XI.] 
BOVE’S EXCURSION TO THE OPEN WATER. 
3 
coast {i.e. from S.S.E.). As it ran here nearly in a straight 
line, the current may have been a tidal one. The open 
water swarmed with seals, according to Johnsen both bearded 
and rough. Neither Polar bears, walrusses, nor birds were 
seen.” 
Lieut. Bove’s report confirmed me in my supposition that the 
open water, as towards the end of January 1873 at Mussel Bay, 
might possibly extend as far as our anchorage and open for us 
the way to Behring’s Straits, in which case we could not refrain 
from continuing our voyage, however unpleasant and dangerous 
it might be at this season of the year. The Chukches also 
declared repeatedly that the open water in January would 
continue for a considerable time, and in expectation of this got 
their simple fishing implements ready. But both they and we 
were disappointed in our ex]3ectation. The Vegas ice-fetters 
remained undisturbed, and the blue border at the horizon grew 
less and again disappeared. This caused so great a want of 
food, and above all of train oil, among the natives, that all the 
inhabitants of Pitlekaj, the village nearest to us, were compelled 
to remove to the eastward, notwithstanding that in order to 
mitigate the scarcity a considerable quantity of food was served 
out daily at the vessel. 
It appears, however, as if an actual experience from the pre¬ 
ceding year had been the ground of the Chukches’ weather 
prediction. For on the 6th February a south-east wind began 
to blow, and the severe cold at once ceased. The temperature 
rose for a few hours to and even above the freezing-point. A 
water-sky was again formed along the horizon of the ice from 
north-east to north, and from the heights at the coast there was 
seen an extensive opening in the ice-fields, which a little east 
of Irgunnuk nearly reached the shore. Some kilometres farther 
east even the shore itself was free of ice, and from the hills our 
sailors thought they saw a heavy sea in the blue water border 
which bounded the circle of vision. If this was not an illusion. 
