74 
THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 
[chap. 
Hower bed, concealed by no high grass or bushes. On moister 
places true grassy turf is to be met with, which, at least when 
seen from a distance, resembles smiling meadows. 
In consequence of the loss of time which had been caused 
by the delay in sailing along the coast of Norway, and our stay 
at Maosoe, we were unable to land on this occasion, but 
immediately continued our course along the west coast of 
Novaya Zemlya towards Yugor Schar, the weather being for 
the most part glorious and calm. The sea was completely 
free of ice, and the land bare, with the exception of some small 
snow-fields concealed in the valleys. Here and there too along 
the steep strand escarpments were to be seen, remains of the 
winter’s snow-foot, Avhich often, when the lower stratum of 
air was strongly heated by the sun, were magnified by a strong 
mirage, so that, when seen from a distance, they resembled 
immense glaciers terminating perpendicularly towards the sea. 
Coming farther south the clear weather gave us a good view 
of Vaygats Island. It appears, when seen from the sea off the 
west coast, to form a level grassy plain, but when we approached 
Yugor Schar, low ridges were seen to run along the east side 
of the island, which are probably the last ramifications of the 
north spur of Ural, known by the name of Paj-koi. 
When we were off the entrance to Yugor Schar, a steamer 
was sighted. After much guessing, the Fraser was recognised. I 
was at first very uneasy, and feared that an accident had occurred, 
as the course of the vessel was exactly the opposite of that 
which had been fixed beforehand, but found, when Captain 
Nilsson soon after came on board, that he had only come out 
to look for us. The Express and the Fraser had been waiting 
for us at the appointed rendezvous since the 20th. They had 
left Vardoe on the 13th, and during the passage had met with 
as little ice as ourselves. The Vega and Fraser now made 
for the harbour at Chabarova, where they anchored on the 
evening of the 30th July with a depth of fourteen metres and 
