the island gave occasion to the name proposed by
Johannesen. Hence Johannesen sailed with a great bend to the north,
which brought him to 78 deg. N.L., back to the northern extremity of Novaya
Zemlya, and thence on the 12th September to Norway. During the return
voyage across the Kara Sea also scarcely any ice was met with.[194]

An exceedingly persistent fog prevailed during the whole of the time
we remained here, but at last on the 18th it lightened a little. We
immediately weighed anchor and steamed along the western shore of
Taimur Island. It is surrounded by a large number of islands that
are not given on the map, and possibly Taimur Island itself is
divided by sounds into several parts. During our voyage, however,
the fog that was still very close hindered us from mapping,
otherwise than in a very loose way, the islands, large and small,
between and past which the _Vega_ searched for a passage. So much we
could in any case see, that the northern extremity of Taimur Island
does not run so far north as the common maps show.

Ice we met with only in small quantity, and what we saw was very
rotten fjord or river ice. I scarcely believe that in the course of
the day we met with a single piece of ice large enough to flense a
seal upon. We had as yet seen no true old drift-ice such as is to be
met with north of Spitzbergen. In respect to the nature of the ice,
there is a complete dissimilarity between the Kara Sea and the sea
north and east of Spitzbergen. Another striking difference is the
scarcity of warm-blooded animals which prevails in this region,
hitherto exempted from all hunting. In the course of the day we had
not seen a single bird--something which never before happened to me
during a summer journey in the Arctic regions--and scarcely any
seals.

On the 19th August we continued to sail and steam along the coast,
mostly in a very close fog, which only at intervals dispersed so
much that the lie of the coast could be made out. In order that they
might not be separated, both vessels had often to signal to each
other with the steam-whistle. The sea was bright as a mirror.
Drift-ice was seen now and then, but only in small quantity and very
rotten; but in the course of the day we steamed past an extensive
unbroken ice-field, fast to the land, which occupied a bay on the
west side of the Chelyuskin peninsula. The ice, of which it
consisted, appeared in the mist immensely rough and high, although
in fact it was