r the ice to Kotelnoj Island,
which could be reached only with great difficulty in consequence of
"leads" in the ice and the large quantity of salt water which had
accumulated upon it. The reindeer were exceedingly enfeebled, but
recovered rapidly on reaching land, so that Sannikov was able under
specially favourable circumstances to make a large number of
interesting excursions, among others one across the island. He
stated that on the heights in the interior of it there were found
skulls and bones of horses, oxen, "buffaloes" (Ovibos?) and sheep in
so large numbers, that it was evident that whole herds of gramimvora
had lived there in former times. Mammoth bones were also found
everywhere on the island, whence Sannikov drew the conclusions, that
all these animals had lived at the same time, and that since then
the climate had considerably deteriorated. These suppositions he
considered to be further confirmed by the fact that large, partially
petrified tree-stems were found scattered about on the island in
still greater numbers than on Novaya Sibir[336]. Besides he found
here everywhere remains of old "Yukagir dwellings"; the island had
thus once been inhabited. After Sannikov had fetched Chenitzyn from
Faddejev Island, where he had passed the summer in great want of
provisions, and ordered him, who was probably a greater adept at the
pen, to draw up a report of his own interesting researches, he
commenced his return journey on the 8th Nov./27th Oct. and arrived
at Ustjansk on the 24th/12th November.

[Illustration: PETER FEODOROVITSCH ANJOU. Born in 1798 in Russia,
died in 1869 in St. Petersburg. ]

[Illustration: FERDINAND VON WRANGEL. Born in 1790 at Pskov, died
in 1870 at Dorpat. ]

It may be said that through Hedenstroem's and Sannikov's exceedingly
remarkable Polar journeys, the titles have been written of many
important chapters in the history of the former and recent condition
of our globe. But the inquirer has hitherto waited in vain for these
chapters being completed through new researches carried out with
improved appliances. For since then the New Siberian Islands have
not been visited by any scientific expedition. Only in 1823 ANJOU,
lieutenant in the Russian Navy, with the surgeon FIGURIN, and the
mate ILGIN, made a new attempt to penetrate over the ice to the
supposed lands in the north and north-east, but without success.
Similar attempts were made at the same time from the Siberian
mainland by ano