CAPTAIN WIGGINS 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



SIBERIA AND SEA-TRADE. 



Sir Hugh Willoughby's Voyage to Novaya Zemlya — Ancient Voyages 

 across the Kara Sea — Modern Voyages across the Kara Sea — Captain 

 Wiggins's Voyage in 1876 — Ornithological Arctic Expeditions — Letters of 

 Introduction from Count Schouvaloff — Recent Expeditions to Siberia — 

 Nordenskiold's Voyage. 



Before beginning the story of my Yenesei expedition, a 

 few words on the history of the opening-up of this region 

 are necessary. 



Three hundred years ago, when Ivan the Terrible 

 reigned over Russia, and the Slav and Tatar races were 

 struggling in mortal combat, a peaceful expedition left 

 the shores of Britain under the command of Sir Hugh 

 Willoughby. Three ships were sent to the Arctic region 

 on a wild-goose chase after the semi-fabulous land of 

 Cathay — a country where it was popularly supposed that 

 the richest furs might be bought for an old song, where 

 the rarest spices might be had for the picking, and where 

 the rivers rippled over sands of gold. Like so many 



