CHAPTER IV. 



DPERNAVIK.— HOSPITALITY OF THE INHABITANTS. — DEATH AND BURIAL OF 

 GIBSON CAKUTHERS. — A LUNCH ON BOARD. — ADIEU. 



We put to sea earlj^ in the morning of the 12th, 

 and in the evening of the same clay were at Uperna- 

 vik. The entrance to the harbor is somewhat unsafe, 

 owing to a reef which Ues outside the anchorage ; but 

 we were fortunate in obtaining a native pilot at Pro- 

 ven, and ran in without accident. This pilot was a 

 character in his way. It seems that he had been con- 

 verted from his heathen ways, and rejoiced in the 

 benefits of baptism and the name of Adam. Dressed 

 in a weU-worn suit of seal-skins, Adam had about him 

 little of the sailor trigness ; yet, though not a Palinu- 

 rus, no pilot in all the world had ever a higher appre- 

 ciation of his personal importance. His appearance, 

 however, was not calculated to inspire any great de- 

 gree of confidence in his skill ; and the sailing-master 

 plied him so incessantly with questions that he at 

 length grew impatient ; and, concentrating his vanity 

 and knowledge into one short sentence, which signi- 

 fied plainly, "I am master of the situation," he in- 

 formed that officer that there was " plenty water all 

 de times, no rocks altogeder," and retired with every 

 mark of offended dignity. He was correct in his in- 

 formation, if not in his English. 



We found the Danish brig Thialfe lying snugly 



