other accounts, excited in the Yay- L 3 ^< g •■ :»-«-^ - 408 APPENDIX. vode of lakutsk, Trauernicht, the wish to institute a more accurate examination; and having received authority from the Governor of Siberia, m 1711, he hn-ed out two expeditions, one destined tor Kolv^ isk the other for the lana. Both were com- missioned to expL-c the Polar Sea, in wmter or suirmer, according as circumstances permitted, untnthe existence and real position of the islands, or of the new land, should be fully ascertained. T^.3 first expedition, under the command ot tlie Cossack Mercuiius Wagin, consisted of eleven Cossacks, and set out from lakutsk in the autumn of 1711 for the fort of Ustiansk, at the mouth ot the lana. In the ensuing May, they departed thence, accompanied by the above-mentioned Jakow Permakow, in narti (Hght narrow sledges draw by dogs) in which they proceeded along the coast as far as the Svatoi Noss, and thence m a due northerly direction, tiU they arrived at an island, on which there were no trees, and trom nine to twelve days' journey in circumference. Prom thence they saw another island, but owing to the advanced season, and to the want ot pro- visions, they were not able to venture to it ; they determined, therefore, to return to the contment, and to lay in a large stock of fish during the summer, by way of preparing for a second journey over the ice in the course of the ensumg winter. They reached the shore between the Svatoi :Noss, and the river Chromoi, at the point where the Cossack Kataiew, of lakutsk, had formerly erected a cross, and which since then has always gone by tl c name of Kataiew Krest. Wagin's intention wL. to go into the interior towards the river C Sirom^i t^ sTiend the summer there, and dili- <^eiitly to pursue the fishery and the chace. Un APPENDIX. 409 y their way, however, they consumed all their pro- visions, and were obliged to kill their dogs. When these had been eaten, they fed on mice, till hunger forced them to return to the coast, where they subsisted during the summer, on eggs, fish, wild geese, and ducks. The hardships they had endured, and the fear that the journey over the ice to the second island, might be attended by even greater difficulties, led the men to adopt the horrible resolution of releasing themselves from their engagement, by the murder of their leaders. Wagin and his son, Permakow and a fur-hunter, were accordingly put to death, and the men re- turned to Ustiansk, where they announced that their four chiefs had died of sickness during the journey. It was a long time before the crime was discovered, and on their trial, Wagin's discovery first became known, and though Miiller questions its truth, there is really no ground for doubting it. The situation of the first Liakhow Island agrees exactly with the description, whence the identity of the two may fairly be inferred. Its size was probably exaggerated, from a desire to increase the importance of the discovery. The second division of this expedition was to have consisted of fifty men, who were to have sailed in two kotschy. When these were ready, only twenty-two men could be mustered, who set out in a very indifferent shittik, under the com- mand of the Cossack Wassily Staduchin. From his written report, of the 28th of July, 1712, it appears, that eastward from the Kolyma, he saw a promontory extending a considerable distance into the sea, surrounded by impenetrable masses of ice. This was, no doubt. Cape Chelagskoi, to which his predecessors had given the name of 410 APPENDIX. M Svatoi Noss. He makes no mention of any island, although they were driven by a storm very far out to sea. In the year 1714, two similar expeditions were undertaken by the Cossacks Alexis Markow and Gregory Kruglakow. The former was to sail from the lana, the latter from the Kolyma; and they were authorized, if they deemed it expedient, to build themselves kotschy, instead of the shittiki with which they had been furnished. An expe- rienced seaman was attached to each division, Prince Gagarin having sent a number of sailors to lakutsk, to be employed in a great maritime expedition, about to be undertaken from Ochozk. Markow's report, dated the 2nd of February, 1715, written from the winter settlement of Ustiansk, declares the Svatoie More or Holy Sea, to be covered winter and summer by fixed ice, so that it could not be navigable by ships, but was practicable only to sledges, or narti. He under- took such an excursion on the 15th of March of the same year, and returned to Ustiansk on the 3rd of April. The substance of his report is to this effect : — He drove at as rapid a pace as the strength of his dogs would allow, due north, for seven days, without seeing land. He could not proceed further on account of high piled up masses of ice, some of which, however, he as- cended, but without seeing land. The want of provisions, particularly for the dogs, many of whom died of hunger, obhged him to return. He was absent seventeen days, and as he always drove with the same dogs, he cannot have gone more than 680 wersts, or about 350 wersts on the jour- ney out. If, however, he had really proceeded so far in a due northerly direction, he must have APPENDIX. 411 any island, n very far tions were arkow and as to sail lyma; and expedient, the shittiki An expe- ih division, r of sailors t maritime im Ochozk. ' February, tlement of ' Holy Sea, [ixed ice, so ps, but was He under- f March of insk on the •eport is to pace as the 3 north, for B could not b piled up ver, he as- ^he want of J, many of eturn. He ilways drove gone more on the jour- )roceeded so must have arrived at the island of Stolbowoi, which is only 300 worsts north of Ustiansk. He must, there- fore, have deviated from his course, which is the more likely to have happened, as the Cossacks in those days possessed only very insufficient means for guiding themselves in their excursions over the Polar Sea. Kruglakow's expedition appears to have been equally unsatisfactory. All these unsuccessful undertakings seem for a time to have cooled the zeal of the Cossacks. Nine years afterwards, however, in 1723, Fedot Amossow, the son of a Boyard, revived the asser- tion of the existence of a large island in the Polar Sea, stretching from the lana to beyond the In- digirka. He offered to go there, and to subject the tribes dwelling there, to the Russian crown. He was provided with the necessary men and means. Instead however of commencing his in- vestigation from the mouth of the lana or Indi- girka, as he at first intended, he went to Kolymsk, whence he sailed on the 14th of July, 1724, but was obliged, on account of the quantity of drift- ice, to return without effecting anything. Ivan Wilegin, a fur-hunter, had, in the mean time, related, in confirmation of the report of the supposed island, that in November, 1720, he had gone in narti with another fur-hunter from the mouth of the Tschukotsch river, and had actually reached the land in question, but that dense fogs and snow storms had made it impossible for them to examine the coast, so that he could not even ascertain whether the land was an island or a continent, inhabited or uninhabited, or whether trees grew there. He asserted, however, that he had seen remains of yourtes, but couid not tell f ui 412 APPENDIX. ^* to what race of people they might have belonged. A ('hclag of the name of Kopai, who lived upon the coast, declared that the land in que stion ex- tended from opposite the Kolyma to beyond the Svatoi Noss, and that towards the cast it reached to the dwelling-places of the Chelagi, a tribe of the Tchuktches. Wilegin thought it would be impossible to reach it by saihng from the Kolyma or Indigirka, there being always so much drift-ice at tlie entrance of those rivers, but that if the attempt were to be successful it must be under- taken from the part of the coast inhabited by the Chelagi, where the sea was in general much more •fwpp from ice. Proceeding upon this notion, Amossow sailed along the coast to the point indicated by Wilegin, and on the 7th of August arr ved at Kopai's set- tlement. There, however, the sea was still so thickly co-'cred with ice, that he feared to venture to any distance from the coast, and it was only with much diffir-Hy and elMUgei that he was able to effect his return. In tb following winter he determined on a third attc .^,t. Concerning this expedition he writes to the Vay^ ^ o1 lakutsk as follows : '^On the 3rd of Novembei, .7^4, i started from Nijiiei Kolymsk with narti, aiai arrived at some land or isl nd, wh nee I returned to Nijuci Kolymsk on the 33rd of the same month. Dn tiie coast of this land I found a few ruined yourtcs, but cannot sav to what nation the inhabitants may have beh uged, or what may have become of them. Tiie wj iit of proAisions, particul ny for the dogs, did not allow as to extend our researches into the interior of the country. The way ovci the T- •- was attended with many diflPculties, partly on account of the prpcipitous masses of ice APPENDIX. 413 every side of us, and partly on account of tlie sea- salt, that had been deposited on the ice lu many places, and proved very injurious to the feet of our dogs/'* That AmossoVs discovery is the same as Wile- gin's cannot admit of a d )ubt. They both reached Krestowoi, tli firnt of the Bear Isles, which is visible from the cont lenl ; its existence had been previously known, and it had been visited by several fur-hunters. As Wilegin, how- ever, was not aware of its being only a small island, and had heard of a large country (the h -st Liakhow Island) situated opposite the moutl of the lana, he took the whole to be one large con- nected country, to which, on the authority of the Chelag Kopai, he assigned even a larger extent. From all these contradictory accounts it may be perceived how imperfectly, in the beginning of the 18th century, the northern shore of Siberia was known ; and the maps were equally incorrect. The only map of that time that deserves any con- sideration is that of Schestakow, a colonel of Cos- sacks, who in 1726 travelled from the north-east of Siberia to St. Petersburgh, where his map was engraved. It was republished in Paris at the suggestion of MM. Delisle and Buache. On this map there is laid down an island entitled Kopai, two days' journey from the continent, opposite the Kolyn .lud Alasei rivers, and described as inhabited by a i.depcndent race of Chelagi. To the '101 th of this island is placed the coast of the " Oreat Land," distant from it not quite two frays' jom'njy. Opposite to the north- * These account have for the most part been borrowed from th>„ "Sibirskoi Vc. aik," of 182K an'.! hav- been corrected by refe nee to MuUer's work. 414 APPENDIX. h eastern extremity of Asia, towards the east, is a large island, which a note describes as " an island opposite the promontory of Anadyr, thickly in- habited, and rich in animals of every description. The inhabitants pay no tribute, and live in com- plete independence." 1 iiC northern shore of the Tchuktche-land is described by a nearly straight line, neither Tchaun Bay nor Cape Ch^lagskoi being marked. Another map by Ivan Levow, a gentleman of lakutsk, is mentioned by MuUer. On this there are marked two promontories ; the north-eastern- most (generally called Tchukotsh, or North East Cape) is designated as the Chelagskoi Noss, and the other, lying to the south of the former, as the Anadyrskoi Noss. Between these two capes a large bay is described, with an island " inhabited by Tchuktches." Opposite the Anadyrskoi Noss are laid down two other islands. The one nearest the coast is described thus : " in half a day one can reach this island by water from the coast. By the Tchuktches the inhabitants are called Achjuchalaety. This race have a language of their own, and make clothes of duck-skins. They feed on whales and v lirusses, and having no wood, they cook their food w ith train-oil.'' The same note describes the second island as lying " two days' sail from the shore. The inhabitants, called Pejekeli by the Tchuktches, are likewise clad in duck-skins, pierce their cheeks, and stick bones and teetli of animals in them. They dwell in fixed habitations." Beyond these islands is marked an extensive continent, with this note appended : " the inhabitants of this country are called by the Tchuktches, Kitschin Elaet. They have a language of their own, wear clothes made APPENDIX. 415 of sable-skins, dwell in mud huts (sem ;i>»Vii, and theu' arras consist of bows and arroifs r in this country there are many animals of which the skins are worn as clothing by the natives. Of trees, the pine, the larch, the fir, and the birch, are met with." MUller mentions likewise a map prepared at lakutsk, in which the Chelagskoi Noss is vaguely indicated. Opposite to that part of the coast, a country is marked in the same undefined manner, and said to "be inhabited by a nation called the Kikikmi, who bear a strong resemblance to the lukahirs." At Cape Chelagskoi there is this note : " the natives have a language of their ow :i. They are brave and cruel in battle, so that it is impossible to master them ; nay, if one of them happen to be taken prisoner, he always kills him- self." These vague and inaccurate descriptions, how- ever, aie not confined to the maps drawn by the unscientific inhabitants of lakutsk. Even on Behring's map, drawn by himself in 1728, on his return from his first voyage to the eastern coast of the Tchuktche-land, the Chelagskoi Noss is in the same way confounded with the eastern ex- tremity of Asia, and with the Tchukotskoi Noss. Many of these inaccuracies originate in the igno- rance of the authors of these maps concerning the achievements of Deshnew, respecting which it was not till 1736 that Midler brought to light any definite account, having discovered it in the archives of lakutsk. The " Great Land," as it is called, beyond the islands at Anadyrskoie Noss, is no doubt the north-west coast of America, upon the existence of which probably rested the whole tradition of the land supposed to lie oppo- 'i0immm'~ 416 APPENDIX. site to the Chelagskoi Noss. This is confimed by a report of the Cossack Popow, who m 1711, travelled from the Anadyrsk Ostrog to Tschu- kotsky Noss. " Opposite the promontory, he says '' may be seen extending on both sides, m the direction both of the Kolyma and the Ana- dyr, an island called by the Tchuktches the Great Land The inhabitants pierce their cheeks, and stick in bones,^^ &c. Now, it cannot be doubted that Popow is here speaking of the American shore, which does lie nearly opposite Tchukotsky Noss, and stretches away both to the north and south ; for under the name of Tchukotsky Noss, Popow understands the eastern part ot the peninsula. , With the year 1734 commence the travels un- dertaken by men of scientific acquirements, who have corrected the earlier maps, and have tur- nished more authentic accounts of the country. The first of these expeditions took place during the reiffn of the Empress Anna. Its object was to obtain a correct knowledge of the northern coast of Siberia, from the White Sea to Behring Straits, and to ascertain whether it were possible to go by sea from Archangel to Kamtschatka, by sailing in an easterly direction. For this purpose the Admiralty resolved to fit out three separate expeditions. One, consisting of two vessels was to sail from Archangel eastward to the mouth ot the Obi. Another from the Obi to the mouth oi the lenissei. The third was to sail from the Lena, and consisted of two vessels, one of which, was to sail westward to the lenissei, and the other east- ward, past the Kolyma, to Behring Straits. Thp «plpf^tion and eauipment of the vessels tha^ were to form the first expedition, were intrusted i gi 1 St 1 pi re APPENDIX. 417 to the officer in command of the Harbour of Archangel, who by the advice of several expe- rienced mariners, caused two kotschy to be built, each fifty-two and a half feet in length, fourteen feet broad, and eight feet deep, named the Obi and the Expedition. Each had a crew of twenty men, and was commanded by an officer of the navy. These two officers were Lieutenants Pawlow and Muraview. Both vessels sailed from Archangel on the 4th of July, 1734, and before the end of the summer got as far as the Mutnoi Saliw (or Muddy Bay), in the Sea of Karskoie, whence they returned to the mouth of the Petchora, to spend the winter. In the month of June they put to sea again, but got very little further than in the preceding year, and returned again to the Petchora for the winter! As Muraview attributed the failure of the expe- dition to the nature of the vessels employed, which he declared were altogether unfit for the service, the Admiralty ordered two decked boats of be- tween fifty and sixty feet in length to be built, which were sent under the command of Lieu- tenants Skuratow and Suchotin, to join the expe- nition of Muraview, who, in the mean time had been recalled, and the command given to Lieu- tenant Malygin. This officer descended the river on the 27th of May, 1736, with the expedition, intending to put to sea, but he had scarcely got out of the Petchora, when his vessel was surrounded and completely destroyed by drift-ice ; and it was not without the greatest difficulty that he was able to save the stores and the lives of the crew. Nevertheless, he put to sea again on the i;'th of June, with his remaining vessel; again encountered immense 2e i-tb^umMtmetmrniai^^'H" I 11 ■i : i ! 1 1 ] II ' Sli 418 APPENDIX. masses of ice, and after having struggled with an infinity of dangers, was forced to remain sta- tionary at the Isle of Dolgoi, where, on the 7th ot AuguTt, he was joined by the two-decked boats tut had been sent to him from Archangel. Malygin immediately took command of one him- self, gave the command of the other to Skuratow and sent Suchotin back to Archangel with the Obi, which arrived there m safety. The t«ro decked boats then proceeded on to the Kara River, where they wintered. n>r^R\ In July and August of the same year, (1736), the Geodet Sehfontow had been mth rem-deer to examine the western coast of the Gulf of Obi and had proceeded in a boat to the island of Beloie, the southern sLore of which he surveyed In November he joined Lieutenant Malygm. The foUowing year, accompanied by some Samoiedes, he undertook another excursion over the ice to continue the survey of the continent, and that ot the island of Beloie. , In May, 1737, Malyfciii and Skuratow prepared to renew their operations. The ice in the Kara broke up in the beginning of June ; but as they were aware that the sea would not be sufficiently free to be navigable till towards the middle of July, they resolved to remain in the Kara tiU the Ist of July. During the interval, symptoms of scurvy began to manifest themse ves among the men, but by the use of some antiscorbutic herbs that were found in the vicinity, the evil was soon ™On\he 3rd of July the two vessels were at the mouth of the Kara; and though there was still — „v. fl«.finff icfi. thev Dut to sea, and endeavoured to"s^,""as 'much'as possible, in a northerly direc APPENDIX. 419 tion. On the 23rd of July they saw the island of Beloie,* and anchored on the following day in the Strait that divides the island from the con- tinent, and to which the latitude of 73° 8' was assigned. The flood-tide lasted only four hours, and came from the west ; the ebb-tide flowed from the east, and lasted eight hours. The former brought salt, the latter fresh water ; and the cur- rent was very much stronger during the ebb than during the flood. The water rose a foot and a haE The Strait is encumbered by a variety of shoals, between which several opposing currents are formed. Malygin was detained in the Strait twenty-five days by contrary winds, so that (ac- cording to Miiller's account) he was not able to get out before the 18th of August. He doubled a Cape denominated Jalmal by the Samoiedes, reached the Gulf of Obi, and on the 11th of September entered the Obi River, which he as- cended as far as the Soswa, where he laid his ^ els up for the winter, and quartered his men in the village of Beresow, after which he set off by land for St. Petersburg. The command of the expedition devolved on Lieutenant Skuratow, and the Mate Golowin, who set out in 1738, and after many dangers and hardships, returned to the Dwina on the 11th of August, 1739. The equipment of the two other expeditions, destined to survey the coast eastward from the Obi, was intrusted to the celebrated Commodore Behring. He caused a double sloop to b^ built at Tobolsk, and called it the Tobol It was sc ^enty feet long, fifteen broad, and eight deep ; carried * Upon the more modern maps this island is called Tchaat. — Tr. 2 e2 J 420 APPENDIX. two masts, and was armed with eight two-pound falconets. The crew was composed ot Wty-three seamen, a mate, a geodet, and a priest. The com- mand was given to Lieutenant Owzyn who re- ceived his instructions from the Admiralty through Commodore Behring.* On the 15th of May, 1734, Owzyn set out accompanied by several smaller vessels laden with provisions and stores. In nine days he reached the mouth of the Irtish, took in a pilot at ^ama- chowskoi Jam, and then proceeded down the Obi. On the 3nd of June he reached Beresow, took on board a fresh pilot and some seamen, who had been sent there for the purpose of completing his crew. On the 12th of June he was off Obdorskoi Ostroff, the last Russian village on the Obi, and on the I5th of June, at the mouth of the river. Owzyn entered the Gulf of Obi on the 19th, through the most easterly arm of the river, which is the deepest. At the very outset he encountered a violent storm, which damaged his provision- boats so seriously as to render them unfit tor further service. From the wood of the one that had suffered most, a store-house was erected on the coast, where the provisions and stores trom on board the other boats were deposited. Ihis place, which lies in latitude 66° 36', was called Semosernoie (the seven lakes), on account of seven small lakes that were found there. On the 21st of June this work was completed. The necessary guards were left at the store-house, * This description of the voyages of Owzyn, Maiy^in, Pront- chichtchew, Laptew, Tcheliuiskin and Minm, has ^^^'^^^^ up for the most part from the Admirahy Meinoi.s 1820 lu which, however, i nave iuuac luanj ..^t , v.,,t.c 1-^ from the original journals. APPENDIX. 421 and Owzyn commenced his voyage, steering along the eastern shore of the Gulf of Obi. On the 26th he sent oif in boats a Cossack non-commis- sioned officer, with seven seamen, to erect land- marks at the entrance of the Gulf, and to receive the vessels that were expected from Archangel. He continued his own voyage northward, but his progress was extremely slow, owing partly to con- trary winds, and partly to the many shoals, between which he found it difficult to obtain the necessary depth of water for his vessel. On the 6th of August he reached 70° 4/ N., where the severe frost, that was already setting in, made it impossible to proceed fiirther for that year. This induced Owzyn to return and winter at Obdorskoi Ostrog, where he arrived on the 4th of September. On the 13th of October the Obi was completely covered with ice. The shores of the Obi Gulf consist chiefly of naked tundras, the soil of which is always frozen, not, even in the middle of summer, thawing beyond thiiteen inches in depth. Vegetation is scanty in the extreme. Of animals there were seen large numbers of rein-d -er, and a few bears. Very few fish were found in the Gulf, and only once were hausen net with.* There were some wandering tribes of Samoiedes on the icy plains, with whom Owzyn frequently held communica- tion. In November some rein-deer Samoiedes arrived at the Ostrog from the \7est, with the yassak or yearly tribute. These men related that, during the preceding summer, they had seen Rus- sians on the coast, not far from the Kara River, * This fish was, probably, the Delphinus leucus, which, along the coast nf thp Prtiav n,.o->r> ■ - • - — ■ or, more correctly, Beluchha. ii 1 a l^wmy%fir»^ the li _i? n.l V 423 APPENDIX. who had come with rein-deer from Pustosersk, to erect land-marks along the shore. With these Samoiedes, on their return, Owzyn sent two Cos- sacks to Pustosersk, to inform Lieutenant Mura- view of his navigation of the Gulf of Obi, and of the land-marks that had been erected there. In spring, 1735, Owzyn descended the Obi on the 29th of May. The ice floating down the river obliged him several times to seek shelter m the creeks along the shore. On the 6th of June he arrived at the magazine he had erected the preceding year, where he received on board the stores laid up there, and proceeded ftirther on the 11th. It was not long before he found himselt impeded by the ice which was accumulated at the mouth of the river, that in the Gulf not having yet broken up. It was not before the 20th ot June that the navigation became practicable. In the mean time, scur^ry had manifested itself among the crew, and had increased to such a degree, that of fifty4hree men, only st-erteeii continued in health. Owzyn himself was i ae ot the sufl'erers. The unhealthy state of his cve^ induced him, after consulting with his oflicers, to renounce the expedition for that year, and to return to Tobolsk, that his men might be restored to health during the winter, by good food and medical assistance. His ship likewise was m want of repair. He accordingly began to ascend the river on the 18th of July ; but though, on his demand, supplies of men were furnished him at Obdorsk and Beresow, still the voyage against the current went on but slowly, and it was only on the 6th of October that he reached Tobolsk. A f^.. ri«Tra nftfir his arrival there, tne Irtysch was covered with ice. :. A.PPENDIX. 423 In December, Owzyn was sufficiently recovered to undertake a journey to St. Petersburgh, to make a personal report to the Admiralty, and to explain the reasons why it had hitherto been im- possible for him to perform the task, assigned to him. He also suggested several measures which he deemed necessary to the success of his under- taking; among other things, he advised that a second vessel should be allowed him, partly that the two might be ready to afford one another assistance, when necessary ; partly, that they might be able to make corresponding observations. He also proposed, that in spring, a geodet should be despatched with sledges, to survey the coast by land, as far as the mouth of the lenissei. All his suggestions were approved, and he received orders for the construction of a vessel, in which the Mate Koschelew was to accompany him. On the 24th of February, 1736, Owzyn and Kos- lew arrived in Tobolsk, and immediately com- menced the construction of a new vessel, of sixty feet long, seventeen broad, and seven and a half deep. Notwithstanding all their exertions, how- ever, it could not be got ready for the summer, and Owsyn determined to set off on his third voy- i^e to the Polar Ocean in his old ship. As betbre, he was accompanied by some small trans- ports, )aden with provisions, &c. On the 14th of June he arriyed at Beresow, where he was de- tained, by various causes, for nine days. On the 7th of July, he reached the mouth of the Obi, left his store-ships at the magazine of Semosernoie, and sailed in a northerly direction down the Gulf. On the 28th, he found himself at the point whence he had returned in 1734, and on the 5th of August, in 72° 34' N., he came to the edge of the 424 APPENDIX. solid ice, which had not broken up since the winter, and extended the whole way across the Gulf. After many fruitless attempts to find a passage into the ocean, and after it had been ascertained by repeated examinations of the ii ,, that there was no prospect of open water for that year, Owzyn, having consulted his compa- nions, determined to return, and to winter at Obdorsk, where he arrived on the 36th of Sep- tember, only a few days before the Obi was covered with ice. In December, the Samoiedes, according to their custom, arrived with their yassak; and with their returning caravan, in pursuance of Owzyn's pro- posal, a geodet was sent off to survey the coast of the Polar Ocean. On the 5th of May, 1737, the second vessel was ready to leave Tobolsk, and on the 5th of June, she arrived at Obdorsk, with her builder Kosche- lew, and the mate Minin, just as Ozwyn was preparing for his fourth voyage. He took the command of the new vessel, placed the old one under Koschelow, and both set sail on the 29th of June. After a short stay at Semosernoie, they entered the Gulf on the 14th of July, but then- progress was extremely slow, owing to thick fogs and contrary winds. On the 6th of August, they were in 76° 46' N., on the eastern shore of the Gulf, ;vhere they discovered a bay extending in a south-easterly direction, 160 worsts inland. This bay is called Gidijam by the natives, and receives the waters of a river of the same name. As it was gettin- late in the year, Owzyn did not deem it prudent to spend more time on the examination of tliis bay, but returned without delay to its entrance, in 72" 40' latitude. Here APPENDIX. 425 he found the flood-tide running for six hours to the south-west, and the ebb towards the north- east. On the 8th of August, they left the Gulf and entered the Polar Ocean, proceeding north- ward, with a favourable wind, till they reached 73° 56' N. There, however, they met with ice piled up in huge masses, and covered with count- less flocks of birds. The depth of water was fifteen fathoms, and a current to the west at the rate of three-fourths of a mile an hour. There also they saw a whale. They then sailed on the land-side of the packed ice, in a S.E. by S. course, in which direction the sea appeared to be free from ice. On the 9th of August, land was seen to the E.N.E. The lead showed seven, six, and ave fathoms, with a hard bottom of grey sand. On the 10th, they were opposite a low flat coast, and anchored at the distance of half-a-mile from it, in two fathoms and a-half water. The latitude of the anchoring-place was 73° 10'; the variation was half a point east. The mate Minin, who was sent on shore in a boat, reported that the coast was low and flat, and ran in a north-east direction. On several points, washed by the sea, a large quantity of drift-wood was found. At some distance inland were six lakes, connected with each other by a river that fell into the sea. In these waters were immense flocks of wild ducks, geese, and gulls. The land was barren — a few rein-deer and a white bear were seen at a distance. From hence they beat to windward for six days, always anchoring at night. On the 16th they were in 73° 18' :N . The north-east cape^ called by the Samoiedes Mate- Sol (the ±Jiunt Foint), bore E.S.E., distance three fi f ' ... i ti i 426 APPEND X. and a-half miles. On this cape Owzyn erected a monument of drift-wood, with an m cnpti^n stating that, "on the 17th of August, \737, hi withtvfo ^ ssels, had sailed past that ^jomt^^to- wards the east, arriving from the Gulf of Obi." On the 17th, they saw a quantity d drift-wood floating towards the south. The depth of water was very unequal and large sand-banks extended to a great distance from the shoie. Behind Cape Mate-Sol wat^ found an inlet twenty miles broad, stretclnng more than 100 wersts mland. Thence to the mouth of the lenissc, a distance of ninety n iles, the coast runs in a south-east direction. , , On the 1st of Sep^ mber, the two vessels an- chored at the i ..trance of the nissei, off a magazine expressl} prepared for tl.cir reception. By an altitude ui the sun, the latitude of the anchoring-place was ascertained to be 71 33 ; the variation was f of a point easterly. After the ships had received the necessary supphes from the magazine, they took a pilot on board, from the neighbouring village, Korennoie ; and pro- ceeded, on the 2nd of September, up the lemssei, partly sailing and partly by the aid of a towing- line. They ascended the river for a whole month, and were in hopes of reaching Turuchansk before the winter set in; but were stopped by the ice on the 1st of October for the winter, m a creek about thirty wersts below Turuchansk. Kosche- lew's vessel wintered at the mouth of the Denesh- kina, 100 wersts below Turuchausk. On the 10th of October, the river was completely frozen over. During the winter of 1738, in consequence of a complaint sent in by one of those under his com- mand, Owzyn was ordered to be tried, anu APPENDIX. 427 orected a [1 .cripti(>Ti 1737, hi point to- f Obi." drif^-wood I of water i extended hind Cape nty miles 3ts inland, distance of south-east vessels an- ssei, off a reception, iide of the e 7r 33'; rly. After ipplies from board, from J and pro- he leiiissei, ■ a towing- hole month, ansk before y the ice on in a creek I. Kosche- the Denesh- On the 10th rozen over, equence of a der his com- ! tried, and i Kosch ^as recalled to St. Petersburg, liie commai ' olved on the mate Minin, who, in the ensu ^ summer, was or' red to return to the Polai Ocean, and, i^ possible, to double Cape Taimura. On examination of the vessels, it was found that the older ^f the two was unfit for another voyajj'e. Minm determined accordingly to pro- ceed with the other vessel alone; and on the 4th of June, "oramenced his voyage down the lenissei, the 'uth of which he reached on the 3rd of Au and proceeded eastward along the coast. On e 8th, in latitude 72° 36', he passed a rocky shoru, named Baranow Kamen. On the 9th, in latitude 72° 53', having fifteen fathoms water, they came to an impenetrable line of ice, which obliged them to return to the wintering village, Wolgino, in latitude 72° 20'. After three days, they renewed their attempts to get to the north, but were stopped by what appeared to them fixed ice ; and on the 16th they were obliged to anchor in 73° 8', in nineteen fathom water, behind an island, situated four wersts from the shore. Minin sent the mate Sterlagow in a boat, to ascertain whether an opening could not be found. After three days' absence, Sterlagow returned, and tated that he had succeeded, with much labcoi and danger, in proceeding about forty wersts be- tween the coast and the edge of the ice, to a point whence the shore ran in an easterly direc- tion. At a distance of sixteen miles E.N.E. ^ E., he had seen a promontory, but his stock of pro- visions being exhausted, he had been forced to return. Minin remained at his anchoring place, till the 30th of August, when the approach of winter •iu «>, ^V, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) /. u.. 1.0 I.I [f ii^ IIIIM III 1.8 11.25 i 1.4 i 1.6 V] ^ /. .^^A\^ om w /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 '^^ 4' ># ^ t ^ > 428 APPENDIX. obliged him to regain the lenissei, which he reached on the 13th of September, and wintered at a village below Turuchansk. The following spring (1739), Minin surveyed those parts of the lenissei not previously laid down. He found that the channel varied from two to eight fathoms in depth. On the 3rd of June, the ice broke up, and he was able to pro- ceed with his ship to Turuchansk, for the purpose of receiving such supplies as he required. There he was detained, by various causes, till the 31st of July, when *he lateness of the season made it impossible to get further than the mouth of the river, whence he had to return for the winter. During the winter (1740), the Mate Sterlagow was sent off with sledges to survey the coast from the mouth of the lenissei to Taimura. On the 23nd of March, he came to the North-Eastern Islands, in 73° 5' N., whence he began his survey. At 73° 9' the variation of the needle was 10° E. At three or four wersts from the shore, he thought there must have been open water, on account of a dense vapour which he saw rising. Sterlagow observed the latitude almost daily. The coast and the neighbouring islands were uniformly rocky. On the 14th of April, in latitude 75° 26', he erected a mark on a bold, projecting rock. " Here," he says in his journal, " the variation of the needle was so great, and it was so unsteady, that I am inclined to beheve the magnet ceases to act in these high latitudes.'' The reflection of the sun's rays from the snow was so dazzling, that they could scarcely see; and, fearing they might become completely blind, they determined to return. On the way back, they halted at a winter naDitation, on the xtiver Passim, to ailo\r APPENDIX. 439 their exhausted dogs time to recruit their strength • On the nh of June, Minin descended the lemsse^ reached the sea on the 4th of Auiw and sailed northward along the coast. Noffc from the North East Islands he encountered a violent storm, and lost his boat. ContinnW his the 16th, but was not able to enter it, on acrount of a number of shoals. The bay into whkh X nver falls i. protected from the N.W. wTndraud tSer '1^^1^T '" f^^'-a^d-a-half faihom uoJ?b t;^ ■ T *^ c.r.zon, arc not at, an w ue depended on. 72 54 72 57 70 05 69 35 432 APPENDIX. broad. In the centre are a couple of islands, one low and flat, the other consisting of tolerably high rocks. Within the bay the soundings varied from nine to twelve fathoms. On the shore they found a hut, in which were dogs and newly-baked bread, the property, probably of some fur-hunter. An altitude of the sun was taken on the 14th of August, and the latitude of the place determined 74° 48'. From this point the mouth of the Cho- tanga River bore S.W. thirty miles distant. The variation was one and a-half point easterly. On the 16th the vessel proceeded on her voyage, and on the 17th passed a bay completely covered with ice ; the soundings varied from two to four- teen fathoms. Among the ice some islands were seen, but the dense fog covering the whole bay, made it impossible to determine their size. By the ship's reckoning they were distant, on the 17th, 120 miles from the Chotanga, in latitude 76° 20'. During the 18th they continued their course along the edge of the ice, making small progress, the sea being covered with immense masses of floating ice. Within the bay the ice had evidently not broken up during the whole summer. Across the low and flat shore, at a con- siderable distance inland, high mountains were discerned covered with snow. Another large bay was passed on the 19th, stretching 20 miles inland, towards the S.E. ; two islands about a mile apart were at the entrance. The ice extending from the bay a considerable distance out to sea, obliged them to make a north course, and the vessel was repeatedly in danger of being crushed. At noon they were opposite to a bay, which, on account of its steep and rocky shore, they considered to be the entrance to the i APPENDIX. 433 with erpat Miffi u ^^^^ Proceeded westward theflighta ors^^mLTtCt W tr'r' ''^'' '^'^ them, confirmed the^ *XeTe Jf'' th^^'^.r?'''* m front of which they were rnw K ^u* *^ """y' to the Taimura;* aFtS'aXlt^ the entrance enter proved fiitles., the W and ^v^'T'- *° covered with fiv^H ;„« "'"•'Day and nv2r being pearanceTeve'tore\:''tr th^ *".''! '''' fields of ice extended ^Zn/^Zi^tZ"' ''^^t on^hesesever^ white be^ ZZ'tn!"' ""' "'' reckoniM 77° aq- rt ^'^Mght, in latitude by of being cLiedTo pice? '° """^^^tary danger and the high latitude tft Tk "'^.'^f r*"* '*'"^°~ lated forTwbSg%trn°*I ^j''"^ "^f"" accompanied by a severe W had i/^.""^"'' soon, of covering over all rtl *« effect, very to despair of ever ZZ^^loi^T^S^ 'hat theTaimurl falls in-o . C„n •?- j';''^'""^.'''" have show,, U,e of Asia, which Pro.,.ch,te;'Ud nrd:uble°/ ''"^ "''"" 2 F i «M i If 434 APPENDIX, position, and would no doubt have perished, if, on the following day, the ice had not been broken up by several successive gusts of wind. This en- abled them to reach the entrance of the Chotanga, but they found it completely frozer over, and were obliged to proceed further, in hopes of being able to get into the Olenek, which they were off on the 38th, but contrary winds, and drift-ice, kept them beating about for six days. The crew, ex- hausted by wet, cold, and incessant labour, were scarcely able to handle the frozen ropes any longer, and as the winter was setting in with in- creased severity, their position became every day more desperate. Lieutenant Prontchichtchew, himself, who for some time had been too ill to leave his cabin, was so much affected by the suf- ferings of his companions, that he died on the 30th of August, to the deep regret of the men, by whom he was loved and valued. The com- mand, thereupon, devolved on the mate Tcheliui- skin, who, on the 3rd of September, succeeded in entering the Olenek, where the deceased com- mander was buried, with all the solemnity which the circumstances allowed. A few days after- wards, Prontchichtchew's young wife, who had accompanied him on this dangerous voyage, died also, and was buried in the same grave with her husband. The Olenek was completely frozen over on the 28th. Tcheliuiskin and his companions passed a terrible winter, in half subterranean huts, which they erected along the bank of the river, and in July, (1737,) as soon as the ice had broken up, they lost no time in getting to sea again. Con- vinced, by their experience of the preceding year, of the impossibility of doubling Cape Taimnra, APPENDIX. 435 at lakutsk. Commodore BehriuK was no ZZ^t ^!edtoi^ '''' '"' ^'"•°''''- Tcriiui k rc for S? P.f "S " """""^ ''^POrt' ""d then set off tS^ml: " '"'' ■"""""* °f Prontchichtchew's ch^TlHrKT'^T^T of the journals and refused to rpl^'^'T''"' '""'^'f' the Admiralty seated tV.»f.T^""^ .the grounds on which it wa^ T«.^. • *^^ navigation from the Lena to the dSneTthlT'^f'^'"^- • ^' "-' therefore! atteM s'|i'?f .'" the ensuing summer, anothei' attempt should be made to double the northern extrenuty of Asia and if the undertaking Med raaae oy land. Tcheliuiskm returned to lakutsk lI utena't ^^'T'T' »•» « P™=«ding year The cZ^X^tV^' """^ °^St. LawfeS.' Ihe Geodet fchekm returned without bavins executed any part of his mission, the dense7og with which the whole coast was covered, makhS jt impossible to distinguish a single obje% Teh"! Imiskm reported, that he had found nothing aX"/.''?^ '•T'?"''"'=« to the mouth of a rive/ and that the whole bay, aa weU as the sea, as f^ ^ the eye could reach, was covered with fixed ic^ passage. Ihis, and the increasing severity of the frost, induced Laptew, after consliug wkh th^e under his command, to return in seaJch of some good wmtering-place. After encountering many tne cuotanga River, and entered it on the 27th of August. There, in the vicinity of the little mer Bludnaia, they found a tribe^Fstatlona^ Tonguses, with whom Laptew determined to sS the winter They are called MiiMi (sittS Tonguses because they do not nomadize, but dwell m fixed huts. They have no reindeer but use dogs instead, f, ,. draft. ' As there was not much drift-wood to be found tLT2 '^ * ■ •? "'^* fr""* " considerable S W.,* /^'l'"'-** '"PP^y °^ fi'e-wood for the X,lP ;r/ "^^'^ >?9«ssantly engaged during their Tne i?f f^'fi .'^"""S' .''^''t in such a plafe was h^ 1* ^ fift necessaries of life, and which they had frequently to carry a distance of manv we~*" • » tius incessant exercise in the open air, th^V *' I 4^8 APPENDIX. were, no doubt, chiefly indebted for their total exemption from scurvy, a disease so fatal to tra- vellers in these high latitudes. On the 23rd of March, 1740, Laptew sent Tchekin with narti (sledges drawn by logs) to the Taimura River, with orders to survey the coast from the mouth of that river to the Passi^a. The party was a tolerably large one, for besides the narti furnished by the inhabitants, they were joined by some wandering Tonguses, who resolved to accompany them with a herd of eight- een rein-deer. These all died on the way for "Want of food, and their late owners came back without them on the 9th of April. Tchekin re- turned from his expedition on the 17th of May. He had reached the Taimura River, and had followed its course to the point where it fell into the sea. He had then proceeded about 100 wersts westward along the coast, to the point where it trended in a southerly direction. Being without provisions, either for his men or his dogs, he could not continue his survey further. Laptew, fully convinced of the impossibility, on account of the fixed and impenetrable ice, of sailing round the northern extremity of the Tai- mura Bay, resolved to return to the Lena. After two vain attempts to get to sea before the usual period, he succeeded at length, on the 30th of July, with much difficulty and danger, in working his way through the ice. On the 13th of August, however, the vessel was beset by masses of ice. She lost her bowsprit, and what was worse, sprung a dangerous leak. Three days* incessant pumping could not reduce the water in the hold; so to lighten the ship, the guns were thrown overboard, and her stores were landed on the ice. By these -■a-ATtT APPBiVDIX. 439 means the vessel was kept afloat /or the time but the situation of the crew contini-ed a most feiirtul one. Ihey were at a distance from the shore whlor^""^ ^y "T"^"^^ ™^^«^« «^' i««> between which they were driven about by wind and cur- thrP^frl^T^ «T^«^i«g moment seemed to threaten the total destruction of the vessel. In this situation they continued for six days W ^^[™,'^* '"^ O'^ the 19th, accompanied by a frost, which soon covered the opei. places with a to'sVn^ ''V'!- ' ^^™' ^^'^' ^^^^^ volunteered to set off on foot, in search of land, which, it was «n ;^^*'^l """'* ^^^.^^^^* t^«"ty >^ersts to the south. They started on their dangerous journev in the course of which they arrived at many places where they had to ferry themselves across lanes of water, on fragments of ice, but after sur- mounting innumerable dangers, thev reached the coast in safety The frost continued to increase, ni. ""i \^'\^ ""^^^^^ ^^y« *be sea was frozen over the whole of the way. Laptew and his compamons hastened to avail themselves of this. Ihey loaded themselves with as much provisions as they could carry, and reached the coast, where, after their first joy at escaping with their lives hey found they had little reason to congratulate themselves. The nvers were stiU not frozen over, so that they could not cross them to proceed to their wintenng-station on the Chotanga. Thev were accordingly, forced to remain for a time in this desolate wilderness, where no wood whatsoever was to be found, and entirely without shelter of any kind, except holes dug in the frozen soil. A party was daily sent off to the ship, to bring rj^ZlZ^it^r^'J^^' of the provisions thai linri Koon l«-ft. l,-,u.*— J mis, however, lasted only H 440 APPENDIX. till the 30tli of August, when a violent storm broke up the ice, and drove the ship and all their stores out to sea. Thus were the unfortunate men abandoned on this inhospitable coast, unpro- vided with the most indipensable supplies. Many of them died of cold and hunger, but the courage of the survivors bore up against their misfortunes ; they endured with patience and firmness, and continued obedient to their leader, who animated and supported them by his example. Thus did they pass a dreadful month. At length, on the 21st of September, the rivers were frozen over, and they were able to set off in search of their last year's wintering place. Innumerable were the impediments and hardships which they encountered on the journey. A part of the stores which they had saved were placed on narti, drawn by half-famished dogs, the remainder were carried by the men themselves. Thus they plunged into the wilderness which was entirely unknown to them, and through which they had to wander for five-and-t venty days, making for themselves a path over ice and snow. During this journey, twelve more of the party died of cold and fatigue. Completely exhausted, they at length reached then- wintering-station on the Chotanga, where, for the first time in three months, they again enjoyed the comfort of reposing themselves in a warm hut, and of tasting warm food. Here Laptew deter- mined to remain till spring, and as soon as the weather allowed, to set off with the rest of his men for the mouth of the lenissei, where he hoped to obtain a supply of provisions and ammunition from the magazine which had been left there. The indefatigable Laptew, meanwhile, did not remain idle. During the winter he exerted him- APPENDIX. 441 nonth. At self to collect as many stores, dogs, and sledees. ZFrT^lX^^'t''' ^"^'^^ ^^"^^^ h^ ««^t off the mate, Icheliuiskin, with some sledges, to examine and survey the coast between the Chotanga and the Taimura. For this purpose he was ordered to proceed to the Passina River, to buy provisions tor men and dogs from the Tonguses dwelling- there, and then to foUow the coast towards thi IN .Hi. to the Taimura. Laptew himself intended to proceed round the Taimura cape from the eastern side, which had not been exai-ined during the preceding year, and thus to meet TcheUuiskin! Ihe Creodet Tchekin was sent with three sledges to survey the coast to the west of the Taimm-a. Ihe remainder of the -ew set out, on the 10th of April, m reindeer sleages, for the mouth of the lenissei. On the 24th, Laptew departed, and proceeded m a north-westerly direction across the tundra, in search of the Taimura Lake, distant 192 wersts, where he amved on the 30th, after having crossed several lakes and small rivers. The Taimura Kiver, which flows from the lake of the same name, is from two to two and a-half wersts broad. Ihe northern shore of both river and lake consists ot hills or rocks of a yellow colour. In one of these he found a cavern, five fathom deep and three fathom broad, the walls of which were formed of black slate, and the floor of a white stone, resembling gypsum. On the 6th of May he arrived at the mouth of the river, which, ac- cording to his observation, Ues in latitude 75° 36'- tbo variation was here two points easterly, ro f ^*^^ ^set off again on the 10th of May, to cross the tundra and gain the sea-coast, which, however, he was prevented from surveying, by a J. 442 APPENDIX. I violent inflammation of the eyes. On the 17th he returned to his station on the Taimura, and, having rested, proceeded again along the coast, to meet Tcheliuiskin, who had been commissioned to survey the coast eastward from the Passina. On the 20th, at noon, he observed the latitude 75° 33', and on the following day found himself at a rocky head-land in latitude 75° 49', the vari- ation being the same as before. He continued the survey of the coast, which trended generally N. E., driving over the ice, which had every ap- pearance of being thawed in the summer. The coast every where consisted of masses of rock, seldom interrupted by flat or low ground. On the sea, fresh hummocks were seen, which induced Laptew to believe that there was open water in summer. On the 24th, he observed the latitude 76° 38'. From this point he went three wersts further towards the S.W., and, having satisfied himself that the coast ran decidedly in a southerly direction, he erected a lofty signal on a prominent point of land. Seventeen wersts further, he found a similar erection raised by Tchekin in the year 1740. On the 27th, in latitude 76° 23', he found a great quantity of drift-wood, which had been ex- tremely scarce on the eastern coast. On the 29th he was in latitude 75° 37', and on the 1st of June, in 75° 21'. The coast continued bold in cha- racter, but less steep. On the 2nd of July he met Tcheliuiskin, after which they continued to survey together to the mouth of the Passina, where they found a Ton- guse settlement in 73° 39'.* The variation was ivijnin s map assigns tuc latitucic of 73*^ 38 to the iiiouth of the Passina. APPENDIX. 443 1 the 17th nura, and, le coast, to imissioned e Passina. le latitude id himself ', the vari- continued generally every ap- oaer. The s of rock, i. On the h induced 1 water in ie latitude ree wersts g satisfied i southerly prominent , he found 1 the year e found a L been ex- n the 29th st of June, d in cha- iskin, after ler to the ad a Ton- iation was the mouth of here %l^ st. On the way they found a land- mark erec ed by Minin, within which was an empty space, where they deposited some provisions for Tchekin, and food for his dogs. They arrived on the 11th at a second Tonguse settlement, whence Laptew despatched Tche- liuiskin with a couple of narti, to the lenisei ; he himself determined to remain, to recruit his dogs by a few days* rest before he continued his journey. Tcheliuiskin arrived at the mouth of the lenissei on the 29th of July, ascended the river, and, on the 4th of August met Lieutenant Laptew, who had come in a straig:ht line across the tundra. On the 11th, they fell in with the remainder of the crew at the confluence of the Dudina with the lenissei, in latitude 69° 40'. Shortly afterwards, and to Laptew's great vexation, Tchekin joined them. Prevented by a multitude of apparently inspmountable obstacles from executing the task assigned him, he had returned to the Chotanga, and thence, in a direct line, to the lenissei. On the 29th of August the whole party arrived at the little town of Mangaseisk, where it was resolved to spend the winter. To complete the survey of that part of the coast westward from Cape St. Faddei, which had not yet been examined, Laptew sent Tcheliuiskin away on the 4th of December, with narti, and followed him four days later. On the 16th of July, 1742, he returned to Mangaseisk, without having made any important addition to his pre- vious survey. TcheUuiskin's expedition proved equally fruitless. He arrived, indeed, on the 1st of May, at Cape St. Faddei, satisfied himself that 444 APPENDIX. that was not the northern extremity of Asia, and went along the whole of the coast not previously surveyed ; but as he took no observation, and did not determine the latitude of a single point, the whole result of his last journey consists in his having ascertained that this part of the coast is bounded along its whole extent by the ocean, and is nowhere connected with any unknown Polar continent. Tcheliuiskin arrived at Mangaseisk on the 20th of July, 1742. The whole remnant of his crew having now assembled at Mangaseisk, Laptew set off with them for lenisseisk, where they arrived on the 29th of August. Shortly afterwards he went to St. Petersburg, to report the result of his expedition to the Admiralty. In the year 1735 (August 9)^ Lieutenant Las- sinius on parting company with Prontchichtchew, at the mouth of the Lena, sailed eastward. On the 13th he encountered large masses of ice, among which he spent five days in great danger, and, finding it impossible to proceed further, was compelled to run into the River Chariulach, 120 worsts from the easternmost mouth of the Lena, and to winter there. They found such a quantity of drift-wood, that they were able to build them- selves a house with several partitions, in which there was room to lodge the whole crew ; but al- though in this respect they were well provided, the scurvy broke out with such violence, that, of fifty-two men composing the crew, only a priest, the second mate, and seven seamen remained alive. Lassinius himself, after protracted suffer- ings, fell a victim to the disease. Commodore Behring, on receiving news of these disasters, sent the mate, Schtcherbinin, with fourteen seamen, from lakutsk. These arrived APPENDIX. 445 ' Asia, and previously n, and did point, the ists in his le coast is ocean, and own Polar langaseisk e remnant angaseisk, isk, where Shoi% to report iralty. 3nant Las- bichtchew, vard. On les of ice, lat danger, irther, was dach, 120 the Lena, a quantity uild them- in which v; but al- provided, !e, that, of [y a priest, remained ted suffer- news of )inin, with ;se arrived on the 4th of June, 1736, at the winter settle- ment on the Chariulach, where they found the few survivors in so deplorable a condition, that it was necessary to send them to lakutsk, and several died on their way. The further command of the expedition was now intrusted to Lieutenant Demetrius Laptew, who went down to the Lena, with the necessary number of men, in flat-bottomed vessels, which were likewise laden with a supply of provisions and other necessaries. He found the sea so full of ice that he could not venture out with his barges, but left them at the mouth of the river, embarked a part of his men in small boats, and endeavoiu-ed, by creeping along the coast, to reaxjh the Chariulach, where his vessel was lying. He arrived there on the 18th of July, refitted the vessel, put to sea on the 30th, and, having taken on board the stores left at the mouth of the Lena, continued his voyage on the 1 1th of August, sailing eastward along the coast. The sea was almost wholly covered with floating ice, by which, on the 14th, the vessel was beset, and drifted in the ice for several days. When she got into open water again, the season was so far advanced, that they returned to the Lena. On the 22nd of August they reached the Bykow mouth of the river. On the 27th, by an observa- tion of the Pole Star, the variation was found 3" E. On the 6th of September they drew their vessel into the Chomutowka River, where they intended to winter, and on the 8th the whole Lena was covered with ice. During the winter, symptoms of scurvy manifested themselves re- peatedly among the crew; but, by frequent exercise in the open air, and by the use of a n- ? i. 446 APPENDIX. decoction of the bark and the tender shoots of the Siberian Cedar, the disease was checked. In the report which Demetrius Laptew for- warded to Commodore Behring at lakutsk, he gave his opinion, that " it was impossible to double the capes, Borgo* and Svatoi, since, according to the unanimous testimony of several lakuts resid- ing there, the surrouning masses of ice never melt or detach themselves from the coast. As, therefore, every farther attempt must prove fruitless, he requested permission to return with his vessel to lakutsk." This permission he obtained, and on the 29th of May, 1737, began to ascend the Lena. He examined the channel very minutely, in which he found from three to four fathoms water, and surveved the banks with the same care. He arrived at lakutsk on the 2nd of July, and was sent by Commodore Behring to St. Petersburg to make his personal report, and to explain the grounds why he deemed it impossible to sail from the Lena to the Kolyma. He delivered to the Admiralty his charts and journals, and furnished some additional explanations. These the College laid before the Senate, and the latter, after a careful investigation decided, that another attempt should be made to navigate the Polar Ocean eastward from the Lena, and should the task really prove impracticable, that the coast should be surveyed by a land-expedition. In obedience to these instructions Laptew returned to lakutsk, where he immediately com- menced preparations for another voyage, and on the 7th of June, 1739, began to descend the Bor Chaja in the map. APPENDIX. 447 r shoots of ecked. japtew for- akutsk, he ie to double ccording to ikuts resid- ■ ice never coast. As, lust prove eturn with aission he 737, began he channel n three to banks with ;sk on the lommodore is personal s why he e Lena to Admiralty hed some !ollege laid T a careful tnpt should I eastward eally prove e surveyed lS Laptew ately com- ge, and on 3scend the Lena. On the 21st, at the Bykow mouth, he found the seaman Loschkin, who had been sent from lakutsk in the spring, with rein-deer, to examme the coast from the Lena to the Svatoi Noss. Laptew was obhged, on account of the ice, to remain till the 23rd of July under shelter of the Bykow headland, which, by the ship's reckoning, was m lat. 71° 42'. During this interval, the mate Schtcherbinin surveyed the coast as far as Cape Borgo, and discovered a shoal extending two geographical miles N. and N.N.E. from the Cape, not marked on any previous chart, though easily detected from the ice remaining fixed upon it. On the 24th Laptew put to sea, but it was only witli great exertions that he was able to work his way through the ice. He completed the survey of Borgo Bay, and on the 8th of August arrived off the Cape of the same name which he found to be in lat. 71° 55'. The sound- ings gave twelve fathoms. On the same day he passed round the above-mentioned shoal, and on the 11th of August, arrived off the mouth of the lana, where he anchored. On the 13th he sailed again with a favourable wind, and soundings varv- ing from two to ten fathoms. On the 15th he doubled Svatoi Noss, the latitude by reckoning being 72° 50'. On the eastern side he found eighteen, seventeen, and thirteen fathoms, but at a quarter of a mile from the shore, only two fathoms. After a run of twenty-seven geogra- phical miles east from this cape, they saw the island of Mercuriew, bearing N.E. ; and sixteen geographical miles further the island of Diomid 448 APPENDIX. W bearing N.N.W. J W., distant three and a half Germin miles.* A remarkably dense fog obliged them to lie-to on the 16th. On the 18th they had made about 105 miles east from the Svatoi Noss, when they saw what appeared to them an island, bearing E.N.E., but which they did not venture to approach, on account of the dense fog. The following m orning, they were satisfied that the supposed island was only one of the lofty masses of ice that were drifting about in all directions. On the 19th there fell a great deal of snow, accompanied by a south-east wind. On the 21st they met with a strong current, which made it extremely difficult to work to windward, and the next day they found them- selves in fresh water. Presuming from this cir- cumstance that they were near the mouth of some large river, the long boat was sent out for infor- mation. During her absence, a violent storm from the south-east arose on the 24th. A strong current from the same quarter made it extremely difficult for the ship to keep her tmchorage. On the 26th the storm subsided, and the water im- mediately became salt again. The boat not returning, the vessel drew nearer the coast, and fired signal-guns from time to time, but in vain. In the mean time large masses of ice bore down from the south-east, obliging her continually to alter her course, and causing some damage to her sides. On the 31st they were again in fresh water, and Laptew sent out the mate with the second boat, to look for the first, and for some * On Laptew's chart, the latter only of these islands is marked. We shall see in the sequel, that neither of them exists at present. APPENDIX. 449 Ld a half lie-to on bout 105 saw what ^.E., but L account hey were ly one of about in a great ist wind, current, work to d them- this cir- L of some or infor- it storm ^. strong stremely ge. On "^ater im- )oat not )ast, and in vain, •re down mally to je to her in fresh ft'ith the or some is marked. (1 exists at suitable wintering place. It was only with great fh^re * ^°^* ""^ ^^^^ ^"^ ""^^^ *^^« On the Ist of September, the surface of the sea was completely covered with ice. Neither boat returned, though signal-guas were con- stantly fired ; and on the 4th a strong wind arose from the W.S.W. The water rose fonsidtaWv! Ill M% ^^^.u P' ^""^ *^" '^^ ^^ driven towards the N.E at the rate of two and a-half wersts an hour rhe soundmgs increased from ten feet to five fathoms. On the 7th the wind subsided and on the 9th the ship was completely frozen in! m twelve feet water. A large rampart of ice souTh ^ *'^'' ^'"'^ ^ half wersts further fi. ^^1 ^}%^P^^ 0^ September, the mate, who, on the 31st of August, had been sent out with the second boat, returned on foot over the ice, and reported that the river, opposite to which they were, was the Indigirka, that the nearest en- trance was about fifty wersts from the vessel- and that, according to some lakuts who had ""Tki- r^ ^^"""^^^ ^ ^^««i^« winter-station was established there. This good news diffused general joy. Some of the men set out imme. diately for the station, to make the necessary preparations ; and on the 24th the whole crew toliowed The necessary provisions, &c. were conveyed m narti by the lakuts. Laptew made several local surveys durinff the winter He sent the Geodet Kindakow ^with narti, to examine the coast as far as the Kolyma and went himself, in a similar manner, i/The ^^- _-j-j, ei« ^di aa tne v^uroma, wmcii lie tound too shallow for any but sinaU boats to 2 G 450 APPENDIX. enter. In general he observed, that to the east of Svatoi Noss, the shoals extend so far out that the low shore is but seldom visible from the sea. Another remarkable circumstance which he men- tions is, that in the Indigirka, thirty wersts above the mouth, large quantities of drift-wood are found, whereas, along the sea-shore none is to be seen. On the 15th of June, by an altitude of the sun, the mouth of the Indigirka was found to be in latitude 70° 58'. The variation was 7° E. In the spring of 1740, Laptew resolved to bring his vessel to a place of security, there to receive the requisite repairs to enable her to proceed on her voyage. For this purpose it became necessary to cut a long channel through the ice, a labour of such magnitude, that, notwith- standing the constant exertions of the whole crew, it was not till the end of June that the vessel could be drawn to the coast. On the 31 st of July the repairs were concluded. On the 2nd of August she passed the mouth of the Alasei, situated, ac- cording to the ship's reckoning, in 70° 58' N. On the 3rd of August, an island was discovered, (now known as the first of the Bear Islands,) to which Laptew gave the name of St. Anthony. The centre of the island, according to the ship's reckoning, was calculated to be in 71° N. The sea being tolerably free from ice, Laptew made no stay at the island, but continued on an easterly course, and on the 4th arrived off the mouth of the Middle Kolyma, where he sent out his boat to examine the channel, and to inform the inha- bitants of a neighbouring settlement of the progress of his voyage. On the 8th he en- nniiTitprpfl a. larp-R oiiHTititv of ioe. throuerh which he advanced with difficulty, and reached the lesser Baranov Rock on the 9th. On the 10th, APPENDIX, 451 nth. and 12th, a strong wind blew from the west, .vith a current running E.S.E. at the rate ot two knots an hour. These brought large quantities of ice down upon the ship, which was placed in greater danger, as the unbroken line of coast presented no inlet in which a shelter might have been obtained. On the 14th, when they were off the greater Baranov Rock, an unbroken line of ice, connected with the shore and stretching out as far as the eye could reach! prevented all further progress, and obliged them lu '■^IT ^ ^^^ Kolyma, which they entered on the 15th, having at first only from nine to four- teen feet water which, however, on passing the island of Merchojannow, deepened to two and seven fathoms On the 24th they airived off Nijnei Kolymsk, which at that time consisted only of an Ostrog or fort, and about ten huts. Ihere Laptew determined to winter. He took two observations, one on the 28th, and the other on the 31st of August ; the former made the Latitude of the Ostrog 68° 31', the other 68° 34' * The variation was 8° 30' E. During the winter, Laptew built two laree boats, which he hoped to find useful in his summer voyage. On the 8th of July, 1741, the * The accuracy of Laptew's observations deserves particular mention ; to judge of his merit in this respect, it is only neces- St? ZTfSZ" I '''''"^' ^'''^'''^ ^y ^'"^ '^ ^1'^ principal points, with the observations recently made with the best modern astronomical instruments. According to According to observa- Laptew. tionsinl823. ° ' o / Cape B'orgo 71 55 71 55 Svatoi Noss 72 50 = 7"? 5^ Nijnei Kolymsk... 68 33 J ....'.'.'.','.'.'..61 3J 2 G 2 452 APPENDIX. Kolyran was free from ice, and he put to 8ea. He took «n easterly course, and sent his two aewly built boats on before, to take soundings, and to show by ssignals where channels presented thenif'^^lves between the ice, in order that the ship njight be subjected to as little delay as possible. Till t>»e 5th of August, the voyage pro- ceeded slowly owing to contrary winds, but un- attended by any great difficulty; their further progress was, however, at length eifectually arrested by large fields of fixed ice, which forced them on the 7th of August to return to Nijnei Kolymsk, where they arrived on the 10th. Thus ended the fourth voyage of Lieutenant Demetrius Laptew. On this occasion, as in the preceding year, he was unable to double the greater Baranov Rock, which, accordingly, is the extreme eastern point to which thi& zealous and intelligent seaman extended his survey of the coast of the Polar Ocean ; a survey which embraced an extent of 37° of longitude from the mouth of the Lena. Considering it impossible to effect by sea the task assigned him of surveying the Anadyr River, Laptew resolved on an undertaking attended by equal danger and difficidty, namely, to proceed overland with his whole crew, crossing the moun- tains, and traversing the country of the hostile Tchuktches. With this view, he left Nijnei Kolymsk on the 37th of OciMb*r, 1741, and directed his coarse towards 'i ' ' idyr, «ith forty-five narti, drawn by dogs. On the 4th of November, he arrived at Lobasnoie, on the Greater Aniui. As that river forms the boundary of the country inhabited by the wan- ieriig Tchuktches, Laptew deemed it prudent, APPENDIX. 468 b to sea. his two undings, resented that the ielay as age pro- but un- ' further fectually h forced lio Nijnei 1. eutenant LS in the able the y, is the ilous and the coast raced an bh of the y sea the yr River, ended by proceed le nioun- e hostile t Nijnei ''41, and yr, «?th he 4th of on the •ms the the wan- prudent, during his passage hrougb ti^hat !.;."'> ♦ in some measure be considered an enemy s territory, to observi the utmost 'aution, and to subject his men to a strict military discipline. They as- cended the Greatei Aniui, crossed the chain of mountains lablonnoi Chrebet, and reached the Anadyr Ostrog* on the 17th of November, without having seen a single Tchuktche on the way. In Laptew's Journal, under February, 1742, MC find the following remark: " From the 26th to the 28th, at night, we saw an unusual star or comet, that made its appearance about midnight. It had a long pointed tail, that stretched away to the south, and sometimes divided into two points. This tail was as luminous as the star itself. To- wards morning it altered its direction, and turned towards the west; it then became gradually darker, till at last it disappeared altogether, ; nd nothing but the star remained." On the 9th of June, Laptew went down the Anadyr with two boats, built during the winter ; as, however, the river had inundated the country to a great extent, he could not examine its banks^ but was forced to content himself with surveying the mouth, which he reached on the 11th of July. With the beginning of autumn, he returned to the Ostrog, and thence, by Nijnei Kolymsk, to lakutsk, where he arrived on the 8th of March, 1743, after an absence of seven years. Thence he proceeded to St. Petersburg, to make a per- sonal report of the result of his expedition. This brief account of the expeditions under- • On the 13ti March, 1743^ Laptew took an observation, which guve hin; fur the latitude of this place 64° o¥. The varia- tion was 2(P east. hi 454 APPENDIX. taken by the Russians, from 1600 to 1743, in these inhospitable regions, affords but a faint idea of the innumerable dangers, hardships, and diffi- culties, with which our sailors had constantly to struggle ; and to which they as constantly opposed patience, presence of mind, firmness, and an indefatigable zeal in the discharge of their duties. These quahties, which may be said to be characteristic of the seamen of all times and all nations, display themselves in so striking a degree, more particularly in Prontchichtchew, Lassinius, and perhaps most of all in Demetrius Laptew, that we cannot withhold from them the tribute of our admiration ; though in a scientific point of view, the result of their labour was not always satisfactory; the inaccuracy of many of their observations must be attributed to the want of those excellent instruments, which are the production of more modem times. With respect to their hydrographical labours, it may be remarked, that the survey of the coast of Siberia, eastward from the White Sea, was made in vessels that could not always approach sufficiently near the shore to make exact observa- tions, and that it was, consequently, often super- ficial, and occasionally inaccurate. Nevertheless, among their observations, we find many good determinations of latitude, and good soundings, as well along the coast, as in the principal rivers of Siberia. Moreover, the charts and journals of Owzyn, Minin, Tcheliuiskin, Prontchichtchew, and the two Laptews, furnish many interesting hydrographical contributions to our knowledge of the coast and islands, from the Gulf of Obi, to the Baranov Bocks, Unfortunately, the greater part of their survey is based on the ships* APPENDIX. 455 1743, in faint idea and diffi- stantly to constantly mess, and of their said to be les and all triking a lichtchew, Demetrius them the I scientific \T was not ■ many of ) the want 1 are the il labours, the coast Sea, was s approach ;t observa- 'ten super- vertheless, lany good soundings, ipal rivers journals of hichtchew, interesting knowledge If of Obi, atelv. the the ships' reckoning, which, owing to the influence of currents, and the constant change of course rendered necessary by the ice, cannot be much relied on. Nor could their astronomical observa- tions, to determine the latitude, be always taken with due accuracy. From the mouth of the Taimura to Cape St. Faddei, the navigation was never effected; and the survey of the Mate Tcheliuiskin, by means of sledges along the ice, is so superficial and vague, that the real situation of the northern extremity of Asia still remains undetermined. No attempt was in any instance made to determine the longitude by observation. All these labours therefore, properly speaking, can be looked on in no other light, than as pre- paratory to a more exact survey of these regions. The unsatisfactory result of the various expe- ditions to the Polar Ocean, and the endless dangers and hardships with which they were attended, appear to have deterred from similar undertakings for some time. For twenty years we find no mention of any renewed attempt.' At length, in 1760, Schalarov, a merchant of la- kutsk, built a vessel on the Lena at his own expense, with which he proposed to sail round the eastern extreme of Asia, into the Pacific, or to Kamtschatka. According to Von Berg, {Chronologische Ges- chichte der Seefahrten, TJi. i. S. 144,) Schalarov undertook the expedition with the view of seeking for mammoth-bones in the island previously discovered by the lakut Eterikan, and was particularly excited thereto by the exclusive privilege granted to the merchant Liakhow.* * There appears some inaccuracy here. The exclusive privi- lege to Liakhow, is stated further on in page 470, to have been granted in or subsequent to the year 1770.— [English Editor.] \ ,1 456 APPENDIX. ^i H 1 il ^Hh H ' V ^^^^^^B i ' t > > The Sioirskoi Vestnik, of 1822, expresses the same opinion, adding, that Schalarov had it in view to seek the land supposed to lie opposite the mouth of the Kolyma. Neither of these assertions appears to me to be well founded. The sequel shews that Schalarov's object was not to seek for mammoth-bones, nor had he any intention of sailing so far north. His main pur- pose was to accomplish the yet unknown naviga- tion round Cape Chelagskoi, and to proceed further towards the east. Deshnew sought to enrich himself; Schalarov desired only the glory of achieving a task which was deemed impossible. He staked his life and his whole fortune on the success of his undertaking ; let us not withhold from him the well-merited honour of having l>ren actuated by disinterestedness and public spirit. The expedition and the fate of Schalarov are so interesting, and probably so little known, that a brief notice of them will scarcely be deemed superfluous. In the absence of more circumstan- tial and authoritative sources, I have borrowed the following facts chiefly from the account of Captain Billings's voyage, published by Coxe and Sauer.* In July, 1761, Schalarov sailed from the lana. To avoid the ice he kept as close to the coast as he could. He doubled the Svatoi Noss on the 6th of September, and discovered a mountainous island lying at a short distance to the north of the cape. He continued an easterly course, but being much impeded by drift-ice and contrary winds, it was only on the 16th that he was able * In the hydrographical depot of the Marine Staff there v^ioLo alt •■jiij^tssai visai t i/J- oi.iiaiaiOv VMiil iiiEliy CAUlitllUlUlV notes ; these I have availed myself of, to correct and complete this narrative. 'esses the had it in e opposite of these founded, ►bject was lad he any main pur- no. naviga- ) proceed sought to ^ the glory mpossible. me on the t withhold iving l>ren c spirit, rov are so wn, that a e deemed rcumstan- borrowed Lccount of by Coxe the lana. e coast as oss on the )untainous ) north of ourse, but contrary ! was able Staff there ' espiariatory ind complete APPENDIX. 457 to reach the strait formed by Dioraid Island and the Siberian coast. The sea being tolerably free from ice, and the wind favourable, he passed the mouth of the Indigirka on the following day, and that of the Alasei on the 18th. Soon afterwards, however, between the Bear Islands and the continent, his progress was impeded by the ice. The season being far advanced, he determined to run into the Kolyma for the winter, where the crew built themselves a spacious dwelling, round which they erected a high rampart of snow, and planted on it the ship's guns. The neighbour- hood abounded with wild rein-deer, which came fearlessly up to the rampart, so that they were able to kill a great many ; they also caught a large quantity of fish before the river was quite frozen over, so that they were well provided with fresh provisions, to which they were probably indebted for their preservation from the scurvy. Only one of Schalarov's companions died towards the end of winter. The ice in the Kolyma did not break up in 1762 until the 21st of July, when Schalarov put to sea again, and steered for a whole week on a N.E. and N.E. ^ E. course. On the 28th, being on shore, he observed the variation 11° 15' E. On the 18th of August, after experiencing an alternation of contrary winds and calms, he found himself near the coast, which formed a high head- land of coarse grey sand, and to which, on that account, he gave the name of Sand Cape. On the 19th the ship was completely beset by large fields of ice. In this dangerous situation, rendered more alarming by a dense fog that concealed the shore, they continued till the 23rd, when they found means to work themselves out of the ice. s i 458 APPENDIX. and to gain open water again. They tacked for some time among the fields of ice, in the hope of making and doubling Cape Chelagskoi ; but being detained by ice and contrary winds, the advanced season at length obliged Schalarov to seek for a convenient wintering-place. This he hoped to find in an inlet on the west side of the cape which led into Tchaun Bay, first visited and surveyed by him. On the 25th he passed between the mainland and the Island of Arautan. On the 26th, he struck upon a sand-bank, from which it cost the crew much labour to get the ship afloat again. Schalarov went on shore, but finding neither trees nor drift-wood, was obliged to sail further, in search of some place provided with this indispensable requisite. He shaped his course along the southern shore of the bay, as far as the island of Sabadei. Finally, he resolved to return to the Kolyma, which he entered on the 12th of September, and re-occupied his quarters of the preceding winter. On the return of spring, Schalarov desired to put to sea again, in the hope of efifecting his favourite object, the doubling of Cape Chelagskoi ; but his crew, weary of the hardships and priva- tions they had endured, mutinied, and left him. This forced him to return to the Lena. He then went to Moscow, and, having obtained some pe- cuniaiy assistance from the government, under- took, in 1764, another voyage to Cape Chelagskoi, from which he never returned. For a long time none but vague rumours circu- lated respecting his fate. I was so fortunate in 1823, as to discover the spot, about seventy miles and his *^-«rv*^ t'irt^\tr\j v^xiCi.al; kSx^wx, rr lid ci kj iullaiaj. \j v Irom i>ap6 companions landed, after they had seen their APPENDIX. 459 vessel destroyed by the ice. Here, in a bleak wilderness, struggling against want and misery, he ended his active life; but a late posterity renders this well-deserved tribute of acknowledg- ment to the rare disinterested spirit of enterprise by which he was animated. On Schalarov's chart, the coast from the lana to the Cape Chelagskoiis laid down with an accu- racy that does honour to its author. He was the first naidgator that examined Tchaun Bay, and since his time no fresh soundings have been taken there. His latitudes are usually one and a-half degree higher than the truth, and were probably not the result of observation. Between the Kolyma and the Lena the latitudes are more cor- rect, but appear to have been copied from Deme- trius Laptew. The Arautan Islands, in Tchaun Bay, are accurately marked in Schalarov's chart, and only two are laid down. On Coxe's map there are three, an error which has been since copied into many other maps. The current in the Polar Ocean, during sum- mer, from east to west, observed by Schalarov, has been confirmed by several navigators. In his observations of variation, he approaches those made by us. For example, at the Baranov Eocks, the variation was. According to Schalarov, in 1762 . . 11° 15' E. According to Billings, in 1787 ... 17° W According to our observations . . . 13° 35' From the preceding account of Schalarov's course, it would appear, that he saw Diomid Island in 1761, just as Demetrius Laptew saw it in 1739, namely, 47 geographical miles N. E. from Svatoi Noss and 18 miles from the nearest nart of the coast. Neither Hedenstrom, however, in 1810, t i\ M 460 APPENDIX. nor Lieutenant Anjou, in 1823, could discover any trace of it, and the oldest fur-hunters, men frequently in the habit of exploring this part of the country, cannot remember ever to have heard of any island in the situation described. It may, therefore, safely be assumed that, now at least, no such island exists. It has been supposed (by the author of the Chronologische Geschichte der Reisen) that a connexion may since have taken place be- tween this island and the continent, but it is also possible, that both the earlier navigators may have been deceived by some enormous mass of ice, which has since disappeared, or that Diomid Island may have existed in their time, and may no longer exist. Upon the latter hypothesis, it would be possible to account for the change that appears to have taken place since their time in the general aspect of the coast, to the east of Svatoi Noss, for on their charts it is described as extremely sinuous and indented, whereas in the recent and more exact surveys, it was found to preserve a tolerably straight line. With respect to the mountainous land seen by Schalarov to the north of Svatoi Noss, it is unquestionably no other than the first of the Liakhow Islands, upon which there are several mountains. The islands, opposite the mouths of the lana and Kolyma Rivers so constantly and frequently visited, could not long remain unknown. The rich store of mammoth-bones discovered, in 1750, by the merchant Liakhow, on the tundra between the Rivers Chotanga and Anadyr,* excited many private individuals to institute similar researches in the Polar regions. Among the inhabitants of Berg's Chronologische Geschichte der Reisen, Bd. 11. S. 144. APPENDIX. 461 discover jrs, men part of ve heard It may, least, no (by the ^ Reisen) )laee be- lt is also )rs may S8 of ice, Diomid nd may ;hesis, it age that time in east of ribed as J in the ound to respect v to the ably no Is, upon he lana iquently I. The n 1750, between id many searches tants of II. s. 144. the coast, there existed an old tradition of an island opposite Svatoi Noss. Schalarov had seen mountains in that direction; nothing more was necessary to excite those desirous of gain, to embark in undertakings in that direction. The lakut Eterikan, of Ustiansk, determined, in 1759 or 1760,* on an expedition, in which he saw an island opposite Cape Svatoi Noss ; this is the first of the group of islands, to which, by order of the Empress Catherine II., the name of the Liakhow Islands was given, in honour of the merchant of that name, who first visited them. Of the Bear Isles, at that time, there existed very incomplete accounts, founded merely on oral statements; the assertion often repeated, that Ame- rica reached as far as the north of the Kolyma, was hkewise deserving of a more close investi- gation. This was intrusted, in 1762, to the Serjeant Andrejew, whom Tchitcheren, then Governor of Siberia, sent to the Kolyma for that purpose.f Andrejew started from Nijnei Kolymsk, in narti, on the 4th of March, 1763. He first pro- ceeded to the river Krestowoi, and thence to the Indigirka, where he was to be joined by Schkulew, a Cossack acquainted with tlie country. They re- turned together to the Krestowoi, whence they started over the ice, on the 4th of April. After a drive of about ninety wersts, they came to the first island, the length of which, from east to west, parallel with the continent, they estimated at fifty wersts, the breadth at forty, and the circumference at * Iledenstrom's Journey, in the Sibirskoi f^estnik, t Pallas. Neue Nordische Beifroge, Bd. vii, S. 134 — 142. I 462 APPENDIX. one hundred. They visited the remaining islands belonging to the group, and found every where traces of former inhabitants ; i. e. ruined yourtes constructed of earth. Among the latter, one was particularly remarkable. It was found at the foot of a rock, on the third island, which Andre- jew calculated to extend sixty wersts in length. The following is his description of this ruin of a former settlement : — " From the northern side of this island a sand- bank runs into the sea to a distance of eleven fathoms from the shore. The greater part is covered at high water, but it happened to be dry when we saw it. On this sand-bank is a soft sandstone rock, forming, at the height of three fathoms, a terrace, on which a kind of fortress has been erected. To increase the breadth of the terrace, the trunks of ten strong larch-trees have been placed with their roots upwards, forming a support to a fabric of beams of the usual form of our lobassy (a kind of warehouse,) the whole reminding one very much of a bird's nest. The floor in the interior is formed of the trunks of larch trees, covered by a layer of earth seven inches deep. In the inside, at a little distance from the outer wall, a second wall, about three feet six inches in height, has been formed of split trunks or rough boards, and the inter- vening space filled with earth. The walls without are likewise protected with earth and sods of moss. The roof consists of pine and larch branches irre- gularly thrown upon each other, and formerly, probably, covered likewise with earth; but at present, the greater part of the covering has fallen in. To hold the building together, cross beams have been let into the cornice, and fastened with APPENDIX. 463 ng islands ery where ed yourtes r, one was nd at the ch Andre- in lengtli. ruin of a id a sand- of eleven jr part is to be dry is a soft : of three >f fortress readth of arch-trees upwards, as of the arehouse,) f a bird's led of the r of earth *t a little all, about 3n formed the inter- Is without s of moss. Lches irre- formerly, ; but at has fallen ►ss beams med with thongs of leather. The beams appear to have been hewn, not with an iron axe, but with one of stone or wood, and look almost as if they had been gnawed by teeth. The building is at present four and a half fathoms in length, and four fathoms in breadth, but appears originally to have been six fathoms square. From this yourte a path leads to the shore, and another to the summit of the rock ; both, however, are now very ruinous. This fortress has been built with great care, and, owing to the height and the narrow space on which it stands, must have required great labour. According to all appearances, I should say it had not been built by Russians, but by what other nation cannot now be determined." After Andrejew had driven round the first four islands of this group, he vis'ted the fifth likewise, which, according to his calculation, is 140 wersts in circumference, and fifty in diameter. This island is situated 100 wersts from the fourth, towards Tchaun Bay, " or rather towards Cape Tchukotskoi." On this island, likewise, were found some ruinous yourtes, and on the western side were observed two rocks, bearing a strong resemblance to the human form. " Here," says Andrejew, " we ascended a mountain, and looked around us on every side; towards the south we saw a detached rock, which, we con- cluded, must be the Chovinsk Rock ; to the east, all was of an indistinct blue or dark coJour, but whether land or open water, I cannot take upon myself to decide." Andrejew returned to the Krestowoi ; he con- cludes his journal with these words : — " The Cos- sack Fedor Tatarinow and his companions have indeed estimated the distance from the Krestowoi I: 464 APPENDIX. to the first island, and thence to the fifth, as well as the size of each ; their estimates, however, are evidently erroneous, and much exaggerated; mine, on the other hand, are correct, and cannot contain more than a trifling inaccuracy of a few wersts." Notwithstanding this modest assurance, Andre- jew*s estimate is wrong by 440 wersts, when he describes these islands as lying 550 wersts east- ward from the Krestowoi. Their situation and distance from each other he lays down with the same inaccuracy. All trace of the fortified yourte, and the rock on which it was built, must since then have been destroyed, for the expedition sent there in 1820 found nothing of the son. Ruinous dwellings were found by us on several other of the islands, but they are nothing more than huts constructed by travellers, and no more prove that these islands had ever permanent inhabitants, than do the equally ruinous yourtes that we fre- quently met with on the totally uninhabited coast of Cape Chelagskoi.* With respect to the blueish, or dark appearance in the distance, which Andrejew asserts to have seen from the fifth island, I must remark, that we examined the whole of this part of the * Von Berg, in his Chronologische Geschichte der Reisen, Bd. i. S. 148, says, " These buildings, deserted by their former inha- bitants, may afford us some idea of the changes our globe has undergone in its revolutions during a period of many centu- ries." — A hasty glance at these half-subterranean wooden yourtes is quite enough to convince any one, that they are not the remains of any remote antiquity, but merely huts resembling those still in use among the population of these regions, and of too slight a construction, and too perishable a material, tc per- mit of their having remained for centuries as the monuments of a departed race. APPENDIX. 465 as well ver, are crated ; cannot f a few Andre- ^hen he ts east- on and ith the yourte, ;t since on sent luinous ither of an huts >ve that bitants, we fre- id coast earance :o have 'emark, of the en, Bd. i. ner inha- g^lobe has ly centu- WOODEN y are not sembling IS, and of I, tc per- iments of ocean, in 1821, and 1822, most closely, to a dis- tance of 250 wersts, without finding any land; so that what Andrejew fancied might be land, must evidently have been one of those optical illusions which occur so frequently in the polar latitudes. He appears to have paid a second visit to these islands in the following year ; for in the instruc- tions given to Captain BilUngs,* it is stated, among other matters, that "in the year 1764, Serjeant Andrejew saw an extensive country at a great distance from the last of the Bear Isles. He took it to be an island of considerable extent, and drove with his narti in that direction. About twenty wersts before reaching it, he discovered traces of a numerous tribe that appeared to have gone thither with rein-deer, and as he had but few companions, he did not venture to proceed, but returned to the Kolyma." How little Andrejew's assertions are to be de- pended on, we have already seen. If, however, he really saw land and the traces of rein-deer in the direction here stated, he must, without being aware of it, have approached the main land of Asia. Unless we suppose this, we must consider the whole story as a mere fable, embellished afterwards with a variety of unfounded or mis- taken additions. Thus we find, in the Sihirskoi Vestnik, of 1823, a note annexed to the narra- tive of Andrejew's expedition, which says : "Other accounts prove that this country is inhabited, and is called Tikegen by the natives, who call them- selves Krachai, and consist of two principal tribes. Some of them wear beards, and bear a resem- * Billing's Voyage, published by Vice-Admiral Saryisciiew i I p. 190 2 H 4G6 APPENDIX, blaiice to the Russians ; others appear to beloiijjf to the race of the Tchuktches. The Sotnik of Cossacks Kobelew and the interpreter Daurkin, who accompanied Captain Billings, not only con- firm Andrejew's account, but even give us a map, drawn by an American chief, of the country seen by Andrejew/' The land here spoken of is, no doubt, the north- western coast of America, the principal bays and headlands of which were probably known to the American chief; but as to the tribe here desig- nated as the Krachai, the rej)ort of their existence reposes, as will be seen in the narrative, on some misunderstood verbal relations of the Tchuktches who live about Cape North. Andrejew's account of a large land situated towards the north, was the occasion of a secret expedition from Tobolsk, which would probably have remained altogether unknown, had not Von Berg found the journal among the archives of Tobolsk. The following is a brief abstract : — In June, 1767, the Geodets Leontiew, Lyssow, und Pushkarew, went from lakutsk to Ochotsk, aad thence to Nijnei Kolymsk, where they arrived on the 28th of February, 1768, and in the follow- ing year proceeded on their expedition over the ice of the Polar Ocean. They left Nijnei Kolymsk on narti on the 1st of March, 1769, and on the 1 7th reached the mouth of the Krestowoi. Thence they went to the Bear Islands, which they sur- veyed with much accuracy, so that, when we visited them in 1821, we had only a few unim- portant corrections to make. They also saw some remains of the yourtes spoken of by Andrejew. On the 23rd of March they w^ere in a small bay of the eastern island, to which Leontiew assigns the latitude 71° 58'. According to my APPENDIX. 467 beloiif^ )tnik of hiiirkin, \\y con- a map, try seen 3 north- ays and to the 5 desig- xistence )n some uktches situated a, secret robablv lot Von lives of fc:— LyssoAv, )chotsk, arrived foUow- ver the ^olymsk on the Thence Ley sur- hen we f unim- ,w some yew. a small eontiew to my observation in 1821 tl- latitude is 70° 37'. They drove over the sea in a north-easterly direction, but after having proceeded thirty-seven wersts between hummocks and large spaces covered with sea-salt, they stopped for the night. A west wind setting suddenly in broke the ice, and forced them, without delay, to go in search of a place of more secui'ity. Strong winds and thick snow- storms detained them till the 26th, when, after having gone three wersts N.W., they found the ice so thin, that they dared not venture further ; "fcr," says the journal, "the distance of the great American land is not known.^' Being in want, moreover, of food for themselves and their dogs, the latter being scarcely in a condition to drag the narti after them, they determined to return, and arrived at Nijnei Kolymsk on the 7th of April, having, by their own calculation, gone over 839 wersts, going and returning. In the following year, (1770,) they left Nijnei Kolymsk again on the 28th of February, and on the 7th of March crossed to the most easterly oi' the Bear Islands, where the bad weather forced them to remain till the 16th. They then started in a N. E. course, " in the direction of the gre^t American land." On the first day they went twenty-eight wersts, and on the following days, their progress through the constantly-increasing hummocks was as follows : — o w crsts. On the 17th . . towards N. 8 E. 25 18th . . N. 5 E. 18 19th . . N. 5 E. 20th . . N. 5 E. 21st . . N. 5 E. 22nd. . KiOE. 23rd & 24th 2 h2 25 22 18 18 N.15E. _41^ 167 M 468 APPENDIX. I On the 25th the narti were found to have been so much worn among the hummocks, and parti- cularly by the sea-salt, that they were forced to halt for two days to repair them. On the 27th, as the journey was becoming more and more difficult, it was resolved that Lyssow and Push- karew with ten companions, should proceed, with three days' provisions, on narti drawn by chosen dogs, " to try whether any land could be found/' After going five wersts further, they came to fresh hummocks seven fathoms high, among which they continued their course for thirty wersts. They ascended some of the highest, and as, with the aid of the telescope, they "could discover nothing but hummocks in every direction, they commenced their return on the *^8th." During their return, they were five times obliged to cross newly-formed fissures in the ice of two feet and upwards in breadth. They returned to the fifth Bear Island on the 1st of April, and remainec* there three days to dry their wet clothes. During this time they killed four white bears. On the 5th of April, the whole party started again, and arrived at Nijnei Kolymsk on the 9th. According to their calculation, they had, on this occasion, gone over 950 wersts. Taking the variation of the compass to be 15° E., the -point whence they were forced to return must have been in 72° N. latitude. The Geodets undertook a third excursion over the ice in 1771. Starting from the Kolyma, they arrived at the last of the Bear Islands on the 9th of March. There they remained six days, on account of bad weather, and then started for Tcliaun Bay. Three days they continued in a due east direction, and having gone forty-eight APPENDIX. 469 wersts, turned off to the Baranov rocks, from which they were fifty wersts distant, and where they arrived on the 18th. Having rested there and killed a white bear, they continued their journey along the coast in an easterly direction, but on the 28th, their provisions running short, they were forced to return. On the 6th of April they arrived again at Nijnei Kolymsk, after driving about 433 wersts. The coast from the Kolyma to Tchaun Bay is very carelessly drawn on Leontiew's chart, so much so, that, probably, they not only did not make any real survey of it themselves, but did not even avail themselves of the more ancient chart of Schalarov, on which this part of the coast is marked with tolerable accuracy. Such carelessness is the more remarkable, as in their survey of the Bear Islands, and in calculating their days' journeys, they state their distances even to fathoms, so that on level ground at least they must have made use of the chain. Indeed, some of the old people at Nijnei Kolymsk still remember that a chain was used on this occasion. The third excursion terminated the expedition. They returned to Tobolsk, whence Leontiew was sent to St. Petersburgh with the charts and reports. Although this expedition, which lasted five years, and included three excursions on the ice, did not attain its main object, still it was in many respects of great utility. The Bear Islands were geometrically surveyed. The ocean was examined both to the north and to the east of those islands, and it was sufficiently shown, that Andrejew^s assertion respecting their great extent was false, and his account of a large northern I 470 APPENDIX. land, inhabited by tribes owning rein-deer, en- tirely fabulous. The Liakhow Islands, which more or less have formed the basis of the several stories about a large country to the north, were discovered by Liakhow, who, in March, 1770, happening to be on business at the Svatoi Nos, saw a large herd of rein-deer arriving over the ice from the north. He had probably heard of the discovery of the lakut Eterikan, mentioned in page 461, and this may have led him to resolve on ascertaining whence the animals came. He started early in April with narti, and followed the track of the rein- deer in a northerly direction. After making seventy wersts, he came to an island where he spent the night, and proceeded on the following day, when he discovered a second island, distant twenty- wersts from the first. The track of the rein-deer continuing, he would have gone further, but impassable hummocks obliged him to desist. On his return he sent a report of his discovery, and obtained from the government an exc'Tisive privilege to dig for mammoth-bones, and to hunt stone-foxes on the islands which had been dis- covered, and which should be discovered by him. At the same time an order was issued to name the islands after him. In the summer of 1773, Liakhow, accompanied by another merchant, of the name of Protodiako- now, went from Svatoi Nos to the first island in a five-oared boat, and then on to the second. At no great distance to the north he saw land, to which he proceeded, and found it consisted of a third island, much larger in extent than either of the two former* xnc lanu was mountuiuous, and the whole coast covered with drift-wood. APPENDIX. 471 ler, en- ss have ibout a ;red by g to be ge herd 5 north. of the ad this taining arly in he rein- naaking lere he llowing distant of the further, lesist. icovery, iclnsive to hunt en dis- )y him. name ipanied Ddiako- land in d. At and, to ed of a ther of ainons, ;-wood. Liakhow went back to the first island, built a good winter habitation, and in the following spring returned to Ustiansk with a rich cargo of furs and mammoth-bones. Protodiakonow gave some particulars of the natural history of these islands to M. Sauer, when the latter was in lakutsk with Captain Billings. The soil of the first island, he said, consisted only of sand and ice, but such quanti- ties of mammoth-bones were found therein, that they seemed to form the chief substance of the island. Among the bones were likewise found the skull and horns of an animal resembling the buffalo. The third island was intersected by a multitude of rivulets, up which came a quantity of fish from the ocean. The travellers particu- larly noticed a small description of salmon, never seen in the Kolyma or Indigirka, and only met with in the neighbourhood of Ochozk, and about Kamtschatka. Whales and hausen (Del- phinus leucus ?) were seen in the sea, and white bears, wolves, and rein-deer on the land. The accounts given by Liakhow and his com- panion of the great extent and the riches of the newly-discovered islands, induced the govern- ment, in 1775, to send Chwoinow, a land-sur- veyor, from lakutsk, to make a regular survey of them. He arrived at the first island on the 16th of May. Its length he estimated at 150 wersts, the breadth varying from 80 to 20 wersts, and the circumference at 367 wersts. In the interior he found a lake of considerable extent, but very shallow, notwithstanding the precipitous cha- racter of its banks. On his map the dimensions mostly inaccurate, but the sur vcy itself. are III many of its details, is very correct. Unfavour- 472 APPENDIX. able weather, and an insufiicient supply of food for the dogs, made it impossible to extend the survey to the other islands. He spent the winter at Liakhow's settlement, and in the spring re- turned to Ustiansk. In the two following years Chwoinow went on two separate occasions to complete the survey of the two other islands, but was not able to effect his object owing to an insufficient supply of stores, and he finally con- tented himself with drawing the second island on his map, according to the accounts of the fur- hunters. In August, 1778, Captain Cook appeared in Behring Straits, with the intention of seeking a passage from the Pacific into the Atlantic, by saihng along the northern coast, either of Asia or America. Immense fields of ice at Icy Cape prevented his further progress eastward ; and the lateness of the season obhged him to return from the promontory, called by him. Cape North, in 68° 56' N. and 180° 49' E. from Greenwich; variation 26° E. It appeared to Cook that the coast, beyond Cape North, ran nearly due west, and that a little way beyond the headland he could see a lake or a deep gulf. My survey of 1823, has shown this supposition to have been incorrect. His determination of the geographical position of the Cape agrees very nearly with my observations made on the spot itself, according to which I found it in 68° 55' N. and 179° 57' E. The variation I found to be 21° 40' E. Cook could only examine superficially the coast of Asia S.E. from Cape North. On his passage down it, he saw an island " four or five miles in circumference, of the middling height, with a steep rocky coast, about three leagues from the APPENDIX. 473 main-land." On his chart, this island, called by him Burney^s Island, is situated in 67° 45' N. and 185° 5' E. There being no other island than Koliutchin in this neighbourhood, it is probably the same as the Burney's Island of Cook, being the point which I myself reached in 1823. The descrip- tion of its outward appearance justifies this con- clusion, although there is a difference in the geographical position ; for, according to my obser- vation, taken on the southern point of Koliutchin Island, it hes in 67° 26' 46'' N, and, according to my reckoning, in 184° 28' E. Further towards the east, in 67° 3' N. and 188° 11' E. Cook saw a high perpendicular cape, projecting into ^he sea. " To the east of this, the coast is high and bold ; to the west it is low, and trends N.N.W. and N.W. by W. which is nearly its direction all the way to Cape North. The depth of water is everywhere the same at Ihe same distance from shore, which is also the case on the American side. We nowhere found more than twenty-three fathoms ; the lead, therefore, is no bad guide by night, or in hazy weather." Our survey of the coast from Cape Chelagskoi eastward to North Cape, and thence to Koliut- chin Island, showed, that this part of the coast is neither high and steep, nor that it can properly be called flat. The character of the coast is extremely variable. Near Cape Onman, however, and near Cape Kyber and Cape Kosmin, are several hills of considerable elevation, and also a few precipitous rocks. Cook, as well as the astronomer Bayley, dur- ing the navigation between Asia and America, t *u Si r 474 APPENDIX. thought they saw several indications of the vicinity of land to the north. The almost im- perceptible increase of depth on receding from either coast ; the flocks of wild geese and ducks that arrived in the month of August from the north; the form of the ice, and various other circumstances, appeared to Burney, so many proofs that an undiscovered land must lie to the north of the strait. There were not, indeed, any currents, but the ice evidently floated towards the south. The scientific researches of the English, in these imperfectly known regions, at length in- duced the Russian government to take some active steps on their part, to ascertain the extent and character of this part of their possessions. With this view, an expedition, well known to the learned world, was fitted out; commissioned, under the direction of Captain Billings, to insti- tute hydrographical and geographical researches on the opposite coasts of Asia and America. The narrative of this expedition has been written in the Russian language, by one of Billings' most active companions, Captain Sarytschew, who attained the rank of Vice- Admiral before his death; and in 1805, a German translation was published by Busse ; Sauer, the secretary to the expedition, pubHshed an account of it in English.* Among other motives to this expedition, was a wish to make the passage from the Polar Ocean into the Pacific, through Behring Straits. Two vessels, particularly calculated for the intended service, were accordingly built on the lassaschna River, not far from Nijnei Kolymsk, and received * An account of a geographicai and astronomical Expedition to the northern parts of Russia. by n\ APPENDIX. 475 the names of the Pallas and the lassaschna. The former was forty-five feet in length, the latter twenty-eight. The larger was commanded by Billings, the smaller by Sarytschcw. On the 25th of May, 1787, the two vessels sailed from the lassaschna, down the Kolyma, and arrived on the 18th of June off Nijnei Kolymsk, which they found to be in 68" 17' 14" N. and 163" 17' 30" E. Variation 14<> 14' E. On the 22nd, they were off the eastern mouth of the Kolyma, not far from Schalarov's wintering station, and from Laptew's signal-tower. Captain Sarytschew observes : " The winter-dwelhngs erected by Laptew on the right bank where his vessel was drawn on shore, lead to the behef, that the channel must formerly have been on that side. At present, there is no water there for a vessel of any size, and even a boat can approach the shore only ?.t high water. At low water, the shoal runs three wersts out to sea.^^ They weighed anchor on the 27th, and, after sailing six miles, found themselves in the Polar Ocean. "The channel, at the mouth of the stream, is 200 fathoms broad, with three to five fathoms in depth. The bottom is loose sand. The banks consist of steep rocks, eight fathoms high, at the foot of which there was a quantity of drift-wood." The ice along the coast frequently obliged them to run into bays, and to take shelter behind head -lands. Thus, on the 28th of July, they were in a smaU bay, at the mouth of a rivulet, between the greater and lesser Baranov Rocks, where Captain Billings erected his observatory, uti'I ft^iiTirl flip* lntit"f'f' ^Q" '>'^' -^n" ' ^^^^ Inno-i^-nrJA by chronometer was 167° 50' 30". On this oc- r 476 APPENDIX. casion he observes, " It may be seen that all charts of the Polar Ocean place the land two degrees too far to the north/' The variation was 16° E. Both vessels attempted, on the 1st of July, to sail towards the north, where there appeared to be less ice, but a fog, so dense that they could scarcely see two fathoms' length from the ship, caused them repeatedly to anchor. They were not able to go more than twenty miles to the north-east, before they were obliged to turn back " the whole sea, as far as the eye could reach, being covered with immense masses of ice, on which the waves broke with tremendous violence." On the 2nd, they anchored in a bay westward from that last mentioned. They made several attempts the following day, to proceed eastward, but the constant ice and frequent fogs impeded them so much, that they did not pass the great Baranov Rock before the 19th of July. Eleven miles further, they came to hummocks, many of which had grounded in sixteen fathoms water. It was not without difl&culty and danger that they disengaged* themselves from these masses, and came to anchor in a bay. Here Captain Billings held a council of officers, in which it was determined, on account of the manifest impossibility of going further, and in consideration of the lateness of t^e season, that they should return to the Kolyma. They accord- ingly towed their vessels westward, and reached the mouth of the Kolyma on the 26th of July, where they found the current so feeble, that they required only five days to take them to Nijnei KolvTYlsk- " Thns Pinrlfirl thio noTrlnfofio" ^^ Frozen Ocean^ as arduous as it was perilous.'' Qi. Tu that all land two variation July, to peared to hey could the ship, hey were es to the to turn jye could ses of ice, jmendous [ in a bay hey made I proceed uent fogs not pass \i of July, immocks, L fathoms id danger >m these y. Here ficers, in ; of the ', and in ison, that y accord- [ reached of July, that they bo Nijnei ru. \ji. vile APPENDIX. 477 ous. tj >t Nijnei Kolymsk, Billings again called his otIi( ers together, to consult in what way, whether by water or land, it would be most practicable to pass round capes Chelagskoi and Tchukotsky. " Experience had shown that by water this was nearly impossible ; no other means therefore re- mained, but to undertake the expedition by land in sledges. On further consideration, however, this plan was also renounced, it being deemed impossible that they could take with them, for a distance of 200 wersts, the requisite quantity of food for the dogs." It was at length determined to make one more attempt by sea to double these capes; and to make the trial from the eastern side, through Behring Straits, with vessels to be fitted out for the purpose at Ochozk. In the mean time the Sotnik Kobelew and the interpre- ter Daurkin were ordered to proceed with the caravan of Tchuktches that annually arrived at Tassiginsk, to Tchukotsky Noss, there to await the arrival of the Russian vessels, and, if possible, to make some preparations for their reception. Billings caused his two vessels to be unrigged, and left them under the charge of a public officer at Nijnei Kolymsk. He himself proceeded with the greater part of his crew, in two divisions, to Irkutsk, whence he repaired to Ochotsk, to make preparations for the intended voyage. In 1771, Billings sailed from Avatsha Bay, in the Slava Rossii, for Behring Straits, and on his way ran into St. Laurence Bay, where the Tchuktches paid him a visit. They told him, the sea was at all times covered with such quan- tities of drift-ice, that its navigation was imprac- tl<>Jln1'^ T\f\i: CYn\xr \(\ ]qi»f»o irpooplg X^^-,*- ^ x- their baidars. It is singular that Billings paid 478 APPENDIX. more attention to these statements than to liis own previous experience,* and relinquished his plan of sailing round Cape Chelagskoi, merely on the assurance of thesfe people. Instead of per- severing in his first intention, he resolved on the much more difficult journey by land, through the country of the Tchuktches to Nijnei Kolymsk, a journey, the results of which could not but be comparatively unimportant. In vain his com- panions urged the danger to which he exposed himself and the expedition, by venturing among a savage and hostile people , he persisted in his determination; and on the 13th of August started with fourteen baidars, which brought him to Metchigme Bay, whence he commenced his journey by land, on rein-deer sledges, accom- panied by a caravan of Tchuktches. At the same time, he sent the Geodet Gilew in a Tchuktche baidar, with orders to survey the coast from East Cape to Koliutchin Island, and then to rejoin him. Gilew followed the coast iu his boat, as far as the eastern promontory. There he landed, and went on foot over the narrow neck of land to the coast of the Polar Ocean, which he followed, partly on foot, and partly in his baidar, which was dragged after him. At length, when he was only ninety miles from Koliutchin Island, his companions, the Tchuktches, refused to go fur- ther. This embarrassed him not a little. For- tunately, however, he fell in with a tribe of nomade rein-deer Tchuktches, who undertook to convey him across the mountains in their sledges. ♦^Billings, it is well known, had been with Cook on his voy- age, when he reached the North Cape without encountering much ice. J^*^ four APPENDIX. 479 By these means he was able to join Captain Billings, whom he found near the upper part of the river lugnei, which falls into Koliutchin Bay. The mate Botakow, found here, about a werst from the lugnei Lake, some hot springs, of which he observes, " these springs rise in a rocky height, and form four distinct oval basins, six to eight fathoms in circumference, the margins rising about one and a- half foot from the ground, and bending over on the outside. These margins are so thin, and at the same time so regularly formed, that one might take them for artificial boilers, placed there by the hand of man. The reservoirs are filled to the brim with warm water of a whitish colour, and so deep that we could find no bottom with a pole. In the middle several springs bubble up, making the water appear to be in the act of boiling. The sides of the reservoirs con- sist of a close, adhesive, chalky substance, of which the margins have no doubt been gradually formed. Two of these reservoirs are close to- gether, the other two about fifty fatlioms distant." Botakow imagines that the mountain from which these warm springs arise must formerly have been a volcano. Billings went with the Geodet Gilew to the mouth of Koliutchin Bay, of which he says, 'Hhis bay is 120 miles N.W. from Behring Straits; it extends for sixty miles inland into the Tchuktche country; its breadth is not more than seven miles; it receives, besides smaller streams, the two rivers lugnei and KiHu ; the former flowing from a lake of the same name, and the latter from mountains. The entrance of the bay is iOur iuiies across, \ViLu aii isianu m the middle three miles in circuit, named Peschone. The i 480 APPENDIX. Tchuktches told us that the western entrance is very shallow, but that on the eastern side of the island, the channel was so deep that sometimes whales entered the bay by it. Billing's chart places the middle of Koliutchin Island in 67" 30' N. and 185° 26' E. On the 17th of February Billingi arrived at the first Russian settlement on the Great Aniui, at its confluence with the Angarka. His journey was not only tedious and fatiguing, but in every other respect extremely disagreeable. The Tchukt- ches who accompanied him, and who travelled slowly with their rein-deer along the valleys fifty wersts from the coast, treated SilHngs and his companions as prisoners, and indulged in many insults towards them. Notwithstanding all these difficulties, however, Botakow was able to keep a correct account of the course, and to enter on his journal the distances between the several halting- places, and the position of the mountains; and from these, and various points of information which he obtained from the Tchuktches, he was able afterwards to prepare a map of the country. Speaking of the Tchuktche land, Billings says, " the whole country consists of barren valleys and naked hills, with no vegetation, except a scanty grey moss that springs from among the stones, and serves as food for the rein-deer. Only in a few valleys did I observe here and there a few stunted sand-willows. The climate is the most melan- choly that can be imagined ; before the 20tli of July there is no symptom of summer, and on the 20th of August the winter sets in again. The mountains are numerous, many of considerable «lo»>-o^i/^Ti "Mr»f r»nlv Q-n t.hpir snTnTYiits. but fiven in the valleys and ravines, are seen masses of APPENDIX. 481 snow that never melt. In the low country to- wards the north arc many rivers of various sizes, running over a rocky bed. Tlie valleys are for the most part marshy, and dotted with a v.nmber of small lakes. A few berries of different kinds grow scantily among the moss. On the eastern, north-eastern, and sometimes also on the southern coast, are caught walruses and ' seals. The qua- drupeds are the rein-deer, the wild sheep, the white wolf, the bear, the common and the stone- fox. During the brief summer, eagles, hawks, grouse, and different kinds of water-fowl are seen; in winter, only crows, which follow the nomadic tribes.^' Unfortunately, with tlie exception of a few religious ceremonies, Billings affords no ethno- graphical accounts of the Tchuktches. Yet such accounts would unquestionably have been the most interesting result of a journey attended with so many hardships, and of a da" intercourse of some months with a people of Wii;ym so little was known. To conclude this general review of the Russian expeditions in the Polar Ocean, and along the north-eastern coast of Siberia, I will subjoin a brief account of the journey of M. Hedenstrom, the last before the scientific expeditions intrusted to Lieutenant Anjou and myself. After the death of the merchant Liakhow, Sirovatskoi, another merchant, obtained a transfer of the exclusive privilege of driving profit from the Liakhow Islands, and sei. the citizen San- nikow there as his agent, who soon after his arrival, discovered to the west of the second, a new islann fn wllinVl Tip O-oxr.o flip -ntiYvio r\-f S!fr»lV»ri^r/-»i Ostrow, or the Island of Columns. In 1805, 3 I APPENDIX. after Sirovatskoi's death, Sannikow discovered to the east of Kotelnoi Ostrow (Kettle Island) another island, which he named Fadejevskoi. In 1806, young Sirovatskoi, the son of the above-named merchant, discovered, not far from Fadejevskoi, another large island, which subsequently received the name of New Siberia. The merchant Protodiakonow, who had several times started from the mouth of the Lena, in search of some new discovery, but hitherto in vain, addressed, about this time, a petition to government, to allow him and his partner Bel- ko". ,* to form a trading and hunting settlement, on Kotelnoi Island, and thereby in some measure to break through the Liakhow monopoly. This application induced Count Nicolas Koman- zow, the Chancellor of the Empire, a man of inde- fatigable activity in the promotion of everything beneficial to his country, to have a complete ex- amination and survey of the Liakhow Islands made at his own expense ; and this duty he in- trusted to an able public officer, M. Hedenstrom, then residing at lakutsk. Hedenstrom went to lakutsk in August, 1808, accompanied by Sannikow, and by a land-surveyor of the name of Koshe\in. He was detained there by various necessary arrangements till the 18tli of November, so that he was not able to reach Ustiansk before the 5th of February, 1809. The original plan was, that Kotelnoi Island should be the head- quarters of the expedition, where the stores should be deposited, and that excursions * In 1808, shortly after this petition had been presented, Belkow discoverpd an island belonging to the same group. This island, which bears the name of its discoverer, is separated from the western shore of Kotelnoi, only by a narrow strait. APPENDIX. 483 should be undertaken from thence to the several points of most importance. This plan was soon found impracticable, and other arrangements had to be made, occasioning delay; but notwith- standing these and other impediments, Heden- strom was able to commence his operations in the spring of 1809. His instruments, he informs us, consisted only of an octant, an old astrolabe, " not fit for taking latitudes," and a common ship's compass. To economize time, Hedenstrom divided the task between himself and his companions. Koshevin was directed to make i:he circuit of Fadejevskoi, and on his return, that of the first and second island. Sannikow was to survey the strait be- tween Kotelnoi and Fadejevskoi. Hedenstrom himself proceeded to New Siberia, which, accord- ing to Sirovatskoi, was situated 300 wersts east of Fadejevskoi. On the 7th of March, the expedition started in sledges from Ustiansk, and arrived at the first island, where they were detained » six days by violent winds and snow-storms. They then went to Fadejevskoi, where they separated, each pro- ceeding to the execution of the task assigned to him. Koshevin completed the survey of the west, south, and east coasts of Fadejevskoi, and made the circuit of the first and second islands. Sanni- kow examined the strait between the two inlands, and found the breadth to vary from seven to thirty wersts. Hedenstrom, who had undertaken to examine New Siberia, found the distance from Fadejevskoi only sixty-five, instead of three hun- dred, wersts. He surveyed iiie southern coast, to the extend of 220 wersts, and then returned to 2i 2 484 APPENDIX. Ustiansk, where his two companions had arrived three days before him. It was his intention to spend the summer in New Siberia, and to take with him horses and rein-deer. He accordingly sent Sannikow thither with some fur-hnnters, to build a house, and to ascertain what subsistence they might be able to obtain for themselves and their cattle. Hedenstrom himself went to Ver- choiansk, to make some necessary arrangements connected with the expedition. In autumn, 1809, Hedenstrom returned to Ustiansk, where he found Sannikow, who had re- turned with his companions from New Siberia. They had erected, during their stay there, two winter-habitations, and three store-houses. The summer had been so cold, that in some places the snow had not even melted, and no grass was to be seen. Of fish they had found only the Gasterotus aculeatus, seven inches in length.* The absence of fish they supposed to have been occasioned by the rivers having been frozen throughout the summer, preventing the sea-fish from entering the streams. On Fadejevskoi Is- land, Sannikow found a lukahir sledge, and a knife, such as is generally used for scraping rein- deer skins. The blade, however, was not of iron, but of a hard sharp flint. In New Siberia, they had found an axe made of the tusk of a mam- moth. "This shows," observes Hedenstrom in his journal, " that lukahirs must have dM^elt in these islands, but at some remote period; for those now living in Siberia, have long been in the habit of obtaining from the Russians, by barter. * This length would rather imply that it was the Gasterotus spinochia, or perhaps it may have been a new and unknown species. APPENDIX. 485 u 1 h il as much iron as they want, and have completely given up the use of bones and stones in the con- struction of their tools." Hedenstrom and his companions passed the winter at Possadskoie Simovie, a winter-settle- ment on the coast, about 100 wersts east of Svatoi Noss, and 180 from the nearest settlement on the Indigirka, where his stores had previously been forwarded. A part of the time was spent in surveying the coast as far as the river just mentioned. " Our time," he says, " hung much less heavily on our hands, than is the case with many among the dissipations of a large city. Unfortunately, we suffered from scurvy, which generally prevails during the two months' night, when the air is dense, heavy, and unhealthy. The "'iolent winds prevalent in this season purify the V mosphere in some degree, still it is absolutely necessary to take as much fresh food, and as much exercise in the open air, as possible. By observing these precautions, we succeeded in pre- venting this malady, so justly dreaded in the northern latitudes, from making progress. A Cossack and myself were the only two attacked, and by the use of a decoction of cedar, with con- stant exercise in the open air, we succeeded in getting the better of our sickness." Hedenstrom left his winter-station, in January, 1810, and went to Ustiansk to make the neces- sary preparations for a second journey to New Siberia. Sannikow's account of the scantiness of the vegetation made him abandon all idea of taking horses there, and he determined first to ascertain whether New Siberia was an island, or i- -Xf _ 1 i.4-. — i. ■u^i?^-*.^. "u^ —^^..-.i^ 4■^^^^ pcU'l> VI u lurgu cuutincul, Dciuxe nc wOuiu. taivc even rein-deer with him. He had completed his 486 APPENDIX. preparations by the 2nd of March, when he de- parted from the mouth of the Indigirka, with twenty-nine sledges, directing his course towards a signal-cross, which he had erected the preceding year on Peszowoi Noss, the Cape of the Stone- foxes. On the 13th they reached the coast of New Siberia, about ten wersts west of the cross. '' It is to the WoodHills,"'^ observes Hedenstrdm, " which we could see at the distance of 120 wersts, that we were indebted for having so well pre- served our direction." The journey was extremely fatiguing, partly on account of the rugged hum- mocks, and partly because the dogs had been brought from the neighbourhood of the Indigirka, and had not been well broken in to the sledge. From the Cross Point, Hedenstrom sent back twenty-two of the sledges, which had chiefly been employed in conveying stores, and retained only * Of these Hedenstrom observes, in another place, " On the southern coast of New Siberia are found the remarkable Wood Hills. They are 30 fathoms high, and consist of horizontal strata of sandstone, alternating with strata of bituminous beams or trunks of trees. On ascendirtg these hills, fossilised charcoal is everywhere met with, covered apparently with ashes, but on closer examination, this ash is also found to be a petrifaction, and so hard, that it can scarcely be scraped off with a knife. On the summit another curiosity is found, namely, a long row of beams, resembling the former, but fixed perpendicularly in the sandstone. The ends, which project from seven to ten inches, are, for the greater part, broken. The whole has the appear- ance of a ruinous dike." — Lieutenant Anjou, who likewise ex- amined these Wood Hills, says, " They are merely a steep declivity, twenty fathoms high, extending about five wersts along the coast. Jn this bank, which is exposed to the sea, beams or trunks of trees are found, generally in a horizontal position, but with great irregularity, fifty or more of them together, the largest being about ten inches in diameter. The wood is not very hard, is friable, has a black colour, and a slight gloss. When laid on the fire it does not burn with a flame, but glim- mers, and emits a resinous odoiu:." APPENDIX. 487 the seven best, with which he continued the survey of the coast towards the east. Near Cape Peszowoi he found the variation 15° E. The latitude of that Cape he found to be 74° 45', which is only 5' less than according to Lieutenant Anjou's observations. Sannikow went overland in a sledge, to examine the northern coast. On the 16th of March, Hedenstrom was at Cape Karaennoy, (Rocky Cape,) whence the coast in- clines to the west. " From the summit of this Cape, there was an appearance towards the north- east, that seemed to indicate the existence of land in that direction." On the following day, Sannikow returned. He had gone seventy wersts due north, before he reached the north coast. He then proceeded towards the east, and spent the night above five wersts from the place where he joined Heden- strom. Convinced now of the limited extent of New Siberia towards the east, Hedenstrom re- linquished his original intention of spending a summer there. He sent Sannikov back to Usti- ansk, and proceeded himself over the ice towards the north-east, to endeavour to ascertain some- thing positive respecting the supposed land in that direction. " Our journey was extremely fatiguing, but all our fatigues were forgotten, when we fancied we clearly distinguished the land through the tele- scope. It appeared to be a white Hue of coast, intersected by a multitude of rivulets. Shortly afterwards we perceived that the land in question took a semicircular direction, and appeared to be covery was great, but vanished on the following 488 APPENDIX. morning, when we found that the supposed land was nothing but a range of enormous masses of ice, more than fifteen fathoms high." Undiscouraged by this disappointment, Heden- strcim returned to New Siberia, for a fourteen days' stock of wood, and on the 24th of March, resumed his journey towards the east. He was not long, however, before he came to enormous hummocks, opposing so many impediments to his progress, that he was four days in going seventy worsts. " Here, to our astonishment," he says, " at the distance of five wersts, we saw the water completely open, with loose pieces of ice floating about. I subsequently ascertained, that this w^as an enormous polynia, extending from New Sibe- ria to the Bear Islands, a distance of about 500 wersts." Hedenstrom had intended to direct his course towards the signal-tower erected by Laptew at the mouth of the Kolyma. He endeavoured therefore to find a passage over the polynia, in various places; but at last, convinced that this was impossible, he proceeded southward, reached the main-land of Asia, near the mouth of the Kuradjina River, and arrived at the tower on the 13th of April, having been forty- three days on the way. As he had provided himself only for twenty-eight days, it may easily be imagined what his sufterings would have been, had he not had the good fortune to kill eleven white bears, which provided him at least with food for his dogs. On the 18th of April Hedenstrom left Nijnei Kolymsk with five fresh sledges, and provisions for twenty days, after he had sent the land- surveyor, Pschenizyn (sent to him in place of APPENDIX. 489 Koslievin, who had fallen sick,) to survey Kotel- noi Island. Near the Baranov Rocks Hedenstrom was detained a week bv a violent storm from the east. Having proceeded 150 wersts, N. 20^ E., he observed fragments of soil on the ice. " On the 1st of May we saw a flight of geese, going N.N.W., and a white owl.* In the north were clouds, the depth of the water lessened, and everything seemed to indicate the approach of land. About 345 wersts from the Baranov Rocks v/e had to pass a fissure in the ice, two feet and one-third in breadth ; but five wersts further we came to one fifteen fathoms broad. Here I ob- served a strong current running E.S.E., whence I concluded that the fissure had been occasioned by the late storm from the east. During the last five wersts the soundings diminished from eleven and a-half to eleven fathoms.^^ I may be allowed here to compare these state- ments with rny own observations, made in the same place, ten years afterwards. The direction in which Hedenstrom drove was N. 20" E. and correcting this by the variation of the compass (15° E.), it follows that in 1821 and 1822, we went over the same line. In this direction, 150 wersts from the Baranov Rocks, Heden- strom found fragments of soil among the ice. This was exactly the spot whence, in 1821, we turned off to the S.E. ; and the fissures in the ice, which he met with 245 wersts further, must have been in the same place where, in 1822, we en- countered open polynias and hummocks, and where we formed our second provision-depot. * The Styrx nyctea, or Snowy Owl ; the other Siberian spe- cies of this genus never leave the forest region. 490 APPENDIX. Here we found fourteen and a-half fathoms water, with a muddy bottom. Thirty wersts further north we found the same depth of water, but a gravelly bottom. We always found, by diligent and very careful sounding, that the depth of water decreased towards the west, increased towards the east, but remained equal towards the north. As Hedenstrom's account of his sound- ings, as well as the direction in which he states them to have increased, varies so much from our observations, I think I may venture to assert that he must have been in error in his measure- ment. This is the more probable, as he had no lead with him properly divided by a foot measure, and might therefore easily be mistaken. The same remark holds good with respect to his distances, which he calculated merely by the pace at which his dogs went, without correcting his calculations by any observation of latitude. That distances, estimated in this manner, are not wholly to be depended on, follows as a matter of course ; indeed they were always much too large, as is shown by a comparison of his survey of New Siberia, with the subsequent one of Lieutenant Anjou. Nor can the appearance of the geese and owl, at a great distance from the main-land, be taken as a proof of the existence of an unknown con- tinent in the north. The geese, it is known in Siberia, fly northward in search of open water, where they remain till the thawing of the rivers allows them to return to the south. The owl, on the other hand, is a carnivorous bird, and follows the white bear, to feed on the remains of his prey. If- indeed towards the end of summer fli'*ht§ of wild geese were seen arriving over the ocean from X APPENDIX. 491 the north, a fair inference might be drawn that they had made their nests on some northern continent, and afterwards returned in quest of a more southerly latitude. After this short digression, let us return to Hedenstrom's adventures. Convinced of the impossibility of proceeding further north, Hedenstrom made an attempt to reach Cape Chelagskoi, but found the ice already so thin that he was obliged to renounce this plan also. He found it difficult to retrace his own track to the Kolyma, where, however, he arrived in safety, and spent the summer. On the 18th of September he started again, on sledges, to complete the survey of the coast as far as the Indigirka. There he met the Geodet Pschenizyn, who had found no means of getting over to Kotelnoi Island, and had therefore spent the summer on the lana and Indigirka. In the middle of October Hedenstrom went across the tundra direct to Ustiansk. " On this occasion," he says, " I observed a remarkable natural phenomenon on the Chastach Lake. This lake is fourteen wersts long and six broad, and every autumn throws up a quantity of bitu- minous fragments of wood, with which its shores, in many places, are covered to the depth of more than two feet. Among these, are pieces of a hard, transparent, resinous substance, burning like amber, though without its agreeable perfume. It is probably the hardened resin of the larch- tree. The Chastach Lake is situated 115 wersts from the sea, and 80 wersts from the nearest forest.^' f IvK 4*I^T« -* ^\f9 ^W% r^TT l-T exf\ am c. natural phenomenon, no less remarkable : " On 492 APPENDIX. tLe tundra, equally remote from the present line of forest, among the steep sandy banks of the lakes and rivers, are found large birch-trees, complete, with bark, branches, and root. At the first glance they appeared to have been well pre- served by the earth, but, on digging them up, they are found to be in a thorough state of decay. On being lighted they glow, but never emit a flame ; nevertheless the inhabitants of the neigh- bourhood use them as fuel, and designate these subterranean trees as Adamovshtshina, or of Adam's time. The first living birch-tree is not found nearer than three degrees to the south, and then only in the form of a shrub.'' Sannikow had already arrived at Ustiansk, and made a report respecting his summer-resi- dence on Kotelnoi Island. Of this report the following are the main points: — Sannikow and Belkow had spent the summer on the island, having arrived with a party of fur-hunters who came to dig for mammoth-bones, and catch stone- foxes. They had established themselves on the western coast, which had not previously been visited, and where they hoped for better success on that account. From this summer encamp- ment, Sannikow followed the western coast, about 150 worsts beyond the spot to which the previous visits of the fur-hunters had extended, and where the coast turns towards the east. Thence he saw in the N.E., high rocks, at an estimated distance of 70 worsts. On the coast he found a grave, which had been dug up by white bears, and the body of the deceased dragged away to some distance. Near the grave stood a long narrow sledge of singular form and con- struction, having apparently been drawn, not by APPENDIX. 493 animals^ but by men, as might be inferred from the arrangement of the tliongs still attached to it. At the end of the grave was a wooden cross, fastened with lead, bearing one of the customary inscriptions of the Russian church.^ Near the grave were found a copper kettle, an iron one- edged spear or batass, seventeen iron arrows, an axe, a bullet-mould, a pair of peasants' shoes, a horn comb, and several other articles. This would lead to the conclusion, that the deceased may have been a fur-hunter, who may have been cast away here. The decayed remains of a vessel found in the neighbourhood confirm this in- ference. The grave appeared to have been made by the aid of fire ; the walls within had evidently been heated, and near it were several pieces of charred wood. At no great distance, was a wooden liouse, the beams of which were regularly hewn, and in v/hich were found several articles of household furniture, made of the antlers of rein- deer. In several places along the coast, where geese had built their n( sts, remains of fire were seen, with the bones of those birds lying about, and along the shore were many bones of whales and other fish. It was also observed by Sanni- kow that the rein-deer were much more shy and cautious than in Siberia. Sannikow's observation of rocks seen to the north-east of Kotelnoi, induced Hedenstrom to visit that part of the coast himself in the spring. He charged Pschenizyn to finish the survey of New Siberia; and sent tho Cossack Tatarinow, whom he had instructed in the use of the coni- * Thus it is stated in the orij^inal recort. Probably the in- scription was illegible ; else, it is to be presumed, the name of the deceased and the year of his death would have been given. 494 APPENDIX. pass, to try whether it would not be possible to get round the Great Polynia, which, as we have seen above, extends from New Siberia in the direction of the Kolyma. Business forced lledenstrom that winter to go to Verchoiansk, where he found an order from the go\ ernor of lakutsk, to repair to him imme- diately, to furnish a personal report of wliat had hitherto been effected. He arrived at lakutsk on the 4th of January, 1811, when the governor in- formed him that the expedition pressed too heavily on the poor and scanty population of the coast of the Polar Ocean, and that he (the go- vernor) had sent remonstrances on the subject, and was then in expectation ol the derision of the Government. After Hedenstrom had furnished a detailed report of his labours, it was resolved to leave the further survey of the islands to the Geodet Pschenizyn, assisted by Sannikow, Tata- rinow, and the non-commissioned officer Reschet- nikow. A report of Pschenizyn's survey accom- panies Hedenstrcim's journal as an appendix, the principal points of which are the following : Pschenizyn went, early in March, 1811, with sledges from the Russian mouth of the lana to New Siberia, and completed the survey of that island, the circumference of which he estimated at 470 wersts. The northern coast consists, gene- rally, of lofty and precipitous rocks of sandstone. There is very little drift-wood on the north side of the island, whereas, on the southern coast, it is found in two bays, in the greatest abundance. Tatarinow, in obedience to his orders, stai*ted from Cppe Kammennoy, in the direction of the rifoof T^olTT-niq • Viii-f of -flirt rt-n/l r^-P fV.^ -C.^i. J -i ■u»ii\^iil- J- Krlj lllH) tjO.lf til; i.ii\^ l^iXU. Wi tJlC Hi S 1/ tWCllty- five wersts, found the ice so thin, that he did not APPENDIX. 495 venture to po further. Immediately beyond this thin crust of ice, he saw open water, completely free from ice. Sannikow started for Padejevskoi, and commenced its survey on the 27th of March. He found what had hitherto been supposed to be a strait, to be only a deep inlet on the western coast. From the upper end of this inlet, there extends a flat sand-bank, connecting the two islands of Fadcjcvskoi and Kotclnoi. The north- west point of the former consists of a lofty narrow ridge of rocks, behind which the coast suddenly bends to the east and south-east, forming a bay. From the northevo coist Sannikow saw laud fur- ther to the nortinith I igh mountains, and set out to explore it; b^^t xitev ue had proceeded twenty- five wersts over tl ici;, he came to a large open polynia, extending on every side. He thought he saw the land quite distinctly, and estimated the dis- tance at about twenty-four wersts from the place where his progrees had been arrested, and about forty-five wersts from Fadejevskoi Island. He made another attempt to go due north from Cape Blagovichenie, but was again stopt by open water. On the 12th of April, he returned to Ustiansk, to send rein-deer and other supplies to Kotelnoi, where he intended to pass the summer. This party, taking with them twenty-three rein-deer, set off on the 2nd of May, and arrived there before the end of the month, with great difficulty, owing to the many fissures already formed in the ice, and to the quantity of sea-salt, that, in con- sequence, haH been deposited on it. Another party, intended to join Pschenizyn, on the island of Fadejevskoi, could not arrive, and that officer It 496 APPENDIX. Sannikow's rein-deer were greatly exhausted by the long and painful march, but they soon re- covered, and on the 25th of June he set out to examine the part of the island that was still un- known. Pasturage for the rein-deer being but seldom found along the coast, and the eastern and western sides having already been examined, he determined to cross the island, and return, by a circuit, to the point to which the examination of the coast had previously extended. He drove up the Czar River and down the Sannikow River, and then followed the coast as closelv as the nature of the pasturage grounds would allow, making ihe complete circuit of the island. This excursion occupied fifty-four days ; the party re- turned to their settlement on the 17th of August, having subsisted on geese, and on wild rein-deer caught by one of their companions, a lukahir, by means of rein-deer trained for the purpose. On the hills in the interior of the island, San- nikow found the skulls and bones of horses, buf- faloes, oxen, and sheep, in such abundance, that these animals must formerly have lived there in large herds. At present, however, the icy wilderness produces nothing that could afford them nourishment, nor would they be able to endure the climate. Sannikow concludes that a milder climate must formerly have prevailed here, and that these animals may therefore have been contemporary with the mammoth, whose remains are found in every part of the island. Another circumstance, whence he infers a change in the dimate, is the frequent occurrence, here, as well as in the island of New Siberia, of large trees par- ^■ACvAar Jir^Kj»-**i i*3v-'v*. APPENDIX. 497 The remains of numerous lukahir huts, scat- tered over the island, appear to confirm a tradition generally current at Ustiansk and along the In- digirka, that, about 150 years ago, a large emigration of this tribe took place, in con- sequence of the small-pox, which then raged with great violence ; the fugitives are supposed to have sought refuge in these islands, or perhaps in some still undiscovered country in the Polar Ocean. In addition to fossU and bituminous wood, they found on the eastern side, along the sandy banks of the Sannikow River, some very beautiful ammonites, in large balls of hard clay. These ammonites shone like mother-of-pearl. The ribs of whales also were frequently seen on the west coast, whereas, they are never, or at all events very rarely, met with on the north coast of Siberia.* On the 4th of October, Sannikow se out to examine the sand-bank on the east side of Kotelnoi Island, and to pass from it to Fade- jevskoi, to seek for Pschenizvn, who had left Ustiansk about the end of April with Tatarinow and a few other companions. He waited for some time at the winter habitation in Fadejevskoi, in expectation of rein-deer that were to have been sent after him, but as they did not arrive, he determined to set out on foot. With all his ex- ertions, he was unable to proceed more than fifty wersts, before he was compelled to return and await the winter, when he might hope to reach either the mainland, or the island of Kotelnoi. He had expected that his dogs would have been able to subsist during the summer on the mice, ♦ From the accounts of voy?,gefi of the eighteenth eentury, the appearance of whales in this part of the Polar Ocean would seem to have been at that lime of much more frequent occurrence 2 K 498 APPENDIX. which they are in the habit of catching, and had brought with him only as much food for them, as he calculated he should require on his return. Unfortunately the mice had migrated ; * and in consequence, the greater part of his dogs died, and those that remained were so weak and ex- hausted, that they were utterly unfit to perform the journey back. Pschenizyn himself, and his companions, had likewise suffered much from a scarcity of provisions. Such was the situation in which Sannikow found them on his arrival, on the 6th of October. He shared with them his own not very abundant stores, and, after three days^ repose, the whole party set off for Kotelnoi Island, where they arrived on the 13th. Here, from Sannikow' s manuscript notes and personal explanations, Pschenizyn drew up a map of the island, and a journal of the whole expedition. On the 27th of October, they set out on their return, which was attended by many perils, the ice being still very thin, and in many places open. Sanni- kow's experience, however, and presence of mind, surmounted every obstacle ; and on the 13th of November they all reached Ustiansk with their rein-deer. Sannikow went to lakutsk to make his report, and was followed by Pschenizyn, after he had settled his accounts with the inhabi- tants of Ustiansk for the supplies furnished to the expedition. ^^hus ended Hedenstrom^s undertaking, re- markable in many points of view, and highly creditable to the zeal with which he met its difficulties and dangers. In conclusion, I will * The mice often migrate in large numbers from one island to another, and sometimes even to the continent of Asia. APPENDIX. 499 \ subjoin a few of his remarks on the natural history of these icy regions. The shores of the Polar Ocean, from the Lena to Behring Straits are, for the most part, low and flat, rising so little above the level of the sea, that in winter it is difficult to discover where the land terminates. A few worsts inland, however, a line of high ground runs parallel with the present coast, and formerly, no doubt, constituted the boundary of the ocean. This belief is strength- ened by the quantity of decayed wood found on the upper level, and also by'the shoals that run far out to sea, and are probably destined, at some future period, to become dry land. On these shoals, during the winter, lofty hummocks fix themselves, forming a kind of bulwark along the low shore, and often remaining there the whole summer without melting. The banks of the rivers and lakes in the interior, o '\e other hand, are bold and precipitous, and pi oxit a singular geological phenomenon, in their regular alternate strata of ice and soil, and the veins of ice that run through them in different directions. The nearer the Arctic shore is approached, the more scanty and diminutive the trees be- come. As far as Verchoiansk larch trees of good size are still found. Beyond the 70th degree neither trees nor shrubs are met with. He gives some interesting particulars respect- ing the mammoth-bones, the peculiar production of Siberia, and more particularly of the northern islands. According to his account, these bones or tusks, are less large and heavy the further we advance towards the north, so that it is a rare occurrence on the islands to meet with a tusk of more than three pood in weight, whereas on the 3 k2 .': ! 500 APPENDIX. continent, they are said to weigh often as much as twelve pood. In quantity, however, these bones increase wonderfully to the northward, and as Sannikow expresses himself, the whole soil of the first of the Liakhow Islands appears to consist of them. For about eighty years the fur-hunters have every year brought large cargoes from this island, but as yet there is no sensible diminution of the stock. The tusks on the islands are also much more fresh and white than those of the continent. A sand-bank on the western side was most productive of all, and the fur-hunters main- tain, that when the sea recedes after a long con- tinuance of easterly winds, a fresh supply of mammoth-bones is always found to have been washed upon this bank, proceeding apparently from some vast store at the bottom of the sea. In addition to the mammoth, the remains of two other unknown animals are found along the shore of the Polar Ocean. The head of one of these bears a strong resemblance to that of the rein-deer ; differing from it in the size and form of the antlers, which descend and turn up towards the extremity. The head of the other animal is generally thirty-one inches long, and twelve in- ches broad I the nose is bent downward, and shows several rows of bony excrescences. Near these last-named skulls something like the claw of an enormous bird is generally found. These claws are often three English feet long, flat above, but pointed below, the section presenting a triangle. They appear to have been divided into joints throughout their whole length, like the claws of a bird. The lukahirs, who make use of these horny claws to give increased force to their bows, maintain that the head and claws have both APPENDIX. 501 belonged to an enormous bird, respecting which they relate a number of marvellous stories.* Hedenstrom's astronomical and geographical determinations are not often to be depended on, owing, no doubt, to the want of good instru- ments, and skilful assistants. Thus, for in- stance, he states the latitude of Svatoi Noss at one degree less than Laptew and Anjou. On many other points the coast is given half a degree more to the south than it was found to be on the occasion of the recent more careful observations. To the northern islands much too great an extent of longitude was assigned by him. Thus from the western point of Kotelnoi Island to the eastern cape of New Siberia, comprises, on Hedenstrom's map, a distance of 285 miles; whereas the real distance, was found by the sur- vey of Lieutenant Anjou, to be only 20*5 miles. 9.^ II. — On the Ice of the Polar Sea. — The Polynia or open water. — Currents. — Gain of the Land on the Sea. — The Aurora Borealis. On the best kind of Sledges, and on the treatment of the Dogs. The fur-hunters, who visit New Siberia and Kotelnoi Island every year and pass the summer there, have observed that the space between r. Kyber had frequent opportunities of examining these scd heads and elaws of a bi.d, and believes thcm to be the remains of a species of rhinoceros. * Dr sUppOS 502 APPENDIX. those islands and the continent is never com- pletely frozen over before the last days of October, although fixed ice forms along the coasts at a much earlier period. In springy on the other hand, the coasts are quite free; by the end of June, whereas, at a greater distance froiri land, the icy covering continue^^ firni a, full raoiith later, and would probably remain so still longer^ if it were not weakened by the multitude of cracks which i rs formed in the spring, and some even in winter. Throughout the summer the sea is covered with fields of ice of various sizes, drifted ro and fro bv the wiudt, and curieuts, and when the sea is agitated by &torms these offer u uia^^^iiificent spectacle. The ice which the larger rivers bring down gyAvy year is never entirely melted in the same year, either by the action of the sun or by that of the sea. When the ice melts, a quantity of heat is absorbed, and the temperature is kept down. This yearly accession of river-ice might be expected gradually to augment the quantity of ice in the Polar Sea ; and it would seem that this is the case, from what the inhabitants of the coast near Cape North affirmed, namely, that formerly the sea in the neighbourhood of the Cape used to be free from ice in summer, which is now seldom the case. It was so in 1820, but this was regarded as a rare exception. In winter, the surface of the Polar Sea resembles on a smaller scale, that of the steppes or tundras of the continent, the hummocks taking the place of the hills and mountains on the land, the open spaces (or polynias) and the fi^ sv.res, that of the lakes and rivers. In the summer and autum ii the ice breaks up APPENDIX. 503 r into fields, and lanes of open water between them are met with near the land, as well as near the open sea : the action of the wind at this period, in driving the fields against each other, forms what are called autumn hummocks, which are usually about six feet high, and consist of pieces which are pointed and sharp. Winter hummocks are formed in the same manner where lanes of water exist, which at that period is only in the vicinity of the open sea, and usually parallel with the external margin of the ice ; these hummocks are generally therefore in ridges, preserving the same direction. There are none of this descrip- tion between the islands of New Siberia and the continent, nor have the ridges in that quarter any usual or determinate direction. Winter hummocks are frequently 100 feet in height, sometimes with one perpendicular and one slop- ing side, as described in page 144, and at others, with declivities on both sides : they are formed of a great number of pieces of all sizes, heaped together, amongst which are occasionally frag- ments of very old ice. The colour of the ice is either bluish-green, or a clear white ; the former is the sea-water congealed; the latter is the snow which has fallen on its surface, pressed by its own weight, and cemented by occasional partial thawing and freezing afresh. The con- gealed sea-water is either fresh, in which case it is more blue and transparent ; or bitter, when it is much less transparent, of a greenish-blue, and without air-bubbles. Some of the autumn ice is of a dirty grey colour and opake ; this is formed in shoal and muddy water. The thickness of the ice produced in a single winter is about nine and a-half feet ; an exposure to a second winter 504 APPENDIX. will add about five feet more, and doubtless a third winter will add more still ; but masses are formed of 150 feet and upwards in depth; these consist of fragments packed on each other by the force of the wind and waves, and cemented to- gether; the process of their formation is fre- quently evidenced by intermediate layers of white and opake ice, composed of the snow which was originally on the surface of the now imbedded fragments. Wherever the ice is formed from sea- water, and its surface is clear of snow, the salt of the sea may be found deposited in crystals which are called Rassol; in the neighbourhood of the polynias the layer of salt is frequently of con- siderable thickness. It is a great impediment to draft, acting like so much coarse sand : though bitter in flavour, and not devoid of medicinal qualities, the fur-hunters use it instead of other salt, on their journeys to and from the islands of New Siberia. The Great Polynia, or the part of the Polar Ocean which is always an open sea, is met with about twenty-five wersts north of the islands of Kotelnoi and New Siberia, and frora thence in a more or less direct line, to about the same dis- tance off* the coast of the continent, between Cape Chelagskoi and Cape North. Tatarinow, who accompanied the surveyor Pschenitzyn to New Siberia in April 1811, found an open sea about twenty-five wersts north of that island ; as did Hedenstrom in 1810, about seventy wersts east of it : Lieutenant von Anjou, in 1823, traced the boundary of the open sea some miles to the north of these islands, as is shown by his track in the map annexed to this work : ' our several APPENDIX. 505 sea journeys have related the various instances in which we encountered either the open sea itself or the very thin ice indicative of its immediate vicinity, at different points of the general boun- dary Une above described : the Tchuktches who live near Cape North, when speaking of the polynia in that neighbourhood, added, that the shore-ice usually extends somewhat further sea- ward about Cape North than about Cape Jakan. Our frequent experience, that north and north- west winds, and often north-east winds also, are damp to a degree which was sufficient to wet our clothes, is also a corroboration of the existence of an open sea at no great distance in those directions. During the summer, the current between Svatoi Noss and Koliutchin Island is from east to west, and in autumn, from west to east. This is confirmed by the relations of Liakhow in 1773, Schalarov in 1762, and Billings in 1787. The Tchuktches also told us, that in summer the ice drifts rapidly along the coast to the west, and in autumn to the east. The prevalence of N.W. winds is doubtless the occasion of the S.E. cur- rent, which we frequently observed in the spring. It has been noticed in the narrative, and may be seen by the map, that in the part of the Polar Sea over which we travelled, the water deepens almost imperceptibly in going towards the north, but much more rapidly in going towards the east . the bottom was everywhere soft, except in a single instance in 73° 03' N. and 166° 12' E. where we found a rocky bottom. The inhabitants of the north coast of Siberia generally believe that the land is gaining on the sea : this belief is chiefly founded on the quantity I » s,' 506 APPENDIX. of loiii^-weathercd drift-wood which is now to be met with on the tundras and in the valleys/ at a distance of fifty wersts from the present sea-line, and decidr'l^y above its level. In no circum- stances oi' we.ivliiiiY is either sea-water or ice now ever Kricvii to come so far inland. In Schala- rov's map, Diomed Island is marked as separatea from the main Ir.nd to the east of Svatoi Noss by a sea-channel ; no such channel of separation now exists. It may be » -jxUi i.^; wards fnture researches of this nature to state, that on Wiliginsk sand- bank, near the lesser Baranov Rock, there is a single column of rock, the summit of which in May 1832, was thirty Enghsh feet in vertical height above the frozen surface of the sea. The general characteristics of the Aurora Bo- realis are so well known that it is unnecessary to describe them here , I will therefore confine my- self to the following particulars wh^uli appear to deserve a special notice. 1. When the stream ors rise high and ap} , Hch the full moon, a luminous circle of from 20" to 30° is frequently formed round it; the circle con- tinues for a tiiue, and then disappears. 3. When the strr mers extend to the zenith, or nearly i, tLjy som. times esolve themselves into small, faintly luminous, and cloudlike patch s, of a milk-^'liife colour, and which, not unfrequently continue to be visible on the folio wins: dav in the shape of white wave-liVe clouds. 3. We often saw ou the northern horizon, be- low the auroral gl dark h\w clouds, \v hich bear a ^reat res( ib ce in colo r and fo.in, to the vapours which usually rise ' om a sudden break in the ice of the sea. /""PENDIX. 60? 4. Even durinji: tlj. most brilliant Auroras, we could never perceive any considerable noise, but in such cases we did hear a slight hissing sound, as when the wind blows on a flame. 5. The Auroras seen from Nijnei Kolymsk usually commence in the north-eastern quarter of the heavens ; and the middle of the space wli ch they occupy in the northern horizon, is generally 10° or 20° east of true north. The magnetic variation at this place is about 10° east. 6. Auroras are more frequent and more bril- liant on the sea-coast than at a distance from it. The latitude of the place does not otherwise in- fluence them. Thus for example, it would seem from the accounts of the Tchuktches, that in Koliutchin Island, (in 67° 26' latitude,) Auroras are much more frequent and more brilliant than at Nijnei Kolymsk, in latitude 68° 32'. On the coast we often saw the streamers shoot up to the zenith; whereas, this was rarely the case at Nijnei Kolymsk; nor was the light nearly so brilliant at the latter place. 7. The inhabitants of the coast affirm, that fter a brilliant Aurora they always have a strong lie frou! the quarter in which it appeared, we did .ot observe this to be the case at Nijnei Kolymsk. The difference, however, may proceed from local circumstances, which often eiti.er pre- vent the sea inds from reachin u far inland, or alter their lirection; for examp^ it often happens that there is a str(>ng northerly wind at Pochodsk, sevent" wersts north of Kolvmsk, whilst at the lattei place the ^' ind is southerly, 8. The finest Auroras ah. .lys appear lu the beginning of strong gales in Nov nber and January ; wht ' the cold is most intense, they are more rare. V 508 APPENDIX. 9. A remarkable phenomenon which I often witnessed deserves to be recorded, i. e. when shooting stars fell near the lower portion of an auroral arch, fresh kindled streamers instantly appeared, and shot up from the spot where the star fell. From ^ >me of the above remarks it may be in- ferred that the freezing of the sea may be con- nected with the appearance of Auroras. Perhaps a great quantity of electricity may be produced by the suddenly rising vapours, or by the friction of large masses of ice against each other. The Aurora does not always occupy the higher regions of the atmosphere ; it is usually nearer the surface of the earth, and this is shown by the visible influence of the lower current of the atmosphere, on the beams of the Aurora : we have frequently seen the efl:ect of the wind on the streamers as obvious as it is on clouds ; and it is almost always the wiud which is blowing at the surface of the earth. I propose to give a few details, supplementary to those contained in the narrative, respecting the rules to be adopted in regard to sledges and dogs, as they may be useful to future travellers, and are all derived from our own, and sometimes from dear-bought, experience. The Narti, or sledges of Northern Siberia, are not made according to any uniform pattern : those which we found to be the best for our joumies over the Polar Sea had the following dimensions : length of the runners 2^ arschins, or about 5 feet 10 inches English : breadth of the sledge | of an arschin, or 1 foot 9 inches : height from the run- ners to the upper part 6 werschok, or lOJ inches. The best material is birch-wood, and the pieces APPENDIX. 509 ought to be selected as i'rvv from knots as pos- sible, that they may wear imifornily, otherwise the softer parts become worn away, leaving the harder ones to project, so as greatly to impede the gliding of the sledge. The upper surface, on which the lading is placed, is formed of the long flexible shoots of the sand-w'^i()ws woven together. In order to render the wooden runners more tough and durable, they should first be softened in boiling water, and then placed for a month or more under the ice in running water. When thoroughly saturated they should be taken out duiing a severe frost, when they will be perfectly smooth and hard. No iron whatever is used in the construction of the sledge, all the parts (with the exception of the upper wick(5r work), are merely fastened together with thongs, which tends greatly to prevent fracture in travelling over rugged paths, and in ascendmg and descending the hummocks. The wodiat, or artificial crust of ice under the runners, has been described in p. 97. When the wodiat is thick (half an inch) and strong, 35 pood, or 1260 lb. avoirdupois may be placed on each sledge in spring, but in intense winter cold, 10 pood, or 360 lb. is sometimes a heavy load for the dogs. For journeys over the ice of the sea, spare runners ought always to be taken, as well as spare pieces to replace some of the other parts of the sledge : pieces of whalebone should also be car- ried for the purpose of replacing, towards the end of April and beginning of May, the wodiat, which then ceases to be available. The best time of the whole year for sledging is the month of March ; when the cold equals or exceeds — 25° the draft ! 510 APPENDIX. tlA \ is much more heavy, and when it is — 40°, the friction is greatly increased from the hard and granular state of the snow. Good thongs to be \if?ed in the construction of sledges, may be made of elk, ox, or walrus-skin ; the first are very good but scarce, and the prepa- ration of ox-leather is ill-understood ; walrus- skin is most frequently used, and is very durable. The whole of the lading of a sledge should be wrapped in a covering of soft rein-deer skin, and bound so strongly to the sledge with thongs as to be quite secure from displacement in the overturns which frequently occur. A complete sledge of large size and drawn by twelve or thirteen dogs requires, including the harness and the binding of the lading, 760 feet of thongs of various breadths. The choice of dogs is a most material point. A team ought always to be well accustomed to draw together; the dogs appear to learn how best to aid each other, by which they are saved much fatigue, and their driver much trouble. The dogs of the lana and Indigirka are preferable to those of the Kolyma on this account, and also because they are used to much longer journeys both over the ice to New Siberia, and over the tundras. A well-loaded sledge requires twelve dogs, but the foremost sledge should have one more, which should be trained as a leader with great and pe- culiar care, that he may neither be liable to be tempted from the route by the scent of game, nor turned aside by any difficulty : but may swim across open places when necessary. The impor- tance of a good leader even for a single team and in ordinary sledging has been spoken of in Chap- ter III. Dogs that are to be used for a distant journey. APPENDIX. 511 the ought to be treated with great care for a long time beforehand, and to be allowed good food and rest ; when this has been done, they usually show the good condition they are in by changing the whole of their coat in summer, which is only partially the case with weak and ill-kept dogs. When winter has set in, and the time for travel- ling approaches, they should be carefully pre- pared for it. For a fortnight previous to their first journey, they must be put on a smaller allowance of hard food, to convert their superflu- ous fat into firmer flesh. They are at the same time to be exercised, by being driven from ten, to at the outside thirty worsts, halting and resting regularly every four or five worsts. After such a preparation, they may be driven as much as 150 wersts a-day without being injured by it, pro- viding the journey is not of very long continu- ance, and the cold is not very great; in such cases the days' journeys must be proportionably shortened. In order to be more sure that none of the necessary precautions were omitted, we attended to them ourselves; and previous to our long ice-journeys, we had the dogs collected at a proper place about a fortnight before startin*--, and saw all the rules of diet and exercise ob- served. The drivers at such times gave them their food raw and cooked on alternate days. In winter journeys, it is ad\dsable, as*^ far as possible, to allow the dogs fresh frozen fish thawed and cut into pieces, instead of dried fish ; but the latter does perfectly well in spriu"-, when the weather is milder ; ten good frozen herrino-s are a proper daily allowance for each dog. Dried fish are lighter for transport. 1 t 512 APPENDIX. On first starting, we used to drive about forty wersts a-day along the coast, when the path was good ; in returning, we often drove at the rate of sixty wersts, and during the hist twenty days, sometimes at that of 100 wersts a-day. When the weather is very severe, the dogs ought to be allowed a day's rest after every two or three ; but in milder weather once a-week is sufficient. Sometimes towards the end of the journey, we travelled several days together, without the dogs being injured by it. Generally speaking, the quantity of rest allowed, ought to be in propor- tion to the strength of the dogs, and to the length of time during which they have still to travel. It is most essential to spare them during the early part of the journey; towards its con- clusion they may be worked harder, and may even, if necessary, be given less food. When they are in good travelling condition, they may very well run for an hour or an hour and a-half in very cold weather, and for three hours in mild weather, without stopping ; making a halt of ten or twenty minutes at the expiration of these in- tervals. The general rule after a clay's journey is not to feed them until they have had two or three hours' rest, but if they are very much exhausted, warm food should be given as soon after their arrival as it can be prepared. A small piece of fish is sometimes given to them durinj^ their short halts. On long journeys they are liable to become footsore ; and as this will sometimes render them unserviceable for a full month, the greatest care should be taken to avoid it. As soon as any blood is seen on the paws, they should be frequently washed in strong brandy, and if the APPENDIX. 513 weather is mild, batlied in sea- water ; fur boots are used at such times with advantage. When a dog is overworked, it is customary to bleed him in the tail or ears. When on the track of a deer or bear, the dogs will run fifteen wersts, and even more, in an hour ; but this must not be regarded as a travelling pace. ! .1 1 1 III. — General remarks on the Winds. North wind is seldom fresh or of long-continu- ance ; is more frequent in summer than in winter, when it often brings mist and milder weather, but in summer it brings cold. North-east wind, or more often E.N.E., is sel- dom of long continuance and violent. It usually clears the atmosphere >m mist, and thus causes the thermometer to rise in summer and to fall in winter. Auroras often accompany this wind in winter. South-east wind drives away mist, and may be regarded as the prevailing wind in autumn and v/inter. Sometimes in the middle of winter, a wind from the S.E. by E., or S.E. J E. causes the temperature to rise suddenly from — 24° to + 25°, or even to 32° ; previously to this, the barometer sinks as much as four-tenths of an inch in the course of eight hours. The S.S.E. wind has no particular influence, either on the barometer or thermometer. S.E. winds, but more 2 L A 514 APPENDIX. particularly E. by S., and E. winds are frequently accompanied by Auroras. South winds seldom blow with much force; they bring clouds, and have no particular in- fluence on either the barometer or thermometer. South-west wind seldom blows with much force, and has rot much effect on the temperature; nevertheless, in winter it is much felt, and is the most piercing of all winds. The natives have a particular name for it — Schalonnik. West and north-west winds. — These are the pre- vailing winds on the general average of tht year ; in winter, the S.E. prevail, in summer, N.W. ; and the N.W. blows often in wint 3r also. The wind is accounted more likely to be steady Avhen in the N.W. quarter than in others ; in summer it is a cold wind ; in winter it brings snow, and bad weather. By ^ direction of the lines of drifted snow lying on the frozen surface of the ice, it appears that W.N.W. and E. S.E. winds are the most prevalent. 11 ii i o < Q 10 *'■< a> bO *>^ S H 2 ^ N^ c k) ^ u % *H 1—4 H HI '■0 c s H ri o o 4J < TS :§ 01 X -r) 0) a 0) n ,JS ^ Vi >. :z; x: O H 0) .2 i-^ T (/} ^1 O 0) CXh 4* -a hJ < O hH w Ol osoooooooost~>o« ^ ^ ctf CO • fH ■ c CO • 13 ■ 3 o ,^ • ci5 > 'a* I'i '^ o *3cO o _ o " ttM «« C*H >. o o o ^ •r* .— .-d .p,4 w a & 5*_ iS ^ a 3 s a .. 3 3 CO CO CO ^ ^ CU CQ CQ CO fcJL 'IM tpN •»-* 'FH CO cr O C o . CO B ao ^« s •* « ^ o bo — fcc.S <•« i»"^ •>« •** ■•- p^ o f^ O) w Vi eo ■ > rfJ w w ^ ^ p H^ w O w ra- ij r^ 516 APPENDIX. •i.i V CO o ;c «31 IQ o O O "* "* S^ 1-" 1-^ •^1 . "* o» I" ■s* •^ • • o " 04 t«. t-H V P— >4 I-* ^ c: '^li. 6 s •2 . . . • S o o o o d d • o d d d d 6 6%\^& gCQQQQPpQQQQ QQ 2^ ^ ^S o ©0 •4-* <<]<<] <<<<<<< 1 1 <<< ^ («« (=\i=\ Long.E. from Green- wich. »«O03«5y3OMO 1— 1 U3 CO CO O I— 1 rj^ O * ^ O CO W tH (N eo or O r-i w o U5"3»OW3t.'3U5kO«5Wa'0>.'3W3 W3 ■* <© «© ly? •— < r-W i-H 1— 1 I— 1 ■^o OOTfiTOt-^CO-^OOO I-H 00 TJH 00 CS rH lO CO ^ "^ OO^ecco^OUSiMTih I-H '.f* .- •^ r-H I— 1 CO O *^t>.t^-eoeciOM^«oooeoo 00 o c^ J'!j<»CiOOO>fl»0»0W3 ■* O U5 ■* N >-3 o o o c o o p^ 1—1 I— 1 O O O O O rt o o o t^t^t~-.tN.t--l>.t^t^t-l>. t^ t--. b- t>. »>. ^>. h- • >- •^ • • _>> •^ « • • s rs > • "3 • • "3 cu o 3 »- . o .5 • (u rj te :^ " o .ij "13 § .2 fi tS H, I-, h-i l-s O fSo^-S'S'Sa c o ■" .S o &,fl o • -*-* • o ^^ « ^ ^ J- >5 4) , JS «*« C4.< g_ T— 1 r— 1 O 1—1 0) "^l-S, . to o -S'-S +3 ■<-» 4-1 :.M ;;:;.2^ 1 -3 S o => o o o 1^ O 54.. O O O cJ g q a 3 3 ■o'S'S'S ° ° si APPENDIX. 517 a etic atio t. X o CO 03 ^ C 2 — <»(sooe ... O u r< " > CO 3 o 0) o o Oh s. T W tH u (U - CO CO Ul t— I > c CO ca ■'-' .Jh CO aj •J 2i i c3 ,s 54^ c*H >- o o o d • • eo >, « c<« ^ ^ i' • oO • B cS =« >»pH -2 n 0) CO rt H^ !>v i< »-' 3 3 ear the Gr osmina . h Februaj h Februa e 26th Fe am, 7 th A e, 4th Au li August ivaiuna M is CO the K he 24t he26t tof th a stre e Lak ay, 8t he Vo. ctf Cm p,t„ *j •« --j t« 'S P3 ■« "♦J •B 13 *j ^j ti t; ~f, 3 jj ca a> 0} t-* >, taSB 3^3BCf!3-^2B r^ **! O O O ttf Q •':« •Tl W) o >»-B "^ .2P o J^-S M H^^ 13^.^ ;a KSfS^i^S^Hfe 518 APPENDIX. a .H.9 c a S S (U O 00 •5.2 . k»4 4> V) o T3 s C g d d 6 5» § • ^\ Tn • • • • a Q3^QGQQQ2§ •^2 ^« §^ a .2 S ra o O . ao O '-O ■* CO l.'S ''S <» CO ?o o TJH O CO o 1^ CO CO O O O O >— I '—' ' J t^ i>. t^ t-- t^ t^ Hi u C4 !>. t^ O o O !>. C^ 00 C-'5 O Oi Oi o cc CO ?o o t— (N 00 o o tio eo o CO Ci t-- t>.weciio«oeO'*co c-n -^ eo uaio-^eoeo-^Tfio o o o 05O0005050iCSO O O O at S it Xi 1^ 00 - -a a CO a tn ^ a a u u J o fc! -w trt k^ _ _ o CQ 09 4j 54- '~ O Cm a (M »» o a; TS cS X2 CO cn Cm O axi S 2 -73 C o O 3 -w rS ■•->■" *j J2 1^ o 3 b£.5 ;2;ph i-) CJ ^' ^■^ O M m »— «< 0) CJ (U a. a x: CO o CD ho « O Oh « xi CO o 09 M Ctt s M (S O) a ►t4 w u ca o • (U *-i »] 1 V • ETf: t e 3 O (u a aj ^S o o t^ t'S c" «" Eii? pL, CO ^ O Qi V ^ s <;^ (^ CO 3 APPENDIX. 519 0) Tm 4-> % s§ 5 ^ Magn Declin: Eas O 00 ?3 ^ •«.i . V e» "US « C "- «9 • • bo.- o • • ir V4 • a « a ■^-J ^ , , CO c d d 73 "oS ■■5 2 • o 09 6 • c 'q3 • c • o d cJ d f.c o o QQ Q 3 ■»-> Q B o be c 03 o QQCQ be— . C 5 o 2 §Q b:: s^ s ^ ^ ^ ^^ O IS < . i^ 00 00 00 -H 1— i "H f-H r-< r— ( — « 00 CO o ■— c l-H 1— 1 Ci >;:) 00 — < O t^ CO I-H (M J^ o «,o I-H CO '!?' '^co c~ci~ Izi V -- cc O -1 J C • IN • « o o • l- 3 "o p< • o CO c O -5 CO C o o O 3 j3 S c (N o o G s o a • c 3 > ^ O 3 4-> a 0) PL, ■4^ C c • p-H a ■4J "♦3 4-> a. -£ S o rt o "S 4-» o ca o '3 '3 "3 ca 0) -i-i <1> o •"-> o f^U tf fW ^UOhOPhPh f^ piH o ;zi ^ ;z; cc « "S © . ■* o w •* CO U3 (N «0 Ci ^ >-» fl O "5 ^ CO CO f-^O u V] a . . . . .« o o o o li Q Q Q Q K iS .c <<< 01*.SCi>30000CO— <00 IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 2.5 |50 """^ ^ lis IIIIIM 1.8 1.25 [ 1.4 1.6 ^ 6" - ► VI / -^"^ -^ / '/ w Photographic Sciences Corporation #> # V ^> :\ .V \ -"^ % V »» <> ^ O" ^ "^"'a<^ '% 5> 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 y" ^ M^ iL \ 522 APPENDIX. On comparing the geographical positions in this table, with the latitudes and longitudes of the same places as given in the course of the narra- tive, occasional discrepancies will be seen, amount- ing to a few minutes, especially in the longitudes. This may have arisen in some instances, no doubt, from the determinations of one year being cor- rected by those of a second. In other instances, probably, they are attributable to a reconsidera- tion of the data on which the first calculations were made. The values in the narrative fully serve the purpose of enabling the reader to follow its course on the map ; those who desire exact- ness in the geographical positions, will probably do well to take in preference the values given in the table. tl I ■■ 1 APPENDIX. 523 ;his the ra- nt- ies. bt, or- !es, ra- ms % ow ct- 3ly in I a .2 o o t^ c^ « 13 VJ o c^ '^ 1 t »] s vi *n 00 00 S « c4 ;a 1— 1 V U ty5" t3 S a . -o 'j- Ci i^ « . • 'O z; •-5 0} cc ■* so »*< tt) • • CO o a M CM o IS (5 ?C l» Ci o o US H H^ ° eo CO M •* 'i* <* ^- ^-' r^ i-H f-< )-H < Z V '-■5^?o >o^oy5»Nt>.*-^ao C O Ci . uaiO'?< I— («oo— ^i-i*— lo ro i-< w Cv. o «o :z »o (M FHU5— i^^tOC^CJOOt^O l-H t>.US 00 00 c^ • >o « r-l TO"-»C^^>Ol— IC^JrHCO "o eo >— eo eo ■— 1 2l 1-3 o O" ,,^^^»H^.-J a^ t^t>.t^t>.l>.t^t^t-.t^t>.t^t>.l-*t>.t-.t--.t»t>.t^t^ z ^ o-S < c , ^« . c • • • •^.2 c s • • • • «^ #> u * • • * • ■ • * * K/l 2^ 25 >< . • • • * • 1—1 . * • • O-a "^-g • • h3.S * <1 s • ' * J3 " * • • PHIC deter 4> • < ■ S • u^ ' • ^ »-.S 1- ^ f^ . ..S . .Si's . « a . 2:tf 2 o . Damp of the Tchendon R )f Manyka beidach Arm Bay of Esellach of the Esellach Ri ■r point in the Bay )f Wankin . )f Khar . ape Tchourkin . Lake in the Tundr of the Uriunchassti 2-5 of the Chroma Riv of the Lantscha Ri of the Bogdaschkii insk of Murasch le Svatoi Nos of the Chirokai of the Esangara Oust li Village ^ JS ^ O (UJ3 « '"' "^ «JS 2-^2 S 3 e^ c « M « o •-•:) ^ o o »o o o "-"s o o o O TO USU3'^iJ(MS?Ot^UOQOOi 00 «S^ o o -M 1^ O O "O Tfi o '.-a ■. ?0 O 00 o> >- °w ° * -S •- PQ « "T OS -.2 e a =2 CO cj ^ •* CO "^ 1-3 • >■ « 2 fl, «r: rH s ° jfi ji ^ o 2 S g 25 o c Sh (U 02 o > . o Xi »— t o •4-1 .CO Cm .o • a > o 'o CO ^ -2 CO a; 4) lU « =; C 93 M c O o S ^ S rt -a *; .a o S -2 Sri?* O fi -<-> o •ir • o rt ^ D9 09 (4 •6 CS s a 3 0) m Is Cm O 5^ 'rf (U flj aj aj 0) g.2 a,cO •5 bo , c «« -M o ^ CO .M rJ sjr cs s c c^ a, -M j-j •w 173 s fl fl O O O O O H <5 1> W O O UJ APPENDIX. 525 OQ M ,. a ■- 9 2 Is *• »0 &.9S ■* ft *Q us ^ o 01 CO c 3 0) a* u C . o > o CO 09 ^^ aJ C CO c<3 O s 3 u 0) > 5 o^-s «gcQ CO . . • O to Q CC v^ ^^ "TO i— 2 o;?;^ a o 'oj o r. M c a c •Soooo CO a O) -a o I oj 01 0) ea • r-t ' 01 • f-* •^ •» * 3 w 01 ♦J c eS C u o u is o 0) u a CO n BREWSTER, HAND COURT, DOWGATE. LONDON* OOSS OF TRAVEZ.S, RECENTLY PUBLISHED By J. MADDEN and Co., 8, Leadenhall SU eet. TRAVELS in SOUTHERN ABYSSXNZA, Through the Country of UDAL to the KINGDOM of SHOA, During the Years 1842 and 1843. 2 vols. 8vo. with Map and Illustrations. Price 24s. I TRAVELS in KORDOFAN, AND THE ADJOINING COUNTRIES ; With a revien of the Commerce, Habits, and Manners of the Inhabitants; and of the Slave Hunts carried on under Mehemet All's Government. By Ignatius Pallme. One vol. 8vo. Price 12*. JOURNAL of a MARCH from DELHI to PESHAWUR, AND FROM THENCE TO CABUL. With the Mission of Lieut.-Col. Wade, C.B. ; including Travels in the Ponjub ; a Visit to the City of Lahore ; and a Narrative of the Operations in the Khyber Pass, in 1839. By Lieutenant W. Barr, Bengal Artillery. MAJOR SIR WILLIAM LLOYD'S AND CAPTAIN A. GERARD'S ACCOUNT of the HIMALAVA MOUNTAINS. Two vols. 8vo. Maps. Price 21«. CAPTAIN ALEXANDER GERARD'S ACCOUNT of KOONAWUR in '.the HIMALAYA, &c. &c. With large Map. Price 14*. WHAT TO OBSERVE, OR THE TRAVELLER'S REMEMBRANCER. By Colonel Jackson, Secretary to the Royal Geographical Society. Small 8vo. Price 12s. THE EAST INDIA VOYAGER.^ By Emma Roberts. Small 8vo. Price 5s. MEMOIR of the COUNTRIES about the CASPIAN . and ARAL SEAS, Illustrative of the Russian Expedition against Khiva. By Captain Morier. With large Map. 8vo. Price 7*. 6d. A POPULAR HISTORY of BRITISH INDIA, Commercial Intercourse with China and the Insular Possessions of England in the Eastern Seas. By Dr. W. Cooke Taylor. Svo. Price 10*. 6d. PROFESSOR H. H. WILSON'S EDITION OF MILLS' HISTORY of BRITISH INDIA, In Six vols. Svo. Price £4 4*. Vols. 7 & 8, heing Professor Wilson's Continuation, may be had separately, price 28s. Authors desirous of Publishing Works connected with the Mediterranean Archipelago, Turkey, Egypt, Persia, or to the East in general, will find J. MADDEN & Co. at all times ready to enter into arrangements for efTcctivc publication.