188 
THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 
[chap. 
Pkontschischev, whose object was to go from the Lena west¬ 
wards, if possible, to the Yenisej. The voyage down the river 
was successful and pleasant. The river was from four to nine 
fathoms deep, and on its banks, overgrown with birch and pine, 
there were numerous tents and dwelling-houses whose in¬ 
habitants were engaged in fishing, which gave the neighbour¬ 
hood of the river a lively and pleasant appearance.^ On the 
August the explorers came to the mouth of the river, which 
here divides into five arms, of which the easternmost was chosen 
for sailing down to the Polar Sea. Here the two seafarers 
were to part. Prontschischev staid at the river-mouth till 
the yl-^h August. He then sailed in to 2-|- fathoms water 
along the shore of the islands which are formed by the mouth- 
arms of the Lena. On the anchored in the mouth 
of the Olenek. A little way up the river some dwelling- 
houses were met with, which hunters had built for use during 
summer. These were put in order for winter, which passed 
happily. On the ^iVt juE broke up at the winter quar¬ 
ters, but in the sea it lay still until the August, and it 
was only then that Prontschischev could go to sea. The course 
was shaped for the north-east. The Chatanga was reached on 
the -||th August. On the beach, in 74° 48' N. L., a hut was 
met with in which were found newly baked bread and some 
dogs, and which therefore appeared to belong to some Kussian 
hunters absent at the time. While sailing on along the coast 
the explorers, after having passed two bays projecting into 
the land, came to an inlet which they erroneously took for 
the mouth of the Taimur river. Among the reasons for 
this supposition is mentioned the immense number of gulls 
1 According to Wrangel (i.. note at p. 38 and 48), probably after a quota¬ 
tion from Prontscliischev’s journal. The Lena must be a splendid river, for 
it has since made the same powerful impression, as on the seamen of the 
Great Northern Expedition, on all others who have traversed its forest- 
crowned river channel. 
