The Vega left Aden, or more correctly its port-town, Steamer Point, on the 9th January, and sailed the following day through Bab-el-Mandeb into the Red Sea. The passage of this sea, which is narrow, but 2,200 kilometres long, was tedious, especially in its northern part, where a strong head wind blew. This caused so great a lowering of the temperature that a film of ice was formed on the fresh-water pools in Cairo, and that we, Polar travellers as we were, had again to put on winter clothes in Egypt itself.
The Vega anchored on the 27th January at the now inconsiderable port, Suez, situated at the southern entrance to the Suez Canal. Most of the scientific men and officers of the Vega expedition made an excursion thence to Cairo and the Pyramids, and were everywhere received in a very kind way. Among other things the Egyptian Geographical Society sent a deputation to welcome us under the leadership of the President of the Society, the American, STONE PACHA. He had in his youth visited Sweden, and appeared to have a very pleasant recollection of it. The Geographical Society gave a stately banquet in honour of the Vega expedition. An excursion was made to the Great Pyramids, and, as far as the short time permitted, to other remarkable places in and around the heap of ruins of all kinds and from all periods, which forms the capital of the Egypt of to-day. During our visit to the Pyramids the Swedish-Norwegian consul-general, BÖDTKER, gave us a dinner in the European hotel there, and the same evening a ball was given us by the Italian consul-general, DE MARTINO. A day was besides devoted by some of us, in company with M. GUISEPPE HAIMANN, to a short excursion to the Mokattam Mountains, famous for the silicified tree-stems found there. I hoped along with the petrified wood to find some strata of clay-slate or schist with leaf-impressions. I was however unsuccessful in this, but I loaded heavily a carriage drawn by a pair of horses with large and small tree-stems converted into hard flint. These he spread about in the desert in incredible masses, partly broken up into small pieces, partly as long fallen stems, without root or branches, but in a wonderfully good state of preservation. Probably they had originally lain embedded in a layer of sand above the present surface of the desert. This layer has afterwards been carried away by storms, leaving the heavy masses of stone as a peculiar stratum upon the desert sand, which is not covered by any grassy sward. No root-stumps were found, and it thus appeared as if the stems had been carried by currents of water to the place where they were imbedded in the sandy layers and silicified. In their exterior all these petrifactions resemble each other, and by the microscopical examination which has hitherto been made naturalists have only succeeded in distinguishing two species belonging to the family Nicolia, and a palm, a pine, and a leguminous plant, all now extinct. It is possible that among the abundant materials I brought home with me some other types may be discovered by polishing and microscopical examination. Such at least was my expectation in bringing home this large quantity of stones, the transport of which to the Vega was attended with a heavy expenditure.
From Cairo we returned, on the 2nd February, to Suez, and the following day the Vega weighed anchor to steam through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean. This gigantic work, created by the genius and perseverance of LESSEPS, which is unsurpassed by the many marvels of construction in the land of the Pharaohs, has not a very striking appearance, for the famous canal runs, like a small river with low banks, through the monotonously yellow plain of the desert. There are no sluices. No bold rock-blastings stand as monuments of difficulties overcome. But proud must every child of our century be when he gazes on this proof that private enterprise can in our day accomplish what world-empires in former times were unable to carry into execution. We touched at Port Said for a few hours on the 5th February, after which we continued our voyage to Naples, the first European port we were to visit.
At Aden and in Egypt I had received several letters and telegrams informing me that great preparations were being made at Naples for our reception, and that repeated inquiries had been addressed to the Swedish consul-general regarding the day of our arrival, questions which naturally it was not so easy to answer, as our vessel, with its weak steam-power, was very dependent on wind and weather. It was hoped that the Vega might be signalled from the Straits of Messina, but we did not come to the entrance to the Straits until after sunset. I therefore ordered the Vega to lie to there for some hours, while Lieut. Bove and I rowed ashore to send off telegrams announcing our arrival in Europe to Sweden, Naples, Rome, and other places. The shore, however, was farther off than we had calculated, and it was quite dark before it was reached. It was not without difficulty that in these circumstances we could get to land through the breakers in the open road quite unknown to us, and then, in coal-black darkness, find our way through thickets of prickly bushes to the railway which here runs along the coast. We had then to go along the railway for a considerable distance before we reached a station from which our telegrams could be despatched. Scarcely had we entered the station when we were surrounded by suspicious railway and coast-guard men, and we considered ourselves fortunate that they had not observed us on the way thither, for they would certainly have taken us for smugglers, whom the coast-guard have the right to salute with sharp shot. Even now we were overwhelmed with questions in a loud and commanding tone, but when they saw to what high personages our telegrams were addressed, and were informed by their countryman Bove, who wore his uniform, to what vessel we belonged, they became very obliging. One of them accompanied us back to our boat, after providing us with excellent torches which spread abundant light around our footsteps. They were much needed, for we were now compelled to share the astonishment of our guide that in the darkness we had succeeded in making our way over the rugged hills covered with cactus plants and bushy thickets between the railway and the coast, and along a railway viaduct which we had passed on our way to the station without having any idea of it. It was the last adventure of the voyage of the Vega, and my first landing on the glorious soil of Italy.
On the 14th February, at 1 P.M., the Vega arrived at Naples. At Capri a flag-ornamented steamer from Sorrento met us; somewhat later, another from Naples, both of which accompanied us to the harbour. Here the Swedish expedition was saluted by an American war-vessel, the Wyoming, with twenty-one guns. The harbour swarmed with boats adorned with flags. Scarcely had the Vega anchored—or more correctly been moored to a buoy—when the envoy LINDSTRAND, the Swedish-Norwegian consul CLAUSEN, Prince TEANO, president of the Geographical Society, Commander MARTIN FRANKLIN, Commendatore NEGRI, and others came on board. The last-named, who nearly two years before had made a special journey to Sweden to be present at the departure of the Vega, now came from Turin commissioned by the Italian government, and deputed by the municipalities of Florence and Venice, the Turin Academy of Sciences, and several Italian and foreign geographical societies, to welcome the Expedition, which had now brought its labours to a happy issue.
After Herr Lindstrand, as King Oscar's representative, had welcomed the Expedition to Europe, and publicly conferred Swedish decorations on Palander and me, and two adjutants of the Italian Ministry of Marine had likewise distributed Italian orders to some of the Vega men, some short speeches were exchanged, on which the members of the Expedition, accompanied by the persons enumerated above, landed in the Admiral's steam-launch under a salute of twenty-one guns from the Italian guard-ship. On the landing-quay, where a large crowd of the inhabitants of the city was assembled, the Swedish seafarers were received by the Syndic of Naples, Count GIUSSO, accompanied by a deputation from the municipality, &c. Here we were taken, between rows of enthusiastic students, in the gala carriages of the municipality, to the Hotel Royal des Étrangeres, where a handsome suite of apartments, along with equipages and numerous attendants, was placed at our disposal. We were there received by the committee in charge of the festivities, Prince BELMONTE and Cavalier RICCIO, who afterwards, during our stay in the city, in the kindest way arranged everything to make our stay there festive and agreeable.
On Sunday the 15th several deputations were received, among them one from the University. A beautifully-bound address was presented by "Ateneo Benjammo Franklin," and a number of official visits were made and received. We dined with the Swedish-Norwegian consul, Clausen. On Monday the 16th an address was presented from "Scuola d'Applicazione per gl'Ingenieri," and from "Neapolitana Archæologiæ, Litterarum et Artium Academia," a song of welcome in Latin, written by Professor ANTONIO MIRABELLI. Then followed a grand dinner given by the municipality of the city in a hall of the hotel, which was now inaugurated and was named the Vega Hall, and was on this occasion ornamented with the royal cipher, the Swedish and Italian flags, &c. In the evening there was a gala representation at San Carlo, where the members of the Expedition scattered among the different boxes were saluted with repeated loud cries of "Bravo!"—On Tuesday the 17th the Committee had arranged an excursion to Lake Averno, the Temple of Serapis, and other places famous in a geological and historical respect, situated to the north-west of Naples. Prince URUSOV entertained some of the members of the Expedition to dinner. There was an afternoon musical entertainment at the "Società Filarmonica," where there was a numerous attendance of persons moving in the first circles in the city.—Wednesday the 18th, excursion along with the Committee to Pompeii, where the Swedish guests were received by the famous superintendent of the excavations, Director RUGGIERI. Breakfast was eaten with merry jests and gay speeches in a splendid Roman bath, still in good preservation, excavations were undertaken, &c. In the afternoon there was a grand dinner, followed by a reception by the admiral in command, and a festive representation at the Bellini Theatre.—Thursday the 19th, Dr. FRANZ KÜHN, arrived from Vienna, deputed by the Geographical Society there to welcome us. Excursion in company with Professor PALMIERI and the Committee to Vesuvius, which at the time of our visit was emitting thick columns of smoke, was pouring out a stream of lava, and casting out masses of glowing stone. We ascended the border of the crater, not without inconvenience from the heat of the half-solidified lava streams over which we walked, from the gases escaping from the crater, and from the red-hot stones flung out of it. The new railway, not then ready, was inspected, and the observatory visited. We dined with the Committee at the hotel—Friday the 20th, journey to Rome, where the members of the Expedition arrived at 2 P.M., and were, in the same way as at Naples, received in a festive manner by the Syndic of the city, Prince RUSPOLI, president and director of the Geographical Society, by members of the University, the Scandinavian Union, &c. Carriages met the Swedish guests, in which they were taken past the Swedish-Norwegian minister's hotel, decked with innumerable flags, to Albergo di Roma in the Corso, where a splendid suite of apartments, along with equipages, was placed at the disposal of the Expedition. In the evening we dined with the Swedish minister, and were afterwards received by Prince PALLAVICINI at his magnificent palace—Saturday the 21st, visit to the Chamber of Deputies, private excursions, dinner given by the Duke NICOLAS of Leuchtenberg, to Nordenskiöld and Nordquist.—Sunday the 22nd, public meeting of the Geographical Society, at which its grand gold medal was presented to Nordenskiöld. In the evening a grand dinner, given by the Geographical Society, in the Continental Hotel. Among the toasts which were drunk may be mentioned one to the King of Sweden and Norway, proposed in a very warm and eloquent speech by the Premier, CAIROLI; to Nordenskiöld, by Prince Teano; to Palander, by the Minister of Marine, Admiral ACTON; to the other members of the Expedition, to its munificent patrons, Oscar Dickson and Alexander Sibiriakoff, to Bove, the Italian officer, who took part in it, &c.—Monday the 23rd. Audience of the King. In the evening a grand reception at the Palazzo Teano, where almost all that was distinguished and splendid of Roman society appeared to be assembled.—Tuesday the 24th. Dined at the Quirinal with King Humbert. There were present, besides the King and his suite, the Swedish minister, the members of the Vega expedition, Prince Teano, President of the Geographical Society; Commendatore Negri; Cairoli, Premier; Acton, Minister of Marine; MALVANO, Secretary of the Cabinet; Major BARATIERI, and the Italian naval officer, EUGENIO PARENT, a member of the Swedish Polar expedition of 1872-3, and others. In the evening, reception by the English minister, Sir A. B. PAGET, and a beautifully arranged fête at the Scandinavian Union, at which a number of enthusiastic speeches were made, and flowers and printed verses were distributed. —Wednesday the 25th. Farewell visits. Some of the members of the Expedition travelled north by rail. Captain Palander made an excursion to Spezzia to take part in a cruise on the large ironclad Duilio. The others remained some days longer in Rome in order to see its lions, undisturbed by official fêtes.
While the Vega lay in the harbour of Naples she was literally exposed to storming by visitors. The crew were on several occasions invited to the theatres there by the managers. Excursions to Pompeii had besides been arranged for them by the consul for the united kingdoms, Clausen, who spared no pains to make the stay of the expedition at Naples honouring to the mother-country and as pleasant as possible to the guests, as well as in arranging the more formal details of the visit. We had besides the joy of meeting in Italy our comrade from the severe wintering of 1872-3, Eugenio Parent, who soon after had the misfortune to be in the tower of the ironclad Duilio, when the large Armstrong cannon placed there burst, and the wonderful good fortune to escape with life and without being seriously hurt from this dreadful accident. The only mishap on board the Vega during the latter part of her long voyage home occurred besides in the harbour of Naples, one of the sailors who was keeping back an enthusiastic crowd of people who stormed the Vega, being thrown down from the bulwarks with the result that he broke an arm.[392]
On the 29th February the Vega left the harbour of Naples, but no longer with her staff complete. Doctors Kjellman, Almquist, and Stuxberg, and Lieut. Nordquist had preferred the land route from Italy to Stockholm to the long détour by sea, and Lieut. Bove was obliged, by family circumstances, to leave the Vega at Naples. We, however, all met again at Stockholm. At our departure from Naples the gunroom personnel thus consisted only of me, Captain Palander, and Lieuts. Brusewitz and Hovgaard.
Through M. A. RABAUT, President of the young, but already so well known Geographical Society of Marseilles, I had received repeated invitations to visit along with my companions the birthplace of Pytheas, the first Polar explorer and the discoverer of the Scandinavian Peninsula. With great reluctance I was compelled to decline this invitation. We had to hasten home, and I wished to save some days for a visit to the fatherland of HENRY the Navigator and VASCO DA GAMA.