INTRODUCTION. 
13 
from the mouth of the Yenisej past Cape Chelyuskin—the 
Promontorium Tabin of the old geographers—has, if we except 
voyages in large or small boats along the coast, never yet been 
ploughed by the keel of any vessel, and never seen the funnel 
of a steamer. 
It was this state of things which led me to attempt to procure 
funds for an expedition, equipped as completely as possible, 
both in a scientific and a nautical respect, with a view to 
investigate the geography, hydrography, and natural history 
of the North Polar Sea beyond the mouth of the Yenisej, if 
possible as far as Behring’s Straits. It may be affirmed without 
any danger of exaggeration, that since Cook’s famous voyages 
in the Pacific Ocean, no more promising field of research has 
lain before any exploring expedition, if only the state of the 
ice permit a suitable steamer to force a passage in that sea. In 
order to form a judgment on this point, it may perhaps be 
necessary to cast a brief glance backwards over the attempts 
which have been made to penetrate in the direction which the 
projected expedition is intended to take. 
The Swedish port from which the expedition is to start will 
probably be Gothenburg. The time of departure is fixed for 
the beginning of July, 1878. The course will be shaped at first 
along the west coast of Norway, past North Cape and the 
entrance to the White Sea, to Matotschkin Sound in Novaya 
Zemlya. 
The opening of a communication by sea between the rest 
of Europe and these regions, by Sir Hugh Willoughby and 
Richard Chancelor in 155J, was the fruit of the first exploring 
expedition sent out from England by sea. Their voyage also 
forms the first attempt to discover a north-east passage to 
China. The object aimed at was not indeed accomplished ; but 
on the other hand, there was opened by the voyage in question 
the sea communication between England and the White Sea; 
the voyage thus forming a turning-point not only in the 
navigation of England and Russia, but also in the com¬ 
merce of the world. It also demanded its sacrifice, Sir Hugh 
Willoughby himself, with all the men in the vessels under 
his command, having perished while wintering on the Kola 
peninsula. In our days thousands of vessels sail safely along 
this route. 
With the knowledge we now possess of the state of the ice 
in the Murman Sea---so the sea between Kola and Novaya 
Zemlya is called on the old maps—it is possible to sail during 
the latter part of summer from the White Sea to Matotschkin 
