before the time when the forest began
to be cut down and seed to be sown in the Scandinavian North, and
which for centuries have formed the goal of exploratory expeditions
from all the countries of Europe. I hope however that the _Vega_
will leave lasting memorials even of this part of her voyage through
the contributions of Stuxberg, Nordquist, Kjellman, and Almquist to
the evertebrate fauna and the sea-weed and lichen flora of East
Asia, and by my collections of Japanese books, of fossil plants from
Mogi and Labuan, &c.

[Illustration: THE SCIENTIFIC MEN OF THE _"VEGA."_
F.R. Kjellman.
A. Stuxberg.
E. Almquist
O. Nordquist. ]

With the new overpowering impression which nature and people exerted
on those of us, who now for the first time visited Japan, China,
India, Borneo, and Ceylon, it was however specially difficult,
during a stay of a few days at each place, to preserve this side of
the _Vega_ expedition. I therefore determined after leaving Ceylon
to let it drop completely, that is, from that point merely to
_travel home_. Regarding this part of the voyage of the _Vega_ I
would thus have very little to say, were it not that an obligation
of gratitude compels me to express in a few words the thanks of the
_Vega_ men for all the honours bestowed upon them, and all the
goodwill they enjoyed during the last part of the voyage. For many
of my readers this sketch may perhaps be of interest as reminding
them of some happy days which they themselves have lived through,
and it may even happen that it will not be unwelcome to the friends
of geography in a future time to read this description of the way in
which the first circumnavigators of Asia and Europe were _feted_ in
the ports and capitals of the civilised countries. In this sketch
however I am compelled to be as brief as possible, and I must
therefore sue for pardon if every instance of hospitality shown us
cannot be mentioned.

We started from Point de Galle on the 22nd December, and arrived at
Aden on the 7th January. The passage was tedious in consequence of
light winds or calms. Christmas Eve we did not celebrate on this
occasion, tired as we were of entertainments, in such a festive way
as at Pitlekaj, but only with a few Christmas-boxes and some extra
treating. On New Year's Eve, on the other hand, the officers in the
gunroom were surprised by a deputation from the forecastle clad in
_pesks_ as Chukches, who came, in good Swedish, mixed with a few