e ice-free coast a vessel could sail anywhere and pass out into the
Pacific Ocean before the end of summer.

Accordingly he made ready for a voyage in which the _Vega_ was to sail
round Asia and Europe and carry his name to the ends of the earth. The
_Vega_ was a whaler built to encounter drift ice in the northern seas. A
staff of scientific observers was appointed, and a crew of seventeen
Swedish men-of-war's men were selected. The _Vega_ was to be the home of
thirty men, and provisions were taken for two years. Smaller vessels
were to accompany her for part of the voyage, laden with coal.

The _Vega_ left Carlskrona in June, 1878, and steamed along the coast of
Norway, past the North Cape, towards the east. The islands of Novaia
Zemlia were left behind, the waters of the Obi and Yenisei splashed
against the hull, no drift ice opposed the passage of the Swedish
vessel, and on August 19 Cape Cheliuskin, the most northern point of the
Old World, was reached.

Farther east the coast was followed to Nordenskioeld Sea. Great caution
was necessary, for the fairway was shallow, and the _Vega_ often steamed
across bays which were represented as land on maps. The delta of the
Lena was left behind, and to the east of this only small rivers enter
the sea. Nordenskioeld therefore feared that the last bit of the voyage
would be the hardest, for open water along the coast could not be
depended upon. At the end of August the most westerly of the group
called the New Siberia Islands was sighted. The _Vega_ could not go at
full speed, for the sea was shallow, and floating fragments of ice were
in the way. The prospects became brighter again, however, open water
stretching for a long distance eastwards.

On September 6 two large skin boats appeared, full of fur-clad natives
who had rowed out from land. All the men on the _Vega_, except the cook,
hastened on deck to look at these unexpected visitors of Chukchi race.
They rushed up the companion ladder, talking and laughing, and were well
received, being given tobacco, Dutch clay pipes, old clothes, and other
presents. None of the _Vega_ men understood a word they said, but the
Chukchis chattered gaily all the same, and with their hands full of
presents tumbled down to their boats again and rowed home.

Two days later the _Vega_ was in the midst of ice and fog, and had to be
moored to a floe near land. Then came more Chukchis, who pulled the
Swedes by the collar and pointed to the ski