60 ACCOUNT OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 



compact. Accordingly, he prepared several of the 

 country sledges drawn by dogs ; and, accompanied 

 by eight persons, he set out on the 10th of March*, 

 from the mouth of the Jana, in latitude 70° 30^, and 

 longitude about 138° E. He proceeded for seven 

 days northward, as fast as his dogs could draw, which, 

 under favourable circumstances, is 80 or 100 versts 

 a-day f , until his progress was impeded about the 

 78th degree of latitude, by ice elevated into pro- 

 digious mountains. This prevented his further ad- 

 vance ; at the same time, falling short of provisions 

 for his dogs, his return was effected with difficulty : 

 several of liis dogs died for want, and were given to 

 the rest for their support. On the 3d of April he 

 arrived at Ust-Janskoe Simowie, the place from 

 whence he started, after an absence of twenty-four 

 days j:, during which time, he appears to have travel- 

 led about 800 miles }. 



Hence, I conceive, that MarkofF must have met 

 with every inconvenience which could be anticipat- 

 ed, in a journey from Spitzbergen to the Pole, or 



* March the 15th, according to Forster, in his " Observa- 

 tions made during a voyage round the World," p. 82. 



t The verst, being about 5^ furlongs, (3500 English feet,) 

 the average progress of QO versts per day, is equal to about 

 62 miles, amounting to 434 miles in 7 days. 



^ According to Forster, 19 days. 



§ Muller's Voyages, &c. Transl. p. 18. 



