CHAP. XI.] HOPE OF RELEASE. 395 



the Christmas festivities, and richly and tastefully ornamented 

 with flaos. A laro;e number of small wax-licrhts, which we had 

 brought with us for the special purpose, were fixed in the 

 Christmas tree, together with about two hundred Christmas 

 boxes purchased or presented to us before our departure. At 

 six o'clock in the afternoon all the officers and crew assembled 

 in the 'tweendecks, and the drawing of lots began, now and then 

 interrupted by a thundering polka round the peculiar Christmas 

 tree. At supper neither Christmas ale nor ham was wanting. 

 And later in the evening there made their appearance in the 

 'tweendecks five punchbowls, which were emptied with songs 

 and toasts for King and Fatherland, for the objects of the 

 Expedition, for its officers and men, for the families at home, for 

 relatives and friends, and finally for those who decked and 

 arranged the Christmas tree, who were the sailors C. Lundgren 

 and O. Hansson, and the firemen O. Ingelsson and C. Carlstrom. 

 The other festivals were also celebrated in the best way, and 

 at midnight before New Year's Day the new year was shot in 

 with sharp explosive-shell firing from the rifled cannon of the 

 J^cga, and a number of rockets thrown up from the deck. 



CHAPTER XI. 



Hope of release at the new year — Bove's excursion to the open water — 

 Mild weather and renewed severe cold — Mercury frozen — Popular 

 lectures — Bnisewitz's excursion to Najtskaj — Another desjsatch of letters 

 home — The natives' accounts of the state of the ice on the coast of 

 Chukch Land— The Chukches carry on traffic between Arctic America 

 and Siberia — Excursions in the neighbourhood of winter quarters — The 

 weather during spring — The melting of the snow — The aurora — The 

 arrival of the migratory birds — The animal world of Chukch Land 

 — Noah Elisej's relief expedition — A remarkable fish — -The country 

 clear of snow — Eelease — The North-East Passage achieved. 



The new year came in with a faint hope of release. For since 

 the north and north-west winds that had prevailed almost con- 

 stantly towards the close of December had given place to winds 

 from the east and south, considerable " clearing-s " were again 

 Jurmed out at sea, and the Chukches again began to say that 

 the ice would drift away, so that the vessel would be able 

 to continue her voyage ; a prediction which they always ended 

 with a declaration, expressed both by words and gestures, that 

 they would then bitterly lament, which they would also have 

 had sufficient reason to do, C(jnsidering the very friendly way in 

 which they were treated by all on board the Vc^a, both officers 

 and men. 



