er
skin, mocassins or shoes of bear-skin or walrus hide; the women plait
their hair, and wear it long. The men cut theirs except the outer
margin, which is combed down in a "fringe." The faces are painted or
"tattooed" by both sexes.

The _Vega_ continued her eastward course, meeting with little incident,
but continually adding to the information already acquired. So on till
the 27th of September, when, in the strait that separates Asia from
America--near the entrance of Behring's Strait, the vessel got
imprisoned in the early forming ice. The rising north wind rapidly
piled up the hummocks, and in a short time all hope of quitting the
place until the summer had to be abandoned, but very reluctantly, by
Nordenskiold. "One single hour's steaming would have probably been
sufficient to traverse the distance" between their position and the open
strait, and one day earlier no difficulty would have presented itself!

This was extremely disappointing, and Nordenskiold writes pathetically
about been frozen in so near the goal he had been so long aiming at. It
was "the one mishap" which had attended his Arctic exploration. In this
condition the vessel remained for two hundred and sixty-four days, the
time passed nearly in darkness, but not unpleasantly, for the scientist
has resources which set time at defiance. Good health and spirits were
present, and the natives were friendly. At length deliverance came. On
the 18th of July the _Vega_ was released, and on the 20th she passed
Behring's Straits. The North-East Passage was an accomplished fact!
After a stormy cruise, in the course of which the ship was struck by
lightning, and a voyage of marine discovery welcome to the civilised
world accomplished, the _Vega_ reached Yokohama, whence the electric
current carried the news of Nordenskiold's success from sea to sea. The
homeward journey was made by the Suez Canal to Europe, where the welcome
accorded to the brave explorer was a veritable triumph. Nor must those
who assisted him be forgotten. To Mr Oscar Dickson the honour belongs
of holding out the full hand to Nordenskiold, without which his first
voyages would never have been accomplished, and the North-East Passage
might be still a mystery.

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

CAPTAIN HALL'S VOYAGES.

Doctor Hayes' voyages--Captain Hall's experiences--The _Polaris_
expedition--High latitudes--Illness and death of Captain Hall--The
catastrophe on the ice--Skating on th