AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN EXPEDITION (1874) 121 



falling. Next day they were again shut in the ice, and 

 there was now no appearance of open water. From the 

 10th to the 13th they waited on the ice opening, and 

 employed part of the time in caulking their boats. On 

 the 13th the latitude was 77° 58', so that they were now 

 exactly 2 degrees south of the starting-point. On the 

 15th August the open water was at last reached, in 

 77° 40'. 



The sledges were now left behind, but although the 

 boats were much crowded, the two remaining dogs were 

 at first taken on board. Later, however, it was found 

 that they would put the crew to great inconvenience, and 

 with reluctance they had to be killed. The course was 

 now shaped towards the Barentz Islands. On the 16th, 

 the snowy summits near Cape Nassau were sighted. 

 Next day a fog came on, and before it cleared they 

 found they were far beyond the Barentz Islands. Instead 

 of returning to the depot, they preferred to take the risk 

 and push on. 



On the 18th August they first landed on Novaya 

 Zemlya, where they found coltsfoot (Tiisselago Jurfara), 

 the leaves of which were dried and used as tobacco. 

 They were greatly disappointed in not finding a vessel 

 in Matoschkin Bay. On the 23rd August, only ten days 1 

 provisions remained. In the evening on the 24th they 

 passed Cape Britwin, and suddenly they beheld a small 

 boat with two men in it. There was a great cry of joy 

 from the Austrian boats, and as the two men pulled 

 towards them, and before either party could explain, a 

 corner of rock was turned, and now in full view lay two 

 ships. These were two Russian vessels from Archangel, 

 and were engaged in the salmon fishery. The Austrians 

 were received by the Russians with the greatest friendli- 

 ness. It was the intention of the latter to remain where 

 they were for fourteen days longer, and to spend about 



