THE VAKIOUS EXPEDITIONS. 115 



evidently because until the most recent times there has 

 been a doubt in regard to Chelyuskin^s statement that 

 he had reached the most northerly point of Asia. 

 After the voyage of the Vega, however, there can no 

 longer be any doubt." * 



The truth is, ever since 1843, f when Middendorff 

 published the preliminary account of his expedition to 

 the Taimyr peninsula, no doubt has prevailed that all 

 who are familiar with Russian literature, or even with 

 German literature, on this subject, have long since been 

 convinced of the fact that the most northern point of 

 Asia was visited and charted a century and a half ago, — 

 that the details of Chelyuskin^'s expedition, so far from 

 being unknown, are those parts of the work of the North- 

 ern Expedition which have been most thoroughly investi- 

 gated and most often presented. Nordenskjold^s recogni- 

 tion of Chelyuskin^s work comes thirty-eight years too late; 

 it has already been treated with quite a different degree 

 of thoroughness than by the few words expended on it in 

 the ''Voyage of the Vega." In 1841, Von Baer accused 

 Chelyuskin of having dishonestly given the latitude of 

 the most northerly point of Asia, and these charges Nor- 

 denskjold prints as late as 1881 without any comment 

 whatever. If he had only seen Von Baer's magazine for 

 1845 I he would there have found the most unreserved 

 retraction of them and most complete restitution to Chel- 

 yuskin on the part of Von Baer, and would thus have 

 escaped ascribing to a man opinions which he renounced 

 a generation ago. Middendorff is likewise very pains- 

 taking in presenting the history of these measurements, 



♦Note 49. t Note 50. t Note 51. 



