IX.]' EXTRACT FROM THE " MONITEUR" 147 



stretching out before us as far as the eye could reach ; 

 hence it became evident that Jan Mayen was blocked up by 

 the ice, at least along its south coast. To ascertain whether 

 it might still be accessible from the north, it would have 

 been necessary to have attempted a circuit to the eastward, 

 the possible extent of which could not be estimated ; more- 

 over, we had consumed half our coals, and had lost all hope 

 of being rejoined by the * Saxon! Thus forced to give up 

 any further attempts in that direction, Commodore de la 

 Ronciere, having got the ship clear of the floating ice, took 

 a W.S.W. course, in the direction of Reykjavik. 



The instant the ' Reine Hortense* assumed this new course, 

 a telegraphic signal — as had been previously arranged — ac- 

 quainted Lord Dufferin with our determinations. Almost 

 immediately, the young Lord sent on board us a tin box, 

 with two letters, one for his mother, and one for our com- 

 mander. In the latter he stated that — finding himself clear 

 of the ice, and master of his own movements— he preferred 

 continuing his voyage alone, uncertain whether he should 

 at once push for Norway, or return to Scotland. 1 The two 

 ropes that united the vessels were then cast off, a farewell 

 hurrah was given, and in a moment the English schooner 

 was lost in the fog. 



Our return to Reykjavik afforded no incident worth notice ; 

 the ' Reine HortenseJ keeping her course outside the ice, 

 encountered no impediment, except from the intense fogs, 

 which forced her — from the impossibility of ascertaining 

 her position— to lie to, and anchor off the cape during part 

 of the day and night of the 13th. 



On the morning of the 14th, as WB were getting out at 

 the Dyre Fiord, where we had anchored, we met— to our 

 great astonishment— the ' Cocyte' proceeding northward. 

 Her commander, Sonnart, informed us that on the evening 

 of the 1 2th, the 'Saxon' — in consequence of the injuries she 

 had received, had been forced back to Reykjavik. She had 



1 I was purposely vague as to my plans, lest you might learn we still 

 intended to go on. 



