the Polar Sea--Views of the
condition of the Polar Sea still divided--Payer and Weyprecht, 1872-74.

CHAPTER VI.

The North-east Voyages of the Russians and Norwegians--Rodivan
Ivanov, 1690--The Great Northern Expedition 1734-37--The supposed
Richness in metals of Novaya Zemlya--Iuschkov, 1757--Savva Loschkin,
1760--Rossmuislov, 1768--Lasarev, 1819--Luetke, 1821-24--Ivanov,
1822-28--Pachtussov, 1832-35--Von Baer, 1837--Zivolka and Moissejev,
1838-39--Von Krusenstern, 1860-62--The Origin and History of the Polar
Sea Hunting--Carlsen, 1868--Ed. Johannesen, 1869-70--Ulve, Mack, and
Quale, 1870--Mack, 1871--Discovery of the Relics of Barent's
wintering--Tobiesen's wintering 1872-73--The Swedish Expeditions
1875 and 1876--Wiggins, 1876--Later voyages to and from the Yenisej.

CHAPTER VII.

Departure from Port Dickson--Landing on a rocky island east of the
Yenisej--Self-dead animals--Discovery of crystals on the surface of
the drift-ice--Cosmic dust--Stay in Actinia Bay--Johannesen's
discovery of the island Ensamheten--Arrival at Cape Chelyuskin--The
natural state of the land and sea there--Attempt to penetrate
right eastwards to the New Siberian Islands--The effect of the
mist--Abundant dredging-yield--Preobraschenie Island--Separation
from the _Lena_ at the mouth of the river Lena.

CHAPTER VIII.

The voyage of the _Fraser_ and the _Express_ up the Yenisej and
their return to Norway--Contract for the piloting of the _Lena_ up
the Lena river--The voyage of the _Lena_ through the delta and up
the river to Yakutsk--The natural state of Siberia in general--The
river territories--The fitness of the land for cultivation and the
necessity for improved communications--The great rivers, the
future commercial highways of Siberia--Voyage up the Yenisej in
1875--Sibiriakoff's Island--The _tundra_--The primeval Siberian
forest--The inhabitants of Western Siberia: the Russians, the
Exiles, the "Asiatics"--Ways of travelling on the Yenisej, dog-boats,
floating trading stores propelled by steam--New prospects for Siberia.

CHAPTER IX.

The new Siberian Islands--The Mammoth--Discovery of Mammoth
and Rhinoceros mummies--Fossil Rhinoceros horns--Stolbovoj
Island--Liachoff Island--First discovery of this island--Passage
through the sound between this island and the mainland--Animal life
there--Formation of ice in water above the freezing point--The
Bear Islands--The quantity and dimensions of the ice begin to
increase--Diff