Narrative of an expedition to the polar sea, in 1820, 1821,1822 & 1823 commanded by F. von Wrangell [drawn up from his papers and those of the other officers by G. Engelhardt] ed. by E. Sabine [tr. by E.J. Sabine].

Forsideomslag

Fra bogen

Indhold

Andre udgaver - Se alle

Almindelige termer og sætninger

Populære passager

Side 346 - ... side of the channel before us. The collisions were so tremendous, that large masses were every instant broken away, and it was evident that the portion of ice which still divided the channel from the open ocean, would soon be completely destroyed. Had we attempted to...
Side ix - Navy. western direction, terminated alike in conducting them to an open and navigable sea. From whatever point of the coast their departure was taken, the result was invariably the same : after an icejourney of more or less continuance, they arrived where further progress in sledges was impossible — where, to use the words of M. von Wrangell, "we beheld the wide immeasurable ocean spread before our gaze, a fearful and magnificent, but to us a melancholy spectacle.
Side 350 - We had hardly proceeded one verst, when we found ourselves in a fresh labyrinth of lanes of water, which hemmed us in on every side. As all the floating pieces around us were smaller than the one on which we stood, which was seventy-five fathoms' across, and as we saw many certain indications of an approaching storm, I thought it better to remain on the larger mass, which offered us somewhat more security ; and thus we waited quietly whatever Providence should decree. Dark clouds now rose from the...
Side v - Strait ; the general direction of the coast is the same in both continents, the latitude is nearly the same, and each has its attendant group of islands to the north : the Asiatic continent, those usually known as the New Siberian Islands ; and the American, those called by Sir Edward Parry the North Georgian Group, and since fitly named, from their discoverer, the Parry Islands. The resemblance includes the islands also, both in general character and latitude.
Side 386 - The influence of the cold extends even to inanimate nature; the thickest trunks of trees are rent asunder with a loud sound, which, in these deserts, falls on the ear like a signalshot at sea; large masses of rock are torn from their ancient sites; the ground in the tundras, and in the rocky valleys, cracks, and forms wide yawning fissures, from which the waters which were beneath the surface rise, giving off a cloud of vapour, and become immediately changed into ice.
Side cxvi - On ascending these hills, fossilised charcoal is everywhere met with, covered apparently with ashes, but on closer examination, this ash is also found to be a petrifaction, and so hard, that it can scarcely be scraped off with a knife. On the summit another curiosity is found, namely, a long row of beams, resembling the former, but fixed perpendicularly in the sandstone.
Side cxxii - At the first glance they appeared to have been well preserved by the earth; but, on digging them up, they are found to be in a thorough state of decay. On being lighted they glow, but never emit a flame : nevertheless the inhabitants of the neighbourhood use them as fuel, and designate these subterranean trees as Adamoushtshina, or of Adam's time.
Side 386 - When the icy ground is not covered by snow, their hoofs often burst from the effects of the cold. The caravan is always surrounded by a thick cloud of vapour; it is not only living bodies which produce this effect* but even the snow smokes. These evaporations are instantly changed into millions of needles of ice, which fill the air, and cause a constant slight noise, resembling the sound of torn satin or thick silk.
Side 189 - It is no easy thing to keep the light boat afloat among the dense crowd of the swimming deer, which, moreover, make considerable resistance ; the males with their horns, teeth, and hind legs, whilst the females try to overset the boat by getting their fore feet over the gunnel ; if they succeed in this the hunter is lost, for it is hardly possible that he should extricate himself from the throng ; but the skill of these people is so great that accidents very rarely occur. A good hunter may kill one...
Side xi - Dartmouth, by this last discouerie it seemed most manifest that the passage was free and without impediment towards the North, but by reason of the Spanish fleete and unfortunate time of master Secretory es death the voyage was omitted and neuer sithens attempted.

Bibliografiske oplysninger