Voyage through the Kara Sea. 181 



been forgotten. \Ye crammed down the dry biscuits as 

 best we could, and worked our jaws till they were stiff 

 on the pieces we managed to hack off a hard dried rein- 

 deer chine. When we were tired of eating, though any- 

 thing but satisfied, we set off, giving this point the name 

 of " Cape Butterless." We rowed far in through the 

 strait, and it seemed to us to be a good passage for ships, 

 8 or 9 fathoms right up to the shore. However, we 

 were stopped by ice in the evening, and as we ran the 

 risk of being frozen in if we pushed on any farther, I 

 thought it best to turn. We certainly ran no danger 

 of starving, for we saw fresh tracks both of bears and 

 reindeer everywhere, and there were plenty of seals 

 in the water ; but I was afraid of delaying the Fram 

 in view of the possibility of progress in another direction. 

 So we toiled back against a strong wind, not reaching 

 the ship till next morning ; and this was none too early, 

 for presently we were in the midst of a storm. 



On the subject of the navigability of Taimur Strait, 

 Nordenskiold writes that, "according to soundings 

 made by Lieutenant Palander, it is obstructed by rocky 

 shallows ; and being also full of strong currents, it is 

 hardly advisable to sail through it, at least until the 

 direction of these currents has been carefully investi- 

 gated." I have nothing particular to add to this, except 

 that, as already mentioned, the channel was clear as far 

 as we penetrated, and had the appearance of being 

 practicable as far as I could see. I was, therefore, 



