perhaps be sufficient to show that the expedition, even if its
geographical objects were not attained, ought to be a worthy
continuation of similar enterprises which have been set on foot in
this country, and which have brought gain to science and honour to
Sweden.

Should the expedition again, as I hope, be able to reach Behring's
Straits with little hindrance, and thus in a comparatively short
time--in that case indeed the time, which on the way can be devoted
to researches in natural history, will be quite too short for
solving many of the scientific questions I have mentioned. But
without reckoning the world-historical navigation problem which will
then be solved, extensive contributions of immense importance ought
also to be obtainable regarding the geography, hydrography, zoology,
and botany of the Siberian Polar Sea, and, beyond Behring's Straits,
the expedition will meet with other countries having a more
luxuriant and varied nature, where other questions which perhaps
concern us less, but are not on that account of less importance for
science as a whole, will claim the attention of the observer and
yield him a rich reward for his labour and pains. These are the
considerations which formed the grounds for the arrangement of the
plan of the expedition which is now in question.

It is my intention to leave Sweden in the beginning of July, 1878,
in a steamer, specially built for navigation among ice, which will
be provisioned for two years at most, and which, besides a
scientific staff of four or five persons, will have on board a naval
officer, a physician, and at most eighteen men--petty officers and
crew, preferably volunteers, from your Royal Majesty's navy. Four
walrus-hunters will also be hired in Norway. The course will be
shaped at first to Matotschkin Sound, in Novaya Zemlya, where a
favourable opportunity will be awaited for the passage of the Kara
Sea. Afterwards the voyage will be continued to Port Dickson, at the
mouth of the Yenisej, which I hope to be able to reach in the first
half of August. As soon as circumstances permit, the expedition will
continue its voyage from this point in the open channel which the
river-water of the Obi and the Yenisej must indisputably form along
the coast to Cape Chelyuskin, possibly with some short excursions
towards the north-west in order to see whether any large island is
to be found between the northern part of Novaya Zemlya and New
Siberia.

At Cape Chelyusk