letters from high latitudes-第16章

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fied　its　secluded　waters。

This　morning；　directly　after　breakfast；　I　went　on　board　the　〃Reine　Hortense〃　to　pay　my　respects　to　Prince　Napoleon；　and　H。I。H。　has　just　done　me　the　honour　of　coming　to　inspect　the　〃Foam。〃　When　I　was　first　presented　to　him　at　the　Geysirs；　he　asked　me　what　my　plans　might　be；　and　on　my　mentioning　my　resolution　of　sailing　to　the　North；　he　most　kindly　proposed　that　I　should　come　with　him　West　to　Greenland　instead。　My　anxiety；　however；　to　reach；　if　it　were　possible；　Jan　Mayen　and　Spitzbergen；　prevented　my　accepting　this　most　tempting　offer；　but　in　the　meantime；　H。I。H。　has；　it　seems；　himself　determined　to　come　to　Jan　Mayen；　and　he　is　kind　enough　to　say　that　if　I　can　get　ready　for　a　start　by　six　o'clock　to…morrow　morning；　the　〃Reine　Hortense〃　shall　take　me　in　tow。　To　profit　by　this　proposal　would　of　course　entail　the　giving　up　my　plan　of　riding　across　the　interior　of　Iceland；　which　I　should　be　very　loth　to　do；　at　the　same　time；　the　season　is　so　far　advanced；　the　mischances　of　our　first　start　from　England　have　thrown　us　so　far　behind　in　our　programme；　that　it　would　seem　almost　a　pity　to　neglect　such　an　opportunity　of　overrunning　the　time　that　has　been　lost；　and　after　all；　these　Polar　islands；　which　so　few　have　visited；　are　what　I　am　chiefly　bent　on　seeing。　Before　I　close　this　letter　the　thing　will　have　been　settled　one　way　or　another；　for　I　am　to　have　the　honour　of　dining　with　the　Prince　this　evening；　and　between　this　and　then　I　shall　have　made　up　my　mind。　After　dinner　there　is　to　be　a　ball　on　board　the　frigate；　to　which　all　the　rank；　fashion；　and　beauty　of　Reykjavik　have　been　invited。

　　　3　A。M。

I　give　up　seeing　the　rest　of　Iceland；　and　go　North　at　once。　It　has　cost　me　a　struggle　to　come　to　this　conclusion；　but　on　the　whole　I　think　it　will　be　better。　Ten　or　fifteen　days　of　summer…time　become　very　precious　in　these　latitudes；　and　are　worth　a　sacrifice。　At　this　moment　we　have　just　brought　up　astern　of　the　〃Reine　Hortense；〃　and　are　getting　our　hawsers　bent；　ready　for　a　start　in　half　an　hour's　time。　My　next　letter；　please　God；　will　be　dated　from　Hammerfest。　I　suppose　I　shall　be　about　fifteen　or　twenty　days　getting　there；　but　this　will　depend　on　the　state　of　the　ice　about　Jan　Mayen。　If　the　anchorage　is　clear；　I　shall　spend　a　few　days　in　examining　the　island；　which　by　all　accounts　would　appear　to　be　most　curious。

I　happened　first　to　hear　of　its　existence　from　a　very　intelligent　whaling　Captain　I　fell　in　with　among　the　Shetlands　four　years　ago。　He　was　sailing　home　to　Hull；　after　fishing　the　Spitzbergen　waters；　and　had　sighted　the　huge　mountain　which　forms　the　northern　extremity　of　Jan　Mayen；　on　his　way　south。　Luckily；　the　weather　was　fine　while　he　was　passing；　and　the　sketch　he　made　of　it　at　the　time　so　filled　me　with　amazement；　that　I　then　determined；　if　ever　I　got　the　chance；　to　go　and　see　with　my　own　eyes　so　great　a　marvel。　Imagine　a　spike　of　igneous　rock　（the　whole　island　is　volcanic）；　shooting　straight　up　out　of　the　sea　to　the　height　of　6；870　feet；　not　broad…based　like　a　pyramid；　nor　round…topped　like　a　sugar…loaf；　but　needle…shaped；　pointed　like　the　spire　of　a　church。　If　only　my　Hull　skipper　were　as　good　a　draughtsman　as　he　seemed　to　be　a　seaman；　we　should　now　be　on　our　way　to　one　of　the　wonders　of　the　world。　Most　people　here　hold　out　rather　a　doleful　prospect；　and　say　that；　in　the　first　place；　it　is　probable　the　whole　island　will　be　imprisoned　within　the　eternal　fields　of　ice；　that　lie　out　for　upwards　of　a　hundred　and　fifty　miles　along　the　eastern　coast　of　Greenland；　and　next；　that　if　even　the　sea　should　be　clear　in　its　vicinity；　the　fogs　up　there　are　so　dense　and　constant　that　the　chances　are　very　much　against　our　hitting　the　land。　　But　the　fact　of　the　last　French　man…of…war　which　sailed　in　that　direction　never　having　returned；　has　made　those　seas　needlessly　unpopular　at　Reykjavik。

It　was　during　one　of　these　fogs　that　Captain　Fotherby；　the　original　discoverer　of　Jan　Mayen；　stumbled　upon　it　in　1614。　While　sailing　southwards　in　a　mist　too　thick　to　see　a　ship's　length　off；　he。　suddenly　heard　the　noise　of　waters　breaking　on　a　great　shore；　and　when　the　gigantic　bases　of　Mount　Beerenberg　gradually　disclosed　themselves；　he　thought　he　had　discovered　some　new　continent。　Since　then　it　has　been　often　sighted　by　homeward…bound　whalers；　but　rarely　landed　upon。　About　the　year　1633　the　Dutch　Government；　wishing　to　establish　a　settlement　in　the　actual　neighbourhood　of　the　fishing…grounds；　where　the　blubber　might　be　boiled　down；　and　the　spoils　of　each　season　transported　home　in　the　smallest　bulk；actually　induced　seven　seamen　to　volunteer　remaining　the　whole　winter　on　the　island。　＇Footnote：　　The　names　of　the　seven　Dutch　seamen　who　attempted　to　winter　in　Jan　Mayen's　Island　were：　Outgert　Jacobson；　of　Grootenbrook；　their　commander；　Adrian　Martin　Carman；　of　Schiedam；　clerk；　Thauniss　Thaunissen；　of　Schermehem；　cook；　Dick　Peterson；　of　Veenhuyse；　Peter　Peterson；　of　Harlem；　Sebastian　Gyse；　of　Defts…Haven；　Gerard　Beautin；　of　Bruges。＇　Huts　were　built　for　them；　and　having　been　furnished　with　an　ample　supply　of　salt　provisions；　they　were　left　to　resolve　the　problem；　as　to　whether　or　no　human　beings　could　support　the　severities　of　the　climate。　Standing　on　the　shore；　these　seven　men　saw　their　comrades'　parting　sails　sink　down　beneath　the　sun；then　watched　the　sun　sink；　as　had　sunk　the　sails；but　extracts　from　their　own　simple　narrative　are　the　most　touching　record　I　can　give　you　of　their　fate：

〃The　26th　of　August；　our　fleet　set　sail　for　Holland　with　a　strong　north…east　wind；　and　a　hollow　sea；　which　continued　all　that　night。　The　28th；　the　wind　the　same；　it　began　to　snow　very　hard；　we　then　shared　half　a　pound　of　tobacco　betwixt　us；　which　was　to　be　our　allowance　for　a　week。　Towards　evening　we　went　about　together；　to　see　whether　we　could　discover　anything　worth　our　observation；　but　met　with　nothing。〃　And　so　on　for　many　a　weary　day　of　sleet　and　storm。

On　the　8th　of　September　they　〃were　frightened　by　a　noise　of　something　falling　to　the　ground；〃probably　some　volcanic　disturbance。　A　month　later；　it　becomes　so　cold　that　their　linen；　after　a　moment's　exposure　to　the　air；　becomes　frozen　like　a　board。　＇Footnote：　The　climate；　however；　does　not　appear　to　have　been　then　so　inclement　in　these　latitudes　as　it　has　since　become。　A　similar　deterioration　in　the　temperature；　both　of　Spitzbergen　and　Greenland；　has　also　been　observed。　In　Iceland　we　have　undoubted　evidence　of　corn　having　been　formerly　grown；　as　well　as　of　the　existence　of　timber　of　considerable　size；　though　now　it　can　scarcely　produce　a　cabbage；　or　a　stunted　shrub　of　birch。　M。　Babinet；　of　the　French　Institute；　goes　a　little　too　far　when　he　says；　in　the　Journal　des　Debats　of　the　30th　December；　1856；　that　for　many　years　Jan　Mayen　has　been　inaccessible。＇　Huge　fleets　of　ice　beleaguered　the　island；　the　sun　disappears；　and　they　spend　most　of　their　time　in　〃rehearsing　to　one　another　the　adventures　that　had　befallen　them　both　by　sea　and　land。〃　On　the　12th　of　December　they　kill　a　bear；　having　already　begun　to　feel　the　effects　of　a　salt　diet。　At　last　comes　New　Year's　Day；　1636。　　〃After　having　wished　each　other　a　happy　new　year；　and　success　in　our　enterprise；　we　went　to　prayers；　to　disburthen　our　hearts　before　God。〃　On　the　25th　of　February　（the　very　day　on　which　Wallenstein　was　murdered）　the　sun　reappeared。　　By　the　22nd　of　March　scurvy　had　already　declared　itself：　　〃For　want　of　refreshments　we　began　to　be　very　heartless；　and　so　afflicted　that　our　legs　are　scarce　able　to　bear　us。〃　On　the　3rd　of　April；　〃there　being　no　more　than　two　of　us　in　health；　we　killed　for　them　the　only　two　pullets　we　had　left；　and　they　fed　pretty　heartily　upon　them；　in　hopes　it　might　prove　a　means　to　recover　part　of　their　strength。　We　were　sorry　we　had　not　a　dozen　more　for　their　sake。〃　On　Easter　Day；　Adrian　Carman；　of　Schiedam；　their　clerk；　dies。　〃The　Lord　have　mercy　upon　his　soul；　and　upon　us　all；　we　being　very　sick。〃　During　the　next　few　days　they　seem　all　to　have　got　rapidly　worse；　one　only　is　strong　enough　to　move　about。　　He　has　learnt　writing　from　his　comrades　since　coming　to　the　island；　and　it　is　he　who　concludes　the　melancholy　story。　　〃The　23rd　（April）；　the　wind　blew　from　the　same　corner；　with　small　rain。　We　were　by　this　time　reduced　to　a　very　deplorable　state；　there　being　none　of　them　all；　except　myself；　that　were　able　to　help　themselves；　much　less　one　another；　so　that　the　whole　burden　lay　upon　my　shoulders；and　I　perform　my　duty　as　well　as　I　am　able；　as　long　as　God　pleases　to　give　me　strength。　I　am　just　now　a…going　to　help　our　commander　out　of　his　cabin；　at　his　request；　because　he　imagined　by　this　change　to　ease　his　pain；　he　then　struggling　with　death。〃　For　seven　days　this　gallant　fellow　goes　on　〃striving　to　do　his　duty；〃　that　is　to　say；　making　entries　in　the　journal　as　to　the　state　of　the　weather；　that　being　the　principal　object　their　employers　had　in　view　when　they　left　them　on　the　island；　but　on　the　30th　of　April　his　strength　too　gave　way；　and　his　failing　hand　could　do　no　more　than　trace　an　incompleted　sentence　on　the　page。

＇Figure：　fig…p090。gif＇

Meanwhile　succour　and　reward　are　on　their　way　toward　the　forlorn　garrison。　On　the　4th　of　June；　up　again　above　the　horizon　rise　the　sails　of　the　Zealand　fleet；　but　no　glad　faces　come　forth　to　greet　the　boats　as　they　pull　towards　the　shore；　and　when　their　comrades　search　for　those　they　had　hoped　to　find　alive　and　well；lo！　each　lies　dead　in　his　own　hut；one　with　an　open　Prayer…book　by　his　side；　another　with　his　hand　stretched　out　towards　the　ointment　he　had　used　for　his　stiffened　joints；　and　the　last　survivor；　with　the　unfinished　journal　still　lying　by　his　side。

The　most　recent　recorded　landing　on　the　island　was　effected　twenty…two　years　ago；　by　the　brave　and　pious　Captain；　now　Dr。　Scoresby；＇Footnote：　I　regret　to　be　obliged　to　subjoin　that　Dr。　Scoresby　has　died　since　the　above　was　written。＇　on　his　return　from　a　whaling　cruise。　He　had　seen　the　mountain　of　Beerenberg　one　hundred　miles　off；　and；　on　approaching；　found　the　coast　quite　clear　of　ice。　According　to　his　survey　and　observations；　Jan　Mayen　is　about　sixteen　miles　long；　by　four　wide；　but　I　hope　soon；　on　my　own　authority；　to　be　able　to　tell　you　more　about　it。

Certainly；　this　our　last　evening　spent　in　Iceland　will　not　have　been　the　least　joyous　of　our　stay。　The　dinner　on　board　the　〃Reine　Hortense〃　was　very　pleasant。　I　renewed　acquaintance　with　some　of　my　old　Baltic　friends；　and　was　presented　to　two　or　three　of　the　Prince's　staff　who　did　not　accompany　the　expedition　to　the　Geysirs；　among　others；　to　the　Duc　d'Abrantes；　Marshal　Junot's　son。　On　sitting　down　to　table；　I　found　myself　between　H。I。H。　and　Monsieur　de　Saulcy；　member　of　the　French　Institute；　who　made　that　famous　expedition　to　the　Dead　Sea；　and　is　one　of　the　gayest；　pleasantest　persons　I　have　ever　met。　Of　course　there　was　a　great　deal　of　laughing　and　talking；　as　well　as　much　speculation　with　regard　to　the　costume　of　the　Icelandic　ladies　we　were　to　see　at　the　ball。　It　appears　that　the　dove…cots　of　Reykjavik　have　been　a　good　deal　fluttered　by　an　announcement　emanating　from　the　gallant　Captain　of　the　〃Artemise〃　that　his　fair　guests　would　be　expected　to　come　in　low　dresses；　for　it　would　seem　that　the　practice　of　showing　their　ivory　shoulders　is；　as　yet；　an　idea　as　shocking　to