30 THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. [chap. i. 



CHAPTER I. 



Departure — Tromsoe — Members of tlie Expedition — Stay atMaosoe — Limit 

 of Trees — Climate — Scurvy and Antiscorbutics— Tlie first doubling of 

 North Cape — Othere's account of his Travels — Ideas concerning the 

 Geography of Scandinavia current during the first half of the sixteenth 

 century — The oldest Maps of the North — Herbertstein's account of 

 Istoma's voyage — Gustaf Vasa and the North-east Passage — 

 Willoughby and Chancelor's voyages. 



The Vega left the harbour of Karlskrona on the 22nd 

 June, 1878. Including Lieutenants Palander and Brusewitz, 

 there were then on board nineteen men belonging to the 

 Swedish navy, and two foreign naval officers, who were to 

 take part in the expedition — Lieutenants Hovgaard and 

 Bove. The two latter had lived some time at Karlskrona 

 in order to be present at the fitting out and repairing of 

 the vessel. 



On the 24th June the Vega called at Copenhagen in order to 

 take on board the large quantity of provisions which had been 

 purchased there. On the 26th June the voyage was resumed to 

 Gothenburg, where the Vega anchored on the 27th. During the 

 passage there was on board the famous Italian geographer, Com- 

 mendatore Christoforo Negri, who, for several years back, 

 had followed with special interest all Arctic voyages, and now 

 had received a commission from the Government of his native 

 country to be present at the departure of the Vega from 

 Sweden, and to make himself acquainted with its equip- 

 ment, &c. At Gothenburg there embarked Decent Kjell- 

 man, Dr. Almquist, Dr. Stuxberg, Lieutenant Nordquist, 

 and an assistant to the naturalists, who had been hired in 

 Stockholm ; and here were taken on board the greater part 

 of the scientific equipment of the expedition, and various 

 stocks of provisions, clothes, &c., that had been purchased 

 in Sweden. 



On the 4th July the Vega left the harbour of Gothenburg. 

 While sailing along the west coast of Norway there blew a 

 fresh head wind, by which the arrival of the vessel at Tromsoe 

 was delayed till the l7th July. Here I went on board. Coal, 

 water, reindeer furs ' for all our men, and a large quantity of 



1 In many Polar expeditions, sealskin has been used as clothing instead 

 of reindeer skin. The reindeer skin, however, is lighter and warmer, and 

 ought therefore to have an unconditional preference as a means of pro- 

 tection against severe cold. In mild weatlier, clothing made of reindeer 

 skin in the common way has indeed the defect that it is drenched 

 through with water, and thereby becomes useless, but in such weather it 



