here green meadows covered with pretty
tall grass, but at the time of our departure vegetation had not
attained any great development, and the flowers that could be
discovered were few. I presume however that a beautiful Arctic
flower-world grows up here, although, in consequence of the exposure
of the coast-country to the north winds, poor in comparison with the
vegetation in sheltered valleys in the interior of the country.
There are found there too pretty high bushes, but on the other hand
trees are represented at Pitlekaj only by a low species of willow
which creeps along the ground.

[Illustration: CRAB FROM THE SEA NORTH OF BEHRING'S STRAITS.
_Chionoecetes opilio_ Kroeyer. Half the natural size. ]

[Illustration: TREE FROM PITLEKAJ. _Salix arctica_, PALLAS.
(Natural size.) ]

We did not, however, see even this "wood" in full leaf. For in order
that full summer heat may begin it is necessary, even here, that the
ice break up, and this longed-for moment appeared to be yet far
distant. The ice indeed became clear of snow in the beginning of
July, and thus the slush and the flood water were lessened, which
during the preceding weeks had collected on its surface and made it
very difficult to walk from the vessel to land. Now, again pretty
dry-shod and on a hard blue ice-surface, we could make excursions in
the neighbourhood of the vessel. We had however to be cautious. The
former cracks had in many places been widened to greater or smaller
openings by the flood water running down, and where a thin black
object--a little gravel, a piece of tin from the preserved
provision-cases, &c.--had lain on the ice there were formed round
holes, resembling the seal-holes which I saw in spring laid bare
after the melting of the snow on the ice in the fjords of
Spitzbergen. The strength of the ice besides was nearly unaltered,
and on the 16th July a heavily loaded double sledge could still be
driven from the vessel to the shore.

On the 17th the "year's ice" next the land at last broke up, so that
an extensive land clearing arose. But the ground-ices were still
undisturbed, and between these the "year's ice" even lay so fast,
that all were agreed that at least fourteen days must still pass
before there was any prospect of getting free.

When on the 16th the reindeer-Chukch Yettugin came on board, and,
talking of the collection of whale-bones in which we had been
engaged some days before, informed us that there was a mammoth b