VI.] NOVAYA ZEMLYA AN ISLAND. ^ 209 



tallow-merchant fitted out a vessel, promising Juschkov at 

 the same time a reward of 250 roubles for the discovery. 

 The whole undertaking, however, led to no result, because the 

 discoverer of these treasures died during the passage to 

 Novaya Zemlya (Llitke, p. 70). 



Three years after, in 1760,^ a hunting mate, Sawa Losch- 

 KIN, a native of Olonets, hit on the idea, which was certainly 

 a correct one, that the east coast of Novaya Zemlya, which was 

 never visited by hunters, ought to be richer in game than other 

 parts of the island. Induced by this idea, and probably also by 

 the wish to do something extraordinary, he undertook a hunting 

 expedition thither. Of this expedition we know only that he 

 actually succeeded in travelling round the whole island, thanks 

 to the resolution which led him to spend 

 on this self-imposed task two winters and 

 three summers. It was proved by this 

 journey that Novaya Zemlya is actually an 

 island^ a fact which in the middle of last 

 century w^as still doubted by many 

 geographers.^ 



Even after the failure of Juschkov's 

 expedition the report of the richness of 

 Novaya Zemlya in metals still maintained 



■ , T ^"^ 1 "^ T 1 T- , iS-r> AMMONITE WITH GOLD LUSTRE. 



Itself, and accordmgly Lieutenant ^ Ross- From Novaya zemiy.,. 



,AIUISLOV was sent out with second mate Ammonite, altemans. 



GuBiN, the Polar Sea pilot Tschirakin, ^'- ^^"^s- 



and eleven men, to search for the sup- 

 posed treasures, and at the same time to survey the unknown 

 portions of the island. The vessel that was used in this Polar 

 Sea voyage must have been a very remarkable one. For 

 shortly before the start, leaks, which had to be stopped, were 

 discovered at many different places in it, and of its power 

 of sailing Rossmuislov himself says : " So long as the wind 

 came from the stern the large sail helped us exceedingly well, 

 but, as soon as it turned and became a head wind, we were 

 compelled to hoist another smaller sail, in consequence of 

 which we were driven back to the point from which we came." 

 Rossmuislov appears to have been a very skilful man in his 

 profession. Without meeting with any obstacle from ice but 

 at all events with difficulty enough in consequence of the 

 unsuitableness of the vessel, he arrived at Matotschkin Sound, 



1 According to Liitke, p. 70. Hamel, Tradeacant d. dltere, give; the 

 date 1742-44. 



* Thus on the first map in an atlas published iu 1737 by the St. Peters- 

 burg Academy, Novaya Zemlya is delineated as a peninsula projecting from 

 Taimur Land north of the Pjasina. 



3 Properly " Mate, with the rank of Lieutenant," fi-om which we may 

 conclude that Eossmuislov wanted the usual education of an officer. 



I' 



