II.] GOOSELAND. 59 



erratic hlocks, to show that circumstances loere different in former 

 times. Nor are any snow-covered mountain- tops visible from 

 tlie sea. It is therefore possible at a certain season of the 

 year (during the whole of the month of August) to sail from 

 Norway to Novaya Zemlya, make sporting excursions there, 

 and return without having seen a trace of ice or snow. This 

 holds good indeed only of the low-lying part of the south island, 

 but in any case it shows how erroneous the prevailing idea of 

 the natural state of Novaya Zeinlya is. By the end of June 

 or beginning of July the greater part of Gooseland is nearly 

 free of snow, and soon after the Arctic flov/er-world develops 

 during a few weeks all its splendour of colour. Dry, favourably 

 situated spots are now covered by a low, but exceedingly rich 

 flower bed, concealed by no high grass or bushes. On moister 

 places true grassy turf is to be met with, which, at least when 

 seen from a distance, resembles smiling meadows. 



In consequence of the loss of time which had been caused 

 by the delay in sailing along the coast of Norway, and our stay 

 at Maosoe, we were unable to land on this occasion, but 

 immediately continued our course along the west coast of 

 Novaya Zemlya towards Yugor Schar, the weather being for 

 the most part glorious and calm. The sea was completely 

 free of ice, and the land bare, with the exception of some small 

 snow-fields concealed in the valleys. Here and there too along 

 the steep strand escarpments were to be seen remains of the 

 winter's snow-foot, which often, when the lower stratum of 

 air was strongly heated by the sun, were magnified by a strong 

 mirage, so that, when seen from a distance, they resembled 

 immense glaciers terminating perpendicularly towards the sea. 

 Coming farther south the clear weather gave us a good view 

 of Vaygats Island. It appears, when seen from the sea off the 

 west coast, to form a level grassy plain, but when we approached 

 Yugor Schar, low ridges were seen to run along tlie east side 

 of the island, which are probably the last ramifications of the 

 north spur of Ural, known by the name of Paj-koi. 



When we were off the entrance to Yugor Schar, a steamer 

 was sighted. After much guessing, the Fraser was recognised. I 

 was at first very uneasy, and feared that an accident had occurred, 

 as the course of the vessel was exactly the opposite of that 

 which had been fixed beforehand, but found, when Captain 

 Nilsson soon after came on board, that he had only come out 

 to look for us. The Express and the Fraser had been waiting 

 for us at the appointed rendezvous since the 20th. They had 

 left Vardoe on the 13th, and during the passage had met with 

 as little ice as ourselves. The Vega and Fraser now made 

 for the harbour at Chabarova, where they anchored on the 

 evening of the 30tli July with a depth of fourteen metres and 



