vni.] 



SEARCHING FOR THE LANDMARK. 



277 



Wild reindeer were seen in large numbers. As according to the 

 contract which has been quoted the landmark was to be visible 

 from Cape Olonek, Johannesen steamed once more to the west, 

 running as close to the land as possible. But as the water here 

 became shallower and shallower without any signal-tower being 

 visible, Johannesen had to find his way himself through the 

 delta; and for this purpose he determined to search for the 

 easternmost arm of the river, which, on the maps, is drawn 

 as being very broad, and also appears to have been made use of 

 by the vessels of " the great northern expeditions." ^ 



THE STEAMER "LENA.' 



Forty kilometres east of the northern extremity of the Lena 

 delta Johannesen encountered three sandbanks, which he sailed 



' According to Latkin (Petermann's Mittheilungen, 1879, p. 92), the Lena 

 delta is crossed by seven main arms, the westernmost of which is 

 called Anatartisch. It debouches into the sea at a cape 58 feet high 

 named Ice Cape (Ledjanoi). Next come the river arm Bjelkoj, then Tumat, 

 at whose mouth a landmark erected by Laptev in 1739 is still in existence. 

 Then come the other three main arms, Kychistach, Trofimov, and Kisch- 

 lach, and finally the very broad eastmost arm, Bychov. Probably some of 

 the smaller river arms are to be preferred for sailing up the river to this 

 broad arm, which is fouled by shoals. 



