THE NEW SIBERIAN ISLANDS. 747 



gale ; snow fell thickly. No more ice seemed to be ap- 

 proaching, and I have strong hopes of being able to 

 go on to the Lena without difficulty. All the hunters 

 returned without seeing any more game, except ptar- 

 migan. But as they only had a couple of hours before 

 dark they could not go very far. 



September 11th, Sunday. — The ninety-first day since 

 the ship was crushed and ourselves thrown out on the 

 ice. Called all hands at eight a. m., a long and seem- 

 ingly refreshing sleep for all hands. Wind E. Barom- 

 eter 29.90 at 32°. Temperature 32°. At 10.45 called 

 all hands to muster. Read the Articles of War, and 

 then I read divine service in No. 1 tent. Wind fresh- 

 ening again, and snow, hail, and sleet falling plentifully. 



The fawn came near the camp twice this forenoon,, 

 and once she got, unseen by him, within thirty yards 

 of Alexey, who took up the chase, and had not come 

 in up to noon. I think it is very likely that the deer 

 on this island consist of the one we shot and this fawn, 

 for the coining back to the place of separation would 

 hardly occur were there any others in the neighborhood. 

 The doctor's theory that the doe remained behind the 

 migrating drove in the spring to bring forth her young, 

 is a very probable explanation of their being here now. 

 No doubt these two islands serve as convenient stopping 

 places for the deer going north in the spring and south 

 in the fall. 



For dinner we had deer soup and three fourths of a 

 pound of pemmican. After dinner prepared the follow- 

 ing record, which I shall deposit here in a tin case : — 



Skmenovski Island, Arctic Ocean, 

 Sunday, September 11, 1881. 



This record of our arrival at and proposed departure from 

 this island is left here in case of any search being made for us 

 before we can place ourselves in communication with home. 



