letters from high latitudes-第24章

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y's　further　attendance　a　work　of　supererogation。　At　least；　I　know　it　was　as　much　surprise　as　pleasure　that　I　experienced；　when；　after　having　with　many　misgivings　ventured　to　slip　through　an　opening　in　the　monotonous　barricade　of　mountains；　we　found　it　was　the　right　channel　to　our　port。　If　the　king　of　all　the　Goths　would　only　stick　up　a　lighthouse　here　and　there　along　the　edge　of　his　Arctic　seaboard；　he　would　save　many　an　honest　fellow　a　heart…ache。

＇Figure：　fig…p130。gif＇

I　must　now　finish　this　long　letter。

Hammerfest　is　scarcely　worthy　of　my　wasting　paper　on　it。　When　I　tell　you　that　it　is　the　most　northerly　town　in　Europe；　I　think　I　have　mentioned　its　only　remarkable　characteristic。　　It　stands　on　the　edge　of　an　enormous　sheet　of　water；　completely　landlocked　by　three　islands；　and　consists　of　a　congregation　of　wooden　houses；　plastered　up　against　a　steep　mountain；　some　of　which　being　built　on　piles；　give　the　notion　of　the　place　having　slipped　down　off　the　hill　half…way　into　the　sea。　Its　population　is　so　and　so；its　chief　exports　this　and　that；　for　all　which；　see　Mr。　Murray's　〃Handbook；〃　where　you　will　find　all　such　matters　much　more　clearly　and　correctly　set　down　than　I　am　likely　to　state　them。　At　all　events；　it　produces　milk；　creamNOT　buttersalad；　and　bad　potatoes；　which　is　what　we　are　most　interested　in　at　present。　To　think　that　you　should　be　all　revelling　this　very　moment　in　green…peas　and　cauliflowers！　I　hope　you　don't　forget　your　grace　before　dinner。　　I　will　write　to　you　again　before　setting　sail　for　Spitzbergen。


LETTER　IX。

EXTRACT　FROM　THE　〃MONITEUR〃　OF　THE　31ST　JULY。

I　have　received　a　copy　of　the　〃Moniteur〃　of　the　31st　July；　containing　so　graphic　an　account　of　the　voyage　of　the　〃Reine　Hortense〃　towards　Jan　Mayen；　and　of　the　catastrophe　to　her　tender　the　〃Saxon；〃in　consequence　of　which　the　corvette　was　compelled　to　abandon　her　voyage　to　the　Northward；that　I　must　forward　it　to　you。

　　　（Translation。）

　　　〃Voyage　of　Discovery　along　the　Banquise；　north　of　Iceland；　　　　　　　by　'LA　REINE　HORTENSE。'

〃It　fell　to　the　lot　of　an　officer　of　the　French　navy；　M。　Jules　de　Blosseville；　to　attempt　to　explore　those　distant　parts；　and　to　shed　an　interest　over　them；　both　by　his　discoveries　and　by　his　tragical　and　premature　end。

In　the　spring　of　1833；　on　the　breaking　up　of　a　frost；　'La　Lilloise；'　under　the　command　of　that　brave　officer；　succeeded　in　passing　through　the　Banquise；　nearly　up　to　latitude　69　degrees；　and　in　surveying　about　thirty　leagues　of　coast　to　the　south　of　that　latitude。　After　having　returned　to　her　anchorage　off　the　coast　of　Iceland；　he　sailed　again　in　July　for　a　second　attempt。　From　that　time　nothing　has　been　heard　of　'La　Lillouse。'

The　following　year　the　'Bordelaise'　was　sent　to　look　for　the　'Lilloise；'　but　found　the　whole　north　of　Iceland　blocked　up　by　ice…fields；　and　returned；　having　been　stopped　in　the　latitude　of　the　North　Cape。

As　a　voyage　to　the　Danish　colonies　on　the　western　coast　of　Greenland　formed　part　of　the　scheme　of　our　arctic　navigation；　we　were　aware　at　our　departure　from　Paris；　that　it　was　our　business　to　make　ourselves　well　acquainted　with　the　southern　part　of　the　ice…field；　from　Reykjavik　to　Cape　Farewell。　But　while　we　were　touching　at　Peterhead；　the　principal　port　for　the　fitting　of　vessels　destined　for　the　seal　fishery；　the　Prince；　and　M。　de　la　Ronciere；　Commander　of　'La　Reine　Hortense；'　gatheredfrom　conversations　with　the　fishermen　just　returned　from　their　spring　expeditionsome　important　information　on　the　actual　state　of　the　ice。　　They　learnt　from　them　that　navigation　was　completely　free　this　year　round　the　whole　of　Iceland；　that　the　ice…field　resting　on　Jan　Mayen　Island；　and　surrounding　it　to　a　distance　of　about　twenty　leagues；　extended　down　the　south…west　along　the　coast　of　Greenland；　but　without　blocking　up　the　channel　which　separates　that　coast　from　that　of　Iceland。　These　unhoped…for　circumstances　opened　a　new　field　to　our　explorations；　by　allowing　us　to　survey　all　that　part　of　the　Banquise　which　extends　to　the　north　of　Iceland；　thus　forming　a　continuation　to　the　observations　made　by　the　'Recherche；'　and　to　those　which　we　ourselves　intended　to　make　during　our　voyage　to　Greenland。　The　temptation　was　too　great　for　the　Prince；　and　Commander　de　la　Ronciere　was　not　a　man　to　allow　an　opportunity　to　escape　for　executing　a　project　which　presented　itself　to　him　with　the　character　of　daring　and　novelty。

But　the　difficulties　of　the　enterprise　were　serious；　and　of　such　a　nature　that　no　one　but　a　sailor　experienced　in　navigation　is　capable　of　appreciating。　The　'Reine　Hortense'　is　a　charming　pleasure…boat；　but　she　offers　very　few　of　the　requisites　for　a　long　voyage；　and　she　was　destitute　of　all　the　special　equipment　indispensable　for　a　long　sojourn　in　the　ice。　There　was　room　but　for　six　days'　coals；　and　for　three　weeks'　water：　As　to　the　sails；　one　may　say　the　masts　of　the　corvette　are　merely　for　show；　and　that　without　steam　it　would　be　impossible　to　reckon　on　her　making　any　way　regularly　and　uninterruptedly。　Add　to　this；　that　she　is　built　of　iron；that　is　to　say；　an　iron　sheet　of　about　two　centimbtres　thick　constitutes　all　her　planking；and　that　her　deckdivided　into　twelve　great　panels；　is　so　weak　that　it　has　been　thought　incapable　of　carrying　guns　proportioned　to　her　tonnage。　Those　who　have　seen　the　massive　vessels　of　the　fishermen　of　Peterhead；　their　enormous　outside　planking；　their　bracings　and　fastenings　in　wood　and　in　iron；　and　their　internal　knees　and　stancheons；　may　form　an　idea　from　such　precautionsimposed　by　long　experience　of　the　nature　of　the　dangers　that　the　shockor　even　the　pressure　of　the　icemay　cause　to　a　ship　in　the　latitudes　that　we　were　going　to　explore。

The　'Cocyte'　had　also　been　placed　at　the　disposal　of　H。I。H。　　Prince　Napoleon。　This　vessel　which　arrived　at　Reykjavik　the　same　day　that　we　did；　the　30th　of　Juneis　a　steam　schooner；　with　paddles；　standing　the　sea　well；　carying　coals　for　twelve　days；　but　with　a　deplorably　slow　rate　of　speed。

We　found　besides　at　Reykjavik　the　war　transport　'La　Perdrix'　and　two　English　merchant　steamers；　the　'Tasmania　and　the　'Saxon；'　freighted　by　the　Admiralty　to　take　to　Iceland　coals　necessary　for　our　voyage　to　Greenland。　These　five　vessels；　with　the　frigate　'Artemise；'　which　performed　he　duties　of　guardship；　formed　the　largest　squadron　which　had　ever　assembled　in　the　harbour　of　the　capital　of　Iceland。

Unfortunately；　these　varied　and　numerous　elements　had　nothing　in　common；　and　Commodore　de　la　Ronciere　soon　saw　that　extraneous　help　would　afford　us　no　additional　security；　and；　in　short；　that　the　'Refine　Bortense'　obliged　to　go　fastas　her　short　supplies　would　not　allow　long　voyages；　had　to　reckon　on　herself　alone。　However；　the　＇English＇　captain　of　the　'Saxon'　expressing　a　great　desire　to　visit　these　northern　parts；　and　displaying　on　this　subject　a　sort　of　national　vanity；　besides　promising　an　average　speed　of　seven　knots　an　hour；　it　was　decided　thatat　all　events；　that　vessel　should　start　alone　with　the　'Refine　Hortense；'　whose　supply　of　coals　it　would　be　able　to　replenish；　in　the　eventa　doubtful　one；　it　is　trueof　our　making　the　coast　of　Jan　Mayen's　Island；　and　finding　a　good　anchorage。　The　'Reine　Hortense'　hadby　the　help　of　a　supplementary　load　on　decka　supply　of　coals　for　eight　days；　and　immediately　on　starting；　the　crew　as　well　as　the　passengers；　were　to　be　put　on　a　measured　allowance　of　water。

A　few　hours　before　getting　under　way；　the　expedition　was　completed　by　the　junction　of　a　new　companion；　quite　unexpected。　We　found　in　Reykjavik　harbour　a　yacht　belonging　to　Lord　Dufferin。　The　Prince；　seeing　his　great　desire　to　visit　the　neighbourhood　of　Jan　Mayen；　offered　to　take　his　schooner　in　tow　of　the　'Reine　Hortense。'　It　was　a　fortunate　accident　for　a　seeker　of　maritime　adventures；　and　an　hour　afterwards；　the　proposition　having　been　eagerly　accepted；　the　Englishman　was　attached　by　two　long　cables　to　the　stern　of　our　corvette。

On　the　7th　of　July；　1856；　at　two　o'clock　in　the　morning；　after　a　ball　given　by　Commander　de　Mas　on　board　the　'Artemise；'the　'Reine　Hortense；'　with　the　English　schooner　in　tow；　left　Reykjavik　harbour；　directing　her　course　along　the　west　coast　of　Iceland；　towards　Onundarfiord；　where　we　were　to　join　the　'Saxon'　which　had　left　a　few　hours　before　us。　At　nine　o'clock；　the　three　vessels；　steering　east…north…east；　doubled　the　point　of　Cape　North。　At　noon　our　observation　of　the　latitude　placed　us　about　67　degrees。　We　had　just　crossed　the　Arctic　circle。　The　temperature　was　that　of　a　fine　spring　day；　10　degrees　centigrade　（50　degrees　Farenh。）。

The　'Reine　Hortense'　diminished　her　speed。　A　rope　thrown　across　one　of　the　towing…ropes　enabled　Lord　Dufferin　to　haul　one　of　his　boats　to　our　corvette。　He　himself　came　to　dine　with　us；　and　to　be　present　at　the　ceremony　of　crossing　the　polar　circle。　As　to　the　'Saxon；'　M。　de　la　Ronciere　perceived　by　this　time　that　the　worthy　Englishman　had　presumed　too　much　on　his　power。　The　'Saxon'　was　evidently　incapable　of　following　us。　The　captain；　therefore；　made　her　a　signal　that　she　was　to　take　her　own　course；　to　try　and　reach　Jan　Mayen；　and　if　she　could　not　succeed；　to　direct　her　course　on　Onundarfiord；　and　there　to　wait　for　us。　The　English　vessel　fell　rapidly　astern；　her　hull　disappeared；　then　her　sails；　and　in　the　evening　every　trace　of　her　smoke　had　faded　from　the　horizon。

In　the　evening；　the　temperature　grew　gradually　colder；　that　of　the　water　underwent　a　more　rapid　and　significant　change。　At　twelve　at　night　it　was　only　three　degrees　centig。　　（about　37　degrees　Fahr。）。　At　that　moment　the　vessel　plunged　into　a　bank　of　fog；　the　intensity　of　which　we　were　enabled　to　ascertain；　from　the　continuance　of　daylight　in　these　latitudes　at　this　time　of　the　year。　There　are　tokens　that　leave　no　room　to　doubt　that　we　are　approaching　the　solid　ice。　True　enough：at　two　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　officer　on　watch　sees　close　to　the　ship　a　herd　of　seals；　inhabitants　of　the　field　ice。　A　few　minutes　later　the　fog　clears　up　suddenly；　a　ray　of　sunshine　gilds　the　surface　of　the　sea；　lighting　up　millions　of　patches　of　sparkling　white；　extending　to　the　farthest　limit　of　the　horizon。　These　are　the　detached　hummocks　which　precede　and　announce　the　field　ice；　they　increase　in　size　and　in　number　as　we　proceed。　At　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　we　find　ourselves　in　front　of　a　large　pack　which　blocks　up　the　sea　before　us。　We　are　obliged　to　change　our　course　to　extricate　ourselves　from　the　ice　that　surrounds　us。　　This　is　an　evolution　requiring　on　the　part　of　the　commander　the　greatest　precision　of　eye；　and　a　perfect　knowledge　of　his　ship。　The　'Reine　Hortense；'　going　half　speed；　with　all　the　officers　and　the　crew　on　deck；　glides　along　between　the　blocks　of　ice；　some　of　which　she　seems　almost　to　touch；　and　the　smallest　of　which　would　sink　her　instantly　if　a　collision　took　place。　Another　danger；　which　it　is　almost　impossible　to　guard　against；　threatens　a　vessel　in　those　trying　moments。　If　a　piece　of　ice　gets　under　the　screw；　it　will　be　inevitably　smashed　like　glass；　and　the　consequences　of　such　an　accident　might　be　fatal。

The　little　English　schooner　follows　us　bravely；　bounding　in　our　track；　and　avoiding　only　by　a　constant　watchfulness　and　incessant　attention　to　the　helm　the　icebergs　that　we　have　cleared。

But　the　difficultie