e this distance, which corresponds
to 72' per day, or 3' per hour, a speed which in a voyage in
unknown, and for the most part ice-bestrewed waters, must yet be
considered very satisfactory. But after this our progress began to
be much slower. At midnight the sun was already 12 deg. to 13
degree below the horizon, and the nights were now so dark that at
that time of day we were compelled to lie still anchored to some
large ground-ice. A farther loss of time was caused by the dense fog
which often prevailed by day, and which in the unknown shallow water
next the land compelled Captain Palander to advance with extreme
caution. The navigation along the north coast of Asia began to get
somewhat monotonous. Even the most zealous Polar traveller may tire
at last of mere ice, shallow water and fog; and mere fog, shallow
water and ice.

Now, however, a pleasant change began, by our coming at last in
contact with natives. In the whole stretch from Yugor Schar to Cape
Chelagskoj we had seen neither men nor human habitations, if I
except the old uninhabited hut between Cape Chelyuskin and the
Chatanga. But on the 6th September, when we were a little way off
Cape Chelagskoj, two boats were sighted. Every man, with the
exception of the cook, who could be induced by no catastrophe to
leave his pots and pans, and who had circumnavigated Asia and Europe
perhaps without having been once on land, rushed on deck. The boats
were of skin, built in the same way as the "umiaks" or women's boats
of the Eskimo. They were fully laden with laughing and chattering
natives, men, women, and children, who indicated by cries and
gesticulations that they wished to come on board. The engine was
stopped, the boats lay to, and a large number of skin-clad,
bare-headed beings climbed up over the gunwale in a way that clearly
indicated that they had seen vessels before. A lively talk began,
but we soon became aware that none of the crew of the boats or the
vessel knew any language common to both. It was an unfortunate
circumstance, but signs were employed as far as possible. This did
not prevent the chatter from going on, and great gladness soon came
to prevail, especially when some presents began to be distributed,
mainly consisting of tobacco and Dutch clay pipes. It was remarkable
that none of them could speak a single word of Russian, while a boy
could count tolerably well up to ten in English, which shows that
the natives here come into closer contact