CHAPTER XVI. 



THE NEW SIBERIAN ISLANDS. 



31 August — 11 September, 1881. 



Deer Tracks. — A Deserted Hut. — Coasting along the Island. — 

 Rough Water. — Across the Strait. — Separation of the Boats. — 

 Terrible Anxiety.' — Reappearance of the Second Cutter. — Letter 

 to Mr. Chipp. — The Hardest Morning's Work. — The Sand Bank. 

 — Landing on Kotelnoi. — A Retrospect. — Signs of Life on the 

 Island. — Hut. — Explorations. — Candle-Snuffer Hills. — Under 

 Way again. — Semeuovski Island. — Deer and Ptarmigan. — Ele- 

 phant's Tusk. — Record for Deposit. 



August 31s£, Wednesday. — Culled all hands at five. 

 Light E. air. Temperature 22°, but the air seemed 

 as mild and pleasant as it did when the temperature 

 was above 30°. The hunters brought in but three 

 ducks, and a small number of sanderlings. Deer tracks 

 were found to be plentiful and fresh, and numerous 

 pieces of horn — one piece with the velvet still on it. 



Mr. Sweetman and the steward found, about one and 

 a half miles below to the southward, a hut tumbling to 

 decay on the right bank of a small river. This is 

 doubtless the "Faddejew Hut," marked on the chart, 

 and establishes well our position. 



The doctor this morning saw a ptarmigan. Break- 

 fasted at six. Turned to at 6.30, and carried everything 

 clown to the beach. Launched and loaded boats in the 

 inverse order of last evening. Under way at 7.20. At 

 eight passed Faddejew Hut, and continued to south- 



