CHAP. X.] 
THE MAGNETICAL OBSERVATORY. 
473 
a depot of provisions, guns, ammunition, &c., reckoned for 30 
men and 100 days, was formed on land. Fortunately we did not 
require to depend upon it. The stores were laid up on the 
beach without the protection of lock or bolt, covered only with 
sails and oars, and no watch was kept at the place. Notwith¬ 
standing this, and the want of food which occasionally prevailed 
among the natives, it remained untouched both by the Chukches 
who lived in the neighbourhood, and by those who daily drove 
past the place from distant regions. All however knew very well 
the contents of the sail-covered heap, and they undoubtedly 
supposed that there were to be found there treasures of immense 
value, and provisions enough for the whole population of the 
Chukch peninsula for a whole year. 
The Magnetical Observatory was erected, as will be told in 
greater detail further on, upon the beach a kilometre and a 
half from the vessel. To this house the observers had to walk 
to and fro at least four times in the twenty-four hours over an 
ice-field, covered with loose snow, as fine as dust, that was set in 
motion by the least puff of wind, and then in a few moments 
completely obliterated every footprint. When the moon did not 
shine, the winter nights were so dark, that it was impossible to 
distinguish the very nearest objects, and day after day during the 
course of the winter we had, besides, drifting snow so thick that 
the high dark hull of the vessel itself could be distinguished 
only when one was in its immediate neighbourhood ! In walk¬ 
ing from land during the darkness of the night and in drifting 
snow it would have been very difficult to find one’s way to the 
vessel without guidance, and he would have been helplessly lost 
who went astray. To prevent such an accident, the precaution 
was taken of running a line over high ice-pillars between the 
Observatory and the vessel. Even with the help of the guide¬ 
line it was often difficult enough to find our way. 
The attempt to keep open a channel in the ice round the 
vessel during the whole winter had soon to be given up, but two 
