IV.] 
PROGRESS OF THE EXPEDITION. 
187 
marine vegetation in the Kara Sea, which will be found 
further on. 
I shall now return to the account of our passage across this sea. 
On this subject my journal contains the following notes : 
August 2nd. Still glorious weather—no ice. The Lena 
appears to wish to get away from the other vessels, and does 
not observe the flag which was hoisted as the signal agreed upon 
beforehand that her Captain should come on board, or at least 
bring his little vessel within hail. The Fraser was therefore 
sent in pursuit, and succeeded in overtaking her towards night. 
August Zrd. In the morning Captain Johannesen came on 
board the Vega. I gave him orders to take on board Dr. 
Almquist and Lieutenants Hovgaard and Nordquist, and go 
with them to Beli Ostrov, where they should have freedom for 
thirty-six hours to study the people, animals, and plants, as they 
pleased; the Lena was then, if possible, to pass through the 
Sound between the island and Yalmal to Port Dickson, where 
the three other vessels should be found. Almquist, Nordquist, 
and Hovgaard were already quite in order for the excursion; 
they went immediately on board the Lena, and were soon, 
thanks to the great power of the engine in proportion to the 
size of the vessel, far on their way. 
In the course of the day we met with very open and rotten 
ice, which would only have been of use to us by its moderating 
effect on the sea, if it had not been accompanied by the usual 
attendant of the border of the ice, a thick fog, which however 
sometimes lightened. Towards evening we came in sight of 
Beli Ostrov. This island, as seen from the sea, forms a quite 
level plain, which rises little above the surface of the water. 
The sea off the island is of an even depth, but so shallow, that 
at a distance of twenty to thirty kilometres from the shore there 
is only from seven to nine metres of water. According to a 
communication from Captain Schwanenberg, there is, however, 
a depth of three to four metres close to the north shore. Such 
