132 THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. [chap. 



from a river, was in a somewhat Russianised form, "JSTeremskoe" 

 (compare Purchas, iii. p. 805, Witsen, p. 017). I shall in the 

 following part of this work comprehend under the name " Kara 

 Sea" the whole of that gulf which from 77'^ N.L. between Cape 

 Chelyuskin and the northern extremity of Novaya Zemlya extends 

 ■ towards the south to the north coast of Europe and Asia. 



Captain Palander gives the following directions for sailing 

 through the sound between Vaygats Island and the mainland : — 



" As Yugor Straits are difficult to discover far out at sea, good 

 solar observations ought to be taken on approaching them, where 

 such can be had, and after these the course is to be shaped 

 in the middle of the strait, preferably about N.E. bythe compass. 

 On coming nearer land (three to four P^nglish miles) one dis- 

 tinguishes the straits with ease. Afterwards there is nothing 

 else to observe than on entering to keep right in the middle of 

 the fairway. 



" If one wishes to anchor at the Samoyed village one ought 

 to keep about an Enghsh mile from the land on the starboard, 

 and steer N.E. by the compass, until the Samoyed huts are 

 seen, when one bends off from starboard, keeping the church. a 

 little to starboard. For larger vessels it is not advisable to go 

 in shallower water than eight to nine fathoms, because the depth 

 then diminishes rather suddenly to from three to f )ur fathoms. 



" From the Samoyed village the course is shaped right to 

 the south-east headland of Vaygats Island (Suchoi Nos), which 

 ought to be passed at the distance of half an English mile. 

 Immediately south-west of this headland lies a very long shoal, 

 which one ought to take care of. 



" From this headland the vessel is to be steered N.^E. out 

 into the Kara Sea. With this course there are two shoals on 

 starboard and two on port at the distance of half an English mile. 



" The depth is in general ten fathoms ; at no place in the 

 fairway is it less than nine fathoms. 



"Vessels of the greatest draught may thus sail through 

 Yugor Schar. In passing the straits it is recommended to 

 keep a good outlook from the top, whence in clear weather 

 the shoals may easily be seen." 



In the oldest narratives very high mountains, covered Avith ice 

 and snow, are spoken of as occurring in the neighbourhood of 

 the sound between Vaygats Island and the mainland. It is 

 even said that here were to be found the highest mountains 

 on earth, whose tops were said to raise themselves to a height 

 of a hundred German miles.^ The honour of having the highest 



^ Les moeurs et usages des Ostiaclces, par Jean Bernard jVInller, Capitaine 

 de dragon au service de la Suede, pendant sa captivitt^ en Siberie (Recueil 

 de Voiages au Nord. T. VIII., Amsterdam, 1727, p. 389). 



