TSCHITSCHAGOFF. 297 



westward to Behring's Strait ; and, failing in a.d. 

 that quarter, to trace the ice along to the north- 

 east, and to take advantage of any opening that 

 might afford a prospect of success. 



Tschitschagoff appears to have executed these 

 instructions like a bold and persevering navi- 

 gator. To the westward his progress was ar- 

 rested by the ice in a very low latitude ; and to 

 the north, after three unavailing attempts, in 

 which he reached the latitude of 80° 26', a few 

 leagues north-east of Cloven Cliff, he found it 

 an equally hopeless case, and returned to Arch- 

 angel. 



A difference of opinion now arose in Russia 

 as to the efficiency of this attempt of Tschi- 

 tschagoff, and he was sent out again the year 

 following, but he was not more successful on this 

 than on the former occasion, having reached only 

 the latitude of 80° 30' N. He found the ice 

 occupying nearly the same position as before; 

 and, having ascertained its connexion with the 

 coast of Spitzbergen in the vicinity of Grey Hook, 

 his opinion of the impracticability of the pas- 

 sage was confirmed, and he returned to Russia 

 in the autumn, when his efforts were more ap- 

 preciated than at first, and no other expedition 

 to the same quarter was again thought of in 

 that country. 



