letters from high latitudes-第19节
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her accomplishments that of becoming a most finished cavalier。 I do not mean by that to imply that he was at all DONE。 Although we had enjoyed our trip so much； I was not sorry to find myself on board。 The descent again； after our gipsy life； into the coquettish little cabin； with its books and dear home faces； quite penetrated me with that feeling of snug content of which I believe Englishmen alone are susceptible。
I have now to relate to you a most painful occurrence which has taken place during my absence at the Geysirs； no less a catastrophe； in fact； than a mutiny among my hitherto most exemplary ship's company。 I suppose they； too； had occasion to bear witness to the proverbial hospitality of Iceland； salt junk； and the innocuous cates which generally compose ship…board rations； could never have produced such an emergency。 Suffice it to say； that 〃Dyspepsia and her fatal train〃 having taken hold of them； in a desperate hour they determined on a desperate deed；and rushing aft in a body； demanded of my faithful steward； not only access to the penetralia of the absent Doctor's cupboard； but that he himself should administer to them whatever medicaments he could come by。 In vain Mr。 Grant threw himself across the cabin…door。 Remonstrance was useless； my horny…handed lambs were inexorableunless he acceded to their demands； they threatened to report him when I returned！ The Doctor's sanctuary was thrown open； and all its sweetsif such they may be calledwere rifled。 A huge box of pills； the first that came to handthey happened to be calomelwas served out； share and share alike； with concomitant vials of wrath； of rhubarb and senna； and it was not until the last drop of castor oil had been carefully licked up that the marauders suffered their unwilling accomplice to retire to the fastnesses of his pantry。
An avenging Nemesis； however； hovered over the violated shrine of Esculapius。 By the time I returned the exigencies of justice had been more than satisfied； and the outrage already atoned for。 The rebellious HANDS were become most penitent STOMACHS； and fresh from the Oriental associations suggested by our last day's ride； I involuntarily dismissed the disconsolate culprits； with the Asiatic form of condonation： 〃Mashallah； you have made your faces white！ Go in peace！〃
During our expedition to the interior； the harbour of Reykjavik had become populous with new arrivals。 First of all； there was my old friend； the 〃Reine Hortense；〃 the Emperor's yacht； a magnificent screw corvette of 1；100 tons。 I had last parted with her three years ago in the Baltic； after she had towed me for eighty miles on our way from Bomarsund to Stockholm。 Then there were two English screw steamers； of about 700 tons each； taken up by the French Government as tenders to the yacht； not to mention a Spanish brig； and one or two other foreigners； which； together with the frigate； the barque； and the vessels we had found here on our first arrival； made the usually deserted bay look quite lively。 Until this year no steamers had ever cockneyfied 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；
