278 



THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 



[chap. 



round. After passing these the water became deeper, so that 

 he could advance at a distance of five Ivilometres from land. 

 On the 1st September Johannesen anchored in a bay on the 

 mainland in the neighbourhood of the Bychov mouth, whence 

 on the 3rd September, at 2.30 a.m., he continued his course up 

 the river, but by 10 o'clock the Lena was aground. The water 

 was falling, and did not begin to rise until an hour after mid- 

 night. It was not, therefore, until 8 a.m. the following day 

 that the Lena was got off, and that with great difficulty. The 

 sailing through the delta was rendered difficult by the maps, 

 which were made 140 years ago, being now useless. For the 



HANS CHRISTIAN JOHANNESES. 



Captain of tlie "Lena." Bom in 184G. 



delta has undergone great alterations since then. Where at 

 that time there were sandbanks, there are now large islands, 

 overgrown with wood and grass. At other places again whole 

 islands have been washed away by the river. 



While the vessel was aground nine Tunguses came on board 

 They rowed in small boats, which were made of a single tree 

 stem, hollowed out, and could just carry a man each. Johan- 

 nesen endeavoured in vain to induce some of the Tunguses to 

 pilot the steamer ; he did not succeed in explaining his wish to 

 them, notwithstanding all the attempts of the Russian inter- 

 preter, a proof of the slight contact these Tunguses had had 



