VOYAGE THROUGH THE KARA SEA 209 



Taimur Island, or Cape Lapteff, at 3 a.m., and were now 

 at Taimur Bay, but with close ice and an island ahead. 

 It was possible that we might reach the island, as a 

 channel had just opened through the ice in that direc- 

 tion ; but we were at present in a tearing "whirlpool" 

 current, and should be obliged to put back for the mo- 

 ment. After breakfast I went up into the crow's-nest. 

 It was brilliant sunshine. I found that Sverdrup's island 

 must be mainlahd, which, however, stretched remarkably 

 far west compared with that given on the maps. I could 

 still see Taimur Island behind me, and the most easterly 

 of Almquist's Islands lay gleaming in the sun to the 

 north. It was a long, sandy point that we had ahead, 

 and I could follow the land in a southerly direction till 

 it disappeared on the horizon at the head of the bay in 

 the south. Then there was a small strip where no land, 

 only open water, could be made out. After that the land 

 emerged on the west side of the bay, stretching towards 

 Taimur Island. With its heights and round knolls this 

 land was essentially different from the low coast on the 

 east side of the bay. 



To the north of the point ahead of us I saw open 

 water ; there was some ice between us and it, but the 

 Frani forced her way through. When we got out, right 

 off the point, I was surprised to notice the sea suddenly 

 covered with brown, clayey water. It could not be a 

 deep layer, for the track we left behind was quite clear. 

 The clayey water seemed to be skimmed to either side 



