240 



THE POLAR WORLD. 



(which was similar to the supper of the night before). The tent was then 

 struck, and every thing packed and stowed on the sledges, and at nine we usually 

 took our departure." 



The chief impediments to journeying on the ice were found to be the hum- 

 mocks, often eighty feet high, which lie in ridges at certain distances, parallel 

 perhaps to the shore. Along the line or lines where the ice is periodically 

 broken, it is forced by pressure and the tossing of a tempestuous sea into those 

 irregular ridges through which Wrangell had sometimes to make a way with 

 crowbars for half a mile. The " polinyas," or spaces of open water in the 

 midst of the ice, offered less hindrance, as they might be avoided ; but in this 

 neighborhood, and sometimes even where no hole in the ice was visible, layers 

 of salt were met with, which cut the dogs' feet, and at the same time increased 

 the labor of the draft, the sledges moving over the salt with as much difficulty 

 as they would over gravel. 



In spite of all these hindrances, Wrangell extended his exploration of the 

 coast fifty versts beyond Cape Shelagskoi, where the want of fuel and provis- 

 ions compelled him to return. The depots which he had made as he ad- 

 vanced, were found partly devoured by the stone-foxes and gluttons, so that 

 the party was compelled to fast during the tw^o last days of the journey. Aft- 

 er an absence of three weeks Nishne-Kolymsk appeared like a second Capua 

 to Wrangell, but time being precious he allowed himself but a few days' rest, 

 and started afresh, on March 26, for Cape Shelagskoi, with the intention of pen 

 etrating as far as possible to the north on the ice of the Polar Sea. The car 

 avan consisted of twentj^-two sledges, laden with fuel and provisions for thirty 

 days, including food for 240 dogs. So imposing a train had certainly never 

 })een seen before in these desolate regions, for the part of the coast between 

 the Kolyma and Cape Shelagskoi is wholly uninhabited ; on one side the oc- 

 casional excursions of the Russians terminate at the Baranow rocks, and on 

 the other the Tchuktchi do not cross the larger Baranow River. The interven- 

 ing eighty versts of coast are never visited by either party, but considered as 

 neutral ground. On April 1 Wrangell reached the borders of the Polar Sea, 

 and proceeding northward to 71° 31', found the thickness of the ice, which he 

 measured by means of a hole, to be about a foot, very rotten, and full of salt ; 

 the soundings, twelve fathoms, with a bottom of soft green mud. The wind 

 increasing in violence, he heard the sound of the water beneath, and felt the 

 undulatory motion of the thin crust of ice. 



" Our position," says the bold explorer, " was at least an anxious one ; the 

 more so as we could take no step to avoid the impending danger. I believe 

 few of our party slept, except the dogs, who alone were unconscious of the 

 great probability of the ice being broken up by the force of the waves. Next 

 day, the wind having fallen, I had two of the best sledges emptied, and placed 

 in them provisions for twenty-four hours, with the boat and oars, some poles 

 and boards, and proceeded northAvard to examine the state of the ice ; directing 

 M. von Matiuschkin, in case of danger, to retire with the whole party as far a? 

 might be needful, without awaiting my return. After driving through th^ 

 thick brine with much difficulty for seven versts, we came to a number of largi 



