IX.] EXTRACT FROM THE "MONITEUR." 143 



supply of coals it would be able to replenish, in the event — 

 a doubtful one, it is true — of our making the coast of Jan 

 Mayen's Island, and finding a good anchorage. The ' Reine 

 Hortense ' had — by the help of a supplementary load on deck 

 — a supply of coals for eight days; and immediately on start- 

 ing, the crew as well as the passengers, were to be put on a 

 measured allowance of water. 



A few hours before getting under way, the expedition 

 was completed by the junction of a new companion, quite 

 unexpected. We found in Reykjavik harbour a yacht be- 

 longing to Lord DurTerin. The Prince, seeing his great 

 desire to visit the neighbourhood of Jan Mayen, offered to 

 take his schooner in tow of the ' Reine Hortense.' It was a 

 fortunate accident for a seeker of maritime adventures ; and 

 an hour afterwards, the proposition having been eagerly 

 accepted, the Englishman was attached by two long cables 

 to the stern of our corvette. 



On the 7th of July, 1856, at two o'clock in the morning, 

 after a ball given by Commander de Mas on board the 

 ' Artemise,' — the ' Reine Hortense] with the English schooner 

 in tow, left Reykjavik harbour, directing her course along 

 the west coast of Iceland, towards Onundarfiord, where we 

 were to join the 'Saxon ' which had left a few hours before 

 us. At nine o'clock, the three vessels, steering east-north- 

 east, doubled the point of Cape North. At noon our ob- 

 servation of the latitude placed us about 67 . We had just 

 crossed the Arctic circle. The temperature was that of a 



fine spring day, io° centigrade (50 Farenh.). 



^ * * # * 



The 'Reine Hortense' diminished-* her speed. A rope 

 thrown across one of the towing-ropes enabled Lord 

 DurTerin to haul one of his boats to our corvette. He 

 himself came to dine with us, and to be present at the 

 ceremony of crossing the polar circle. As to the 'Saxon,' 

 M. de la Ronciere perceived by this time that the worthy 

 Englishman had presumed too much on his power. The 

 ' Saxon ' was evidently incapable of following us. The 



