188 Mr. H. J. Pearson on Birds 



to increase our distance off shore. As we advanced the 

 depth decreased to eight and six fathoms, the soundings 

 indicating a surface like the rolling tundra on the adjacent 

 shore, and the lead bringing up the same dark greenish mud 

 which forms the bulk of the surface on land. At 11.30 p.m. 

 the depth was five fathoms, and directly after 4| ! At this 

 time we were ten miles distant from Bylkoviky Noss, fifteen 

 from Selenetz Island, forty from Khapidira River, and twenty 

 from the Karataikha River. The chart showed six fathoms 

 at a point twenty miles nearer the Khapidira River than 

 that we had reached. It was quite plain the ship could be 

 taken no further; neither could she remain where she was, 

 if any sign of change of wind appeared, for there was no 

 anchorage nearer than Cape Greben, forty miles off. 



The Russians at Habarova could give us no certain in- 

 formation about the depth of the sea, or that the launch, 

 drawing three feet, could enter the Karataikha River — 

 although they thought it possible ; so it appeared more than 

 rash to attempt a voyage in the launch, occupying eight 

 hours under favourable circumstances, and with considerable 

 probability of finding the ship gone on our return. The 

 water generally proved to be much shallower than marked 

 on the charts ; but as the Russians report this to be one of 

 the most favourable ice-years within the memory of man, 

 information as to its depth can seldom be of any service ! 

 We were unable also to travel overland from Habarova, as 

 all the reindeer had been sent some distance into the country 

 to the hills to avoid the mosquitoes and flies ; and we were 

 therefore obliged, most reluctantly, to abandon the chief 

 object of our expedition. 



The next day we succeeded in landing on the island of 

 Dolgoi, a place very rarely visited by civilized men, and 

 only inhabited by two Samoyeds during part of the year. 

 Unfortunately it was only possible to remain on shore seven 

 hours, as the wind then obliged us to leave and seek deeper 

 water off Waigats ; but, as we landed near the centre of the 

 island, and it all appeared of a similar character, we think 

 the twenty species of birds seen or shot fairly exhaust 



