28 THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 



may perhaps be sufficient to show that the expedition, even 

 if its geographical objects were not attained, ought to be a 

 worthy continuation of similar enterprises which have been set 

 on foot in this country, and which have brought gain to science 

 and honour to Sweden. 



Should the expedition again, as I hope, be able to reach 

 Behring's Straits with little hindrance, and thus in a com- 

 paratively short time — in that case indeed the time, which on 

 the way can be devoted to researches in natural history, will be 

 quite too short for solving many of the scientific questions I 

 have mentioned. But without reckoning the world-historical 

 navigation problem which will then be solved, extensive con- 

 tributions of immense importance ought also to be obtainable 

 regarding the geography, hydrography, zoology, and botany 

 of the Siberian Polar Sea, and, beyond Behring's Straits, the 

 expedition will meet with other countries having a more 

 luxuriant and varied nature, where other questions which 

 perhaps concern us less, but are not on that account of less 

 importance for science as a whole, will claim the attention 

 of the observer and yield him a rich reward for his labour 

 and pains. These are the considerations which formed the 

 grounds for the arrangement of the plan of the expedition which 

 is now in question. 



It is my intention to leave Sweden in the beginning of 

 July, 1878, in a steamer, specially built for navigation among 

 ice, which will be provisioned for two years at most, and 

 which, besides a scientific staff of four or five persons, will 

 have on board a naval officer, a physician, and at most eighteen 

 men — petty officers and crew, preferably volunteers, from your 

 Royal Majesty's navy. Four walrus-hunters will also be hired 

 in Norway. The course will be shaped at first to Matotschkin 

 Sound, in Novaya Zemlya, where a favourable opportunity 

 will be awaited for the passage of the Kara Sea. Afterwards 

 the voyage will be continued to Port Dickson, at the mouth 

 of the Yenisej, which 1 hope to be able to reach in the first 

 half of August. As soon as circumstances permit, the 

 expedition Avill continue its voyage from this point in the open 

 channel which the river-water of the Obi and the Yenisej must 

 indisputably form along the coast to Cape Chelyuskin, possibly 

 with some short excursions towards the north-west in order 

 to see whether any large island is to be found between the 

 northern part of Novaya Zemlya and New Siberia. 



At Cape Chelyuskm the expedition will reach the only 

 part of the proposed route which has not been traversed by 

 some small vessel, and this place is perhaps rightly considered 

 as that which it will be most difficult for a vessel to double 

 during the whole north-east passage. As Prontschischev, in 



