54: REY. D. GATH WHITLEY, ON THE 
but had a troublesome passage through the ice in the Kara Sea. 
He was frozen up on the coast of Taimyr Peninsula, where he was 
compelled to winter. The Zarya was not released from the ice 
until August 25th, 1901, when she sailed for Bennett Island, 
which she reached on September 11th. Baron Toll had a fine 
view of the high snowy mountains and glaciers of Bennett Island, 
but the ice prevented approaching the shore closely, and the 
Zarya Was, about a fortnight later, frozen up on the western side 
of the island of Kotelnoi. In this cruise Toll passed over the 
site of Sannikoff Land, the existence of which is therefore very 
doubtful ; either it is a myth, or lies farther to the north. In 
the spring of 1902 Baron Toll left the Zarya for Bennett Land 
whither the ship tried to follow, but was prevented by the ice. 
Nothing more has been seen of the gallant explorer, although it 
is known that he reached Bennett Land in salety. In 1903 a 
relief expedition under M. Brusneff searched the New Siberian 
Islands fruitlessly for Toll, and then landed on Bennett Island. 
Here they found documents left by Baron Toll, but nothing 
more was found concerning him. It is now certain that he and 
his companions perished in attempting to force a passage through 
the frozen sea from Bennett Island to New Siberia. Thus 
died one of the most heroic and indefatigable of Arctic explorers. 
The documents left by Baron Toll, and recovered by M. 
Brusneff, are most important. Bennett Island is formed of 
Palwozoic rocks, and masses of basalt. _Mammoths’ bones, and 
the remains of other Quaternary animals, are found in the 
valleys. It will thus be seen that Bennett Island is the farthest 
point north in which the remains of the mammoth have, up to 
the present time, been discovered. 
One of the most remarkable features of these islands are the 
great masses of rock-ice, which are found both on the coasts 
and inland. These are best seen on the great Liakoff Island, 
where, with the exception of some granite peaks, they form 
the chief solid substance in the island. Baron Toll calls these 
wonderful masses of rock-ice “ Fossil Glaciers,” and he gives 
some striking photographs of them. They form part of the 
great ice formation of north-eastern Siberia, and they were 
noticed long ago by the Russian explorers. Baron Toll 
maintains that they originated during the Glacial Period, and 
that they represent the remains of the old ice-cap. In support 
of this theory he declares that he discovered a true moraine, 
with scratched and polished boulders in the bay of Anabar.* 
* Geographical Journal, May, 1894, pp. 412, 413. 
