The Arctic Whaleman; or, Winter in the Arctic Ocean

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Title: The Arctic Whaleman; or, Winter in the Arctic Ocean

Author: Lewis Holmes

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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ARCTIC WHALEMAN; OR, WINTER IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN ***

[Illustration: A WHALE BITING A BOAT IN TWO.]

THE
ARCTIC
WHALEMAN;

OR,

WINTER IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN:

BEING A NARRATIVE OF THE WRECK OF THE WHALE SHIP CITIZEN, OF NEW
BEDFORD, IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN, LAT. 68 deg. 10' N., LON. 180 deg. W.,
SEPT. 25, 1852, COMMANDED BY THOMAS HOWES NORTON, OF EDGARTOWN,
AND THE SUBSEQUENT SUFFERINGS OF HER OFFICERS AND CREW DURING
NINE MONTHS AMONG THE NATIVES.

TOGETHER WITH

A BRIEF HISTORY OF WHALING.

BY
REV. LEWIS HOLMES.

BOSTON:
WENTWORTH & COMPANY,
86 WASHINGTON STREET.
1857.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1857, by
WENTWORTH & COMPANY,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District
of Massachusetts.

STEREOTYPED AT THE
BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY.

WHALEMEN,

IN WHOSE EMPLOYMENT, DARING ADVENTURES,
AND MANY DEPRIVATIONS,

THE AUTHOR FEELS A DEEP INTEREST,

This Volume

IS MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED.

PREFACE.

Of all classes of fishermen, the whaleman takes the precedence. This
front position will be readily conceded to him, whether we consider the
stupendous object of his pursuit, or the vast extent of waters over
which he roams to secure his prey, or the dangers and perils peculiar
to his avocation, or the immense pecuniary outlay with which the
enterprise is carried on.

Some of the reasons which induced the author to present to the public
this narrative containing an account of the wreck of the whale ship
_Citizen_, and the subsequent exposure and sufferings of her officers
and crew in the Arctic Ocean, are the following:--

1. The instance has never been recorded in the history of marine
disaster, in which a ship's company, consisting of _thirty-three_
persons, lived so many months among the natives in so high a latitude.
2. Being cast helpless and almost destitute upon such a desolate
coast, they had to depend principally upon the kindness and generosity
of the natives for protection, food, and clothing. 3. Considering
the unfavorable and forbidding circumstances of their condition, in
living as the natives lived, and their travels in the depths of winter
from one settlement to another in order to avoid starvation, it is
remarkable that so many of them, with so little sickness, should be
rescued the following year.

A plain statement of these facts the author felt was due to his
fellow-townsmen, and would probably be of some considerable interest to
all classes of readers, and therefore meriting a permanent record with
the varied experience of whalemen.

The limited time the author spent with Captain Norton,[A] who was then
preparing for sea, from whom he received the leading facts in the
narrative, after it was concluded to give it to the public, is his only
apology for not introducing more extended particulars.

Mr. Abram Osborn, Jr.,[B] Mr. John P. Fisher,[C] and Mr. John W.
Norton,[D] now absent at sea, confirmed the report of the captain,
besides having contributed important materials to the narrative
themselves.

Any information respecting the physical features of the arctic region,
and the character of its inhabitants, is not only deeply interesting,
but highly useful. The recent explorations of Dr. Kane, in the American
Arctic, has largely increased the bounds of knowledge respecting that
remarkable portion of the earth's surface.

Though less attention, perhaps, has been given to the exploration of
the Asiatic Arctic, through Behring's Straits, it is, however, a region
which is yearly visited by scores of American whalemen, and who have
become quite familiar both with its eastern and western coasts, even to
the impassable ice barrier, which forbids all further approaches to the
north.

The acquaintance which the officers and crew of the _Citizen_ formed
with the natives during the space of _nine months_ in which they lived
with them, and thus had so favorable an opportunity to learn their
characters and habits, has probably never been surpassed by any other
company of men within the present century.

The HISTORY OF WHALING will give the reader a succinct view of the
commencement, progress, and present state of the enterprise. The author
would here express his acknowledgments to whalemen who have readily
furnished him with many valuable incidents connected with the details
of their employment.

L. H.

EDGARTOWN, June, 1857.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

1. A WHALE BITING A BOAT IN TWO, FRONTISPIECE.
2. WALRUS AMONG ICEBERGS, 47
3. WRECK OF THE CITIZEN, 63
4. NATIVE COSTUME, 85
5. HUNTING THE POLAR BEAR, 105
6. POLAR BEARS, 125
7. A SHIP AFTER A GALE, 147
8. WHALES RAISED, 169
9. LOWERING FOR WHALES, 189
10. TWO SHIPS NEAR SHORE, 205
11. PERILOUS SITUATION OF WHALEMEN, 239
12. ENEMIES OF THE WHALE, 257
13. HARPOONING A WHALE, 269
14. CUTTING IN A WHALE, 277
15. BOILING OUT, 289

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Ship Citizen sails from New Bedford.--Captain, Officers, and
Crew.--Interest centred in a Whale Ship.--Accompanying Ships.
--Seasickness and Homesickness.--Arrival at Cape Verd Islands.
--An Agreement with Captain Sands, of the Ship Benjamin Tucker.
--Whales raised.--Christmas Supper on board of the Citizen.
--A Whale Scene.--"An ugly Customer."--A Whale Incident,
copied from the Vineyard Gazette.--Arrival at Hilo.--Sandwich
Islands 25

CHAPTER II.

Recruited for the Arctic.--Departure.--Coast of Kamtschatka.--
Copper Island.--Going into the Ice with Captain Crosby.--Gale
of Wind.--Dangerous Sailing in the Ice.--Captain Thaddeus.
--Bay of the Holy Cross.--Plover Bay.--Dead Whale.--St.
Lawrence Bay.--Whales working north.--Loose, floating Ice.--
Ice covered with Walrus.--Fine Weather.--Striking an Iceberg.
--Ship leaking.--Return to St. Lawrence Bay.--Damage
repaired.--Arrival in the Arctic 43

CHAPTER III.

Northern Lights.--High Winds.--Spoke with Captain Clough.
--Ships seen in the Distance.--Storm increasing.--No
Observations.--Blowing heavily.--Scene awfully sublime.--
Ship struck by a Sea.--Shoal Water.--Rocks and Breakers.--
Ship unmanageable.--Fore and mizzen Topsails carried away.--
Ship striking astern, bow, and midships.--Foremast cut away.
--Narrow Escape of Captain Norton.--Mizzenmast gone by the
Board.--Sad Condition of the Seamen.--Land in Sight--Ship
drifting towards the Shore.--Undertow.--The Lantern Keg.
--Mainmast cut away, and falling towards the Shore.--Men
escaping on the Mast.--Trying Scene.--Captain washed ashore.
--Affecting Deaths.--Wreck piled up on Shore.--Fire made.--
Men perishing with Cold.--Five missing.--Prospects dark.--
Destitution.--Tent erected.--Merciful Circumstances connected
with the Wreck 53

CHAPTER IV.

First Night on Shore.--Sleeping in empty Casks.--Parties of
Exploration.--Dog Tracks.--Arrangements to leave the Wreck.
--Desire to reach East Cape.--Reflections upon our Condition.
--The dead Hog roasted.--The "pet Hog."--Company travel
towards the South and East.--Two Natives seen.--Parley.--
Directed to the Settlement.--The old Woman and her Ceremony.--
The second Settlement.--Head Man cordial.--Men distributed
among the Huts.--Not able to reach East Cape.--Company
entertained.--Motives for it.--Government should reward the
Natives 72

CHAPTER V.

No Prospect of reaching East Cape.--Painful Conviction.--
The Province of Christian Faith.--The Wreck visited.--The
Natives.--Hope unexpectedly revived.--Ship in Sight.--Comes
near.--Signals from the Land.--No Assistance offered.--
Sails down the Coast.--Indescribable State of our Minds.--
Card in The Polynesian 90

CHAPTER VI.

Our sad and desolate Feelings after the Departure of the Ship.
--What we should soon witness of Arctic Winter.--The
Wreck visited from Time to Time.--Provisions transported
to the Settlement.--The Weather.--Whales near Shore.--
Severe Gale of Wind.--Fall of Snow.--Ocean frozen over.
--Sudden Introduction of Winter, and its Dreariness.--Not
to be described.--The Sun falling, Nights lengthening.--
Disappearance of the Sun.--Long Night.--How we passed our
Time.--Confined to the Huts.--Singing.--Neither Book nor
Chart, nor Writing Materials, except Pieces of Copper.--Hope of
Liberation another Year.--Captain Norton's Method of keeping
Time.--The Razor.--Our Clothing.--Provisions getting low.
--Natives both eating and stealing ours.--A new Chapter.--
Commenced living on Blubber with the Natives.--Native Stock
diminishing.--Winters in the Arctic vary.--The native Manner
of capturing the Whale.--Preparing their Food.--Native Bread.
--Description of their Huts.--Their peculiar Locality.--
Their Method of lighting and warming them.--The Filthiness of
the Natives. 108

CHAPTER VII.

Health of the Natives.--Their Diseases.--Captain N. prescribes
a Remedy.--Their superstitious Notions.--Mr. Osborn
prescribes for the Sick.--A fatal Case.--They surround Mr.
O. with threatening Gestures.--Native Remedy for Nose Bleeding
and Sore Eyes.--Burial Ceremony.--Marriages.--General
Appearance of the Natives.--Their Character.--Their Habits
of Industry.--Property.--Language.--Icebergs.--Their
Formation.--The Distance to which Icebergs float.--Their
Magnitude.--Field Ice.--The sudden Disappearance of Ice.--
How accounted for.--Icy Vapor.--Poisoning. 127

CHAPTER VIII.

Provisions of the Natives getting low.--New Calamity threatened.
--Health and Strength failing.--Necessity of seeking other
Quarters.--The only Alternative.--Report of a Wreck.--
Parties leave.--Dreadful Traveling and Exposures.--Report by
the Natives that our Men were frozen to Death.--An Instance of
Treachery.--The Captain and his Party leave.--The Weather.--
Traveling.--Thoughts of Home.--Preservation.--One of the
Party unable to walk.--Left behind.--Found by the Natives.--
The Fate before us.--Division of the Biscuit.--Another fails,
sits down, and is frozen to Death.--Reflections.--Captain
Norton encourages his only remaining Companion.--Singular
Appearance upon the Ice.--Dog Teams.--Part of Mr. Fisher's
Company.--Encouragement to our Minds.--Natives unwilling to
help us.--The Danger of Riding.--Last Effort.--The Music of
Barking Dogs.--Our Manner of Traveling.--Dreadful Condition
of our Feet.--Captain Norton falls exhausted.--Native
Kindness. 149

CHAPTER IX.

Mr. Fisher's Party a short Distance from this Settlement.--Next
Day left for another Settlement.--Our Men arriving in small
Companies.--Health improving.--Cross the River.--No Signs
of Water.--Settlement.--Ham.--The Wreck of a New Bedford
Ship.--When lost, and the Circumstances.--Travel to another
Settlement.--The head Man a savage Fellow.--Traveling towards
East Cape.--Seaboard Route.--Natives kind.--Begging by the
Way.--The Whale Boat.--The Broadside of a Ship.--Ship in
the Ice.--Drift Stuff.--Sun's Reflection.--Sore Eyes.--
Snow Blindness.--The Blind led with Strings.--Partial Remedy.
--East Cape reached.--Cordially received by the Natives. 169

CHAPTER X.

East Cape, a Point of Observation.--The greater Part of our Men
gathered here.--The _Kanaka_.--Weather softening.--Ice
still firm.--Arctic Scenes.--Icequakes.--Migratory Fowl.
--A Whale discovered.--Gala Time among the Natives.--The
Natives thorough Drinkers.--A drunken "Spree."--Cruise into
the Country.--Birds-egging.--Incidents.--Native Manner of
killing Fowl.--Amusements of the Natives.--Vegetation.--
Face of the Country.--Fish.--Fowl.--The Ochotsk Sea and
Country. 179

CHAPTER XI.

The Ocean still frozen over on the 22d of June.--On the 24th
the Ice began to break up.--Whales appear.--Walrus follow
the Ice.--Daily looking for Ships.--Report of our Wreck
five hundred Miles below East Cape.--Method of sending News
by the Natives.--Ships notified of our Condition.--How.--
The Resolution of Captains Jernegan and Goosman.--Arrival of
two Ships off East Cape.--Natives first spy them.--Stir in
the Settlement.--Happy Day of Deliverance.--Words feeble to
express our Joy.--A fit Occasion for Gratitude and Thanks to
God.--Preparations to go on board.--The Welcome of Captain
Goosman.--Captain Norton with Captain Jernegan.--Crew
collected.--Changed our native for sailor Dress.--Liberality
of the Officers and Crews in furnishing Clothes.--A Review of
the Past.--The Settlement visited.--Dinner.--Arrival at the
Islands.--A Card. 197

CHAPTER XII.

A Whaling Community.--Interest felt for absent Ones.--The first
Intelligence from the Whaling Fleet.--California Mail.--
Further News from the Islands.--"Missing Ships."--No Report of
the Citizen.--No Letters.--Fears as to her Safety.--When
last spoken with.--Either lost or frozen up in the Arctic.
--Supposed Fate of Officers and Crew.--Distressing Suspense.
--Hoping against Hope.--Prayer answered.--The first
Intelligence from the Citizen.--Joy in Families.--Captain
Norton's Arrival at Home, and subsequently the Arrival of his
Officers belonging to this Place. 214

CHAPTER XIII.

The Ocean.--The Seaman's Home.--Confidence of the Mariner in
his Ship.--Shipwreck.--Moral and religious Claims of Seamen.
--The Spirit of the Age.--Interest in the Mariner's Meeting.
--Seaport Places.--Sudden Intelligence.--Seamen remembered
elsewhere.--Ships supplied with Books.--Bible and Tract
Societies.--Good Seed sown.--Field for Usefulness.--The
American Seaman.--Concert of Prayer.--All interested.--The
most important Reform for Seamen. 226

* * * * *

HISTORY AND DETAILS OF WHALING.

CHAPTER I.

Whale Fishery.--Its Origin.--Where first carried on.--By
whom.--Whaling in the Northern Ocean by the Dutch and English.
--Contentions between them.--The Success of the Dutch.--
Its Commencement in New England.--"London Documents."--The
first Whale Scene in Nantucket.--Boat Whaling.--The Number
of Whales taken in one Day.--The first Spermaceti Whale.--
The Interest it excited.--Its supposed Value.--The first
Sperm Whale captured.--New Life to the Business.--Whaling
in Massachusetts in 1771-75.--Burke's Eulogy on New England
Whalers.--Sperm Whaling in Great Britain.--Revived in
France.--The American and French Revolutions nearly destroyed
the Business.--Loss to Nantucket.--Its Commencement in New
Bedford.--Tabular View of the Number of Vessels engaged in
Whaling, and Places to which they belong. 241

CHAPTER II.

The Whale.--Its Zoology.--The largest known Animal.--Sperm
Whale.--Right Whale.--Finback.--Bowhead. 250

CHAPTER III.

Whale Blubber.--Enemies of the Whale.--Affection of the Whale
for its Young.--Instances. 256

CHAPTER IV.

Whale Grounds.--Whaling Seasons, and where Species of Whales
are found.--Sperm Whale Grounds.--Right Whale Grounds.--
Humpbacks and Bowheads, where found.--Right Whale not crossing
the Equator.--Arctic Passage for Whales.--Maury's Opinion of
the Haunts of the Whale in the Polar Sea.--Confirmed by Dr.
Kane.--Vessels fitted for Whaling.--Several Classes.--Time
of Sailing.--Arrival at Home.--Length of Voyages.--Seasons
and between Seasons. 262

CHAPTER V.

Increased Length of Whaling Voyages.--Capital.--Value of Oils
and Bone.--Value of several Classes of Whaling Vessels.--"Lay."
--Boat's Crew.--Whaleboats.--Approaching a Whale.--
Harpooning.--Whale Warp.--Danger when the Line runs out.--
Locomotive Power of the Whale.--Lancing.--Flurry.--Cutting
in.--Boiling out.--The "Case and Junk."--The Rapidity with
which Oil may be taken. 268

CHAPTER VI.

Outfitting and Infitting.--"Runners."--Remedy.--Articles of
Clothing.--Whaling Business.--Promotion.--Whale Killing.--
Dangers.--General Success of the Enterprise. 276

CHAPTER VII.

The Manufacture of Oil. 288

INTRODUCTION.

A father once said to his son, respecting books, "Read first the
introduction; if that be good, try a few pages of the volume; if they
are excellent, then, but not else, read on." But I do not wish this
criterion to be applied in the present instance. For if the reader find
the introduction uninteresting, he will be compensated by a careful
perusal of the narrative itself. It may be relied on as stating matters
of fact. The information it contains respecting the adventurous and
exciting business of the whale fishery is derived from authentic
sources. The volume presents matters of deep and general interest to
every reader. It will remind him of some of the scenes so vividly
portrayed by the late Dr. Kane in his arctic explorations.

Many "that go down to the sea in ships, and do business in the
great waters," come from remote parts of the country. Here is the
information which will convey to relatives at home some just idea of
the toils and privations of those loved ones who are ploughing the
trackless ocean. The young men, who are looking forward to a life on
the ocean wave, will read the following narrative with eagerness and
delight. Their ardent temperament and roving disposition have pictured
in fancy's halls bright scenes on the briny deep. Such will find in
this work a true view of a mariner's life, accompanied with valuable
counsels.

It is neither, as I judge, the tendency nor the design of the book, to
deter any from a seafaring life that love adventure, and believe there
is no royal road to fortune. To employ a nautical phrase, "None need
expect to creep in by the cabin windows; all must crawl through the
hawser hole." He must endure hardship and privation before he can enjoy
promotion. Young men of sound health, steady purpose, moral courage,
and trustworthiness, will, by the blessing of Providence, be sure of
promotion. If, however, these qualities are lacking in a young man, the
discovery is generally made during his first voyage. His reputation,
good or bad, will reach home long before the ship returns to port.
Owners and agents know what is in him, and what may be expected from
him in future. If he stands the test, if he is faithful and prompt
in the discharge of duty, all who have an interest in the success of
voyages will want his services.

This book gives valuable information to parents whose sons are inclined
to go to sea. Resistance should not be carried to such a degree as
to drive the young man to expedients in order to get away from home
clandestinely. This course always throws him into the hands, and places
him under the power, of those who have no ultimate object but to make
all possible profit out of his toil. Many young men, in consequence
of obstacles thrown in their way, never divulge at home their longing
desire to try the sea. Hence, some, who are physically unfit to bear
the fatigue, have taken their first step by running off to some
seaport; and after being involved in expense, although they may have
changed their mind, they cannot retrace their steps. Once shipped, they
will have one life-long regret. Let parents do all they possibly can to
render their would-be sailor sons independent of the "landsharks."

Clergymen and Sabbath school teachers are in a position to know
something of the tendencies and aptitudes of their respective charges.
They may, by availing themselves of the contents of this volume,
prevent many mistakes and unavailing regrets. The object to be sought
is, to secure those who will go to sea from doing so under false
apprehensions of the kind of life, and the essential qualifications for
success in the sailor's avocation.

Seamen are in demand, and if commerce continues to extend, many more
able-bodied sailors will be required to man our ships. When the extent
and value of the interests involved are thought of, it seems surprising
that efforts are not made to improve the character and condition of
the sailor. Millions of property are intrusted to his care. Thousands
of precious lives are in his hands for weeks and months; yet many
sailors are the refuse of jails, penitentiaries, and state prisons.
The sentiment too often prevails that the worse man makes the better
sailor. Hence we may easily account for many shipwrecks, vessels cast
away, sunk, and burned. This is becoming too expensive. As total
abstinence on board ship has reduced the rates of insurance, so will
greater security to life and property be experienced at sea, when more
attention shall be paid to the character and condition of sailors. The
profit may be proportionally divided between the owners and the crew.

Combined and earnest efforts should be made by parties, especially by
those more immediately concerned. A beginning must be made somewhere.
Individual effort has done something, but these attempts are limited by
others who have it in their power to hinder the operation of beneficial
changes. Difficulties can be overcome effectually when all combine to
remove them. The temporal and spiritual welfare of so many thousands of
our fellow-men afloat on the great deep demand much at our hands.

The moral and religious element must lie at the foundation of all
physical and social reforms. When, therefore, owners, captains, agents,
officers, and crews will agree not to lower their boats, even if a
fish is seen, on Sabbath, an important step will be taken in the right
direction. For while all are systematically violating the law of God,
there can be no law on board ship but brute force. Why should any one
feel at liberty to prosecute his daily employment at sea, when he
would be ashamed to do so on land? Is the sailor less dependent on the
blessing of a gracious God than the husbandman? He is a very godless
farmer who will plough or sow on Sabbath because it rained on Saturday,
or may rain on Monday. The difficulties are not insuperable. Meet them
at the outset. The responsibility must not be wholly devolved on the
captain, to do what he thinks best after he has gone to sea. Let the
owners distinctly and unequivocally express their will in the case.
Then captain, officers, and crew will be shipped with this stipulation:
No fishing on Sabbath.

Many captains and others now engaged in the whaling fleet will welcome
such an arrangement. The effect of it on the whole ship's company will
be salutary. As the business is now conducted, there are doubtless many
uneasy consciences. Some are glad when no fish is seen on Sabbath.
But when the cry is raised, "There she blows!" what a struggle takes
place in the mind of the pious and God-fearing men! But the rest think,
if the boats are not lowered, that their rights and interests are
infringed; and even the owners might afterwards complain that, when
fish were seen, they were not taken. So the order is given, "Lower away
the boats." But this does not settle the question, for the captain
feels his moral power diminished. He cannot next day with a clear
conscience read and pray with his officers, nor call all hands together
next Sabbath to hear the word of God read.

Thus nearly all that is done for the moral improvement of sailors in
port is neutralized by one act of disobedience to God.

In New Bedford, something is attempted for the good of the sailor.
"The Sailor's Home" is well conducted. The Port Society sustains the
Bethel and its indefatigable minister. All the Bibles needed for the
ships come from the New Bedford Bible Society. But something further is
required to induce habits of Bible reading on board ship. Let owners
and others think of some of the hints given above.

If this volume, now presented to the public, containing a narrative
of so much interest, will improve the condition of the weather-beaten
sailor, and promote the honor of God, our desire is accomplished.

J. GIRDWOOD.

NEW BEDFORD, MASS., _June, 1857_.

[Illustration: THE POLAR BEAR.]

THE WHALEMAN;

OR,

NINE MONTHS IN THE ARCTIC.

CHAPTER I.

The whale ship Citizen, of New Bedford, owned by J. Howland & Co.,
fitted for three or four years, and bound to the North Pacific on
a whaling voyage, sailed from the port of New Bedford, October 29,
1851. She was commanded by Thomas Howes Norton, of Edgartown, Martha's
Vineyard.

Her officers were the following, namely: first mate, Lewis H. Roey, of
New Bedford; second mate, John P. Fisher, of Edgartown; third mate,
Walter Smith, of New Bedford; fourth mate, William Collins, of New
Bedford. Four boat steerers, namely: Abram Osborn, Jr., and John W.
Norton, of Edgartown, John Blackadore and James W. Wentworth, of New
Bedford.

The following were nearly all the names of her crew: Charles T. Heath,
William E. Smith, Christopher Simmons, George W. Borth, Darius Aping,
William Nye, Manuel Jose, Jose Joahim, Charles C. Dyer, Charles Noyes,
Edmund Clifford, George Long, Charles Adams, Bernard Mitchell, Nicholas
Powers, William H. May, Alpheus Townshend, Barney R. Kehoe, Joseph E.
Mears, James Dougherty, and Peter M. Cox. The whole number on board
when she sailed was thirty-three persons. In addition to the above,
five seamen were shipped at the Verd Islands, which made thirty-eight,
all told.

As is generally the case, the majority of these were strangers, and
perhaps had never seen each other's countenances until they appeared on
the deck of the ship, henceforth to be their new home for months, and
it may be for years.

Besides, in this number there were representatives from different and
distant sections of the country, and not unfrequently an assortment of
nations, and even races.

Here were gathered for the first time many a wandering youth, attracted
to the seaboard by the spirit of romantic adventure, to see the world
of waters, and to share in the excitement of new scenes. His wayward
history, in breaking away from the wholesome restraints and watchcare
of home, may be found written, perhaps, in many sorrowful hearts which
he has left behind. Years may pass away before either parents or
relatives shall hear again from the absent one, and it may be never.
Such instances are not uncommon.

How much interest there is centred in a whale ship, as she is about
to leave port! It is felt not only by those who embark their property
and lives in her, but there are other attractions towards the ship.
They are found in the desolateness which is felt in many home circles,
in bidding adieu to husbands, sons, and brothers. When the anchor is
weighed, and the sails are spread to the faithful breeze, sadness
reigns in many households and in many hearts. The thoughts are not only
painfully busy concerning _present_ separations, but they bound forward
to the future, and anticipate what may be the experience of a few years
to come. Changes! one hardly dares think of them! Amid the perils and
dangers of the deep, how long will the ship's company remain unbroken?
Will the _ship_ ever return, and reenter her port again? Will those
who have just released themselves from the embraces of friends, and
wiped away the falling tear, and barred their hearts to the separation,
will _they_ ever return? or, if they should, will they ever see again
those whom they are now leaving? These inquiries and reflections find
expression only in painful emotions, sadness, and sorrow. Time will
make changes, and leave its ineffaceable footprints with every passing
year.

The land was lost sight of in the evening of the day upon which we
sailed, with a strong south-west wind. We were accompanied out of
the bay by two other outward bound whale ships--the Columbus, of
Fairhaven, Captain Crowell, and the Hunter, of New Bedford, Captain
Holt.

After the usual passage, with variable winds, and no particular
incident of marked importance, except the ordinary and certain amount
of seasickness on board, which generally attends the uninitiated in
their first interviews with "old Neptune," Cape Verd Islands were made
on the 4th of December.

With seasickness, homesickness follows; and then it is that many of the
inexperienced, having left good homes and quiet life, wish a thousand
times that they had never "learned the trade." But all such wishes
are now in vain. With a new life on shipboard and in the forecastle,
romance passes away, and leaves in its place the stern outlines of a
living reality. Seasickness, however, is only a temporary affair; in
most cases, indeed, it soon subsides, and then spirits and hope revive
with recruited and invigorated health.

We took our departure from the islands on the 6th, in company with the
ship Benjamin Tucker, Captain Sands; strong breezes, north-east trades.
The first whales were seen about lat. 30 deg. S., lon. 31 deg. 41' W., distant
about seven miles--light winds. We set signal for the Benjamin
Tucker, four or five miles distant, to notify Captain Sands that whales
were in sight--an agreement we made while sailing in company. Boats
were lowered; the mate fastened to a whale, which brought the shoal to.
The second mate was less successful; his boat was stoven by a whale,
and his men were floating about upon scattered and broken pieces of
the wreck. Other boats soon came up and rescued their companions. The
ship now ran down to the boat which was fastened to the whale. The
whale, however, was lost, in consequence of cutting the line in the act
of lancing him. After a pursuit of an hour or more, the mate fastened
to another whale, and finally secured it, though it proved to be of
but little pecuniary value. At the same time the boats of the Benjamin
Tucker captured a whale, but they could not boast of much superiority.
It made them _three_ barrels. Thus ended the first whaling scene on the
voyage, and certainly not a very profitable day's work.

The Citizen was put on her course. We passed several ships--weather
good. December 20, lat. 40 deg. S., whales were raised again, but took
no oil. Still in company with the Benjamin Tucker. On Christmas Eve,
Captain Sands and his wife took tea on board of our ship, thus reviving
remembrances of home and friends, though thousands of miles distant
from our native port.

The next incident of more than ordinary interest was another whale
scene, of sufficient excitement and peril to satisfy the most ardent
and aspiring.

The Benjamin Tucker had luffed to, headed to the westward, with signal
to the Citizen that whales were in sight. The ship Columbus was then
in company. The three ships were in full pursuit of the monsters of the
deep. The school was overtaken in course of an hour or two working to
the leeward. At first, one of the boats was lowered from the Citizen,
and then another, and another, until four boats were bounding over the
waves, each seeking to be laid alongside of his victim, and join in
the uncertain conflict. From the three ships there were twelve boats
pressing forward with the utmost celerity to share in the encounter,
and each emulous to bear off his prize. The fourth boat despatched from
the Citizen fastened to a whale. He was shortly lanced, and spouted
blood--a sure indication that he had received his death wound.
In mortal agony, he plunged, and floundered, and mingled the warm
current of his own life with the foaming waters around him. Conscious,
apparently, of the authors of his sufferings, with rage and madness he
at once attacked the boat, and with his ponderous jaws seized it, and
in a moment bit it in two in the centre. Nor was there any time to be
lost by the humble occupants of the boat. The rules of courtesy and
ordinary politeness in entertaining a superior were for the time being
laid entirely aside. Each seaman fled for his life--some from the
stern, and others from the bow, while the cracking boards around and
beneath them convinced them that the whale had every thing in his own
way. Besides, the sensation was any thing but pleasant in expecting
every moment to become fodder to the enraged leviathan of the deep. In
quick succession those enormous jaws fell, accompanied with a deep,
hollow moan or groan, which evinced intense pain, that sent a chill of
terror to the stoutest hearts. They felt the feebleness of man when the
monster arose in his fury and strength. A boat was soon sent to the
rescue of their companions, who were swimming in every direction, to
avoid contact with the enraged whale, which seemed bent on destroying
every thing within his reach. He really asserted his original lordship
in his own native element, and was determined to drive out all
intruders. He therefore attacked the second boat, and would probably
have ground it to atoms, had not a fortunate circumstance of two
objects perhaps somewhat disconcerting him, and dividing his attention,
turned him off from his purpose.

The captain of the Citizen, observing the affray from the beginning,
was soon convinced that matters were taking rather a serious direction,
and that not only the boats but the lives of his men were greatly
imperilled. He therefore ordered the fifth boat to be instantly
lowered, manned with "green hands," the command of which he himself
assumed, and directed in pursuit of the whale. Five boats were now
engaged in the contest, with the exception of the one stoven, and all
the available crew and officers, including the captain, concentrated
their efforts and energies in order to capture this "ugly customer."
Just at the moment he was attacking or had already attacked the
second boat, the captain's boat appeared on the ground, and from some
cause best known to himself, the whale immediately left the former
and assailed the latter. What the whale had already done, and what
he appeared determined still to do, were by no means very flattering
antecedents, and would very naturally impress the minds of "green
hands," especially, that whaling, after all, was a reality, and not an
imaginary affair or ordinary pastime.

On, therefore, the whale came to the captain's boat, ploughing the
sea before him, jaws extended, with the fell purpose of destroying
whatever he might chance to meet. As he approached near, the lance was
thrust into his head and held in that position by the captain, and by
this means he was kept at bay, while the boat was driven astern nearly
half a mile. In this manner he was prevented from coming any nearer to
the boat, the boat moving through the water as fast and as long as
he pressed his head against the point of the lance. This was the only
means of their defence. It was a most fortunate circumstance in a most
trying situation. If the handle of the lance had broken, they would
have been at the mercy of a desperate antagonist. The countenances of
the boys were pallid with fear, and doubtless the very hair upon their
heads stood erect. It was a struggle for life. It was death presented
to them under one of the most frightful forms. They were, however, as
singularly and as suddenly relieved as they were unexpectedly attacked.
The whale caught sight of the ship, as was supposed, which was running
down towards the boats, and suddenly started for the new and larger
object of attack. This was observed by the captain, who immediately
made signal to keep the ship off the wind, which would give her more
headway, and thus, if possible, escape a concussion which appeared at
first sight inevitable. The whale started on his new course towards the
ship with the utmost velocity, with the intention of running into her.
The consequences no one could predict; more than likely he would have
either greatly disabled the ship, or even sunk her, had he struck her
midships. To prevent such a catastrophe--the injury of the ship, and
perhaps the ruin of the voyage--every thing now seemed to depend upon
the direction of the ship and a favoring wind. Every eye was turned
towards the ship; oars were resting over the gunwale of the boats, and
each seaman instinctively fixed in his place, while anticipating a new
encounter upon a larger scale, the results of which were fearfully
problematical. A good and merciful Providence, however, whose traces
are easily discernible in the affairs of men both upon the ocean and
upon the land, opportunely interfered. The ship was making considerable
headway. The whale started on a bee line for the ship, but when he came
up with her, in consequence of her increased speed before the wind,
he fell short some ten or twelve feet from the stern. The crisis was
passed. On he sped his way, dragging half of the boat still attached
to the lines connected with the irons that were in his body. His death
struggle was long and violent. In about half an hour he went into his
"flurry, and turned up." Colors were set for the boats to return to the
ship; the dead whale was brought alongside, cut in, boiled out, and
seventy-five barrels of sperm oil were stowed away.

We copy the following whale incident from the _Vineyard Gazette_ of
October 14, 1853. The editor says,--

"We are indebted to Captain Thomas A. Norton, of this town, one of the
early commanders of the whale ship Hector, of New Bedford, for the
following interesting particulars relative to an attack upon and final
capture of an ugly whale. Captain Norton was chief mate of the Hector
at the time.

"'In October, 1832, when in lat. 12 deg. S., lon. 80 deg. W., the ship ninety
days from port, we raised a whale. The joyful cry was given of "There
she blows!" and every thing on board at once assumed an aspect of
busy preparation for the capture. The boats were lowered, and chase
commenced. When we got within about three ships' lengths of him, he
turned and rushed furiously upon us. He struck us at the same moment we
fastened to him. He stove the boat badly; but with the assistance of
sails which were placed under her bottom, and constant bailing, she was
kept above water. The captain, John O. Morse, came to our assistance.
I told him he had better keep clear of the whale; but he said he had a
very long lance, and wanted to try it upon the rascal. Captain Morse
went up to the whale, when all at once he turned upon the boat, which
he took in his mouth, and held it "right up on end," out of the water,
and shook it all to pieces in a moment. The men were thrown in every
direction, and Captain Morse fell from a height of at least thirty
feet into the water. Not being satisfied with the total destruction
of the boat, he set to work and "chewed up" the boat kegs and lantern
kegs, and whatever fragments of the boat he could find floating on the
water. At this stage of the "fight," I told Captain Morse that if he
would give me the choice of the ship's company, I would try him again.
It was desperate work, to all appearance, and up to this time the
vicious fellow had had it all his own way. The captain was in favor of
trying him from the ship, but finally consented for us to attack him
again from a boat. With a picked crew, we again approached the whale,
now lying perfectly still, apparently ready for another attack, as
the event proved. Seeing our approach, he darted towards us with his
mouth wide open, his ponderous jaws coming together every moment with
tremendous energy. We gave the word to "stern all," which was obeyed
in good earnest. As we passed the ship, I heard the captain exclaim,
"There goes another boat!" She did go, to be sure, through the water
with all speed, but fortunately not to destruction. The monster chased
us in this way for half a mile or more, during most of which time his
jaws were within six or eight inches of the head of the boat. Every
time he brought them together, the concussion could be heard at the
distance of at least a mile. I intended to jump overboard if he caught
the boat. I told Mr. Mayhew, the third mate, who held the steering
oar, that the whale would turn over soon to spout, and that then would
be our time to kill him. After becoming exhausted, he turned over to
spout, and at the same instant we stopped the boat, and buried our
lances deep in "his life." One tremendous convulsion of his frame
followed, and all was still. He never troubled us more. We towed him to
the ship, tried him out, and took ninety barrels of sperm oil from him.

"'When we were cutting him in, we found two irons in his body, marked
with the name of the ship Barclay, and belonging to the mate's boat. We
afterwards learned that three months before, when the same whale was
in lat. 5 deg. S., lon. 105 deg. W., he was attacked by the mate of the ship
Barclay, who had a desperate struggle with him, in which he lost his
life.'

"Captain Norton, at the time of the adventure with this whale, had
'seen some service,' but he freely confesses that he never before nor
since (though he has had his buttons bitten off his shirt by a whale)
has come in contact with such an ugly customer as 'the rogue whale,' as
he was termed in sailor parlance. He seemed to possess the spirit of a
demon, and looked as savage as a hungry hyena. Our readers may imagine
the effect such an encounter would have upon a crew of 'green hands.'
During the frightful chase of the boat by the whale, their faces were
of a livid whiteness, and their hair stood erect. On their arrival at
the first port, they all took to the mountains, and few, if any of
them, have ever been seen since."

The Citizen was put on her course again, with strong breezes and
fair wind. About five days after, we spoke with the Benjamin Tucker,
but Captain Sands had taken no oil. In lat. 47 deg. S. another whale was
raised; three boats were lowered in pursuit, but before he could be
reached by the irons, he turned flukes, and was seen no more. Lost
sight of the Benjamin Tucker. We shaped our course for Statan Land. In
lat. 48 deg. S. we experienced a very heavy gale from the south-west, which
continued with great severity for twenty-four hours. We spoke with the
bark Oscar, Captain Dexter, bound round the cape.

Statan Land in sight, passed seventeen ships, all bound for the cape.
The Citizen was eleven days in doubling the cape, and experienced very
heavy weather. In lat. 54 deg. S. we raised the first right whale, but,
blowing hard, could not lower. Whales were in sight several days in
succession, but we could not lower, on account of rugged weather. In
lat. 47 deg. S. a ship was discovered with her boats down in pursuit of
whales; came up with her; lowered for right whales, and chased them for
an hour or more, but took none. At this time we spoke with the ship
Columbus again, with one of her boats fastened to a whale. She had one
boat stoven.

Passed St. Felix Islands, on the coast of Chili, and sighted the
Gallipagos. In crossing the equator, it was calm for twenty-seven days,
and but little progress was made during that time. On the 20th of
April, 1852, after a passage of more than five months from New Bedford,
we entered the port of Hilo.

Hilo is a port on the Island of Hawaii, one of the cluster of islands
in the North Pacific Ocean called Sandwich Islands. They were
discovered by Captains Cook and King in 1778, who gave them their
present name, in honor of the first lord of the admiralty. The group
consists of ten islands, but all of them are not inhabited; they extend
from lat. 18 deg. 50' to 22 deg. 20' N., and from lon. 154 deg. 53' to 160 deg. 15' W.,
lying about one third of the distance from the western coast of Mexico
to the eastern coast of China. By the census of 1849, the population
of seven of the islands is given as follows: Hawaii, 27,204; Oahu,
23,145; Maui, 18,671; Kauhai, 6,941; Molokai, 3,429; Nuhua, 723; Lanai,
523; amounting to 80,641.

Most of these islands are volcanic and mountainous. In several places
the volcanoes are in activity. Some of the mountains are of great
height, being estimated at fifteen thousand feet.

The climate is warm, but not unhealthy, the winter being marked
only by the prevalence of heavy rains between December and March. A
meteorological table gives as the greatest heat during the year, 88 deg. of
Fahrenheit; as the least, 61 deg.. Some of these islands are distinguished
for the cultivation of the yam, which affords quite a valuable supply
for ships.

The situation of the Sandwich Islands renders them important to vessels
navigating the Northern Pacific, and especially so to whalemen. The
ports of Hilo, Lahaina, Honolulu, and a few others, are the resort of
a large number of whale ships, for the purpose of obtaining recruits.
They may be considered as a central point, where ships meet both in
the fall and spring, and from whence all matters of intelligence are
transmitted to San Francisco, and from the latter place to the Atlantic
States.

Formerly all ship news and letters were brought from the islands to
the Atlantic States by homeward bound ships around the Horn, which
required for their passages from three and a half to five months. But
now, in consequence of mail communications across the isthmus to San
Francisco, and from thence to the islands, letters and other public
intelligence from the last-named place reach us in six weeks or two
months from date.

CHAPTER II.

Recruited for the Arctic.--Departure.--Coast of Kamtschatka.
--Copper Island.--Going into the Ice with Captain Crosby.--
Gale of Wind.--Dangerous sailing in the Ice.--Cape Thaddeus.
--Bay of the Holy Cross.--Plover Bay.--Dead Whale.--St.
Lawrence Bay.--Whales working north.--Loose, floating Ice.--
Ice covered with Walrus.--Fine Weather.--Striking an Iceberg.
--Ship leaking.--Return to St. Lawrence Bay.--Damage
repaired.--Arrival in the Arctic.

At the port of Hilo the ship was recruited for the Arctic. We remained
in port fifteen days, sailed for Honolulu, and left letters for owners
and for home. We touched at another port before proceeding to the
north, and there we took in an additional supply of provisions, and
then directed our course towards the straits.

In lon. 180 deg. W. we hauled to the north towards the coast of
Kamtschatka. Passed Copper Island. We saw many ships on our passage
thus far, but we took no whales until June.

About this time we captured two whales off shore, and found great
quantities of ice. Spoke with Captain Crowell, of the ship Columbus,
and Captain Crosby, of the ship Cornelius Howland.

We went into the ice with Captain Crosby, in search of whales, and soon
found them; boats were lowered; pursuit commenced; several were struck;
but our irons drew, and we therefore lost them.

A gale of wind coming on and increasing, we worked out of the ice as
soon as possible. We were at that time, when the gale commenced, some
fifteen or twenty miles in the floating and broken masses, of varied
thickness and dimensions, greatly obstructing the course of the ship,
and rendering her situation at times exceedingly dangerous. But by
constant tacking and wearing in order to avoid concussion with the ice,
or being jammed between opposite pieces, both ships were finally worked
out of the ice in safety.

On the inside of Cape Thaddeus, we saw a large number of ships; spoke
with several, but they reported that whales were scarce.

We now put the ship on her course for Behring Straits. We took one
whale off the Bay of the Holy Cross, which made the fourth since we
left port. We sailed along the coast towards the east; land frequently
in sight; foggy; heard many guns from ships for their boats.

When off Plover Bay, ten miles from land, we picked up a dead whale,
having no irons in him, nor anchored, and therefore a lawful prize.
Many dead whales are found by ships in course of the season, and
especially when ice is prevalent. They are struck by different boats,
and if in the vicinity of ice, they will surely make for it, and go
under it or among it; under these circumstances the lines must be cut.
After some time, the badly wounded whales die, and are picked up as
before stated.

We passed between St. Lawrence Island and the main land, or Indian
Point. The huts of the natives were plainly seen from the ship's deck;
still working our way towards the straits. At this time, we were in
company with the ship Montezuma, Captain Tower, and the ship Almira,
Captain Jenks. Whales were seen going towards the north, as it is usual
for them to do so at this season of the year.

We anchored in St. Lawrence Bay; weather foggy. The natives came off to
trade, and brought their accustomed articles for traffic, such as deer
and walrus skins, furs, teeth, &c. They take in exchange needles, fancy
articles, tobacco, &c.

After a few days, the fog having cleared away somewhat, we stood
towards the north again; heard guns; saw whales; still in company with
afore-mentioned ships; blowing heavy; all the ships in sight were
under double-reefed topsails; beating.

Passed East Cape. Saw whales, but they were working quickly to the
north; we followed them in their track with all the sail we could
carry on the ship; they came to loose, floating ice, into which they
went and shortly disappeared. A novel, and yet a common sight was now
witnessed; the ice was covered with a vast number of walruses, which,
to appearance, extended many miles.

The weather being fine for the season, the last part of June, in
company with the Almira, Captain Jenks, we concluded we would go into
the ice again, and if good fortune would have it so, we might capture a
few whales.

[Illustration: WALRUS AMONG ICEBERGS.]

Accidents occur not unfrequently when least expected, and sad ones,
too, arise sometimes from the slightest circumstance, or inattention.
Contact with icebergs, or large masses of block ice, when a ship is
under sail, is highly dangerous. A momentary relaxation of vigilance
on the part of the mariner may bring the ship's bows on the submerged
part of an iceberg, whose sharp, needle-like points, hard as rock,
instantly pierce the planks and timbers of a ship, and perhaps open a
fatal leak. Many lamentable shipwrecks have doubtless resulted from
this cause. In the long, heavy swell, so common in the open sea, the
peril of floating ice is greatly increased, as the huge angular masses
are rolled and ground against each other with a force which nothing can
resist.

The striking of the Citizen against a mass of ice, which nearly
resulted in the loss of the ship and the destruction of the voyage, was
simply inattention or misunderstanding the word of command.

The man at the wheel was ordered not to "luff" the ship any more, but
"steady," as she was approaching a mass of ice; indeed, ice was all
around us, which would have passed us on our larboard bow, and thus we
should have escaped a concussion; but instead of doing this, he put the
wheel down, which brought the ship into the wind, and the consequence
was, a large hole was stoven in her larboard bow; the ship began to
leak badly. Casks were immediately filled with water, and placed on
the starboard side of the ship, and thus in a measure heeled the ship,
which brought the leak to a considerable extent out of the water;
otherwise, she must have sunk in a very little time. So far as we were
able, we temporarily repaired the injury, and made all possible sail on
the ship, in order to seek some place of safety, where the whole extent
of the damage could be ascertained.

In the present disabled and crippled condition of the ship, we felt it
was exceedingly perilous and unsafe to remain even a single day in the
Arctic. We therefore left the whale ground, and though our progress was
slow, yet we put upon the ship all the sail she would bear, since on
account of the leak she was very much heeled, and we were obliged to
sail her in that condition.

Nor was it safe for our ship to be left alone to beat her way back two
hundred miles or more, unaccompanied by another vessel, lest by some
unforeseen circumstance,--an event not altogether improbable,--the ship
might founder at sea, and all on board perish.

Captain Jenks, of the ship Almira, therefore, kindly proffered his
services, with whatever aid he could give, and accompanied our ship
nearly to the point of her destination, to the Bay of St. Lawrence,
which was about two hundred miles distant from the place where the
accident occurred.

When off East Cape, we obtained some plank from the ship Citizen,
Captain Bailey, of Nantucket. We passed the heads of the bay, and, with
shortened sail, we worked our way up more than thirty miles beyond the
direction of any chart, our boats being sent ahead, and sounding the
depth of water. We finally reached a point, and came to anchor in
a little basin, or inlet, about one hundred and sixty feet from the
shore, in five fathoms of water, completely landlocked.

Here in good earnest we commenced breaking out the fore hold abreast of
the leak, and took out casks, shooks, &c., and careened the ship still
more, which exposed at once the full extent of the damage which the
ship had sustained from the ice.

It was found that several planks and timbers were badly stoven. Repairs
were made with the utmost expedition; and in seven days from the time
the ship went into the bay, she was out again, and on her way towards
the north, as strong, and perhaps stronger than she was before.

We passed through the straits, and came to anchor north of East Cape,
in company with the ship E. Frazer, Captain Taber, and the bark Martha,
Captain Crocker. After lying there three or four days, we got under
weigh and stood towards north by west, with high winds, and foggy. We
heard whales blowing in the night. The next day whales were seen going
north; we followed, and finally passed the "school." We changed the
course of the ship, beat back, found them again, and commenced taking
oil.

About the first of August, the fog having cleared away, we saw a large
number of ships "cutting in" and "boiling out," actively engaged in
securing a good season's work. We took several whales at this time.
All were busy, and at work as fast as possible, in capturing whales,
cutting and boiling. The whole scene, in which were some forty or fifty
ships taking whales and stowing away oil, was one of exciting and
cheering interest.

Such times as these are the whalemen's harvests.

On the 15th of August, during a heavy blow, we lost run of the
whales. We spoke with several ships about this time, among which were
the Benjamin Morgan, Captain Capel, and the General Scott, Captain
Alexander Fisher.

From this last date to the 22d of September, we spoke with a great
number of ships; sometimes whales were plenty, and at other times
scarce; and the weather equally changeable; sometimes heavy blows,
rainy, and foggy; and then again mild and pleasant.

Among others we spoke with Captain Henry Jernegan, and Captain John
Fisher, both of whom are now no more, having finished their earthly
voyages, and gone to their "long home."

CHAPTER III.

Northern Lights.--High Winds.--Spoke with Captain Clough.
--Ships seen in the Distance.--Storm increasing.--No
Observations.--Blowing heavily.--Scene awfully sublime.--
Ship struck by a Sea.--Shoal Water.--Rocks and Breakers.--
Ship unmanageable.--Fore and mizzen Topsails carried away.--
Ship striking astern, bow, and midships.--Foremast cut away.
--Narrow Escape of Captain Norton.--Mizzenmast gone by the
Board.--Sad Condition of the Seamen.--Land in Sight.--Ship
drifting towards the Shore.--Undertow.--The Lantern Keg.--
Mainmast cut away, and falling towards the Shore.--Men escaping
on the Mast.--Trying Scene.--Captain washed ashore.--
Affecting Deaths.--Wreck piled up on Shore.--Fire made.--
Men perishing with Cold.--Five missing.--Prospects dark.--
Destitution.--Tent erected.--Merciful Circumstances connected
with the Wreck.

On the 21st of September, we finished cutting in a whale, about twelve
o'clock, midnight, wind high from the north-east. The northern lights
were uncommonly brilliant, which prognosticated a storm; and the broken
water and flying spray round the vessel seemed as if composed of an
infinite number of diamonds glistening in the rays of the sun.

The season of the year had now arrived in which, in those high
latitudes, sudden changes and violent storms were expected. At three
o'clock on the morning of the 22d, the ship was put under short
sail; rough; unable to keep fires in the furnace; ship heading to
the south-east. We spoke with Captain Clough, who had just taken in
a "raft" of blubber. We took a whale; and for a little time the wind
moderated, which gave us hope that we should have favorable weather
some time longer. Captain Clough left us that day, and turned his ship
towards the straits, saying, "I am bound out of the ocean, and have
enough." His ship was full; he had thirty-two hundred barrels of oil on
board.

We concluded to remain on the ground a while longer, in lat. 68 deg. N. The
wind, which had in a measure subsided, now began to rise and increase,
until it had reached a heavy gale. We saw in the distance several ships
steering for the straits, and bound for the islands. On the 23d, it
blew hard, and we were unable to boil.

We judged we were, at this time, about one hundred and fifty miles from
land. The weather had been thick for several days past, and therefore
we were unable to get an observation. We saw several ships lying to,
and heading some one way and some another. The water, we perceived, was
very much colored, which indicated that we were drifting towards the
eastern shore of the Arctic. At twelve o'clock, wore ship, heading
north-west by north. At the same hour that night, wore ship again,
heading north-east.

We passed a ship, within the distance of half a a mile, under bare
poles, laboring very hard. On the 24th, four o'clock, wore ship
north-north-west, wind blowing very heavily from the north-east. We saw
great quantities of drift stuff, such as barrels, wood, &c., probably
the deck load of some ship swept by the sea. At twelve o'clock, wore
ship again; the wind appeared to lull somewhat, but the sea was very
rugged; we judged we were about one hundred or one hundred and twenty
miles distant from land; weather thick, with rain, sleet, and fog.
About one o'clock, on the morning of the 25th, the wind increased, and
swept over the ocean with the violence of a hurricane. The darkness
of the night added to the tumultuous and mountainous waves that were
running at that time; the surface of the ocean lashed into fury by the
thickening storm, still gathering its strength; the noble ship now
rising the crested billow, and then sinking into the watery valley
beneath, and pressed down by the beating and overwhelming elements,
made the scene one of indescribable grandeur and awfulness. With the
return of morning light, an ugly sea struck the ship, and took her
spars from the bow, and carried away one of the starboard boats.

The mate immediately reported to the captain, who was below at the
time, that the ship was in shoal water. As soon as he reached the
deck, he ordered to set the fore and mizzen topsails. About the same
time, the fourth mate reported that there were rocks and breakers just
before and under the bows of the ship. From the house, the captain saw
projecting rocks through the opening waters, and land all around to the
leeward, while the sea was breaking with tremendous violence between
the ship and shore.

It now became a certainty, which no earthly power could change, that
the ship must go ashore; and the only hope for any one on board was
to avoid, if possible, the fatal reef, which appeared to extend out
some distance from the land. To strike upon that reef was certain
destruction; we saw no way of escape.

The man at the wheel was ordered to put the helm hard up, and at the
same time command was given to the seamen to sheet home the fore
topsail. The ship immediately paid off two or three points, when she
was struck again by another sea, that threw her round on the other tack.

The ship was now in the midst of the rollers, pitching and laboring
dreadfully, while the sea was flying all over her deck, and the spray
reaching nearly or quite to her fore and main yards. She was utterly
unmanageable; and, at this instant, another sea boarded her, and took
off three boats. The yards were ordered to be braced round as soon as
possible; but, in the act of bracing them, a terrible blast of wind
struck and carried away the fore and mizzen topsails, half-sheeted
home. The foresail was now ordered to be set, the ship still pitching,
tumbling, and rolling frightfully, and tossed about as a mere plaything
at the mercy of winds and waves. In the act of setting the foresail,
the weather clew was carried away, and with the next sea the ship
struck aft very heavily, and knocked her rudder off, and sent the wheel
up through the house. From five to eight minutes she struck forward
with such stunning and overwhelming effect that the try-works started
three or four feet from the deck, and opened a hole so large in her
starboard bow that the largest casks came out.

About this time, the foremast was cut away, with the hope of
temporarily relieving the foundering vessel. Shortly after this, the
ship struck midships; and the dreadful crash which followed showed that
her entire framework was shattered, while the standing masts bent to
and fro like slender reeds when shaken by the wind. This was in effect
the finishing blow; and what was to be done towards rescuing any thing
below deck must be done soon or never.

The captain, at this critical juncture, went into the cabin to secure
what articles he could, such as clothes, nautical instruments, money,
&c. While there, the stern burst in, and the water came in between the
opening timbers in such torrents as to send him backward and headlong
with the few articles he had hastily gathered, and scattered them
in every direction. The floor of the cabin opened beneath his feet.
There was no time for delay. His life was in imminent peril. He at
once started for the deck, but was unable to reach it on account of
the house having been thrown down upon the gangway, and the mizzenmast
having gone by the board, one part of which rested upon the rail. All
access to the deck by the cabin doors was thus cut off.

Mr. Fisher became aware of the condition of the captain in the cabin,
and called to him to come to the skylight; and as he jumped, he was
caught by his arms, and drawn up by several who had come to his rescue.
On reaching the deck, the captain saw at once the sad condition of
his men. The sea was making a clear breach over the vessel, and they
were huddled together round the forecastle and forward part of the
ship, amazed, stupefied, cold, and shivering, and had apparently given
themselves up to the fate which awaited them.

The fog having in a measure cleared away, the land was more plainly
seen, and just at hand--not more than three hundred yards distant.
The mainmast was still standing; and there was every indication that
the entire top of the vessel, including the first and second decks,
had become separated from her bottom, and was drifting in towards the
shore. This proved to be the case. The standing mast was now inclining
towards the shore, which seemed to present the only way to deliverance
and life. The captain, therefore, encouraged his men to seize the first
opportunity which should occur, and escape to land, and the sooner they
did so the safer and better.

As the ship changed her position by the action of the waves, which
swept over and around her with resistless fury, the end of the flying
jib boom, at one time, was brought quite near the shore. The seamen
were again urged to make an effort to save themselves. It was, indeed,
a most desperate chance to venture an escape even from a present
danger, with the liability of falling into another, unknown, and
perhaps more to be dreaded. Though so near the solid land, towards
which every eye looked and every heart panted, still the surging
billows and receding undertow around the bow of the ship, were
sufficient to appall the most courageous mind.

About this time, as near as can be recollected, the cooper and one of
the boat steerers, having dropped themselves from the bow, reached
land in safety. The captain, having observed that two had gained the
shore, and knowing the utter impossibility of getting fire ashore if
it was deferred until the breaking up of the ship, and without it all
must unavoidably perish, even if they were saved from a watery grave,
held up the lantern keg to attract their attention, and, making signs
to them as far he was able for them to look after and save it, tossed
the keg overboard. It was borne on the advancing and retreating waves
back and forth for more than a quarter of a mile, before it was finally
secured. In this keg, which was air-tight, there were candles, matches,
tinder, and other combustible materials. It was indeed a most timely
and fortunate rescue.

An effort was now made to get a line ashore. One of the crew fastened
a line round his body, and attempted to reach the shore, the captain
paying out the warp as was necessary. But in consequence of the great
force of the current and undertow around the bow of the ship, the line
swayed out so far that the man was compelled to let it go in order to
save his life. It was with the greatest difficulty he reached the shore.

As the only and last resort which remained, offering reasonable
prospect of deliverance, the mainmast was cut away. The ship was now
lying nearly broadside to the shore, with her deck inboard, and so much
heeled that it required the greatest attention to prevent one from
falling off. The mast fell in the direction of the shore, and nearly
reached land. The sea was still breaking with fearful power over the
vessel, and its spray flying in dense masses over every thing around
us, and the din of the thundering billows, as they beat upon the wreck
and upon the shore, drowned all human voices to silence.

Again the captain passed along to the forward part of the ship, and
once more remonstrated, urged and entreated his men to exert themselves
for their safety and lives, as they had now the same means of getting
ashore that the officers had; and, furthermore, that in a short time
the deck would go to pieces, and then there would be but little, if any
hope of their being saved. He resolved he would not leave the wreck
until he saw his men in a fair way of escape. Up to this time, no one,
it is supposed, had been lost; several had reached land in safety, but
those still on the wreck were exposed every moment to a watery grave.

At length, the steerage boy lowered himself down from the bow, and with
manly efforts sought to gain the land. He was immediately swept away,
and was never seen after. About this time, many began to crawl down on
the mainmast, still lying in the direction of the shore. In working
their way along on the mast, their progress was not only slow, but they
were chilled, benumbed with cold, their clothes thoroughly wet to their
backs, and the sea at the same time flying over them. It was with the
greatest difficulty they could hold on. The sight was a most affecting
one. It was a period of painful anxiety. How many of these seamen will
be saved?--how many will be lost?

While attempting thus to escape upon the mast, the advancing or the
returning waves would frequently wash numbers off, and then they would
struggle with all their energies to regain the mast or the rigging;
while those who were more fortunate, and had retained their hold, would
aid them as far as possible in getting on to the mast again. It was a
most trying and heart-rending scene.

[Illustration: WRECK OF THE CITIZEN.]

The captain and Mr. Fisher were on the quarter deck, and observed a
part of a boat hanging by the side of the ship; and they proposed
to get into it, and, if possible, reach the land. Their purpose was
to hold on to the boat, and thus be borne by the sea towards the
shore. They did get into it; but whether it was carried towards the
shore or not, or what became of the piece of the boat, they have
no recollection. They were struck by a sea, and probably stunned.
The first returning consciousness the captain had, he found himself
floating alongside of the ship. He knew not what had become of Mr.
Fisher until some time after. He regained a foothold on the quarter
deck again, and seemed awakened more fully than ever to the conviction
that he must do something, and that soon, in order to save his own
life. He was chilled, benumbed, and exhausted; chances of escape
appearing less and less probable, as a last resort, said Captain
Norton, "I threw myself into the water, among casks, broken pieces
of the wreck, and, besides, my own men floating all around me, that
I might, if possible, gain the shore. I was probably insensible for
some time. I knew nothing of what took place around me. When I came to
myself, I found I was lying near the edge of the water, having been
cast ashore by some friendly wave. I looked around, and the first man I
saw was the fourth mate, floating about in the water a short distance
from me. Mr. Fisher was washed ashore about the same time I was. We
hastened to the fourth mate as soon as we were able; and one held on to
the hand of the other, and hauled him ashore, supposing him to be dead.
He, however, revived."

A heavy sea came along, and washed a number from the mast, and brought
them ashore; but one man was carried off by the undertow outside the
ship. The next sea brought him near to the shore again; and four of
those on shore took hold of each other's hands, and ventured as far as
safety would allow into the water, and succeeded in drawing him safe to
land.

The condition of the carpenter was painful and distressing in the
highest degree; yet no one could help him--no earthly power could
afford him any assistance. He was plainly seen by those on shore. He
was probably washed from the mast, with some others, and carried out to
the deck again; and while there, he was doubtless caught in between the
opening planks and timbers, and held fast by his legs; and it may be he
was otherwise injured. He answered no signs made to him from the shore;
he made no effort to free himself or to escape; and, in his case, an
escape was an impossibility. In that position, his head dropped upon
his breast, and there he died. Soon after, another sea struck the
deck, and broke it all to pieces. The largest part that could be seen
was that from the bow to the fore chains.

Another painful occurrence was witnessed by those on the shore. A
Portuguese sailor was discovered floating about among the broken
pieces of the wreck, among casks, barrels, &c. His efforts for
self-preservation were remarkable. His shipmates would most gladly
have given him a helping hand, but it was impossible to do so. Every
heart was moved with sympathy for him. As the towering wave would hurl
towards him some piece of the wreck, or a cask or barrel, he was seen
to dive, and thus avoid being crushed by it. This he did repeatedly,
until, from exhaustion or injury, or both, he sunk to rise no more.

We had three dogs on board, but they were all either killed or drowned;
and of three hogs, only one got ashore alive. Within two hours from the
time the ship first struck, the wreck was piled up on shore, opposite
to where the disaster occurred, to the height of ten feet or more.
Spars, timbers, planks, casks both whole and broken, shooks, &c., were
thrown together in frightful confusion; and in this promiscuous mass we
saw what was once our home and hope on the deep. Here we saw before
our eyes a striking illustration of the feebleness of man's frail bark,
and with what ease it is torn to pieces, and scattered far and wide, by
the resistless power of the elements.

All who were living of our number had reached the shore. Those that
were saved had become greatly chilled, and some were nearly perishing.
Notwithstanding it was storming at the time, one of the first efforts
of a part of our men was to make a fire over a cliff some little
distance from the shore, affording a partial protection from the wind
and rain.

In searching for articles as they came ashore, we discovered a small
keg of spirits, which, in our condition of cold and destitution, was
somewhat reviving to all our minds. Five casks of bread, also, were
cast upon the beach; but neither beef nor pork was found. The latter
probably sunk where the ship left her bottom.

The whole company was soon gathered round the fire, in order to dry
our clothes, and, if possible, to obtain some additional warmth.
All, however, of our former number were not there; it was a solemn
gathering, and the appearance of all of us indicated that we had a
narrow escape. Alas! some of our comrades and fellow-seamen were left
behind in the surges of the deep, or mingled with the floating wreck,
or cast with it upon the shore. The roll was called by the captain, and
thirty-three answered to their names; five were numbered with the dead.

The few hours of the past had been full of painful and distressing
interest. The majority of our number had been mercifully rescued; but
we were cast shelterless, with a small supply of provisions, with
no clothing, only what was upon our backs, upon the most barren and
desolate region of the earth.

What were our present prospects? They were dark and ominous indeed.
A new voyage, in effect, was just opening before us, with diminished
numbers, of the progress and termination of which we could not even
entertain a reasonable conjecture; yet one thing was certain--its
commencement was inauspicious. And, though hope might measurably
sustain our minds, still the prospective view before this company of
castaway seamen--the rigors of the arctic winter before us, wholly
unprepared with clothing to withstand the merciless and long-continued
cold of the north, uncertain whether there would be any deliverance
for us by any friendly sail, or what would be our reception among the
natives,--indeed, the prospect before us was any thing but cheering and
encouraging.

But here we were, in the providence of God, vessel and boats gone, at
an unknown distance from civilized life and from the settlements of
the natives; this was our present lot. Self-preservation, therefore,
prompted us to make immediate efforts, in anticipation of what we might
need in the future. A common misfortune united all our interests and
exertions.

The captain ordered that every thing of value to them in their present
circumstances found among the wreck--such as provisions, casks of
sails, pieces of canvas, ropes, broken spars, tools, whale gearing, &c.
--should be selected, and brought out of the reach of the surf and the
accumulation of ice upon the shore. More than a thousand barrels of oil
had drifted ashore, and could have been saved had some vessel arrived
about that time. A temporary tent was erected as soon as possible,
in which various articles could be stored, as well as afford some
protection to us from the inclemency of the weather.

There were two circumstances exceedingly favorable in our disaster.
It might have been much worse, and no one might have lived to relate
the sad event. We realized, upon the review, that this would have been
our certain fate, had the ship gone ashore in the night time. It was,
however, daylight, and thus we had a clear view of our condition,
danger, and prospects. Had it been otherwise, and the same general
features of the wreck been transferred to the darkness of night, we do
not believe that one soul of us would have been saved.

The other favorable circumstance was, we were not cast upon a rocky
part of the coast, or against some high and precipitous cliffs, which
lift their bold and defiant fronts against the surges of the ocean far
into deep water; to strike against such as we saw, would, at the first
concussion, have been the last of the ship and of all on board.

In the good providence of God, however, we drifted upon a part of the
coast which presented, for half of a mile or more, quite a plain, sandy
beach. We were, therefore, wrecked in the most fortunate spot. On both
sides of us, to the west and south-east, cliffs began to rise, and
broken and abrupt ledges extended some distance into the sea. Though
five of our number found a watery grave, yet the fact that so many of
us reached the shore was a matter of profound gratitude to that God who
controls the elements, and before whom the sparrow does not fall to the
ground without his notice.

CHAPTER IV.

First Night on Shore.--Sleeping in empty Casks.--Parties of
Exploration.--Dog Tracks.--Arrangements to leave the Wreck.
--Desire to reach East Cape.--Reflections upon our Condition.
--The dead Hog roasted.--The "pet Hog."--Company travel
toward the South and East.--Two Natives seen.--Parley.--
Directed to the Settlement.--The old Woman and her Ceremony.--
The second Settlement.--Head Man cordial.--Men distributed
among the Huts.--Not able to reach East Cape.--Company
entertained.--Motives for it.--Government should reward the
Natives.

The first night we spent on shore was a very stormy one. There were
rain, sleet, and high winds above and around us; below us, on the
ground, ice, snow, and water in abundance. Our tent, which was a
hasty and temporary construction, afforded us, after all, but little
permanent shelter. The water came through and under it in every
direction. Here we found an additional exposure, and the prospect of
increased suffering both from the cold and wet. Had it not been for
our oil, we could never have kindled a fire at first, nor continued it
afterwards.

But necessity gives origin to many inventions and improvements. It
suggests new plans, and urges to more favorable shifts and expedients.
If, therefore, our arrangements for the first night's lodging on land
should seem somewhat novel, or even unheard of before, let it be
remembered that sad necessity drove us to this device.

If our frail tent with a few yards of torn sails stretched over us
cannot shield us from the drenching rain, something else can. Most of
us, on that sad and sorrowful night, got into empty casks; some were
oil, others water or bread casks; it mattered not what, if we could
only be protected from the violence of the storm, or rest in some
place, instead of making the icy earth our bed.

With one head of the cask knocked out, and resting upon its bilge,
one or two would get into each cask, and find within it quite a dry
retreat. At the same time, a fire was kept burning not far from the
open heads of the several casks, placed in a circle around the fire,
and thus we were made as comfortable, perhaps, as our circumstances
would permit. This was our first night's experience on land.

The next day, arrangements were made to form parties of exploration. We
knew not where we were. Of this, however, we were quite certain--that
we were north of the straits; but upon what part of the arctic coast we
were cast away, we could not tell.

Therefore, our first object was, if possible, to ascertain our true
position. The thick, foggy, and stormy weather which had prevailed for
many days before the wreck, contributed greatly to mislead us. Neither
sun, moon, nor stars had appeared for some time, by which we might have
been guided in our course through the trackless deep. All above us
had been shrouded with dense clouds, while strong and variable winds,
approaching to the severity of tornadoes, and even hurricanes, had
carried our ship far out and beyond her true course.

The last, and not the least perhaps, of the causes which resulted in
our wreck, was the current, which appeared to change its course during
the storm, as it not unfrequently does. At this time, it set from
the eastern to the western shore of the Arctic. Under the combined
influence of the current coming from the north and east, and a severe
gale of wind, accompanied with hail, rain, and fog, our ship was
constantly pressed upon the western shore, until she struck and went to
pieces.

Two companies were now formed, one to take an easterly course, and the
other a westerly one. Those who were left behind were to be employed in
making sacks out of canvas, for the purpose of carrying bread and other
provisions in our anticipated travels. This expedition was intended
only as an introductory one to our final removal from the place, when
we should ascertain more particularly where we were.

It was the opinion of some that we were cast away upon an island; and
in so far as we could judge at this time, this opinion was rather
confirmed.

The captain with his party took their departure towards the east, and
Mr. Fisher and his party went towards the west.

Each man was armed with whatever defensive and offensive weapon he
could well carry along with him. These weapons were neither guns nor
swords, but a few knives, a hatchet, a broken whale lance, and a spade.
We knew not with what we should meet, whether savage beasts, or more
savage men.

The parties, as they traveled in opposite directions, soon found they
were not upon an island, as they at first imagined, but merely upon an
extended projection, as it appeared to be, from the main land.

The captain's party, after having traveled in an easterly direction
about ten miles, discovered tracks of dog teams, and the footmarks of
those who accompanied them. These facts assured the explorers that
human habitations of some sort were not probably far distant. They
therefore returned immediately to the tent to inform their companions,
and to make particular arrangements for more extended researches. The
western party also returned to the tent soon after the other, having
made no very definite discoveries.

We became satisfied at this time, from the direction of the coast, and
the general aspect of the country, that we were north of East Cape;
but how far distant from it, we had no means of determining. It was
likewise a matter of equal uncertainty whether we were east or west
of East River. If we were west of this river, the prospect of our
liberation the coming winter, or of meeting with any friendly sail, was
extremely small. If, however, we were east of the river, we had strong
hopes of deliverance before the winter should fairly set in, and that
we should be able to reach East Cape in season to intercept some ship
bound out of the ocean.

Thus we reasoned upon and discussed those matters which pertained
to our speedy deliverance, or our bondage for months to come in the
dreadful and merciless winter of the polar region; or it may be that no
one of our number would escape to tell the wreck of the ship, and the
catastrophe which would befall his fellow-companions.

Besides, considerations were urgent and pressing why we should make all
possible haste, either to find some suitable habitation for the winter,
or, perchance, fall in with some friendly vessel. With the advance
of the season, we were assured that traveling would become more and
more difficult, and that Borean storms would soon burst upon us with
resistless fury. And hence, to remain where we were first cast upon
the shore, without persevering efforts to save our lives, would be the
height of presumption. With nothing more to protect us than the frail
tent which we had erected, thinly clad, and all we had on our backs, a
limited supply of provisions from the wreck, if we should remain at our
first landing place until deliverance should come to us, then, indeed,
before the opening of another spring, all of us would have fallen
victims to inexorable death.

At this distance from the place where the scene of our sufferings
commenced, how little can our readers appreciate what were then our
condition, wants, and prospects! Indeed, ice and snow already began to
largely increase, though we were in the region of eternal frosts, where
they never wholly disappear. Both upon the shore, and as far as the
eye could reach in an inland direction, the ice and snow were perennial
occupants of the country. Neither the rains of spring nor the suns of
summer are able to melt away and dissolve the deep foundations of a
polar winter.

The surface of the country was much broken and uneven, and especially
in the interior, alternating in valleys, deep gorges, precipitous
cliffs, rugged and rocky eminences, one elevation rising above another,
until the remote horizon exhibited lofty mountain ranges. The entire
panoramic view presented an aspect at once sublime and frightful to
behold.

It should be remembered that, amid our hopes and fears, we stood
at this time on the borders of human habitations; and beyond this
locality, as we afterwards ascertained, especially on this coast, there
was but one known settlement of the natives to the north of us.

The dead hog that drifted ashore was skinned and roasted for supper
on the second night after the wreck, and for breakfast next morning.
Utensils for cooking were very scarce; only a few small articles had
come ashore. The hog was suspended over the fire, and turned over and
around when necessary, until it was baked suitable for eating.

Preparations were made on the coming day for another
traveling-exploring expedition, in which all were to be included as one
company. The grand purpose we now had in view was to find a passage to
East Cape, or to fall in with the huts or settlements of the natives.

Before leaving, however, a grave question arose as to what should
be done with the live hog, which had thus far shared with us in our
deliverance from the wreck, and from his general deportment seemed to
realize his forlorn condition.

This was a "pet hog" among the seamen; he knew his name, and appeared
to have more than ordinary intelligence; at least, this was his
reputation on board of the ship. His weight was not far from twelve
score. He was washed from the deck at the time it was broken up by
the sea, and discovered, by Mr. Fisher, floating about in the surf,
and supposed to be dead. He went to him, and struck a smart blow
upon his back, and said to him, "Jack, what are you doing here?" He
immediately gave a grunt or two, started upon his feet, and struggled
for the shore. He went with us to the tent, and made that his home. He
would frequently wander forth some distance from the tent, apparently
ruminating upon the sad state of things; and after a while he would
return and take up his position at the entrance of the tent. In the
estimation of the crew, he was indeed one of the "_learned_ hogs."

When the question came up, what should be done with "Jack," many at
once resolved they would never eat him, because he knew so much; and
being so strongly attached to him, he really seemed like one of our
number: "Old Jacky must not be eaten."

A different counsel finally prevailed. If we should leave him behind,
he would soon be destroyed by wild beasts, and especially bears, that
swarm the region; or he would perish with hunger. In view of these
considerations, it was decided to kill the favorite hog, more from
necessity than choice. He was accordingly killed and roasted, and a
division made of him, each man taking his proportionate share. A cheese
was also divided into as many parts as there were men, and distributed
to each. Each man carried a sack containing thirty biscuits, in
addition to other articles of provision just mentioned.

We were particular also before leaving, though it was quite uncertain
whether we should ever see the spot again, to save from the wreck and
stow away in the tent whatever we thought might be necessary for future
use. This was a judicious precaution. As a last resort, if all other
sources of deliverance should fail us, neither finding the settlements
of the natives, or being received by them, nor seeing any ship to take
us off, then we must return to the wreck, and make the best of what we
had, and live as long as we could.

We furthermore agreed to travel seven days from the wreck, and if we
found no help or deliverance from any quarter, then we would return,
which would require seven days more--about as long as we supposed our
provisions would last us.

The direction we took was towards the east and south, along shore,
which was less difficult to travel than farther back in the country;
besides, there were less snow and ice on the seaboard at that time.

We had traveled, as was supposed, about fifteen miles, when we saw two
natives, some little distance before us, in an inland direction. At
first they were unwilling to stop, probably aware from our appearance
that we were foreigners. While we all kept together the natives
continued on their way.

Captain Norton and two of his officers separated themselves from
the rest of the company, making signs, thus indicating peaceable
intentions, and advanced towards them. The natives then stopped. The
captain and those with him approached them and shook hands with them.
The natives appeared to understand the signals and signs, and at once
desired that all the company that was behind some distance would come
forward to them. This they did. The natives pointed in the direction
of their settlement, and furthermore desired all the company to follow
them. We followed them until we came in sight of their huts. Here the
whole company was requested to stop, with the exception of the captain
and two of his officers. We went with the natives into the settlement,
and were immediately conducted into the presence of a very old woman,
who marked one side of our faces with two lines, and our hands in the
same manner, with a burnt stick. After this singular manoeuvre was
over, she made signs to the captain to call all his men, and they also
were marked upon their faces and hands.

It is altogether probable that the marking of our faces and hands by
this old woman with a burnt stick was some sacred rite, and that she
might have been a sort of priestess or prophetess among the natives,
and that the ceremony was a mark of her approval, or that she secured
the protection of some divinity in our behalf.

It was ascertained afterwards, that this old woman was held in very
high repute among the natives, and that she was supposed to be a
personification of a certain deity which inhabited some remote mountain
in the interior of the country.

We also learned that the purpose she had in view in marking our faces
and hands, was, that we might not _poison_ those with whom we should
eat, or contaminate any thing we should take hold of with our hands.

We were distributed among the several huts, and remained there that
night. The natives set before us something to eat in the form of
whale and walrus blubber, and deer meat. This "bill of fare" had not
the recommendation of being cooked, but in its original state, with
no other condiment than what age imparted to it. But whether the
whole company found their appetites or necessities such as to pass
immediately into this new regimen, was quite, if not altogether,
improbable.

This settlement appeared to be of a temporary character; the natives
with their families having come from another region or section of the
country for the purpose of trading and hunting. There were but five
huts in all. Our company, therefore, of thirty-three persons, occupied
all the room they had to spare. It was close stowage but far better
for us than to be exposed and unprotected during a long and chilly
night.

After our arrival at this settlement, and some time during the night,
word was sent by the natives, as we afterwards learned, to another
and larger settlement, to inform the natives there that a company of
shipwrecked mariners (_raumkidlins_) had come, and wanted shelter.

Accordingly next morning, ten or fifteen dog teams, with their drivers,
made their appearance, having come from a settlement east of us for
the purpose of transporting us, with our effects, to new and larger
quarters. We arrived at this latter place about four o'clock in the
afternoon, distance about twenty miles.

The captain, with two others, went directly to the head man of the
settlement, whose name was _Taunty_, and made him understand, by signs
and gestures, that they wished him to take care of the whole company.

He readily assented to our request. He manifested a most kind and
obliging disposition. He showed a degree of sympathy for us in our
destitute and dependent condition wholly unlooked for, and altogether
unexpected. Such accommodations as he and his people had were promptly
offered to us.

[Illustration: NATIVE COSTUME.]

In this instance of cordial reception by the natives, the hand of a
good and merciful Providence can be easily discovered. What if, at this
time of our need, the natives had thrust us away from their dwellings,
and refused us shelter for the night, or a protection from the storm?
or if they had exhibited towards us the spirit of hostility and war?
Augmented sufferings would have been added to our otherwise unhappy
lot. There would have been no escape for us from the arctic region. But
we found friends when we most needed them.

We were distributed among the natives in the following manner: four men
and one officer were to constitute a company; and in this proportion we
occupied our respective huts, lived with the families, and shared in
their accommodations.

Compared with the first settlement, where we stopped for the first
night in our travel, this one was quite respectable, numbering twenty
or more huts.

We had no intention of making this settlement a permanent resting place
for the winter, if by any means we could find a more southern locality.
We cherished strong hope of being able to reach East Cape, and thus
being taken off by some ship passing through the straits, before
the approach of winter. Nor was there any time to be lost towards
completing such an arrangement as this.

One of the first things which we did, was to make known our wants to
the head man of the settlement. So far as we were able, we conversed
with him by signs, and thus endeavored to explain to him what we wished
to do. He gave us to understand that it was impossible for us to travel
down to East Cape this season of the year, and that the distance to the
cape was very great, and it was therefore impossible to get there.

Not knowing our precise locality upon the coast, we could not tell
whether the cape was three or five hundred miles from us. We concluded
it would be safer to remain where we were than to venture upon such an
uncertainty. It was afterwards ascertained that we were distant from
East Cape about two hundred and fifty miles.

The head man gave us to understand, in his way, that there was a very
great river to cross before we could get to East Cape, and that it
could not be crossed now; and still further, if we should perish on the
way, great ships (_laloutoutlines_) would come, kill him, and destroy
all their huts.

On the whole, we judged that it was the desire of the head man that
we should remain with him and his people, and live among them for the
present; and nothing occurred in all our subsequent acquaintance with
the natives in this settlement to remove this impression from our
minds. It may be, however, that they anticipated some remuneration for
their attention to us, which, by the way, they had a right to expect.
This was not unlikely a motive which induced them to desire that we
might live with them.

We sincerely hope the time may speedily come, when they shall be amply
recompensed by our government for their kindness towards _thirty-three
American seamen_, whom they protected, clothed, and fed, during three
quarters of a year.

CHAPTER V.

The prospect of reaching East Cape for the present was at length
abandoned. A conclusion was arrived at, from the necessity of our
condition, which was full of disappointed hope, and which required
an unusual degree of patient courage to sustain our minds under the
painful conviction that we must, after all, spend the next three
quarters of a year, if we should live, in the northern regions. How the
mind of man becomes shaped and adjusted to meet certain conditions of
his being! If viewed in the light of unavoidable necessity, we see the
force and independence of mind grappling with adverse circumstances,
thus proving its original superiority over all outward disadvantages.
It is, however, the province of _Christian_ faith in the providences
of an all-wise God, which secures to the mind true reconciliation,
imparts hope in adversity, and awakens unearthly joy in seasons of
sorrow and disappointment.

The next day after our arrival at our new habitations, the whole
company rested, and got somewhat recruited as to our bodies, and, not
the least in our circumstances of anticipated captivity for months, our
minds became partially settled that we must make the best of a common
disaster and a common destiny.

The day following, preparations were made by ourselves, in connection
with the natives and their dog teams, to visit the wreck. One of the
first questions asked, and the principal one in which the natives were
more interested than in any other, was, whether there was any rum at
the wreck. A keg of spirits had been washed ashore, as before stated,
and a part of it had been used, and the remainder was in the keg in the
tent, stowed away with other articles from the wreck.

A difficulty was now apprehended. If the natives should find the keg
of rum, and become intoxicated, as they probably would, serious and
perhaps fatal consequences might take place. To avoid any fears of this
sort, and remove all grounds of contention, the captain sent two of his
men ahead, with orders to knock in the head of the rum keg. It was
done as commanded; no further difficulty, therefore, could arise from
this source.

Self-preservation prompted to this; but in a multitude of instances no
less striking, where property, reputation, and even life itself are
concerned, a like decision, to knock in the head of the rum keg, or
break jugs and bottles, and pour the source of evil upon the ground,
would be highly commendable, and fraught with the most happy results.

In due time we reached the wreck, and, as was expected, the natives
began to search for spirits; but for their advantage, as well as ours,
they found none. They sought every where for it, ransacked every nook
and corner, hauled over wreck stuff, looked into barrels, knocked to
pieces oil casks, &c., to find it, but all in vain.

It appeared, furthermore, as if the natives supposed they had a _right_
to whatever they could lay their hands upon, and what they found among
the wreck, or on shore, was a lawful prize. Several pieces of white and
blue cotton cloth had washed ashore since the wreck was last visited;
these the natives appropriated to their own use. A slate was found, and
upon it we wrote the name of the ship, her captain, and where the crew
could be found, and placed it in a prominent position near the wreck,
hoping that it might possibly meet the eye of some deliverer, though an
event so much desired could now hardly be expected.

The company remained in the vicinity of the wreck until towards night,
and then each man took with him a bag of bread, and, with the natives
and their dog teams, we left for the settlement, which was about
fifteen miles distant.

It was exceedingly hard to visit the scene of our recent disaster, and
behold the desolation and end of the noble ship that had withstood so
many storms and weathered so many gales, but now a promiscuous mass
of broken timbers, planks, and spars; besides, her cargo thrown upon
the beach. If possible, it was even harder to leave what remained of
her behind, and to carry away a small quantity of provisions to eke
out an existence which, under the most favorable circumstances, among
the natives, must be most trying and painful. And then, again, all the
provisions we expected to obtain from the wreck could last us but a few
months, at the longest. If our lives, therefore, should be prolonged,
we saw before us the only alternative of living as the natives did,
being constant spectators of their extreme filthiness in person
and habits, and sharing with them in the peculiarly offensive and
disgusting character and preparation of their food.

The next day, the company remained in the settlement, wearied with
the labor of the preceding day, and, the greatest calamity of all,
oppressed in our minds, as we contemplated the future; and as we began
to realize more and more what would probably be our destination for
many long months to come.

"Hope deferred maketh the heart sick;" but hope revived--when
well nigh abandoned and ready to expire, like the last flickerings
of the lamp--hope revived imparts new life, and sends a thrill
of joy through languishing minds. Thus the weak become strong, and
the disheartened are animated and encouraged to put forth more
earnest efforts. Hope revived under the circumstances in which these
shipwrecked mariners were placed was like the introduction of light,
comfort, and home into their wintry habitations. What intelligence more
to be desired and sincerely asked for than the announcement of a sail
in sight?

Think of them, as brooding over their anticipated doom; settling it,
or having settled it in their minds, that their abode was doubtless
fixed for the present; thoughts of home now and then rushing into
their minds with overwhelming force, or, it may be, with the only
exception of their sleeping moments, never out of their minds; indeed,
their very dreams shaded, colored, and made treacherously illusive with
joyous meetings of companions, parents, relatives, and friends! Think
of them at such a time as this, when the hope of deliverance had taken
its lowest dip, like the wintry sun of the Arctic passing below the
horizon, its light and comfort quite departing; so hope in the minds
of this company of wrecked mariners had fallen beyond any reasonable
expectation of deliverance.

Severe and terrific storms of wind, rain, hail, and snow had swept over
the northern ocean, and ere this it was supposed that every ship had
sought a more southern and genial clime.

What, then, was our unexpected and glad surprise, on the following day,
when, amid the tumult and confusion, as well as the excitement of the
natives, both in and around the huts, it was announced that a _sail_
was in sight!

With all possible speed we hastened to a high cliff bordering the sea
shore, and there we saw, indeed, what our eyes delighted to behold,
and our bosoms swelled with grateful emotions to contemplate--a ship
under sail, some ten or twelve miles distant, and standing in directly
for the shore. As we looked, never before with more exhilarated spirits
and reviving hope, on, on the vessel came, approaching nearer and
nearer, until her davits were plainly seen, and men walking to and fro
on deck. The ship now was not more than two miles distant. She came to,
main yard hauled back, and lay in that position a quarter of an hour or
more.

With these indications, all doubt had nearly or quite left our minds
that the intentions of those on board were to take us off. Still, no
boat was lowered, nor was there any answering signal. This surely was
mysterious, and betokened fear. And yet could it be that within so
short a distance no deliverance would be extended? It was contrary
to reason to believe so; the thought must not be cherished a single
moment. We should soon tread a friendly deck, and share again a
sailor's home on the deep. Thus whispered hope, suddenly revived in all
our hearts.

But in order to make the case doubly sure, and remove all suspicion in
the minds of those on board that those on shore were not all natives,
two colors, one white and the other blue, were raised upon poles to
the height of full thirty feet. It was plainly seen by those on board,
as subsequent testimony from the officers abundantly proved. Besides,
these were signals of civilization, of common brotherhood, of pressing
emergency, and strongly excited hope. But, alas! they met with no
response from that vessel's deck.

Lest there should be a lurking distrust in the minds of the captain
and officers of the ship that these signals were a mere trickery or
device of the natives to get on board of the ship, or for the ship to
send a boat ashore, the company on shore separated themselves from the
natives, so that with the aid of a glass, or even with the naked eye,
a distinction in manner, movement, and dress could be easily seen by
those on shipboard. This expedient also failed.

As another resort to attract attention, a fire was kindled; and yet
the rising and curling smoke met with no cordial response, no friendly
salutation; no boat came to our rescue. Shortly after, the ship filled
away, passed down the coast, and was seen no more.

We felt, what no language can adequately express, that this was an
instance of cold, deliberate, and even infamous neglect. Could it be
they were ignorant of the ordinary laws of humanity, and wilfully
misconstrued the most obvious signs of needy and suffering seamen?
Instances have, indeed, occurred, in which vessels at sea have
been known to pass near shipwrecked mariners, and yet they were not
discovered. They were upon a low raft, perhaps, or had no means of
raising a signal, and were therefore passed. The imploring cries and
stretched-out hands of the sufferers were alike unheeded; not from any
intentional neglect, by any means, but simply because they were not
seen from the vessel's deck.

It is sad to contemplate an oversight even like this, in which the
hopes and lives of a number of unfortunate seamen were suspended upon
the bare possibility of being recognized by the passing ship.

How many, many have doubtless perished in mid ocean, whose eyes beheld
again and again the approaching and departing sail, whose hearts
alternately rose in hope and sunk in despondency, and yet at last died
without the precious boon of deliverance!

Other instances have, however, occurred, of a far different character.
Suffering, exhausted, and dying mariners, either upon wrecks or rafts,
have been left uncared for and abandoned by the passing ship.

If the records of the past did not furnish conclusive evidence of
the truth of the foregoing statement, it would seem that the bare
announcement of the fact would be sufficient not only to appall the
hardest heart, and cover with deep and lasting shame the perpetrators
of such a deed, but to place it in the frightful category of those
events absolutely beyond both human experience and credulity.

Revelation informs us that "the sea shall give up its dead;" so will
there be a resurrection both of the good and bad in human conduct. A
virtuous and benevolent act performed upon the ocean will never be
concealed. The winds, as they sweep over its surface, will declare
it. And so, on the other hand, an act of inhumanity, capriciousness,
cruelty, or turning a deaf ear to the expostulations and entreaties of
the dependent and suffering, will never slumber. The mighty waves, as
they traverse the great deep, will speak in thunder tones that the deed
lives.

The hopes of _thirty-three_ persons in the cold and dreary region of
the north, in the province of perpetual ice and snow, were suddenly
and unexpectedly revived by the near approach of a ship within trumpet
hail; signals of wrecked mariners on shore, the ship remaining
more than fifteen minutes with her yards back, and those on board
beholding the demonstrations of intense anxiety of those on shore that
deliverance might be sent to them, and yet not one motion made for
our rescue! The ship is soon on her way, and out of sight. If hope was
ever suddenly and unexpectedly revived, it was then; if hope was ever
suddenly cast down to its lowest depths, it was then.

Nor could our eyes hardly believe what we were beholding. Was it
all illusion, dream, or magic? No; it was a reality. We had been
tantalized. The cup of the greatest earthly blessing had been held to
our lips, and yet we were not allowed to drink of it, but it was dashed
to the earth in our very presence. The departure of that ship was the
departure of mercies to us, to procure which we would have been willing
to make the greatest earthly sacrifice.

What a day of joy and sorrow was that to us! How many hitherto downcast
countenances were lighted up! What words of good cheer passed from one
to another! How many hearts bounded with thankfulness and gratitude at
the thought of so speedy a deliverance!

Our families and friends at home were thus far ignorant of the
distressing scenes through which we had passed, and also of our present
condition; but ere long, as we believed, on our arrival at the islands,
we should communicate to them the wreck of our ship, the loss of the
voyage, and the fortunate rescue of so many of our number from a watery
grave.

We felt that we had much for which to be thankful to God, and that
soon we should be able to send to anxious ones at home the happy
intelligence that we were among the saved.

Such is hope when strongly excited. It ennobles and invigorates the
human soul; it adorns the horizon with the gorgeous drapery of morning
clouds; it paints the evening with the glories of departing day; it
forgets the past; it is the elixir of life itself; without it man lives
only in the present, and anticipates no future good.

But that was a day of sorrow too! It seemed as if we should sink into
the very earth, and that we were unable to stand, with such a load
and pressure upon our spirits. We were crushed both in body and mind.
Contending emotions of indignation, abandoned hope, unmitigated grief,
and poignant sorrow, swayed and strongly agitated every bosom. The
whole company wept like children.

It may be asked, "Why did not the officers and crew avail themselves of
the canoes of the natives, and go off to the ship?" It is true there
were several canoes near the shore, but the natives were unwilling
they should be touched; from what cause we could not understand. Our
acquaintance with them, and theirs with us, had thus far been very
slight; and it may be they had serious suspicions in their minds that
we designed some evil towards them. They were doubtless governed by
some notions, in refusing us the aid of their canoes, in keeping with
their half-civilized or barbarous natures.

The captain and others offered to hire the canoes, at the same time
presenting to them some little articles they had with them, as a pocket
or jack knife, but all to no purpose. They resisted every proposition.

The officers and some of the crew were so anxious to get to the ship
that they proposed twice to the captain to take forcible possession
of the canoes, and follow the ship; and they would have done it, and
risked all the consequences, had the captain approved of it. He,
however, opposed this plan, on the ground that though a few might
succeed in reaching the ship, yet those who were left behind, being
entirely unarmed, would probably be instantly killed, and, therefore,
it was bad policy to expose the lives of a majority of the company
for the safety of only a few. Or, it may be, in their first efforts
to seize the canoes, and before they could even get them into the
water, the natives would fall upon us, and massacre the whole company
on the spot. And still farther, we were wholly in their power, both
for the present and for months to come, and without their kindness
and good will we had no sort of chance for life; therefore the least
misunderstanding or violent collision between the parties might lay
the foundation for causes which would result, if not now, yet in
some future time, in the destruction of the whole company. These
considerations, suggested by the captain, dissuaded his men from
attempting a forcible seizure of the canoes of the natives; and,
therefore, for the good of the whole, that means whereby a few possibly
might have reached the ship, was given up.

We leave this painful reminiscence of the past by copying from _The
Polynesian_, published at Honolulu, November 19, 1853, the following

CARD.

"The undersigned, late master of the whale ship Citizen, of New
Bedford, feels it a duty he owes alike to the living and the dead to
make known the following circumstances.

"On the 25th of September, 1852, in the Arctic Ocean, in lat. 68 deg. 10'
N., the ship Citizen was wrecked, and five men were lost; himself
and the balance of the crew reached the shore, without any thing but
the clothes they stood in. It was very cold, and they kept alive by
burning casks of oil that had floated ashore from the wreck; that they
lived near the wreck until October 3, when the whale ship Citizen, of
Nantucket, Captain Bailey, hove in sight; they immediately hoisted a
flag upon a pole thirty feet high, and made every signal they could
of distress; that the ship at first stood in as though she saw them,
then hauled up and shivered in the wind, and afterwards filled away and
left them. She was so close at one time that those on shore could see
her davits. The feelings with which they saw the vessel leave them are
indescribable, as no hope was left them but to endure the rigors of a
winter's residence in that cold, bleak, and desolate region, if they
should escape the tomahawk of the savage. That their signals were seen
by Captain Bailey there can be no doubt, as Captain B. reported seeing
his signals last fall. The mate of Captain Bailey's vessel reported to
Captain B. that he could see sailors on shore, and requested a boat to
go to their relief, which Captain B. refused.

"Through the inhumanity of Captain Bailey, we were compelled to remain
_nine months_ in that barren region, destitute of clothing and food,
other than the natives could supply us from their scanty stores of
blubber and furs. During this time, two of the crew perished from cold,
and left their bones to bleach among the snows of the north, as a
monument of 'man's inhumanity to man.'

"The natives were humane, kind, and hospitable to us, though wretchedly
poor.

THOMAS H. NORTON."

[Illustration: HUNTING THE POLAR BEAR.]

CHAPTER VI.

The next day after the departure of the ship, as well as the departure
of our highest earthly hopes,--hopes which had been excited in us
immeasurably beyond any former experience,--we remained principally
in our huts, having neither desire nor energy, heart nor hope, to go
abroad, but what was most fitting in our present condition, and future
prospects, to indulge in sad and melancholy reflections upon the few
past hours. There was a singular solitariness pervading all our minds,
such as we never felt before. We were now painfully sensible that the
ice, snow, and cold, peculiar to this region of the north, such as we
never witnessed before, would ere long form around us an impassable
barrier, frightful even to contemplate, and through which there would
be to us no present egress.

What remained of provisions still at the wreck, and other
articles which may have washed ashore, reason and the instinct of
self-preservation taught us, it was our duty at once to secure.
Accordingly, the day following, the whole company were again assembled,
and went to the wreck. We made a division of the provisions, especially
of bread, between the different parties occupying different huts, and
each party transported its respective share to the settlement. The
natives were present with the crew during the day, and ever ready to
appropriate to their own benefit whatever they saw fit to take, or were
disposed to lay hold of.

There were several casks of molasses which came ashore; and since
these could not be very well divided at the wreck, it was resolved to
construct a species of sled, upon which a whole cask could be drawn
to the settlement at one time. This we did, though it required many
tedious hours and severe labor. By the aid of ropes, and a combination
of all our efforts, we succeeded in getting all the molasses to the
huts. We managed in the same way with a number of barrels of flour
which came ashore about this time. Several tin plates and basins were
also found on the beach, and these answered an excellent purpose, as
they afterwards proved; because in them we mixed our flour and molasses
together, and thus made very luscious pancakes. We usually baked them
outside of the huts, as no fire was allowed within, except very rarely;
nor were we permitted to make any outside when the wind was in a
northerly direction, lest the smoke should frighten away the seals from
the shore and region. So reasoned the natives.

We continued to visit the wreck and obtain whatever we could, until
the weather became so severe, and the traveling so bad, that it was no
longer safe to expose ourselves.

After having gathered all the provisions we could find at the wreck,
such as bread, flour, and molasses, we judged that with economy, and
with ordinary allowance, it would last the ship's company three or four
months. But the great drawback which we apprehended, and which we found
to be true, was, the natives acted as if they had as good a right to
our provisions as we had ourselves. They not only joined us in eating
what belonged to us, but they took what they wanted, both openly and
secretly.

The weather continued quite moderate, we should judge, for this region
of the north, not intensely cold, still gradually increasing, until the
17th of November. While the sea was open, whales were very plenty. They
came near the shore where our settlement was located, and sported among
the breakers, and in some instances, would rest their huge heads upon
the rocks, just on the surface of the water.

About this time, a very severe gale of wind blew from the north, more
furious and winterish than had occurred since our abode in this region,
accompanied with a heavy fall of snow. The wind was so violent that it
prostrated several native huts. This storm was doubtless a forerunner
of winter indeed, and which brought from the remote wastes of the
Northern Sea vast quantities of ice, which, in connection with that
which had been forming along the coast, closed up the whole ocean as
far as the eye could reach. Indeed, all water entirely disappeared.

This was an uncommon and singular feature in our experience of an
arctic winter. It thus began in earnest to put on the sterner and more
terrible attributes of dreariness and desolation. There was something
profoundly dreadful and awe-inspiring in the giant march of a polar
winter, prodigious in its increase of snow and the vast accumulation of
ice. It was upon a scale of operation so sublime and awful as to baffle
all human description, and throw wholly into the shade, as absolutely
insignificant, the intensest winter ever experienced in our native
country. It is utterly impossible to give to any one who has not shared
somewhat in the tremendous reality of the scene a just conception of it.

The sun was now falling rapidly, and showing its bright disk only a few
hours above the horizon. The nights were very long, and the days were
becoming shorter and shorter. It seemed as if the luminary of day was
indisposed to throw abroad his own rays upon a region of the earth's
surface where either human or animal life could with so much difficulty
exist. In a few weeks, the sun had wholly disappeared, though his track
of light could be distinctly traced in his course below a section of
the horizon; but still it was becoming fainter and fainter, until total
darkness and a long night of nearly a month enveloped the outward
world, as well as enshrouded our own minds in indescribable gloom and
sadness.

Our readers may inquire how we passed our time during our detention
among the natives, and especially during the coldest of the weather,
or during the long night of polar darkness. When the thermometer,
during the depth of winter, would doubtless have indicated scores of
degrees less than zero, we rarely ventured forth out of the huts. But
far otherwise with the natives. They would go out and travel from
settlement to settlement, even in the coldest weather. At times,
however, they would return from their winter excursions somewhat
frost-bitten. We also became, in a measure, accustomed to the intense
cold, and being clothed in the garments of the natives, consisting
wholly of skins and furs, we could endure a great degree of cold.

If there was any outward relief to be found to our minds during the
long nights of the arctic, and the entire absence of the sun for
several weeks, it consisted in the peculiar and uncommon brilliancy
which marked the course of the moon in those clear skies.

Nor was this all. The aurora borealis there is seen in all its native
beauty and grandeur. It illumined the sky with a light but little
inferior to that of moonlight. It would from time to time shoot up and
spread itself over the whole northern horizon, and with its sparkling
scintillations and brightly-colored coruscations, it would form a
splendid arch over our heads. And then, again, as the advancing column
of warriors rushes into battle, so the bright line above us, with its
moving front and wheeling battalions, would seem to change its hue and
position, and thus prepare for a fresh onset.

The aurora borealis of the arctic and polar region is one of nature's
grandest and most sublime scenes ever beheld by mortals.

As we were confined within the huts of the natives during a greater
part of our abode with them, and as nothing particular occurred
demanding our exposure out of doors, we had sufficient time to sleep,
if sleep we could. To pass away time was extremely hard and irksome.
Its wheels rolled slowly and heavily along. Some of us would sing to
the natives, which tended not only to divert and encourage our own
minds, but to please them. We found, however, they were wonderfully
pleased with our singing, and so much interested were they in it, that
nothing would satisfy them unless some one of us was singing to them.
Thus they laid an oppressive task upon us, which we were not able to
perform. What we commenced, therefore, as a sort of pastime, in order
to while away tedious hours, days, and months, finally became, through
the constant importunity of the natives, a grievous burden to us.

We had neither book nor chart of any description in our possession,
with which to divert or instruct our minds. We had nothing upon which
to write any event or fact, except small pieces of copper, and a few
stray leaves which we happened to find in the huts of the natives.
Our time, as all must see, was spent comparatively in a most listless
and unprofitable manner; it was simply the endurance of life, and the
prolonged hope that another year, if we should live to see it, would
bring to us the day of deliverance.

Captain Norton kept, by the aid of a piece of twine, in which he tied
knots, an account of every day, from the time of the wreck until our
rescue at East Cape, with the single exception of only one knot too
many, which he supposed he must have added during the long night.

The only razor, which was a great favorite with the company, and which
we frequently used to the best of our ability, without either soap or
brush, was an ordinary jackknife. It was necessary to keep our beards
trimmed within proper limits; otherwise our breath, even in the huts,
and especially when exposed to the air outside, would reduce them to a
mass of solid ice.

These two articles, viz., the twine and the knife, were about all the
significant and expressive mementoes which we brought with us from
our arctic quarters. These, however, were sufficient to bring most
distinctly and vividly to our minds a painful episode in our ocean life.

The clothing with which we were furnished by the natives, and without
which we must have perished, was composed of skins and furs. We dressed
as the natives did. An observer could have seen no difference in this
respect between us and them. Our shoes, pants, and a kind of jacket,
and caps, were wholly of skins, with the hair inside, and then over
these another dress, with the hair outside. Thus clothed, we were
protected from the keen, piercing air--a protection secured to us
which no other substitute could provide.

About the 1st of January, in the depth of winter, we began to perceive
that nearly all the provisions we obtained from the wreck were
about gone. The natives had shared with us in the several huts to a
considerable extent in consuming what belonged to us. They were very
fond of our flour, molasses, and bread. They wanted to eat what we ate,
and when they could not get it by fair play, they would indulge in
their natural propensity, and steal it.

What we greatly feared was now coming upon us. A new chapter in our
history began to open. The food of the natives must henceforth be for
our support. To their credit, however, be it said, there appeared no
disposition on their part to confine us down to a mere pittance, while
they themselves had their usual allowance. What they had was freely
offered to us, and both parties fared about the same while food lasted.
Their supply of provisions for the winter, so far as we could judge,
was not large; but now the addition of thirty-three persons to their
number soon diminished their usual stock.

Winters even in the arctic are variable, as we learned from the
natives; some were very severe, and other less so. We ascertained that
an entire settlement to the north of the one in which we lived, and
north of the wreck, perished a few years before in consequence of the
intense cold, and the want of provisions.

Some idea perhaps may be entertained by the reader of the principal
kind of food the natives eat, and what we lived upon for months while
with them.

THEIR MANNER OF CAPTURING THE WHALE.

As the whale approaches quite near the shore, the natives are not
greatly exposed by following him to a great distance in their canoes.
They take their own time and opportunity for killing the whale. Both
men and women are in the canoes on such occasions. It is regarded by
them as a family affair.

They go sufficiently near the whale to throw a harpoon into his body.
Their harpoons are somewhat different from ours, yet in principle they
are precisely the same. When they have thrown one or two irons into
the whale, they cast overboard two air-tight and inflated seal skins
attached to the lines. Every canoe in pursuit of whales has two skins
of this sort. If the whale is disposed to turn flukes and go down,
he must of course carry with him these full blown skins. The lines
are very strong, being made of walrus skin. When the whale makes his
appearance again, he is struck by another canoe, and two more seal
skins are attached to his body. Thus they go on fastening irons into
his body, and impeding his course by any number of seal skins, until
he is wearied out, and then they go up to him and lance him. Whales
have been picked up, by ships and boats, having several seal skins
attached to them. One whale was found, several years since, which had
_twenty-eight_ full-blown seal skins trailing after him.

PREPARING THEIR FOOD.

Having captured the whale and drawn him ashore, they then proceed
to the work of cutting him up, and stowing him away for future use.
Both the blubber and entrails are deposited in a place together,
especially prepared for the purpose. The place is a circular cavity, in
the form of a cellar under ground, from five to eight feet deep, and
with varied diameter, from three to five feet. These depositories are
placed along shore, some distance apart, most convenient for receiving
the whale when taken. In this cellar they deposit not only the whale
blubber and its intestines, but also the blubber of the walrus and
seal, and occasionally a deer is thrown in, with all that appertains
to it, except its skin and perhaps its feet. The whole is thus mingled
together in due proportions, and eaten by the natives with no further
change in the promiscuous and offensive elements than what time itself
would produce.

It was from such storehouses as these that the natives drew out their
chief support for the winter, and nearly for the whole year. It is
quite impossible to define this compound, and even if we could it would
answer no good purpose; for with us it is profoundly obnoxious even to
think of it. Absolute necessity--the simple fact of an existence,
compelled us to live upon such qualities of food, compared with which
our hogs have dainties, and luxuriate upon the fat of the land.

There were, however, some exceptions. Now and then a fresh seal was
caught, a bear, a walrus, or a deer brought in. But whatever other
good qualities the food might have had, it was all eaten raw; at least
this was the case with the more northern settlements, and particularly
the one in which we spent most of the winter. The natives farther south
exhibited some slight improvement in the manner of preparing their
food; yet on the whole, the difference was very small, and not worth
mentioning.

At the time of our meals, if they can be called such, all the members
of the hut would gather around a large dish, or tray, or trough, as
much like the ordinary hog's trough as it could well be, and then each
one would either help himself to what there was in it, with his hands
and fingers, or receive his piece of blubber from the head man of the
hut. In this manner the natives took their meals. From the necessity
of our condition we had to conform in a measure to this foul and
disgusting custom, to say nothing of the filthy nature of the food; we
were compelled to eat or starve.

The bread used among the natives was made by boiling a vine, which
they find on the ground in those places where the snow melts off
during summer. This vine is somewhat bitter. They make a practice of
collecting it during the summer months. After it is thoroughly boiled,
they pack it away in seal skins for future use. This is all the bread
they have.

HUTS.

A brief description of the huts of the natives may not be out of place
in this connection.

The huts are generally round, differing in size in proportion to
the family, and averaging, perhaps, from twelve to thirty feet in
diameter. The lower part of the hut, and to the height of four or five
feet, is well secured with upright stakes, situated a few feet apart,
and fastened to each other by cords of walrus skin. The huts, and
especially those where we were located during the winter, were not made
partly underground, as was the case with some we saw in the direction
of East Cape, but so constructed on the surface of the ground as to be
easily taken down and removed.

From the lower, or upright part, the roof extended in an oval form to
the height of ten or twelve feet. At the termination of the top, or
apex, there is an opening, which is closed or otherwise, according to
the state of the weather. This opening affords about all the egress
to the smoke of the lamps and fire, when made in the huts. It is very
rarely, however, that fire is made in the huts.

The covering of the huts is usually of walrus skins, and impermeable to
water. There is generally but one door to the hut, which is somewhat
smaller than ordinary doorways.

The interior of the hut is divided into two principal rooms, or
apartments, one of which may be called the eating room, and the other
the sleeping room. The sleeping apartment is separated from the other
by a temporary screen, which can be easily drawn aside or gathered up.
The sleeping apartment is again subdivided into smaller sections, to
suit the convenience of the family. The partitions are of walrus or
deer skins, as a matter of course. These rooms are much warmer than one
would naturally expect to find in this cold region of country.

The bedsteads (so to speak) are the skins of walruses, stretched upon
and fastened to the tops of stakes about one foot from the ground,
under which a bedding of coarse rushes is placed.

The pillow, or that upon which the head may rest, is made by drawing
the walrus skin over one end of a stick, or log.

The peculiar _locality_ of the huts or settlements is another
consideration deserving a passing notice. The natives select the
bleakest spot in the region for their settlements, where the wind blows
without any obstruction. They, therefore, avoid all shelter behind
hills, or cliffs, or in valleys. In placing their huts in such exposed
localities, as for example, upon a plain, or level, near the sea shore,
their purpose is to secure protection from the drifting snow, which
otherwise, were they in the lee of some hill, or rising ground, or in
a valley, would cover them up, and overwhelm them. Besides, the huts
being circular, the wind and snow have opportunity of circulating in
such a manner as generally to leave a clear space of several feet or
more around the hut.

Notwithstanding all the precautions of the natives to avoid the
drifting snow, still it was so deep at times upon a level, that when
passing along, and even quite near the huts, we could not discern the
tops of them, and should not have known that we were in their immediate
vicinity, had it not been for tracks we discovered in the snow, or from
the barking of the dogs.

THE METHOD OF LIGHTING THEIR HUTS.

The lamps are in the form of a hollow, circular dish, somewhat in
the shape of a bowl, made of clay. This vessel is filled with seal's
blubber, and around the edge of the lamps inside, is placed a row of
moss of fine quality, obtained from the mountains. This moss is set on
fire, and by its heat the blubber in the vessel is converted into oil,
which in turn feeds the moss, and thus good light is obtained. Two or
three such lamps in a hut would afford considerable heat.

The smoke, however, which proceeds from them is immense, and
exceedingly offensive. It is so thick, that every article in the hut
is covered and blackened with it. When one comes to clear air and
breathes, there will be seen a volume of darkened vapor going forth
from his nostrils and mouth.

These lamps are burning nearly all the time, and especially when the
days are short, and during the long night of darkness in midwinter.

Neither the smoke from the lamps, nor the quality of food we had to
eat, nor the manner of eating it, nor constantly observing the filthy
habits of the natives, was all the degradation we felt and experienced.

With the strictest propriety it can be said the natives were loaded
with vermin; and yet as indifferent, apparently, to such a condition,
as if it were the most trivial circumstance in the world. Indeed, they
appeared to enjoy the presence of the innumerable hosts that swarmed in
all parts of their huts. Their persons, garments, skins in the huts,
sleeping apartments, &c., were literally alive with them. The misery of
such a state we have neither words nor heart to attempt to describe.

[Illustration: POLAR BEARS.]

CHAPTER VII.

THE HEALTH OF THE NATIVES.

So far as we could learn, they had the usual share of health with other
communities. A good proportion of them reached an advanced age in life;
and some, we should judge from their appearance, were much older than
the oldest among our own countrymen.

DISEASES.

One of the most common diseases among the natives appeared to be that
of worms--originating, probably, from the character of their diet.
Their medicinal preparations were but few and simple.

Captain Norton had in his possession a package of wormwood, which he
picked up on the shore near the wreck. Though it had been saturated
with salt water, yet, from time to time, he administered a strong drink
of it for the above disease, with complete success. As proof of their
appreciation of his services, they would put a dried crow's head upon
his arm. His success went so far, that he had as many crows' heads as
could be strung from his wrist to his elbow.

Captain Norton, however, was wisely cautious in one respect, and that
was, he would not prescribe in any given case of sickness, unless he
was well convinced there was no immediate danger to the patient, or
that he could afford some temporary relief.

Their superstitious notions were such that, if any prescription should
fail, and the patient should not recover, they would suppose at once
that the proposed remedy was the cause of death. It required great
prudence, therefore, to manage, not only the sick, but also those who
were well.

A case occurred of a very trifling character at first, but finally it
proved fatal. The face of a person, a woman, was somewhat swelled; the
cause of it, so far as we could ascertain, originated in a defective
tooth.

Mr. Osborn acted the part of a physician at this time. He applied a
poultice of sea bread, in order to reduce the inflammation, which he
supposed it would shortly do.

The woman, however, did not get immediately better; and her friends
took the poultice off, and in the place of it they tied a string very
tight round her chin, in order, as they believed, to prevent the
disease or swelling from going downwards. The string rather increased
the inflammation; and then it was taken off, and placed still lower
down, until the swelling had very much increased, and had reached her
breast. The string was now tied tighter than ever, until it became
embedded in the flesh.

Since Mr. Osborn's remedy had failed to benefit her, the natives,
from their appearance and gestures, supposed that the poultice was an
injury, instead of an advantage, to the woman. They therefore gathered
round Mr. Osborn in the most threatening attitude, and he greatly
feared they were about to injure or kill him. At any rate, he learned
one important lesson--to be more cautious, in future, in prescribing
remedies to the sick among the natives. They were superstitious, and
therefore unreasonable.

The natives were subject to nose bleeding; the excessively cold weather
was doubtless the chief cause of it. The remedy which they employed,
and in use among them, was the application of a frosty stone, or piece
of ice to the back of the neck.

Sore eyes were quite prevalent among them, more so in some seasons
of the year than in others. This disease is caused by the reflection
of sunlight upon an almost boundless surface of snow and ice. The
simple remedy, in ordinary cases among them, was in making a slight
incision with a thorn or some sharp instrument in the flesh, directly
between the eyes, so as to draw several drops of blood. The effect of
this treatment was to reduce the inflammation, and thus carry off the
soreness from the eyes.

In some instances, however, the eyes of the natives had wholly run out.

BURIAL CEREMONY.

This, in many respects, was very peculiar, and quite different from the
great majority of semi-barbarous or half-civilized tribes and nations.
When one dies, a wife, for example,--as this instance did occur in one
of the huts,--the following ceremonies were observed to take place:--

Immediately on the death of the person, or just before death took
place, the relatives and friends gathered in the hut, and commenced a
most bitter and vociferous wailing or mourning.

The usual means to expel the disease, whatever it might be, had been
employed in vain. Several skins, stretched over hoops varying in
size, had been broken by furious beating, accompanied with fantastic
gesticulations and almost unearthly sounds, if possible, to cure
the patient. But all to no purpose. They now found that death was
approaching; and since every effort of theirs had not benefited her,
they pronounced her incurable, and proceeded at once to terminate
her existence. She was not permitted to die wholly from the natural
effects of the disease; but a small cord was placed round her neck,
and gradually drawn closer and closer by those who stood on each side
of her, until life became extinct. During the last scene, she gave
various presents to her relatives and friends. She died with singular
indifference, and without a groan.

Whether all the sick, who, they supposed, would not recover, were thus
put to death, as in the foregoing instance, may be a question. Yet, in
so far as could be ascertained from observation and from conversation
with the natives, it is the opinion of those who lived with them for
several months that this was generally the case.

Soon after, all the remaining property which she possessed--her
clothing, needles, combs, beads, &c., besides some tobacco--was sewed
up with her in the dress she usually wore, or in which she died. A
new sled was then made for the deceased, and two of the best dogs in
the family were selected to bear away the corpse. Instead of carrying
the body out of the ordinary doorway, an opening was made through the
side of the hut sufficiently large for the body to pass and those
accompanying it. The relatives and friends followed the remains to
the place of the dead, two or three miles distant, upon some hill
side. There it remained untouched for five days. The face only of the
deceased was exposed. On the return of the family connections to the
hut, one of the dogs was killed. During the five days which intervened,
the husband forsook the hut altogether, and all other huts, and
wandered about from place to place, living in temporary exile from all
connection with his former home, or family and friends. And during this
time, also, food was carried to the dead body, and also placed outside
the hut, on the supposition that she would need it.

On the sixth day, the deceased was visited again by the relatives for
the purpose of disposing of what was left of her remains. The crows
and beasts of prey had nearly or quite completed the work of destroying
every vestige of the body. Thus, in a very short time, nothing remained
but here and there a bone mingled indiscriminately with others in the
place of the dead.

The company then returned to the hut, and another scene of wailing
and mourning ensued. During this last act, the hut was surrounded by
the relatives of the deceased; and all at once, at a given signal,
the whole company rose up, and pulled the hut down, and removed it to
another place. Before it was erected again, however, the second dog was
killed, and its blood sprinkled over the newly-selected spot.

With the change in the locality of the hut a new order of things took
place. The husband assumed his former relations to the family, and
ceremonies were at an end respecting the deceased.

From what could be learned from the natives, they supposed that, in
leaving the face of the deceased uncovered, the crows would pick out
her eyes, and then she would be unable to find her way back to the
hut. The opening made in the side of the hut, through which to carry
the corpse, was another superstitious idea. They believed she would
not enter the hut again, if she was not carried out by the door. The
removal of the hut to a new place was in accordance with their notions
that she would be unable to find it again.

They have a general belief of an existence after death; yet so crude,
ill-defined, and dark was this belief, that it stands allied with the
grossest forms of paganism and idolatry. The glorious gospel of Christ,
"which brings life and immortality to light," finds no place in their
hopes for the future, nor does it afford any consolation to them on
their pilgrimage to the tomb. They are living, as the apostle said the
heathen did in his day, "having no hope, and without God in the world."

MARRIAGES.

They are polygamists. They have as many wives as they see fit to take,
or as they can support. They have a custom among them of temporarily
exchanging their wives with each other. The evils of polygamy were
obvious among the natives, in the jealousy, contention, wrath, and
fighting observable between the different wives.

GENERAL APPEARANCE.

From their appearance, we should judge they belonged to the race of
Esquimaux. In stature, they are rather below medium height, thick
set, strongly built, muscles fully developed, and capable of great
endurance; and in complexion, copper color. Their countenances are
far from being prepossessing; high cheek bones, flat noses, and large
mouths.

A stranger, upon first sight, would be led to infer from their general
appearance that they were fierce, cruel, and prepared for any act of
barbarity. What they would become, if injured or abused, we had no
opportunity of knowing. Nor did we discover in them any unfriendly
feelings towards other settlements or tribes, whether near or more
remote, or that of late years there had been any contention, or
fighting, or war between the different tribes in that region. They
had instruments of war, such as bows and arrows, lances, clubs, &c.;
but they probably needed them in destroying the savage beasts, and
especially bears, that infest the country.

We found them kind and hospitable to us, or otherwise we all must have
perished. They treated us, we believe, according to their knowledge and
circumstances, with more than ordinary attention.

They exhibited love and sympathy towards the members of their
respective families, and were particularly affectionate to their
children.

As to their moral character, we could not discover that they had any
idea of the one God, the Maker and Upholder of all things and beings,
nor of Providence, nor of accountability, nor of moral right and moral
wrong.

They believed, however, as all heathen idolaters and pagans do, that
there were superior divinities. They seemed to fear evil spirits, if
they had no reverence for good ones. They had an idea that somewhere,
in some remote mountain in the interior, their god lived, and that the
dead would in some way or other go thither; though they never gave
us their views particularly upon this subject. They had no idols nor
household gods. They paid profound homage to the crow, and regarded it
in some sort as sacred. They wore crows' heads as amulets upon their
persons. With the exception of the kindness they manifested towards us,
and natural affection towards their children and to one another, in
their social habits, intellectual ignorance, and moral darkness, they
must be classed among the most degraded of the human race.

Their habits of industry correspond with the general features of
their character. Thus fishing, hunting, making sleds, training dogs
in their teams, running races, occasional traffic with tribes in the
interior, &c., constitute the principal routine of their employments
and amusements. Their manner of life presented no inducement for them
to labor beyond their present necessities. By the way, the females had
a large part of the necessary work to perform.

PROPERTY.

Their property consisted chiefly in dogs and huts. He who owned
the best dog teams, and had possession in huts, was considered the
most wealthy man. The head man of the settlement was supposed not
only to possess the greatest amount of property, but he excelled
in bodily strength. With these qualifications, he commanded the
greatest influence, and was acknowledged as the head and leader of the
settlement.

We found some among the natives who were considered rich,--rich in dogs
and dog teams, &c.,--and others that were poor.

LANGUAGE.

It is quite probable that all, or nearly all, the tribes or settlements
on the shores of the Arctic, both on the Asiatic and American sides,
have a common language, though differing, as we found, in some words,
and also in pronunciation. The language is that of the Esquimaux race.

Those with whom we lived, and other settlements or tribes on the
Asiatic coast with whom we have had any acquaintance, from East
Cape to the north as far as our wreck, have no written language. We
could not learn from them that any one had ever attempted to instruct
them, or reduce their language to some system, or that any teacher in
religion had ever visited them. Without a written language, or books,
or teachers, or oral instruction in some form, the certain results
must invariably be, that from age to age, they will continue in the
same condition of mental ignorance, moral blindness, and physical
degradation.

It was the opinion of Mr. Abram Osborn, Jr., who became a proficient in
the language of the natives, and could converse with them with ease and
fluency, that it was simple, and he believed could be readily reduced
to some systematic form. The method he resorted to, in order to acquire
the language, was simply this: when he heard a native word, he would
write it, according to its sound, upon a piece of copper, and place
opposite to it its English definition. He made inquiries of the natives
as to the meaning of their words, and what they called certain things.
In this manner he became very familiar with all the terms and phrases
which they used.

The following are a few specimens of native language. English words are
placed in the first column, and the Esquimaux in the second.

ENGLISH. ESQUIMAUX.

Dog, Attat.
Sled, Woncoose.
Deer, Korong.
Fox, Tricokadlekin.
Legs, Mingara.
Feet, Partakou.
Fingers, Riddlegus.
Arms, Mingukou.
Hands, Mungit.
Head, Eloout.
Hair, Kidweed.
Nose, Yacka.
Sick, Atke.
Death, Youedlin.
Striking, to kill, Kittegerayouedlin.
Wrestling, Mupperrudle.
Dancing and frolicking, Katepangarrakim.
Soup, Opanga.
Hat, Yarang.
Spear, Poegan.
Arrow, Kekimbo.
Whale, Draow.
Boat, Atuat.
Ship, Laloutoutline.
Snow, Addledadle.
Ice, Retinute.
Water, Memut.
Skin, Naglegin.
Walrus, Redica.
Woman, Youan.
Seal, Mamut.
Hill, Youket.
Mountain, Nutamut.
Seamen, Raumkidlins.
Father, Etletuen.
Mother, Etlita.
Son, Youakek.
Ocean, Numaumkimmemut.
Land, Nuteskin.
Sea shore, beach, Nutanute.
Jacket, Eran.
Cap, Kile.
Shoes, Pomeat.
"O dear me," Hokeenonkanum.
Mad, Anguenipo.
Trousers, Konitre.

NUMBERS.

One, Ennan.
Two, Gera.
Three, Giro.
Four, Gerack.
Five, Miltingum.
Six, Ennan Miltingum.
Seven, Gera Miltingum.
Eight, Amgrokim.
Nine, Conizinkin.
Ten, Mingitkim.
Twelve, Mingitkim Gera Parole.
Thirteen, Mingitkim Giro Parole.
Fourteen, Mingitkim Gerack Parole.
Fifteen, Kiddegitten.
Sixteen, Kiddegitten Ennan Parole.
Seventeen, Kiddegitten Gera Parole.
Eighteen, Kiddegitten Giro Parole.
Nineteen, Kiddegitten Gerack Parole.
Twenty, Kalekin.
Thirty, Kalekin Mingitkim Parole.
Forty, Gerack Kalekim.
Fifty, Miltingum Mingitkim Parole.
Sixty, Gera Kalekim Mingitkim Parole.
Seventy, Giro Kalekim Mingitkim Parole.
Eighty, Gerack Kalekim.
Ninety, Gerack Kalekim Mingitkim Parole.
One Hundred, Miltingum Kalekin,

ICEBERGS.

Some of the most remarkable phenomena seen in the Northern Ocean, and
the manner of their formation, are icebergs. They are greatly feared
by seamen, and a contact with them would be equivalent to striking a
rock. They are formed far up in the polar region during the intense
and protracted cold of winter; and in the change of the season in
summer, though ice is always accumulating in high latitudes, they drift
with the currents into lower latitudes, where they melt, and finally
disappear. They are of varied dimensions, indicating by these facts
somewhat the sources whence they come, and wearing every conceivable
exterior form.

They are formed by the falling of snow over steep and high cliffs on
the borders of the sea; "little by little the incrustations on the
shore and cliffs increase to the size of mountains, and then, being
torn away from their fastenings, either by the winds, or by their
own weight, or by the action of the sea beating against their bases
or undermining them, are swept into the ocean, where they continue
to accumulate by the falling of snow and frozen water, and finally
resemble great islands."

Large masses of ice, which take the form of bergs, are formed along the
rocky-bound coast of the Arctic.

On the fall of the tide, after the ocean has been frozen over, the
localities of the rocks and ledges are clearly observable. When the
tide rises, the superincumbent mass is lifted up, and a new layer is
formed underneath. This process goes on with the rise and fall of
the tides and the accumulation of ice, until vast ridges, broken and
dislocated, assuming every variety of appearance, are thus pressed up
to a great height.

We observed the gradual rise of one of these immense piles of ice not
far from our winter quarters. It appeared to be more than twenty-five
feet above the ordinary ice around it.

The cliffs upon whose sides we have seen icebergs form rise to the
enormous height of two to four hundred feet. And the shore was so bold,
and the depth of water so great at their bases, that a ship would
probably strike her yards against their precipitous sides before
she would ground. A vessel, therefore, being dashed against those
adamantine walls in a gale of wind, would instantly fly to pieces, and
not a seaman would be saved.

"The distance to which icebergs float from the polar regions on the
opposite sides of the line is, as may be supposed, very different.
Their extreme limit in the northern hemisphere is judged to be about
lat. 40 deg., though they are occasionally seen in lat. 42 deg. N., near the
termination of the great bank of Newfoundland, and at the Azores, lat.
42 deg. N., to which they have sometimes drifted from Baffin's Bay.

"But in the other hemisphere, they have been seen, within the last few
years, at different points off the Cape of Good Hope, between lat. 36 deg.
and 39 deg.. One of these was two miles in circumference and one hundred
and fifty feet high, appearing like chalk when the sun was obscured,
and having the lustre of refined sugar when the sun was shining upon
it. Others rose from two hundred and fifty to three hundred feet above
the level of the water, and were therefore of great volume below; since
it is ascertained by experiments on the buoyancy of ice floating in sea
water, that for every cubic foot seen above, there must at least be
eight cubic feet below water."

Captain Sir John Ross saw several icebergs in Baffin's Bay aground in
water fifteen hundred feet deep! Many of them are driven down into
Hudson's Bay, and, accumulating there, diffuse excessive cold over
the entire continent; so that Captain Franklin reports that, at the
mouth of Haye's River, which lies in the same latitude as the north of
Prussia or the south of Scotland, ice is found every where, in digging
wells, in summer, at the depth of four feet. "It is a well-known fact
that, every four or five years, a large number of icebergs floating
from Greenland double Cape Langaness, and are stranded on the west
coast of Iceland. The inhabitants are then aware that their crops
of hay will fail in consequence of fogs, which are generated almost
incessantly; and the dearth of food is not confined to the land, for
the temperature of the water is so changed that the fish entirely
desert the coast."

As to the relative thickness of common field ice where it remained
unbroken through the winter, we found it varied from ten to twenty-five
feet in thickness. We had an opportunity of judging, from the fact that
we examined several openings which the natives had made in the ice off
East Cape for the purpose of taking seal.

The sudden disappearance of large and extended tracts of ice in the
northern seas, in addition to its being carried away by the force of
currents towards the south, is attributed by many to its sinking. How
ice should sink, when its specific gravity is lighter than water, is a
question for the speculative to discuss--unless there be some other
preponderating element mingled with it, such as fragments of rock,
sand, or gravel.

Whalemen have frequently affirmed that they have not only been
surrounded by fields or large tracts of ice at night, but in the
morning it had wholly disappeared from the surface of the water.
Therefore many have arrived at the conclusion, that in certain states
of the ice, in the process of breaking up and thawing, it actually
sinks below the surface of the water, if not to the bottom.

There was another phenomenon which we observed. During the coldest
season of the year, and in certain states of the atmosphere, the air
deposits its moisture in the form of frozen fog. It has the appearance
of a fine gossamer netting or icicles, and these are dispersed through
the atmosphere, and so extremely minute that they seem to pierce
and excoriate the skin; and, especially when the wind blew, it was
impossible to face this storm of icy vapor. We have seen a deposition
of this frost from four to six inches during the space of twelve hours.

A CASE OF POISONING.

We observed that the natives ate all parts of the bear except the
liver. Experience had probably taught them that it was not proper to
eat, or, it may be, they had seen the fatal effects of eating it among
themselves.

A bear, during the early part of winter, was brought into the
settlement, which the natives had killed. Some of our company concluded
to make a mess out of the liver, and invite others to partake of the
dainty. It was eaten, and the consequences were nearly fatal to all
of us who partook of it. It produced distress in our stomachs and
diarrhoea.

We find the following in Dr. Kane's "Arctic Explorations:" "When I was
out in the Advance, with Captain De Haven, I satisfied myself that it
was a vulgar prejudice to regard the liver of the bear as poisonous.
I ate of it freely myself, and succeeded in making it a favorite dish
with the mess. But I find to my cost that it may be more savory than
safe. The cub's liver was my supper last night; and to-day I have the
symptoms of poison in full measure--vertigo, diarrhoea, and their
concomitants."

[Illustration: A SHIP AFTER A GALE.]

CHAPTER VIII.

Provisions of the Natives getting low.--New Calamity threatened.
--Health and Strength failing.--Necessity of seeking other
Quarters.--The only alternative.--Report of a Wreck.--
Parties leave.--Dreadful Traveling and Exposures.--Report by
the Natives that our Men were frozen to Death.--An Instance of
Treachery.--The Captain and his Party leave.--The Weather.--
Traveling.--Thoughts of Home.--Preservation.--One of the
Party unable to walk.--Left behind.--Found by the Natives.--
The Fate before us.--Division of the Biscuit.--Another fails,
sits down, and is frozen to Death.--Reflections.--Captain
Norton encourages his only remaining Companion.--Singular
Appearance upon the Ice.--Dog Teams.--Part of Mr. Fisher's
Company.--Encouragement to our Minds.--Natives unwilling to
help us.--The Danger of Riding.--Last Effort.--The Music of
Barking Dogs.--Our Manner of Traveling.--Dreadful Condition
of our Feet.--Captain Norton falls exhausted.--Native
Kindness.

In February, it became apparent to all of us, that the provisions of
the natives were getting low; we saw it in our daily fare--diminished
in quantity, if not poorer in quality.

A new and unexpected calamity now threatened us. One misfortune after
another had followed us since the wreck of the ship; deliverance had
failed us when it was just within our reach; disappointment and untold
deprivation had taken its place; but now, as if our past trials were
only preparatory for another,--one more frightful than any we had
contemplated or looked upon,--the question was presented to us in its
most distressing form, whether we should remain among the natives, and,
from present appearances, _starve_ to death, or whether, while any
strength remained, we should make one more, and perhaps the last effort
to reach some other settlement, where we might get provisions enough to
live upon. Our prospects never looked more gloomy than at this time.

We were well assured there were huts down along upon the coast, but how
far we could not tell; and therefore it was a most hazardous journey,
and altogether uncertain whether any one of us would live to reach them.

We were at this time very much reduced in flesh and strength in
consequence of short allowance, and therefore greatly incapacitated
to endure the labor and fatigue of traveling through the snow, or
to withstand for any considerable season the intense cold which
then prevailed. And still further, we were aware there would be no
protection for us during the long night we should be out; or, it may
be, a number of days and nights we should find no shelter. How many
fearful odds were against us! Of this fact we were certain: to remain
where we were, we should all perish by degrees with starvation; we
came therefore to the conclusion, we could but die if we should venture
to travel to the next settlement.

The haggard and emaciated countenances of our companions told but too
plainly that a change must take place in our living, or soon we should
"go the way of all the earth." If our friends at home could have looked
in upon us in this time of our last extremity, they would neither have
known us, nor would they have supposed, from our appearance, that we
could long survive our misfortunes. It is well that we do not always
know either the condition or the sufferings of our fellow-men.

It was about this time, while we were anxiously considering our state
--what should be done, in what direction to seek for life--a report
reached us by means of the natives, that a ship had been cast away on
the coast, from seventy to one hundred miles distant, as near as we
could judge.

A single _ham_ was brought to the settlement by the natives, which
confirmed the truth of the wreck.

This circumstance greatly encouraged us, and determined the first
party, consisting of only two, to leave one morning, and to travel in
the direction of East Cape. In the afternoon of the same day another
party of three left, Mr. Fisher and two others, taking the same course
as those did in the morning.

The last party soon came up with the first one, and found the two men
nearly exhausted, and overcome by the difficulties of traveling, and
by the intenseness of the cold; but by encouragement and hope held out
to them, that another day they might find a native settlement, they
struggled on through that night. The next day, they pressed on the
best they could, making, however, but very slow progress, and seeing
but little before them to animate their minds, or to raise up their
spirits. They had gone as far as strength, or hope, or the love of life
could carry them. They became bewildered, chilled, frost-bitten, and
blinded by the flying snow; and as their last resort before they should
lie down in death, having given up all prospect of getting any farther,
they traveled round and round in a circle; and they were found in this
condition when discovered by several natives, who immediately led them
to their huts, which were only a mile or two distant.

How these men were kept alive during the time they were exposed to the
intense cold of the day, and especially of the cheerless arctic night,
seeking the best track they could through an unknown region of valleys,
cliffs, ice, snow banks, &c.,--how these men were kept alive, is a
matter of profound surprise, and certainly one of those instances of
special providence in behalf of the needy and suffering sons of men.

Mr. Fisher said, all he had with him to eat by the way, when he left
the settlement, was "some burnt coffee in his pocket." The others with
him were no better off. It is wonderful that they lived amid so much
destitution and exposure. What will not necessity compel men to do!
Mr. Fisher, with the rest, asked the natives for something to eat;
and he obtained a small piece of frozen whale's blubber. In less than
two hours they were brought to the huts, and to their great joy found
provisions more abundant. The whole distance they had traveled exceeded
twenty miles.

A few days after the departure of Mr. Fisher's company, and the one
that preceded his, word was brought to the settlement by some of the
traveling natives, that the whole party were frozen to death.

This was sad intelligence indeed, and yet it was what we greatly
feared. We, however, had our doubts as to the truth of the report. We
had some very strong reasons for suspecting the natives of lying--
a habit we perceived identified with another, viz., that of stealing.
And yet the report could not fail to produce in all our minds intense
solicitude respecting the fate of our companions.

They ventured forth, risking their own lives, in order to find better
accommodations for the company. As soon as they should find better
quarters, and the prospect of preserving us from starvation, the
agreement was, to send us immediate word; and then small companies
would follow them from time to time, so as not to discommode a small
settlement of only a few huts with our whole number coming into it at
once.

The reluctance of the natives in our settlement to assist us in finding
new quarters, when they knew their provisions were getting wretchedly
low, and when they knew, too, that we had not more than one third of
our ordinary fare, and that we were becoming weaker and more emaciated
day after day, their reluctance to assist us, or to direct us to the
nearest settlement, can be accounted for only on the principle that if
we died, they wanted us to die with them; or that they did not desire
we should go to any other settlement. What their particular motive was
in this respect, we could not satisfactorily ascertain.

During this time of uncertainty concerning the fate of Mr. Fisher
and those with him, Captain Norton called the company together,
and proposed that another party should go out and look for their
companions, and ascertain, if possible, whether they were living or
not. Eight or ten days had thus passed away, and nothing was heard from
the first party, nor could we learn any thing definitely about them
from the natives, though we had reason to believe they knew more about
them than we did.

On the supposition, however, that Mr. Fisher and his party had perished
by the way, as reported by the natives, and lest those who might follow
should meet with the same calamity, and thus party after party be lost
in those trackless wastes of the arctic, it was thought advisable, if
possible, before any more of us followed, to send word by the traveling
natives to all the settlements, both near and more remote, whether
five seamen had arrived at any one of them, or whether they had been
discovered frozen to death.

Word was sent to Mr. Fisher from Captain Norton by means of pieces of
copper written upon with lead, and forwarded by the natives. Mr. Fisher
also sent word to Captain Norton in the same manner after his arrival
at the settlement; but neither heard from the other, and therefore
both parties were left in painful suspense, and especially those who
were left behind.

In this instance we discovered another treachery of the natives towards
us, and which we found it impossible to account for, considering their
kindness towards us in many other respects.

Since nothing had been heard from Mr. Fisher for many days, the
captain stated to his men, that he had made up his mind to leave the
settlement, and ascertain if possible the fate of Mr. Fisher, and find
better quarters. One thing was certain; he assured them he could not
live there; that was out of the question. He was greatly debilitated,
had scarcely any thing to eat, and for three days past had not eaten a
piece of blubber larger than his three fingers.

Accordingly, on the last day of February, the captain left with a
company of three besides himself.

We took our departure at sundown, or late in the afternoon, in order
to avoid the effect of sunlight upon our eyes. We learned from the
experience of the natives to avoid, if possible, this evil; and hence
we took the latter part of the day to commence our perilous journey,
and chose darkness rather than light.

Our intentions were to travel until we should find more comfortable
quarters, or perish in the attempt. We were sensible that from the
severity of the cold, we must travel all the time, night and day;
there could be no rest or respite for us, with safety, out of doors.
If we should stop for any length of time, or sit down, death would be
inevitable.

It was intensely cold when we left--such an air as is felt only in
the arctic. The northern lights shone very brightly that night; wind
quite high; occasionally the snow flying in dense masses around us; and
besides, slumping into the snow from six inches to two feet at almost
every step.

Thus we traveled, or rather, as it seemed to us, crawled along during
that night, keeping our course by the sea shore as much as we could.
We found no well-beaten road, or path, but we had to make one for
ourselves; no plain before us, but a rugged and broken surface, both
upon the frozen ocean and upon the land; immense piles of snow, wrought
into a great variety of forms by the circling winds; indeed the whole
scene before us was one of the wildest, grandest, and most terrific,
that winter could present to mortal eyes, and such as can be seen only
where Winter asserts his undisputed supremacy.

And what a night was that for human beings to be out and exposed,
with no covering above us but the bright stars, and the brighter
coruscations, as they would flash up from the pole and overspread
the northern sky! Then we thought of home,--far distant home,--and
friends, and the contrast, the strange contrast between their condition
and ours! But words are poor vehicles to convey to the reader the
emotions of our minds as we felt the loneliness of our condition, and
the dreariness of our prospects on that dreadful night. It will never
be effaced from the tablet of our memories, and in our hearts may we
ever record, as long as life shall continue, the goodness of God in
preserving us, and causing our eyes to behold the light of another day.

About ten o'clock on the following day, one of our number began to
exhibit more than ordinary weariness, languor, and stupidity. We found
he began to lag behind, and was unable to keep up with us, though we
were much exhausted, and only by the greatest possible exertion were
we able to keep on our feet. We had not stopped, except for a moment,
since we left the settlement.

Tired and overtasked nature, however, could not always endure. We all
traveled slowly; but one of our number was really making little or no
progress at all. We, who were ahead, would slacken our pace, or return
to meet him, assist him, and encourage him to hold out and press on.
This we did many times, but we found it absolutely impossible for him
to keep up with us. We had no strength to carry him; this was out of
the question; and to attempt to help him along for any considerable
time, or to wait for him or stay by him, it was certain we should never
get any where, and all die together.

The only alternative, therefore, to which, from necessity, we were
brought, was to leave him behind. Sad as was our decision in this
instance, yet it was distressingly true that, if we had tarried by the
way or sat down, we never should have risen again.

We pressed on for our lives. We soon lost sight of our companion in the
distance, either resting or making ineffectual efforts to get along. In
leaving him in those wintry wilds, we left him, as we supposed, to die.
We saw no chance for his escape.

About eight days from this time, we learned that, a few hours after we
left him, he was found by some natives in a perfectly helpless state,
and carried by them to a settlement several miles distant, where he was
taken care of, and finally joined the company at East Cape.

In regard to those of us who were still able to proceed through the
drifted snow, how slight the hope that we should long continue our
perilous journey, and how probable that each one of us in turn would
lag behind, and finally lie down to rise up no more!

We saw in our companion an example of what our own fate might shortly
be. Whatever of heart or hope there was left, the captain encouraged
those with him to put forth all their strength and energies, as every
thing they held dear on earth--even life itself--was now at stake.
If they faltered, death was certain; if they pressed on, there might be
some remote chance of safety and of life.

When Captain Norton left the settlement, he took with him as his only
supply of food, both for himself and his three companions, three sea
biscuits, which he hid away the first of the winter as a last resort,
not knowing what necessity the future might bring along with it.

The last and final emergency had now arrived. He therefore took one
of the biscuits, and divided it into three parts, retained one for
himself, and gave the other two to his companions.

Soon after the division of the biscuit, we found a temporary shelter
under the lee of a precipitous and broken line of hills, which extended
some distance, and which protected us from the cold and piercing north
wind.

Captain Norton never allowed himself to sit down, because he was
convinced, so weak as he was, and nearly worn out, if he should yield
to the promptings of his almost exhausted body, and sit down, he would
never rise up again; and therefore he continued on his feet, and moving
about from place to place. He warned his companions again and again,
if they valued life, not to think of finding rest by sitting down,
or seeking repose in any manner; if they should, death would shortly
ensue. There was "but a step between us and death."

Yet, notwithstanding the entreaties, persuasions, and warnings of
Captain Norton, another one was observed to falter and disposed to sit
down. Being but a short distance from him, we perceived he made no
effort to eat his biscuit, and also exhibited that singular dulness and
stupidity which are the silent and stealthy precursors of the sleep of
death. He was then sitting down in an easy and natural posture. The
captain spoke to him several times; but he gave no answer, nor made any
movement of any kind. He went to him immediately, though he was not
twelve feet distant, to ascertain the cause, and found what we greatly
feared; alas! the poor fellow's eyes were set, his limbs were rigid,
the piece of biscuit was still in his hand. He was frozen to death;
his mortal life had fled; his spirit had gone to God, who gave it!

In the winding sheet of drifting snow we let him remain. What a
scene that was to us! We were struggling for life amid elements of
destruction such as but few of our countrymen ever witnessed, and, we
trust, never will.

Only two of us were now left to pursue our sad, and in some respects
almost hopeless, journey. It seems quite incredible that we should
have had any courage to make another effort in struggling forward,
after what we had just witnessed, and that, at once, we should not have
surrendered ourselves to the fate which appeared to follow and surround
us.

The captain said to Cox, his only remaining companion, "The best foot
forward now, or we shall be left out here; and to be out one more
night, we are gone."

Having traveled two or three miles, as we should judge, from the place
where our shipmate died, we discovered something in the distance, from
one to two miles, skimming along apparently on the ice, which at first
had the appearance of a flock of crows. Cox said to the captain, "The
crows have come for us already." But upon further inspection, and the
object approaching nearer, it turned out to be four or five dog teams,
with three of Mr. Fisher's party and a number of natives, bound back to
the settlement to let their companions know that they had found good
quarters, and also to bring some of them away with them.

This was cheering news indeed--cheering because Mr. Fisher and his
party were alive, cheering because it revived our desponding spirits,
and infused new hope into our minds that permanent help was not far off.

Those who accompanied the natives with the dog teams saw at once how
nearly exhausted the captain and Cox were, but yet the natives were
unwilling to take them to the nearest settlement. And, besides, there
would have been as great danger, and perhaps even greater, for us to
have ridden on the supposition that the natives had been disposed to
carry us, than for us to have walked. We should have been chilled to
death, if we had remained still or quiet, in a very short time.

The direction to the nearest settlement on the coast was pointed out to
us; and we were put upon the track made by the dog teams, and told that
the distance to it was six or eight miles.

The captain told Cox, "We must reach the place before dark; the last
effort must now be put forth--the best foot forward." It was now
about twelve o'clock, M. We started in the direction of the huts, and
traveled on as fast as we could, though at the best very slow. The snow
was deep, and hard to travel.

All the mental and physical energy which we possessed was called into
requisition to aid us in reaching a resting place before night. It was
our last exertion. It was indeed a merciful providence that we happened
to meet our friends and the natives, otherwise, beyond a reasonable
doubt, we should have perished; but meeting them, however, we received
great encouragement to our minds, and, furthermore, knew for a
certainty the direction and about the distance of the huts. Without
such a stimulus as this, and just the one we needed,--for our lives
were suspended upon it,--our last resting place on earth would have
been made amid the drifting snows of the arctic.

With severe labor and painful exertion, we finally reached the
settlement just at night. Before we saw the huts, which were concealed
from our view by banks of snow, we were heralded by the barking of the
dogs. We knew, therefore, that we were near the abode of human beings.
The sound fell on our ears ten thousand times more sweetly than the
music of an AEolian harp.

But we hardly knew how we were carried through the last part of our
journey. Strength was given to us by the great Father of all. It was
of the Lord's mercies that we did not yield to final despondency, and
utterly despair of ever beholding the countenances of our friends
again. Hope and heart were in the ascendant; if they had once fallen,
all would have been over with us.

Sometimes we crawled along on our hands and knees; at other times we
would fall down, both upon the right hand and upon the left, and it
seemed to us that we could not rise; and then, again, we would get up
and struggle on. In this manner we traveled miles, and especially the
last part of the way. Indeed, our feet had become dreadfully inflamed,
and large blisters had formed on the sides of them, which made the
labor of walking exceedingly and distressingly difficult.

Captain Norton was so completely overcome and exhausted when he reached
the hut, that he fell prostrate upon the floor, unable to advance one
step farther, and lay almost senseless.

Not only were our feet inflamed and blistered in the most shocking
manner, but our clothes were stiff with frost in consequence of
perspiration, by our extraordinary efforts to reach the settlement
before night. We were treated with great kindness by the natives; our
stiff and frosty clothes were soon exchanged for dry ones. After a
season of rest, a good supper was prepared for us, consisting of walrus
blubber, deer meat, and "ice cream" made of the fat of the deer mixed
with snow.

[Illustration: WHALES RAISED.]

CHAPTER IX.

The night upon which we arrived at the settlement, we learned that Mr.
Fisher was only a short distance from us, perhaps four or six miles.
Mr. F. heard also by the natives that some of his countrymen had
arrived at the settlement below.

The next day we were exceedingly sore and tired, not only indisposed to
move, but quite unable so to do. Mr. Fisher, however, having come with
several dog teams, accompanied by the natives, in order to carry us to
his settlement, persuaded us to go with him, assuring us that he found
first rate fare. We accordingly went with him.

This place was called Calushelia, a small settlement upon the seaboard
west by north from East River. We remained about twenty days in this
settlement, in company with Mr. Fisher and his party. We were now, so
far as we could judge, about seventy miles south-east of the place
where our ship was wrecked.

Since communication was now fairly open between this settlement and the
place where we spent the first part of the winter, and since it was
known that intermediate huts were scattered along in this direction,
our men began to arrive in small companies of four or five, as they
could thus be better accommodated by the way than in larger numbers.

A few weeks only had passed away before there was a very perceptible
improvement in the general health of all of us. At this time, two
thirds of our entire company had arrived. We thought it advisable, as
soon as expedient, to form another party, and proceed still farther
towards the south in the direction of East Cape.

Accordingly, the captain, with Fisher, Osborn, Blackadore, Norton, and
three others, crossed the river on the ice; the river was just south of
us. On both sides of the mouth of this river there were native huts.
Where the river discharges its waters into the sea or ocean, it is
quite wide, having the appearance of a capacious bay. The river flows
towards the north.

At this time, which was in March, we could discover no signs of water
either in the river or in the ocean. Both were strongly bound in chains
of almost perennial ice.

Having passed over this river, we found a temporary shelter and cordial
reception in another settlement. Here we remained a number of days, in
consequence of a heavy fall of snow and a severe gale of wind.

It being now towards the middle of March, we could plainly perceive a
change in the atmosphere. It is true, we were farther south, which made
some difference in the temperature; but the air had lost much of that
sharp and piercing sensation which we felt in the winter, and which is
experienced, we believe, only in this part of the earth's surface.

Much to our surprise and pleasure, during our abode in this settlement,
we were served with ham--a new article of food indeed to us, though
we had not a great deal of it, still a most agreeable exchange, if only
for one meal, in the place of whale and walrus blubber.

We ascertained that these hams were taken from the wreck of the ship
Bramin, of New Bedford, by the natives. This ship, as we afterwards
learned, came into collision with another ship off the mouth of East
River, during the same gale in which the Citizen was lost. It appeared
she was abandoned by her officers and crew, who effected their escape
on board of the accompanying ship.

In the concussion which took place her foremast was carried away and
otherwise seriously damaged; besides, being near to land, and on a lee
shore, it was impossible to save her.

From the position in which we found a portion of her remains, it seemed
that, after she was abandoned, she must have beat over a ledge of rocks
that stretches across the mouth of the river, and by the force of the
gale driven up the river to the distance of nearly ten miles.

We visited the wreck with the natives, who directed us to the spot. We
saw a part of her quarter deck, with the ice piled up around it. We
saw, also, upon the shore, close by, some of her timbers and broken
casks partly covered up with huge masses and blocks of ice.

It was doubtless the report of this wreck which reached us in our
winter quarters. But how far it was east of us, or the circumstances
attending the wreck, how many were saved or lost, or whether all
were lost, we obtained no satisfactory information from the natives
at that time. Nor did those natives who went with us to the wreck
know any thing about the fate of the crew. As they had never seen
any of them, nor heard of their being in any of the settlements near
by, we naturally inferred that all on board were lost, or that they
were immediately taken off of the wreck or from the shore by some
accompanying ship.

The night before we left this settlement, and where we were well used,
another party of our men arrived. We passed on to another collection of
huts, about fifteen in number.

The head man of this settlement, and in whose hut we happened to stop,
was one of the most crabbed, savage-like fellows with whom we had met
in all our past acquaintance with native life. He appeared to take real
delight and satisfaction in degrading and mortifying us all he could.
He would cut the meat or blubber, whatever it might be, into small
pieces, and reach them to us on the end of a stick, for us to take
them, or bite them off as a dog. Indeed, we were treated by him in the
same line of courtesy as he treated his dogs.

We quietly submitted to all manner of such ill behavior on his part,
simply for the sake of peace and safety. We were completely in his
power, and he could use us as he saw fit; and the least we said about
it the better. This head man was an exception to all whom we saw among
the natives for real ugliness. He was a regular savage. We were glad to
be off.

We shortly left this settlement, and passed on towards East Cape,
following the direction of the sea coast, which from the river is
nearly, as laid down in the chart, in the form of a half circle. We
observed that the huts and settlements increased as we came farther
south; and sometimes, in course of a day or two, we would pass through
several small settlements.

When we became wearied and exhausted by traveling, though it was
difficult to make very rapid progress in the snow, or when we were
hungry, we would stop, rest ourselves, get some blubber to eat, and
then travel on again.

Generally we found the natives ready and willing to help us with what
they had. We had nothing to give them in return. We were a company of
beggars. They saw our destitution and poverty, and therefore their
kindness to us must be attributed to the dictates of human sympathy or
pity, which in some way or other shows itself in the most barbarous and
uncivilized forms of society.

In our journey upon the coast, we discovered a new whale boat, which
the natives had probably drawn out of the reach of the water and ice.
We saw, also, the broadside of a ship in the ice near the shore,
supposed to be lost the season before. Another ship was reported to
have been seen by some of our party in the ice, some distance from
the land, with her masts still standing. There were tracks in that
direction in the snow upon the ice, which showed that the natives had
been to her with their dog teams.

As we passed along, we saw considerable drift stuff, such as wood,
broken casks, &c. We continued on in our course on the coast mostly,
finding huts from time to time, in which we obtained provisions for our
present necessities, until we came within thirty or forty miles of East
Cape, or about half the distance between the river and the cape.

As the spring advanced, the sun was constantly attaining a higher
altitude--not only imparting some additional heat, but its rays were
powerfully reflected from one dense, unbroken surface of ice and snow,
which every where met the eye of the beholder.

A new misfortune now assailed us in the form of sore eyes, or snow
blindness, which caused intense pain in them, besides being much
swollen. All light, especially bright light, became exceedingly
distressing to us. We therefore were compelled to suspend our traveling
in a great measure during the middle of the day, and took the morning
and afternoon, and even the night time, as more agreeable to our
diseased eyes. Our eyes were in such a sad condition that we could not
endure the powerful and brilliant reflection of the sunlight upon snow
of sparkling and perfect whiteness. While the eyes of all of us were
very sore and much swollen, some of our number were so blind that they
could not see any thing for several days.

We were very anxious to complete our journey to East Cape. Those,
therefore, who could see, and were more fortunate in this particular
than others, led along those who were blind with the aid of strings.
One or two would take hold of the string, and another would guide them.
Thus we worked along for miles in deep snows, through narrow paths,
up hills and down declivities, over broken ice, now and then pitching
into some cavity concealed by the snow. In this manner we who could
see, though our eyes were highly inflamed, led those who could not,
both by the hand and with the aid of strings or walrus cord. It was
slow and tedious traveling, it is true; yet every mile we gained in the
direction of East Cape we felt was bringing us nearer to deliverance.
All were animated with the desire to reach this goal of our highest
earthly hopes. And hence, notwithstanding the many obstructions which
impeded our course, still with perseverance and unyielding purpose we
pressed on our way.

When our eyes were in their worst state, we were compelled to suspend
our travels altogether; and when they were better, then we started
again, and again led each other with strings, until sight returned to
all.

The remedy resorted to in order to cure our eyes was that prescribed
by the natives, and which they invariably employ, with considerable
success, in the removal of this disease, to which they are subject.
Some of us will carry the scars to our graves. An incision was made in
the fleshy part of the nose, between the eyes, by a sharp-pointed knife
or some other instrument. The effect of this treatment was, that by
letting out a small quantity of blood, it reduced the inflammation in
our eyes.

We reached the long looked for and wished for East Cape on the 25th
day of March, just six months after we were cast away. We would,
therefore, as we review the past,--its scenes of danger, exposure, and
suffering amid the intensest cold and death-bearing winds of an arctic
winter,--gratefully acknowledge the special watchcare of a benignant
Providence, which has protected us until the present hour.

Having arrived at East Cape, we were received by the natives with the
most cordial welcome. They had heard before we came that a company
of shipwrecked mariners was on their way down the coast; and, still
further, the report of the wreck, and the uncommon circumstance of so
great a number of men having lived with the natives for so many months,
had even extended several hundred miles south of East Cape.

The natives in this settlement expressed great joy in seeing Captain
Norton, whom they had known before, and with whom they had traded.

Arrangements were made by the head man of the settlement to provide for
all the company as they should come along, in small parties, from time
to time.

Here, also, we were provided with some new native clothes, such as
coats and pants, moccasons and caps.

CHAPTER X.

We had now reached nearly or quite the end of our journey; at least we
had attained one of the great objects of our desires and exertions. It
was from this place as a point of observation, that most, if not all,
the ships passing into the Arctic Ocean on the breaking up of the ice
could be seen; and hence this place was the most suitable locality,
from which we could be easily taken off.

While the greater part of our company remained at this place, one party
of our number, consisting of six or seven, passed down the coast some
considerable distance, perhaps twenty miles or more; and another party
of four took up their abode at a less distance. Our purpose, and,
indeed, the chief one we had in view, was that, in thus distributing
ourselves along on the coast, we should be more likely to see and
notify any ship or ships that might by chance be early upon the coast,
as to the locality and condition of the Citizen's officers and crew.

At this time, which was the first of April, all of the ship's company
that had survived the horrors of an arctic winter were at East Cape,
and at places just south of it, except one poor _Kanaka_, who, in
consequence of frozen feet, was unable to travel with the rest of us,
and was therefore left behind about one hundred miles among the natives.

The weather was now softening very perceptibly, though there appeared
to be but little diminution of ice and snow. The ocean was not yet
broken up, but presented one immovable body of granite ice.

Those who are familiar with arctic scenes well remember the report
of concussions between huge masses and blocks of ice, the hoarse and
dismal chafings between contending pieces, and their violent agitation
by the action of a heavy swell, or winds, or currents; at such times
it seemed as if the fabled giants or

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