t prevail in the regions in question
during the course of early and mid-summer, 1878--for instance, very
steady southerly winds, which would early drive the drift ice away
from the coast of the mainland--I consider, on the grounds which I
have stated above, that it will be safest for the expedition to
choose the course by Matotschkin Sound.

We cannot, however, reckon on having, so early as the beginning of
August, open water _direct_ to Port Dickson at the mouth of the
Yenisej, but must be prepared to make a considerable detour towards
the south in order to avoid the masses of drift ice, which are to be
met with in the Kara Sea up to the beginning of September. The few
days' delay which may be caused by the state of the ice here, will
afford, besides, to the expedition an opportunity for valuable work
in examining the natural history and hydrography of the channel,
about 200 fathoms deep, which runs along the east coast of Novaya
Zemlya. The Kara Sea is, in the other parts of it, not deep, but
evenly shallow (ten to thirty fathoms), yet without being fouled by
shoals or rocks. The most abundant animal life is found in the
before-mentioned deep channel along the east coast, and it was from
it that our two foregoing expeditions brought home several animal
types, very peculiar and interesting in a systematic point of view.
Near the coast the algae, too, are rich and luxuriant. The coming
expedition ought, therefore, to endeavour to reach Matotschkin Sound
so early that at least seven days' scientific work may be done in
those regions.

The voyage from the Kara Sea to Port Dickson is not attended,
according to recent experience, with any difficulty. Yet we cannot
reckon on arriving at Port Dickson sooner than from the 10th to the
15th August. In 1875 I reached this harbour with a sailing-vessel on
the 15th August, after having been much delayed by calms in the Kara
Sea. With a steamer it would have been possible to have reached the
harbour, that year, in the beginning of the month. In 1876 the state
of the ice was less favourable, in consequence of a cold summer and
a prevalence of north-east winds, but even then I arrived at the
mouth of the Yenisej on the 15th August.

It is my intention to lie to at Port Dickson, at least for some
hours, in order to deposit letters on one of the neighbouring
islands in case, as is probable, I have no opportunity of meeting
there some vessel sent out from Yeniseisk, by which accounts