EXPLORATION OF WRANGEL ISLAND. 61 



noon the same day. A boat was sent on shore to search for 

 tidings of the Jeannette and missing- whalers. An examin- 

 ation of the western extremity of the island was made, and 

 the remainder scanned from the summit of the highest land 

 with glasses without discovering any traces. 



"The island was found to be a narrow ridge, between five 

 and six miles long, and not over a quarter of a mile wide at 

 the base. The crest of the western half of the island was 

 so narrow that one could straddle it, while the eastern por- 

 tion was lower and more rounded at the top. The island is 

 not more than about six hundred feet high at the highest 

 point, but from it, the atmosphere being perfectly clear, we 

 could see a long distance. Wrangel Island was in plain 

 view, but no land could be seen to the northward of it as 

 far as the eye could reach. 



" After the return of the boat we steamed along the south- 

 ern shore of the island without discovering any cairn, and 

 then headed for Cape Hawaii. We sighted the cape at ten 

 A. M., August 25th, and shortly after made the ice along the 

 starboard beam, densely packed; skirted it, and at four P. M. 

 discovered from the masthead a lead, and followed it in. 

 At ten P. M., having passed through about ten miles of ice, 

 we dropped anchor about half a mile from shore in six fath- 

 oms of water. Two boats were lowered at once, and sev- 

 eral of the officers landed on a low, gravelly beach, and gave 

 three hearty cheers, which were responded to by those on 

 board. Two sky-rockets were sent aloft, and when the party 

 returned, one of the officers cut a Christmas cake in honor 

 of the event." 



Early the next morning, 26th, a boat was sent in to exam- 

 ine a lagoon which had been seen by the landing party, and 

 at its mouth was found an excellent small harbor. The ves- 

 sel was moored in this harbor, and preparations made for 

 the exploration of the island. 



Three search parties were organized. Lieutenant Berry, 

 Surgeon Jones, and four men were to proceed overland to 

 the northern coast; Master Waring was to go north in a 



