IV.] 
LAND IN SIGHT, 
189 
appears to sail in clay mud. We are evidently in the area of 
the Ob-Yenisej current. The ice we sailed through yesterday 
probably came from the Gulf of Obi, Yenisej or Pjasina. Its 
surface was dirty, not clean and v/hite like the surface of 
glacier-ice or the sea-ice that has never come in contact with 
land or with muddy river-water. Off the large rivers the ice. 
when the snow has melted, is generally covered with a yellow 
layer of clay. This clay evidently consists of mud, which has 
been washed down by the river-water and been afterwards 
thrown up by the swell on the snow-covered ice. The layer of 
snow acts as a filter and separates the mud from the water, 
The former, therefore, after the melting of the snow may form 
upon true sea-ice a layer of dirt, containing a large number of 
minute organisms which live only in fresh water. 
August 'bth. Still under sail in the Kara Sea, in which a 
few pieces of ice are floating about. The ice completely dis¬ 
appeared when we came north-west of Beli Ostrov. We were 
several times in the course of the day in only nine metres of 
water, which, however, in consequence of the evenness of the 
bottom, is not dangerous. Fog, a heavy sea, and an intermittent 
but pretty fresh breeze delayed our progress. 
August QtJi. At three o’clock in the morning we had land 
in sight. In the fog we had gone a little way up the Gulf 
of Yenisej, and so had to turn in order to reach our destination. 
Port Dickson. The mast-tops of the Express were seen pro¬ 
jecting over islands to the north, and both vessels soon anchored 
south of an island which was supposed to be Dickson’s Island, 
but when the Fraser soon after joined us we learned that this 
was a mistake. The shore, which, seen from our first anchorage, 
appeared to be that of the mainland, belonged in fact to the 
pretty extensive island, off which the haven itself is situated. 
After an excursion on land, in the course of which a covey 
of partridges was seen, and Dr. Kjellman on the diorite rocks of 
the island made a pretty abundant collection of plants, belonging 
