ermit the drawing of lots to determine the
choice. ]

[Footnote 185: The statements made here regarding the wintering of
Tobiesen and his companions are taken partly from a copy which I
caused to be made of his journal, partly from an account of the
adventures of the seven hunters, copied from _Finmarksposten_ into
_Aftonbladet_ for 1873, No. 220. Finally, the account of the
distribution of presents to the Samoyeds is copied from Norwegian
journals into _Aftonbladet_ for 1880, No. 197. ]

[Footnote 186: The dates of the _Ymer's_ voyage are as
follows:--Left the coast of Norway on the 26th July; stay at
Matotschkin Sound, through which I, on this occasion, steamed into
the Kara Sea from the 30th July to the 5th August; arrival at the
Yenisej on the 15th August; arrival at the anchorage at Goltschicha
on the 16th August; commenced the return voyage on the 1st
September, in the course of it passed Matotschkin Schar on the 7th
September. ]

[Footnote 187: Of Captain Wiggins' voyage I know only that his
original destination was the Ob, but that on account of currents and
shoals which, he encountered at the mouth of this river, he altered
his plan, and reached the Yenisej in the beginning of September. ]

[Footnote 188: _Deutsche Geographische Blaetter_, Bremen, 1870, i. p.
216, and ii. p. 35. ]

[Illustration: Map of Port Dickson, by G. Bove. Map of Cape Bolvan on
Vaygats Island, by the author. The _Lena's_ cruise in Malygin Sound,
by A. Hovgaard. Map of Cape Chelyuskin, by G. Bove ]

CHAPTER VII.

Departure from Port Dickson--Landing on a rocky island
east of the Yenisej--Self-dead animals--Discovery of
crystals on the surface of the drift-ice--Cosmic dust--
Stay in Actinia Bay--Johannesen's discovery of the island
Ensamheten--Arrival at Cape Chelyuskin--The natural state
of the land and sea there--Attempt to penetrate right
eastwards to the New Siberian Islands--The effect of the
mist--Abundant dredging-yield--Preobraschenie Island--
Separation from the _Lena_ at the mouth of the river Lena.

When on the morning of the 9th August the _Fraser_ and _Express_
sailed for the point higher up the river where their cargo was
lying, the _Vega_ and the _Lena_ were also ready to sail. I,
however, permitted the vessels to remain at Port Dickson a day
longer, in order to allow Lieutenant Bove to finish his survey, and
for the purpose of determining astronomically, if possible, the
p