In December 1902, the main part of the Russian polar expedition of 1900–1902 arrived in Saint Petersburg and reported their results to the Academy of Sciences.

The academy was worried about the fate of Baron Toll, who split from the expedition with three assistants to explore Bennett Island and sent no correspondence since then, and Alexei Byalynitsky-Birulya who was left on New Siberia.

In Arkhangelsk, he received the news that one group to be rescued (Byalynitsky-Birulya) managed to reach the mainland from New Siberia; however, the fate of Toll was still unknown.

Begichev criticized the plan of Kolchak to bring rescue boats from Mezen and convinced him to use the whaleboat left on Zarya, the ship of the previous expedition that was abandoned at Tiksi Bay.

[8] On 23 May the expedition members reached Kotelny Island, where they engaged in hunting and fitting of the boat while waiting for the ice to melt for navigation.

[9] By 18 July, the waters were cleared from ice, and the team split in two groups: seven men sailed ahead on the whaleboat and helped the others to find a path through the icefields.

[10] Further on Cape Vysoky they met Brusnev, who was also left by the previous expedition to assist Toll, and rested at his camp for a day.

[10] From Cape Vysoky, the team traveled through open waters, using sail and oars,[11] and on 4 August reached the Bennett Island.

[11][13] In the camp, Kolchak found samples collected by Toll, some of his geodesic instruments, and a diary, which contained a summary of his exploration of the island.

[15] When it became clear that Zarya would not come, the group was already low on ammunition, with only 30 shotgun rounds found at the shelter, and the reindeer had already left the island.

The telegram said that Toll explored the Bennett Island between 21 July and 26 October 1902, and then left it and disappeared without a trace; the information was published by many contemporary newspapers.

In recognition of his achievements, in 1906 Kolchak was elected a member of the Russian Geographical Society and bestowed with its highest award, the Constantine Medal, "for taking part in the expedition of Baron Toll and for the journey to the island of Bennett".