THE NORTH-EAST PASSAGE. 29 



ness prevented us from advancing. In future, during 

 the darkest part of the twenty-four hours we had 

 always to moor either to an ice-field, or, still better, to 

 a portion of ground-ice. 



On the 6th of September, during the day, we 

 sighted the high land of Cape Shelagskoi, which we 

 reached after some hours' struggle with a belt of drift- 

 ice. Immediately to the east of -this point we had 

 our first sight of the natives, who came rowing 

 towards us in two boats made of seal-hide. They 

 could, however, afford us no information in regard to 

 the coast or the condition of the ice, as they could 

 speak no language but their own, Tchuktchis. After 

 this we daily passed one or more native villages, and 

 received visits from this kindly people. At Cape 

 Shelagskoi the difficulties of the expedition seemed 

 only to begin. From thence we encountered solid, 

 compact ice, and could barely go forward two ship's- 

 lengths without collision with the same. On the 7th 

 September we passed Cape Yakan, and on the 8th, 

 9th, 10th, and llth, worked our way through close, 

 strong drift-ice, which was sometimes so impene- 

 trable that we were compelled to moor to it and 

 await some change in its position. Only such a mode 

 of procedure made it possible for us to get on. Occa- 

 sionally we might make one or two miles, but usually 

 only a few lengths of the ship. "With the steam con- 

 stantly up, we were prepared to take advantage of 

 the smallest opportunity afforded by the ice of going 



