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letters from high latitudes-第44章

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ing its dusky wings: and when; at last; one of the crew succeeded in swimming ashore in spite of waves and bullets;the whole society turned and fled!

And now; again good…bye。 We are just going up to dine with Mr。 T; and after dinner; or at least as soon as the tide turns; we get under wayNorthward Ho! (as Mr。 Kingsley would say) in right good earnest this time!


LETTER XI。

WE SAIL FOR BEAR ISLAND; AND SPITZBERGENCHERIE ISLAND BARENTZ…SIR HUGH WILLOUGHBYPARRY'S ATTEMPT TO REACH THE NORTH POLEAGAIN AMONGST THE ICEICEBLINKFIRST SIGHT OF SPITZBERGENWILSONDECAY OF OUR HOPESCONSTANT STRUGGLE WITH THE ICEWE REACH THE 80 DEGREES N。 LAT。A FREER SEAWE LAND IN SPITZBERGENENGLISH BAYLADY EDITH'S GLACIERA MIDNIGHT PHOTOGRAPHNO REINDEER TO BE SEENET EGO IN ARCTISWINTER IN SPITZBERGEN PTARMIGANTHE BEAR…SAGATHE 〃FOAM〃 MONUMENT SOUTHWARDSSIGHT THE GREENLAND ICEA GALEWILSON ON THE MAELSTROMBREAKERS AHEADROOSTTAKING A SIGHT THRONDHJEM。

Throndhjem; Aug。 22nd; 1856。

We have won our laurels; after all! We have landed in Spitzbergenalmost at its most northern extremity; and the little 〃Foam〃 has sailed to within 630 miles of the Pole; that is to say; within 100 miles as far north as any ship has ever succeeded in getting。

I think my last letter left us enjoying the pleasant hospitalities of Kaafiord。

The genial quiet of that last evening in Norway was certainly a strange preface to the scenes we have since witnessed。 So warm was it; that when dinner was over; we all went out into the garden; and had tea in the open air; the ladies without either bonnets or shawls; merely plucking a little branch of willow to brush away the mosquitoes; and so the evening wore away in alternate intervals of chat and song。 At midnight; seawards again began to swirl the tide; and we rose to go;not without having first paid a visit to the room where the little daughters of the house lay folded in sleep。 Then descending to the beach; laden with flowers and kind wishes waved to us by white handkerchiefs held in still whiter hands; we rowed on board; up went the napping sails; and dipping her ensign in token of adieuthe schooner glided swiftly on between the walls of rock; until an intervening crag shut out from our sight the friendly group that had come forth to bid us 〃Good speed。〃 In another twenty…four hours we had threaded our way back through the intricate fiords; and leaving Hammerfest three or four miles on the starboard hand; on the evening of the 28th of July; we passed out between the islands of Soroe and Bolsvoe into the open sea。

My intention was to go first to Bear Island; and ascertain for myself in what direction the ice was lying to the southward of Spitzbergen。

Bearor Cherie Island; is a diamond…shaped island; about ten miles long; composed of secondary rocksprincipally sandstone and limestone…lying about 280 miles due north of the North Cape。 It was originally discovered by Barentz; the 9th of June; 1596; on the occasion of his last and fatal voyage。 Already had he commanded two expeditions sent forth by the United Provinces to discover a north…east passage to that dream…landCathay; and each time; after penetrating to the eastward of Nova Zembla; he had been foiled by the impenetrable line of ice。 On this occasion he adopted the bolder and more northerly courses which brought him to Bear Island。 Thence; plunging into the mists of the frozen sea; he ultimately sighted the western mountains of Spitzbergen。 Unable to proceed further in that direction; Barentz retraced his steps; and again passing in sight of Bear Island; proceeded in a south…east direction to Nova Zembla; where his ships got entangled in the ice; and he subsequently perished。

Towards the close of the sixteenth century; in spite of repeated failures; one endeavour after another was made to penetrate to India across these fatal waters。

The first English vessel that sailed on the disastrous quest was the 〃Bona Esperanza。〃 in the last year of King Edward VI。 Her commander was Sir Hugh Willoughby; and we have still extant a copy of the instructions drawn up by Sebastian Cabotthe Grand Pilot of England; for his guidance。 Nothing can be more pious than the spirit in which this ancient document is conceived; expressly enjoining that morning and evening prayers should be offered on board every ship attached to the expedition; and that neither dicing; carding; tabling; nor other devilish deviceswere to be permitted。 Here and there were clauses of a more questionable morality;recommending that natives of strange lands be 〃enticed on board; and made drunk with your beer and wine; for then you shall know the secrets of their hearts。〃 The whole concluding with an exhortation to all on board to take especial heed to the devices of 〃certain creatures; with men's heads; and the tails of fishes; who swim with bows and arrows about the fiords and bays; and live on human flesh。〃

On the 11th of May the ill…starred expedition got under way from Deptford; and saluting the king; who was then lying sick at Greenwich; put to sea。 By the 30th of July the little fleetthree vessels in allhad come up abreast of the Loffoden islands; but a gale coming on; the 〃Esperanza〃 was separated from the consorts。 Ward…huusa little harbour to the east of the North Cape…had been appointed as the place of rendezvous in case of such an event; but unfortunately; Sir Hugh overshot the mark; and wasted all the precious autumn time in blundering amid the ice to the eastward。 At last; winter set in; and they were obliged to run for a port in Lapland。 Here; removed from all human aid; they were frozen to death。 A year afterwards; the ill…fated ships were discovered by some Russian sailors; and an unfinished journal proved that Sir Hugh and many of his companions were still alive in January; 1554。

The next voyage of discovery in a north…east direction was sent out by Sir Francis Cherie; alderman of London; in 1603。 After proceeding as far east as Ward…huus and Kela; the 〃Godspeed〃 pushed north into the ocean; and on the 16th of August fell in with Bear Island。 Unaware of its previous discovery by Barentz; Stephen Bennetwho commanded the expeditionchristened the island Cherie Island; in honour of his patron; and to this day the two names are used almost indiscriminately。

In 1607; Henry Hudson was despatched by the Muscovy Company; with orders to sail; if possible; right across the pole。 Although perpetually baffled by the ice; Hudson at last succeeded in reaching the north…west extremity of Spitzbergen; but finding his further progress arrested by an impenetrable barrier of fixed ice; he was forced to return。  A few years later; Jonas Poolehaving been sent in the same direction; instead of prosecuting any discoveries; wisely set himself to killing the sea…horses that frequent the Arctic ice…fields; and in lieu of tidings of new landsbrought back a valuable cargo of walrus tusks。 In 1615; Fotherby started with the intention of renewing the attempt to sail across the north pole; but after encountering many dangers he also was forced to return。 It was during the course of his homeward voyage that he fell in with the island of Jan Mayen。 Soon afterwards; the discovery by Hudson and Davis; of the seas and stra
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