letters from high latitudes-第25章

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ulness　and　incessant　attention　to　the　helm　the　icebergs　that　we　have　cleared。

But　the　difficulties　of　this　navigation　are　nothing　in　clear　weather；　as　compared　to　what　they　are　in　a　fog。　Then；　notwithstanding　the　slowness　of　the　speed；　it　requires　as　much　luck　as　skill　to　avoid　collisions。　Thus　it　happened　that　after　having　escaped　the　ice　a　first　time；　and　having　steered　E。N。E。；　we　found　ourselves　suddenly；　towards　two　o'clock　of　that　same　day　（the　9th）；　not　further　than　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　field　ice　which　the　fog　had　hidden　from　us。　Generally　speaking；　the　Banquise　that　we　coasted　along　for　three　days；　and　that　we　traced　with　the　greatest　care　for　nearly　a　hundred　leagues；　presented　to　us　an　irregular　line　of　margin；　running　from　W。S。W。　to　E。N。E。；　and　thrusting　forward　toward　the　south…capes　and　promontories　of　various　sizes；　and　serrated　like　the　teeth　of　a　saw。　Every　time　that　we　bore　up　for　E。N。E。；　we　soon　found　ourselves　in　one　of　the　gulfs　of　ice　formed　by　the　indentations　of　the　Banquise。　It　was　only　by　steering　to　the　S。W。　　that　we　got　free　from　the　floating　icebergs；　to　resume　our　former　course　as　soon　as　the　sea　was　clear。

The　further　we　advanced　to　the　northward；　the　thicker　became　the　fog　and　more　intense　the　cold　（two　degrees　centig；　below　zero）；　and　snow　whirled　round　in　squalls　of　wind；　and　fell　in　large　flakes　on　the　deck。　The　ice　began　to　present　a　new　aspect；　and　to　assume　those　fantastic　and　terrible　forms　and　colours；　which　painters　have　made　familiar　to　us。　At　one　time　it　assumed　the　appearance　of　mountain…peaks　covered　with　snow；　furrowed　with　valleys　of　green　and　blue；　more　frequently　they　appeared　like　a　wide　flat　plateau；　as　high　as　the　ship's　deck；　against　which　the　sea　rolled　with　fury；　hollowing　its　edges　into　gulfs；　or　breaking　them　into　perpendicular　cliffs　or　caverns；　into　which　the　sea　rushed　in　clouds　of　foam。

We　often　passed　close　by　a　herd　of　seals；　which…stretched　on　these　floating　islands；　followed　the　ship　with　a　stupid　and　puzzled　look。　We　were　forcibly　struck　with　the　contrast　between　the　fictitious　world　in　which　we　lived　on　board　the　ship；　and　the　terrible　realities　of　nature　that　surrounded　us。　　Lounging　in　an　elegant　saloon；　at　the　corner　of　a　clear　and　sparkling　fire；　amidst　a　thousand　objects　of　the　arts　and　luxuries　of　home；　we　might　have　believed　that　we　had　not　changed　our　residence；　or　our　habits；　or　our　enjoyments。　　One　of　Strauss's　waltzes；　or　Schubert's　melodiesplayed　on　the　piano　by　the　band…mastercompleted　the　illusion；　and　yet　we　had　only　to　rub　off　the　thin　incrustation　of　frozen　vapour　that　covered　the　panes　of　the　windows；　to　look　out　upon　the　gigantic　and　terrible　forms　of　the　icebergs　dashed　against　each　other　by　a　black　and　broken　sea；　and　the　whole　panorama　of　Polar　nature；　its　awful　risks；　and　its　sinister　splendours。

Meanwhile；　we　progressed　but　very　slowly。　On　the　10th　of　July　we　were　still　far　from　the　meridian　of　Jan　Mayen；　when　we　suddenly　found　ourselves　surrounded　by　a　fog；　and　at　the　bottom　of　one　of　the　bays　formed　by　the　field　ice。　　We　tacked　immediately；　and　put　the　ship　about；　but　the　wind　had　accumulated　the　ice　behind　us。　At　a　distance　the　circle　that　enclosed　us　seemed　compact　and　without　egress。　　We　considered　this　as　the　most　critical　moment　of　our　expedition。　Having　tried　this　icy　barrier　at　several　points；　we　found　a　narrow　and　tortuous　channel；　into　which　we　ventured；　and　it　was　not　till　after　an　hour　of　anxieties　that　we　got　a　view　of　the　open　sea；　and　of　a　passage　into　it。　　From　this　moment　we　were　able　to　coast　along　the　Banquise　without　interruption。

On　the　11th　of　July　at　6　A。M。　we　reached；　at　last；　the　meridian　of　Jan　Mayen；　at　about　eighteen　leagues'　distance　＇Footnote：　　I　think　there　must　be　some　mistake　here；　when　we　parted　company　with　the　〃Reine　Hortense；〃　we　were　still　upwards　of　100　miles　distant　from　the　southern　extremity　of　Jan　Mayen。＇　from　the　southern　part　of　that　island；　but　we　saw　the　ice…field　stretching　out　before　us　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach；　hence　it　became　evident　that　Jan　Mayen　was　blocked　up　by　the　ice；　at　least　along　its　south　coast。　To　ascertain　whether　it　might　still　be　accessible　from　the　north；　it　would　have　been　necessary　to　have　attempted　a　circuit　to　the　eastward；　the　possible　extent　of　which　could　not　be　estimated；　moreover；　we　had　consumed　half　our　coals；　and　had　lost　all　hope　of　being　rejoined　by　the　'Saxon。'　Thus　forced　to　give　up　any　further　attempts　in　that　direction；　Commodore　de　la　Ronciere；　having　got　the　ship　clear　of　the　floating　ice；　took　a　W。S。W。　course；　in　the　direction　of　Reykjavik。

The　instant　the　'Reine　Hortense'　assumed　this　new　course；　a　telegraphic　signalas　had　been　previously　arranged　acquainted　Lord　Dufferin　with　our　determinations。　Almost　immediately；　the　young　Lord　sent　on　board　us　a　tin　box；　with　two　letters；　one　for　his　mother；　and　one　for　our　commander。　In　the　latter　he　stated　thatfinding　himself　clear　of　the　ice；　and　master　of　his　own　movementshe　preferred　continuing　his　voyage　alone；　uncertain　whether　he　should　at　once　push　for　Norway；　or　return　to　Scotland。　＇Footnote：　I　was　purposely　vague　as　to　my　plans；　lest　you　might　learn　we　still　intended　to　go　on。＇　The　two　ropes　that　united　the　vessels　were　then　cast　off；　a　farewell　hurrah　was　given；　and　in　a　moment　the　English　schooner　was　lost　in　the　fog。

Our　return　to　Reykjavik　afforded　no　incident　worth　notice；　the　'Reine　Hortense；'　keeping　her　course　outside　the　ice；　encountered　no　impediment；　except　from　the　intense　fogs；　which　forced　herfrom　the　impossibility　of　ascertaining　her　positionto　lie　to；　and　anchor　off　the　cape　during　part　of　the　day　and　night　of　the　13th。

On　the　morning　of　the　14th；　as　we　were　getting　out　at　the　Dyre　Fiord；　where　we　had　anchored；　we　metto　our　great　astonishmentthe　'Cocyte'　proceeding　northward。　Her　commander；　Sonnart；　informed　us　that　on　the　evening　of　the　12th；　the　'Saxon'in　consequence　of　the　injuries　she　had　received；　had　been　forced　back　to　Reykjavik。　She　had　hardly　reached　the　ice　on　the　9th；　when　she　came　into　collision　with　it；　five　of　her　timbers　had　been　stove　in；　and　an　enormous　leak　had　followed。　Becoming　water…logged；　she　was　run　ashore；　the　first　tine　at　Onundarfiord；　and　again　in　Reykjavik　roads；　whither　she　had　been　brought　with　the　greatest　difficulty。〃


LETTER　X。

BUCOLICSTHE　GOATMAID　MARIANA　LAPP　LADYLAPP　LOVE…　MAKINGTHE　SEA…HORSEMANTHE　GULF　STREAMARCTIC　CURRENTSA　DINGY　EXPEDITIONA　SCHOOL　OF　PERIPATETIC　FISHESALTENTHE　CHATELAINE　OF　KAAFIORDSTILL　NORTHWARD　HO！

July　27th；　Alten。

This　letter　ought　to　be　an　Eclogue；　so　pastoral　a　life　have　we　been　leading　lately　among　these　pleasant　Nordland　valleys。　Perhaps　it　is　only　the　unusual　sight　of　meadows；　trees　and　flowers；　after　the　barren　sea；　and　still　more　barren　lands　we　have　been　accustomed　to；　that　invests　this　neighbourhood　with　such　a　smiling　character。　Be　that　as　it　may；　the　change　has　been　too　grateful　not　to　have　made　us　seriously　reflect　on　our　condition；　and　we　have　at　last　determined　that　not　even　the　envious　ocean　shall　for　the　future　cut　us　off　from　the　pleasures　of　a　shepherd　life。　　Henceforth；　the　boatswain　is　no　longer　to　be　the　only　swain　on　board！　We　have　purchased　an　ancient　goata　nanny…goatso　we　may　be　able　to　go　a…milking　upon　occasion。　Mr。　　Webster；　late　of　her　Majesty's　Foot…guards；　carpenter；　etc。；　takes　brevet…rank　as　dairy…maid；　and　our　venerable　passenger　is　at　this　moment　being　inducted　into　a　sumptuous　barrel　＇Footnote：　The　cask　in　question　was　bought　in　order　to　be　rigged　up　eventually　into　a　crow's…nest；　as　soon　as　we　should　again　find　ourselves　among　the　ice。＇　which　I　have　had　fitted　up　for　her　reception　abaft　the　binnacle。　A　spacious　meadow　of　sweet…scented　hay　has　been　laid　down　in　a　neighbouring　corner　for　her　further　accommodation；　and　the　Doctor　is　tuning　up　his　flageolet；　in　order　to　complete　the　bucolic　character　of　the　scene。　The　only　personage　amongst　us　at　all　disconcerted　by　these　arrangements　is　the　little　white　fox　which　has　come　with　us　from　Iceland。　Whether　he　considers　the　admission　on　board　of　so　domestic　an　animal　to　be　a　reflection　on　his　own　wild　Viking　habits；　I　cannot　say；　but　there　is　no　impertinenceeven　to　the　nibbling　of　her　beard　when　she　is　asleepof　which　he　is　not　guilty　towards　the　poor　old　thing；　who　passes　the　greater　part　of　her　mornings　in　gravely　butting　at　her　irreverent　tormentor。

＇Figure：　fig…p142。gif＇

But　I　must　relate　our　last　week's　proceedings　in　a　more　orderly　manner。

As　soon　as　the　anchor　was　let　go　in　Hammerfest　harbour；　we　went　ashore；　and　having　first　ascertained　that　the　existence　of　a　post　does　not　necessarily　imply　letters；　we　turned　away；　a　little　disappointed；　to　examine　the　metropolis　of　Finmark。　A　nearer　inspection　did　not　improve　the　impression　its　first　appearance　had　made　upon　us；　and　the　odour　of　rancid　cod…liver　oil；　which　seemed　indiscriminately　to　proceed　from　every　building　in　the　town；　including　the　church；　has　irretrievably　confirmed　us　in　our　prejudices。　　Nevertheless；　henceforth　the　place　will　have　one　redeeming　association　connected　with　it；　which　I　am　bound　to　mention。　　It　was　in　the　streets　of　Hammerfest　that　I　first　set　eyes　on　a　Laplander。　Turning　round　the　corner　of　one　of　the　ill…built　houses；　we　suddenly　ran　over　a　diminutive　little　personage　in　a　white　woollen　tunic；　bordered　with　red　and　yellow　stripes；　green　trousers；　fastened　round　the　ankles；　and　reindeer　boots；　curving　up　at　the　toes　like　Turkish　slippers。　On　her　headfor　notwithstanding　the　trousers；　she　turned　out　to　be　a　ladywas　perched　a　gay　parti…coloured　cap；　fitting　close　round　the　face；　and　running　up　at　the　back　into　an　overarching　peak　of　red　cloth。　Within　this　peak　was　crammedas　I　afterwards　learnta　piece　of　hollow　wood；　weighing　about　a　quarter　of　a　pound；　into　which　is　fitted　the　wearer's　back　hair；　so　that　perhaps；　after　all；　there　does　exist　a　more　in；　convenient　coiffure　than　a　Paris　bonnet。

Hardly　had　we　taken　off　our　hats；　and　bowed　a　thousand　apologies　for　our　unintentional　rudeness　to　the　fair　inhabitant　of　the　green　trousers；　before　a　couple　of　Lapp　gentlemen　hove　in　sight。　They　were　dressed　pretty　much　like　their　companion；　except　that　an　ordinary　red　night…cap　replaced　the　queer　helmet　worn　by　the　lady；　and　the　knife　and　sporran　fastened　to　their　belts；　instead　of　being　suspended　in　front　as　hers　were；　hung　down　against　their　hips。　Their　tunics；　too；　may　have　been　a　trifle　shorter。　None　of　the　three　were　beautiful。　High　cheek…bones；　short　noses；　oblique　Mongol　eyes；　no　eyelashes；　and　enormous　mouths；　composed　a　cast　of　features　which　their　burnt…sienna　complexion；　and　hair　like　ill…got…in　hay　did　not　much　enhance。　The　expression　of　their　countenances　was　not　unintelligent；　and　there　was　a　merry；　half…timid；　half…cunning　twinkle　in　their　eyes；　which　reminded　me　a　little　of　faces　I　had　met　with　in　the　more　neglected　districts　of　Ireland。　Some　ethnologists；　indeed；　are　inclined　to　reckon　the　Laplanders　as　a　branch　of　the　Celtic　family。　Others；　again；　maintain　them　to　be　Ugrians；　while　a　few　pretend　to　discover　a　relationship　between　the　Lapp　language　and　the　dialects　of　the　Australian　savages；　and　similar　outsiders　of　the　human　family；　alleging　that　as　successive　stocks　bubbled　up　from　the　central　birthplace　of　mankind　in　Asia；