The Voyage of the Vega round Asia and Europe, Volume I and Volume IINordenskiöld, A. E. (Adolf Erik)
History
The Voyage of the Vega round Asia and Europe, Volume I and Volume II
Nordenskiöld, A. E. (Adolf Erik)
Arctic regions -- Discovery and exploration; Northeast Passage; Vega (Ship)
Of the two other vessels that sailed from Archangel at the same time
as Pachtussov's, the _lodja_ returned heavily laden with the spoils
of the chase, but on the other hand nothing was ever heard of the
_Yenisej_. A concern, not without justification, for its fate, and
the desire to acquire as good knowledge of the east coast of the
North Island as had been obtained of that of the South, gave
occasion to Pachtussov's second voyage.
For this the Government fitted out two vessels, a schooner and a
"carbasse," which were named after the two officers of the
_Yenisej_, Krotov and Kasakov. The command of the former was
undertaken by Pachtussov, and of the latter by the mate ZIVOLKA.
This time they wintered in 1834-35 on the south side of Matotschkin
Sound at the mouth of the river Tschirakina, in a house built for
the purpose, for which they used, besides materials brought with
them, the remains of three old huts, found in the neighbourhood, and
the wreck of Rossmuislov's vessel which still lay on the beach. The
house was a palace in comparison with that in which Pachtussov
wintered before. It consisted of two rooms, one 21 feet by 16 feet,
intended for the crew (fourteen men), the other 12 feet by 10 feet,
for the officers and surgeon, with a bath-house in addition.
Matotschkin Sound was frozen over for the first time on the 28/16th
November. The thermometer never sank below the freezing-point of
mercury, and the cold of winter could be easily borne, because the
crew wore the Samoyed dress. But the snowstorms were so severe, that
sometimes it was impossible for eight days at a time to leave the
house, which was so snowed up that the opening in the roof for smoke
had several times to be used as a door. The house had no true
chimney, but was built like a Lapp hut. Eleven of the bears, who
came in large numbers to the hut, were killed, one of them on the
roof and another in the porch. During winter the crew were kept in
constant employment in killing foxes and at other work. Their state
of health was also very good for the circumstances of the time. Only
two men died. In spring Matotschkin Sound and part of the east coast
of the North Island were surveyed by means of sledge journeys, after
which an attempt was made during summer to circumnavigate the North
Island, but without success. Lightning accompanied by heavy rain was
observed on the 24/12th June. On the 15th/3rd September they sailed
back to Archangel. Unfortunately soon after his arrival there
Pachtussov fell ill of nervous fever and died on the 19/7th
November, 1835. It was a great loss, for by his devotion to the task
he had undertaken, by judgment, courage, and endurance, he takes one
of the foremost places among the Polar explorers of all countries.
Besides, few of the older Arctic expeditions have brought home such
a series of valuable astronomical determinations of position,
geodetical measurements, meteorological and tidal observations, &c.,
as Pachtussov.[168]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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