INTRODUCTION. 13 



systematic point of view. Near the coast the algae, too, are 

 rich and luxuriant. The coming expedition ought, therefore, 

 to endeavour to reach Matotschkin Sound so early that 

 at least seven days' scientific work may be done in those 

 regions. 



The voyage from the Kara Sea to Port Dickson is not at- 

 tended, according to recent experience, with any difficulty. 

 Yet we cannot reckon on arriving at Port Dickson sooner than 

 from the 10th to the 15th August. In 1875 I reached this 

 harbour with a sailing-vessel on the 15th August, after having 

 been much delayed by calms in the Kara Sea. With a steamer 

 it would have been possible to have reached the harbour, that 

 year, in the beginning of the month. In 1876 the state of the 

 ice was less favourable, in consequence of a cold summer and a 

 prevalence of north-east winds, but even then I arrived at 

 the mouth of the Yenisej on the 15th August. 



It is my intention to lie to at Port Dickson, at least for some 

 hours, in order to deposit letters on one of the neighbouring 

 islands, in case, as is probable, I have no opportunity of meeting 

 there some vessel sent out from Yeniseisk, by which accounts 

 of the expedition may be sent home. 



Actual observations regarding the hydrography of the coast 

 between the mouth of the Yenisej and Cape Chelyuskin are 

 for the present nearly wholly wanting, seeing that, as I have 

 already stated, no large vessel has ever sailed from this neigh- 

 bourhood. Even about the boat voyages of the Russians along 

 the coast we know exceedingly little, and from their unsuccessful 

 attempts to force a passage here we may by no means draw any 

 unfavourable conclusion as to the navigability of the sea during 

 certain seasons of the year. If, with a knowledge of the resources 

 for the equipment of naval expeditions which Siberia now 

 possesses, we seek to form an idea of the equipment of the 

 Russian expeditions^ sent out with extraordinary perseverance 

 during the years 1734-1743 by different routes to the north 

 coast of Siberia, the correctness of this assertion ought to be 

 easily perceived. There is good reason to expect that a well- 

 equipped steamer will be able to penetrate far beyond the point 

 where they were compelled to return with their small but 

 numerously manned craft, too fragile to encounter ice, and un- 

 suitable for the open sea, being generally held together with 

 willows. 



^ A rarefully written account of these voj'ages will be found in Reise 

 des Kaiserlich-russischen Flatten- Lieutenants Ferdinaml von Wrangel Idngs 

 der Nordlcuiite von Siherien und auf dem Eismeere, 1820-1824, bearbeitet 

 Ton G. En,a:elliardt, Berlin, 1839 ; and G. P. Miiller, Voyages et Decouvertes 

 faites par les Musses le long des Cotes de la Mer Glaciate, &c. Amsterdam : 

 1766. 



