mensions it now possesses; that a considerable quantity of the
constituents of our sedimentary strata, especially of those that
have been deposited in the open sea far from land, are of cosmic
origin; and will throw an unexpected light on the origin of the
fire-hearths of the volcanoes, and afford a simple explanation of
the remarkable resemblance which unmistakably exists between
plutonic rocks and meteoric stones.[192]

On the 14th August, when the fog had lightened a little, we got up
steam, but were soon compelled to anchor again in a bay running into
Taimur Island from the north side of Taimur Sound, which I named
Actinia Bay, from the large number of actinia which the dredge
brought up there. It is, besides, not the only place in the Kara Sea
which might be named from the evertebrate life prevailing there, so
unexpectedly abundant.

[Illustration: GRASS FROM ACTINIA BAY. _Pleuropogon Sabini_, R. BR. ]

Unfavourable weather detained us in Actinia Bay, which is a good and
well-protected haven, till the 18th August, during which time
excursions were made in various directions, among others farther
into Taimur Sound, where a variable strong current was found to
prevail. The Sound is too shallow to be passed through by large
vessels. The rocks round Taimur Sound consist of gneiss strata,
which form low ridges that have been so shattered by the frost that
they have been converted into immense lichen-clad stone mounds.
Between these stretch extensive valleys and plains, now free of
snow, if we except a snow-drift remaining here and there in the
hollows. The plains were all covered with a very green continuous
vegetation, which however on a closer examination was found to be
not a true turf, but a mixture of grasses, allied plants, and a
large number of different kinds of mosses and lichens. Actual
flowers were found here only sparingly.[193] In this respect the
coast _tundra_ shows a remarkable difference from the coast lands on
Vaygats Island and Novaya Zemlya. On the other hand, the abundance
of luxuriant lichens and mosses was striking. The mosses along the
beach and the borders of the snow-drifts remaining here and there
bore fruit in abundance. Animal life on land was scanty; some few
reindeer were seen, a mountain fox was killed, and a lemming caught.

[Illustration: Sketch-Map of Taimur Sound; Map of Actinia Bay,
both by G. Bove. ]

Only the following birds were seen: owls (_Strix nyctea_) rather
numerous