72 
IHE VOYAGE OF TPIE VEGA. 
[chap. 
that navi<?vation in these waters is rendered rather difficult. 
This is avoided by touching Novaya Zemlya first at Gooseland, 
and thence following the western shore of this island and Yaygats 
to Yugor Schar. Now this precaution was unnecessary; for 
the state of the ice was singularly favourable, and Yugor Schar 
Avas reached Avitliout seeing a trace of it. 
During our passage from Norway to Gooseland we were 
favoured at first Avith a fresh breeze, Avhich, hoAvever, fell as Ave 
approached Novaya Zemyla; this notAvithstanding, Ave made 
rapid progress under steam, and Avithout incident, except that 
the excessive rolling of the vessel caused the overturn of some 
boxes containing instruments and books, fortunately without 
any serious damage ensuing. 
Land Avas sighted on the 28th July at 10.30 P.M. It Avas 
the headland which juts out from the south of Gooseland in 
70'’ 33' N. L. and 51° 54' E. L. (GreeiiAvich). Gooseland is a Ioav 
stretch of coast, occupied by grassy flats and innumerable 
small 'lakes, Avhich projects from the mainland of Novaya 
Zemlya between 72° 10' and 71° 30' N. L. The name is a trans¬ 
lation of the Russian Gusinnaja Seinlja, and arises from the 
large number of geese and SAvans {Cygniis Beioickii, Yarr.) Avhich 
breed in that region. The geese commonly place their ex¬ 
ceedingly inconsiderable nests on little hillocks near the small 
lakes AAdiich are scattered OYer the Avhole of Gooseland ; the 
powerful swans, which are very difficult of approach by the 
hunter, on the other hand breed on the open plain. The SAvans’ 
nests are so large that they may be seen at a great distance. 
The building material is moss, Avhich is plucked from the 
oTound Avithin a distance of two metres from the nest, which 
by the excavation Avhich is thus produced, is surrounded by a 
sort of moat. The nest itself forms a truncated cone, 0*6 metre 
high and 2'4 metres in diameter at the bottom. In its upper 
part there is a cavity, 0 2 metre deep and 0'6 metre broad, in 
Avliicli the four large grayish- ay bite eggs of the bird are laid. 
