IX.] INFORMATION EEGARDING THE ICE IN BEHRING'S SEA. 347 



As American whalers had during the last decades extended 

 their whale-fishing to the North Behring Sea, I applied before 

 my departure from home both directly and through the Foreign 

 Office to several American scientific men and authorities with a 

 request for information as to the state of the ice in that sea. In 

 all quarters my request was received with special good-will and 

 best wishes for the projected journey. I thus obtained both a 

 large quantity of printed matter otherwise difficult of access, and 

 maps of the sea between North America and North Asia, and 

 oral and written communications from several persons : among 

 whom may be mentioned the distinguished naturalist. Prof. 

 W. H. Dall of Washington, who lived for a long time in the 

 Territory of Alaska and the north part of the Pacific ; Admiral 

 John Eodgers, who was commander of the American man-of-war, 

 Vinccnncs, when cruising north of Behring's Straits in 1855 ; and 

 Washburn Maynod, lieutenant in the American Navy. I had 

 besides obtained important information from the German sea- 

 captain E. Dallmann, who for several years commanded a 

 vessel in these waters for coast traffic with the natives. Space 

 does not permit me to insert all these writings here. But to 

 show that there were good grounds for not considering the season 

 of navigation in the sea between Kolyutschin Bay and Behring's 

 Straits closed at the end of September, I shall make some 

 extracts from a letter sent to me, through the American Consul- 

 General in Stockholm, N. A, Elving, from Mr. Miller, the 

 president of the Alaska Commercial Company. 



" The following is an epitome of the information we have 

 received regarding the subject of your inquiry. 



" The bark Massachusetts, Captain 0. WiLLlAMS, was in 74° 

 30' N.L. and 173' W.L. on the 21st Sept. 1867. No ice in 

 sight in the north, but to the east saw ice. Saw high peaks 

 bearing W.N.W. about 60'. Captain Williams is of opinion that 

 Plover Island, so-called by Kellet, is a headland of Wrangel 

 Land. Captain Williams says that he is of opinion from his 

 observations, that usually after tlie middle of August there is 

 no ice south of 70° — west of 175°, until the 1st of October. 

 There is hardly a year but that you could go as far as Cape 

 North (Irkaipij), which is 180°, during the month of September. 

 If the winds through July and August have prevailed from the 

 S.W., as is usual, the north shore will be found clear of ice. 

 The season of 1877 was regarded as an ' icy season,' a good deal 

 of ice to southward. 1876 was an open season; as was 1875. 

 Our captain, Gustav Niebaum, states that the east side of 

 Behring's Straits is open till November ; he passed through 

 the Straits as late as October 22nd two different seasons. The 

 north shore was clear of all danger within reasonable distance. 



