214 THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. [chap. 



hrough Matotschkin Sound and across the Kara Sea to the 

 Yenisej, and Gwosdarev to carry on hunting in order to cover 

 part of the costs of the expedition. 



Pachtussov could not penetrate into the Kara Sea, but wintered 

 the first time on South Novaya Zemlya in 70° 36' N.L. and 59" 

 32' E.L. (Greenwich), in an old house which he found there, and 

 which according to an inscription on a cross in its neighbourhood 

 had been built in 1759. This ruinous house was repaired with 

 driftwood, which was found in great abundance in that region. 

 A separate bath-house was built, and was connected with the 

 dwelling-house by a passage formed of empty barrels and 

 covered with canvas. Eleven days were spent in putting the 

 old house into such repair that it could be occupied. It was 

 afterwards kept so warm that the inmates could stay there in 

 their shirt-sleeves without freezing. The Commander, clear- 

 headed and specially fit for his post as he was, did not permit 

 his crew to fall into habits of idleness, dirt, and laziness, but 

 kept them to regular work, bathing and change of linen twice 

 a week. Every second hour meteorological observations were 

 taken. During the whole winter the crew remained in good 

 health, but in spring (March) scurvy broke out, notwithstanding ' 

 the precautions that were taken, and two men died of it in May. 

 Many times during winter the ice broke up, and at a short 

 distance from the land the Kara Sea was open as far as the eye 

 could reach. A herd of reindeer numbering about 500 head 

 were seen in the end of September ; a number of foxes were 

 taken in traps, and two Polar bears were killed. Geese were 

 seen for the first time in spring on the ~ of May. 



Next summer Pachtussov rowed up along the east coast to 

 71° 38' N.L. On the west bank of a river, called Savina, he 

 found a very good harbour. He found there the remains of a 

 hut, with a cross erected beside it, on which was the inscription 



" Sa'vva Th anov 9th June 1742," which he considered to 



belong to the time of Savva Loschkin's voyage. After his 

 return from this boat journey Pachtussov went on board his 

 vessel and sailed along the east coast north of Matotschkin Sound 

 from the ?^|| July to the f^ August without meeting with any 

 obstacle from ice. During this voyage he passed a very good 

 harbour in 72° 26' N.L., in a bay, called Llitke's Bay. Pach- 

 tussov then returned through Matotschkin Sound to the Petchora. 

 Even along the east coast of North Novaya Zemlya the sea 

 was open, but the stock of provisions, intended at their 

 departure from Archangel for fourteen months, was now so 

 low, that the gallant Polar explorer could not avail himself 

 of this opportunity of j)erhaps circumnavigating the whole of 

 Novaya Zemlya. 



Of the two other vessels that sailed from Archangel at the 



