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 two crews had already failed them at the last moment of starting; when my friend of the chain volunteered to take the command。 At the outset of his voyage everything went well; a fair wind (her machinery was stowed away; and she sailed under canvas) carried the little craft in an incredibly short time a thousand miles to the southward of the Cape; when one day; as she was running before the gale; the man at the wheelstartled at a sea which he thought was going to poop herlet go the helm; the vessel broached to; and tons of water tumbled in on the top of the deck。 As soon as the confusion of the moment had subsided; it became evident that the shock had broken some of the iron plates; and that the ship was in a fair way of foundering。 So frightened were the crew; that; after consultation with each other; they determined to take to the boats; and all hands came aft; to know whether there was anything the skipper would wish to carry off with him。  Comprehending the madness of attempting to reach land in open boats at the distance of a thousand miles from any shore; Wyse pretended to go into the cabin to get his compass; chronometer; etc。; but returning immediately with a revolver in each hand; swore he would shoot the first man who attempted to touch the boats。 This timely exhibition of spirit saved their lives: soon after the weather moderated; by undergirding the ship with chains; St。 Paul fashion; the leaks were partially stopped; the steamer reached her destination; and was sold for 7;000 pounds a few days after her arrival。  In token of their gratitude for the good service he had done them; the Company presented Mr。 Wyse on his return with a gold watch; and the chain he wears so gloriously outside the silk tartan waistcoat。

And now; good…bye。 I hear the click…click of the chain as they heave the anchor; I am rather tired and exhausted with all the worry of the last two months; and shall be heartily glad to get to sea; where fresh air will set me up again; I hope; in a few days。 My next letter will be from Iceland; and; please God; before I see English land again; I hope to have many a story to tell you of the islands that are washed by the chill waters of the Arctic Sea。


LETTER V。

THE NORTH ATLANTICSPANISH WAVESOUR CABIN IN A GALE SEA…SICKNESS FROM A SCIENTIFIC POINT OF VIEWWILSONA PASSENGER COMMITS SUICIDEFIRST SIGHT OF ICELANDFLOKI OF THE RAVENSTHE NORSE MAYFLOWERFAXA FIORDWE LAND IN THULE

Reykjavik; Iceland; June 21; 1856。

We have landed in Thule! When; in parting; you moaned so at the thought of not being able to hear of our safe arrival; I knew there would be an opportunity of writing to you almost immediately after reaching Iceland; but I said nothing about it at the time; lest something should delay this letter; and you be left to imagine all kinds of doleful reasons for its non…appearance。 We anchored in Reykjavik harbour this afternoon (Saturday)。 H。M。S。 〃Coquette〃 sails for England on Monday; so that within a week you will get this。

For the last ten days we have been leading the life of the 〃Flying Dutchman。〃 Never do I remember to have had such a dusting: foul winds; gales; and calmsor rather breathing spaces; which the gale took occasionally to muster up fresh energies for a blowwith a heavy head sea; that prevented our sailing even when we got aslant。 On the afternoon of the day we quitted Stornaway; I got a notion how it was going to be; the sun went angrily down behind a bank of solid grey cloud; and by the time we were up with the Butt of Lewis; the whole sky was in tatters; and the mercury nowhere; with a heavy swell from the north…west。

As; two years before; I had spent a week in trying to beat through the Roost of Sumburgh under double…reefed trysails; I was at home in the weather; and guessing we were in for it; sent down the topmasts; stowed the boats on board; handed the foresail; rove the ridge…ropes; and reefed all down。 By midnight it blew a gale; which continued without intermission until the day we sighted Iceland; sometimes increasing to a hurricane; but broken now and then by sudden lulls; which used to leave us for a couple of hours at a time tumbling about on the top of the great Atlantic rollersor Spanish waves; as they are calleduntil I thought the ship would roll the masts out of her。 Why they should be called Spanish waves; no one seems to know; but I had always heard the seas were heavier here than in any other part of the world; and certainly they did not belie their character。  The little ship behaved beautifully; and many a vessel twice her size would have been less comfortable。 Indeed; few people can have any notion of the cosiness of a yacht's cabin under such circumstances。 After having remained for several hours on deck; in the presence of the tempest; peering through the darkness at those black liquid walls of water; mounting above you in ceaseless agitation; or tumbling over in cataracts of gleaming foam;the wind roaring through the rigging;timbers creaking as if the ship would break its heart;the spray and rain beating in your face;everything around in tumult;suddenly to descend into the quiet of a snug; well…lighted little cabin; with the firelight dancing on the white rosebud chintz; the well…furnished book…shelves; and all the innumerable nick…nacks that decorate its walls;little Edith's portrait looking so serene;everything about you as bright and fresh as a lady's boudoir in May Fair;the certainty of being a good three hundred miles from any troublesome shore;all combine to inspire a feeling of comfort and security difficult to describe。

These pleasures; indeed; for the first days of our voyage; the Icelander had pretty much to himself。 I was laid up with a severe bout of illness I had long felt coming on; and Fitz was sea…sick。 I must say; however; I never saw any one behave with more pluck and resolution; and when we return; the first thing you do must be to thank him for his kindness to me on that occasion。 Though himself almost prostrate; he looked after me as indefatigably as if he had already found his sea legs; and; sitting down on the cabin floor; with a basin on one side of him; and a pestle and mortar on the other; used to manufacture my pills; between the paroxysms of his malady; with a decorous pertinacity that could not be too much admired。

Strangely enough; too; his state of unhappiness lasted a few days longer than the eight…and…forty hours which are generally sufficient to set people on their feet again。 I tried to console him by representing what an occasion it was for observing the phenomena of sea…sickness from a scientific point of view; and I must say he set to work most conscientiously to discover some remedy。 Brandy; prussic acid; opium; champagne; ginger; mutton… chops; and tumblers of salt…water; were successively exhibited; but; I regret to say; after a few minutes; each in turn re…exhibited itself with monotonous punctuality。 Indeed; at one time we thought he would never get over it; and the following conversation; which I overheard one morning between him and my servant; did not brighten his hopes of recovery。

This person's name is Wilson; and of all men I ever met he is the most desponding。 Whatever is to be done; he is sure to see a lion in the path。 Life in his eyes is a perpetual filling of leaky buckets; and a rolling of stones up hill。 He is amazed when the bucket holds water; or the stone perches on the summit。 He professes but a limited belief in his star;and success with him is almost a disappointment。  His countenance corresponds with the prevailing character of his thoughts; always hopelessly chapfallen; his voice is as of the tomb。 He brushes my clothes; lays the cloth; opens the champagne; with the air of one advancing to his execution。  I have never seen him smile but once; when he came to report to me that a sea had nearly swept his colleague; the steward; overboard。 The son of a gardener at Chiswick; he first took to horticulture; then emigrated as a settler to the Cape; where he acquired his present complexion; which is of a grass…green; and finally served as a steward on board an Australian steam…packet。

Thinking to draw consolation from his professional experiences; I heard Fitz's voice; now very weak; say in a tone of coaxing cheerfulness;

〃Well; Wilson; I suppose this kind of thing does not last long?〃

The Voice; as of the tomb。 〃I don't know; Sir。〃

Fitz。〃But you must have often seen passengers sick。〃

The Voice。〃Often; Sir; very sick。〃

Fitz。〃Well; and on an average; how soon did they recover?〃

The Voice。〃Some of them didn't recover; Sir。〃

Fitz。〃Well; but those that did?〃

The Voice。〃I know'd a clergyman and his wife as were; ill all the voyage; five months; Sir。〃

Fitz。(Quite silent。)

The Voice; now become sepulchral。〃They sometimes dies; Sir。〃

Fitz。〃Ugh!〃

Before the end of the voyage; however; this Job's comforter himself fell ill; and the Doctor amply revenged himself by prescribing for him。

Shortly after this; a very melancholy occurrence took place。 I had observed for some days past; as we proceeded north; and the nights became shorter; that the cock we shipped at Stornaway had become quite bewildered on the subject of that meteorological phenomenon called the Daw

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