mss142-vasilevShishmarev-i3-045

– 95 –

crew and us as there is nothing more unbearable than freezing
under sail, especially shortly after damp and inclement
weather. On deck it is cold, and below it is suffocating
from stuffy damp air warmed up by the fireplaces. During the
night of August 1, the wind shifted to the SW and with it a
thick wet snow started falling again. Toward morning, we saw
directly in front of us the "Discovery" keeping under least
sail. We were extremely overjoyed by this event because we
had got bored cruising aimlessly in one spot, and could hope
now to get instructions for further action. Toward noon, the
weather cleared completely and the wind died down. We found
ourselves at that time at latitude 68° 34'. During our first
time in this latitude, we noticed a strong current from the NE,
which now during a calm left no doubt whatsoever. Being near
stationary ice fields and shores, we clearly saw how we were
being carried toward the SW with reference to these objects.
To keep our position, we had no other means but to drop anchor.
We dropped it at a depth of 18 sazhens. In order to
measure the strength of the current we lowered a log and it
proved to be almost two knots. Captain Vasilev requested
through the telegraph that our captain come to him, and some
of our officers, taking advantage of good weather, went out
to hunt walrus on the ice. But this was very unsuccessful.
In these latitudes, there are very few, and those are so fear-
ful that they would not let us approach to the distance of a
shot. Toward evening, our captain returned from the "Discovery"