CHAPTER I. 
Departure—Tromsoe—Members of the Expedition—Stay at Maosoe—Limit 
of Trees—Climate—Scurvy and Antiscorbutics—The first doubling of 
North Cape—Othere’s account of his Travels—Ideas concerning the 
Geography of Scandinavia current during the first half of the sixteenth 
century—The oldest Maps of the North—Herbertstein’s account of 
Istoma’s voyage — Gustaf Vasa and the North-east Passage — 
Willoughby and Chance'or’s voyages. 
The Vega left the harbour of Karlskrona on the 22nd 
June, 1878. Including Lieutenants Palander and Brusewitz, 
there were then on board nineteen men belonging to the 
Swedish navy, and two foreign naval officers, who were to 
take part in the expedition—Lieutenants Hovgaard and 
Bove. The two latter had lived some time at Karlskrona 
in order to be present at the fitting out and repairing of 
the vessel. 
On the 24th June the Vega called at Copenhagen in order to 
take on board the large quantity of provisions which had been 
purchased there. On the 26th June the voyage was resumed to 
Gothenburg, where the Vega anchored on the 27th. During the 
passage there was on board the famous Italian geographer, Com- 
mendatore Christoforo Negri, who, for several years back, 
had followed with special interest all Arctic voyages, and now 
had received a commission from the Government of his native 
country to be present at the departure of the Vega from 
