THE NORTH-EAST PASSAGE. 55 



obtain a practicable route as a connecting-link be- 

 tween the New and Old Worlds. In regard to the 

 communication with Yenisei, since Professor Nox- 

 denskiold, for the first time, reached that river in 

 1875, it has been annually visited by European ves- 

 sels, conveying European commodities to Siberia, and 

 returning from thence loaded with Siberian products. 

 The traffic to the Lena will probably be taken up by 

 American traders ; and the safety of the voyage there 

 and back should be insured when a chart of the 

 Siberian coast has been obtained, as also by the 

 employment of strong and swift steamers. 



At St Lawrence Bay we remained only till mid- 

 day on the 21st of July, when we weighed anchor 

 and steered over to the American side, where we 

 anchored at Port Clarence. We remained there till 

 the 26th, when we again crossed over to the Asiatic 

 side, and anchored in Konyam Bay. From thence 

 we wen-t, on the 28th, to St Lawrence Island, re- 

 maining there from the 31st of July till the 2d of 

 August. We then steered for Behring Island, where 

 we anchored at its south-west point on August 14. 

 We found here a small village with a church, and 

 twenty -five wooden houses built and owned by an 

 American firm, Hutchinson, Kohl, Philippens, & Co., 

 who here, and on the neighbouring islands, carry on 

 seal-fishing. The inhabitants of the island, consist- 

 ing of a few Russian Government officials, some em- 

 ployes of the Company and natives of the Aleutian 



