358 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 
favorable for comfort and health, being so little to the north, that even on the 
shortest day—21st December—they had four or five hours daylight. Villages of 
from five to fifteen tents or most friendly Tchuktches studded the coast, from 
whom reindeer venison and bear’s meat were obtained, being no doubt one of 
the causes why no symptoms of scurvy made their appearance. These people 
may he called Marine Tchuktches, in contradistinction to the Reindeer Tchukt- 
ches, who wander about from place to place with their herds of tame deer, and 
who supply the former by barter with the skins of this most useful animal, which 
form their winter dress. { 
It is to be regretted that here, as elsewhere, where the civilized man goes, 
the natives have been taught the love of alcohol, which is especially baneful 
where this demoralizing drink is used as an article of barter, an offense of which 
I am happy to find Nordenskjéld was not guilty—only giving ‘‘a drop now and 
then to encourage them.” The American whalers bring annually large quantities 
of spirits to this coast, notwithstanding the prohibition of the Russian govern- 
ment. 
The ‘‘Vega’’was liberated from her ice fetters on the 18th July, 1879; 
passed East Cape at the narrowest part of Behring Strait, and entered the Pacific 
on the 2zoth of July, thus completing the northeast passage—a glorious, and in 
all probability a most useful work, worthy of this distinguished explorer. The 
wonderful enthusiastic reception that the Swedish Arctic hero has met with, from 
the time of his reaching Japan until his arrival at Stockholm, the capital of his 
adopted country, expresses better than any writing can, how well and truly his 
work is appreciated. 
If I may be permitted to express a regret, it is that Nordenskjéld did not 
sail from Gottenborg ten or twelve days earlier than he did, because there seems 
little doubt that, had he done so, he would have completed the passage in the 
summer of 1878. The Kara Sea was certainly navigable ten days before he 
traversed it, and nearly all the ice met with was in a decayed state, capable of 
causing little obstruction in deep water. In fact, its decayed state during the 
latter part of the voyage, was in a great measure the cause of obstruction, be- 
cause it floated into much shallower water than the undecayed floes would do, 
and in aless depth than was required to float the ‘‘ Vega,’’ and thus her advance 
was obstructed, as was the case with Captain Collinson’s vessel in the autumn of 
1853, on the somewhat similar low, flat, Arctic shore of America, west of Mc- 
Kenzie River, when making his way from the east toward Behring Strait. 
Whilst on the eastward voyage, early in the seasons of 1850 and 1851, no 
difficulty was found in making a passage either by Collinson or McClure, because 
at that time of the year the floes were much thicker and larger, and took the 
ground in deeper water than was required to float their ships, thus leaving a nav- 
igable channel between the ice and the shore.—Zondon Journal of Education. 
{t Numerous graves with burnt human bones were found. These were covered first with turf, and then 
with small flat es. 
