CHERIE ISLAND. So 



Island deeply buried in snow ; and shortly after 

 observed an extensive accumulation of ice con- 

 nected with its northern extremity, sweeping 

 round the horizon in the direction of Spitz- 

 bergen, in so compact a body as to preclude the 

 possibility of passing between the two islands, 

 had such a measure been required. 



Cherie Island is a small uninhabited spot of 

 land, situated in latitude 74° 33' N., and longi- 

 tude 17° 44' E., nearly midway between Spitz- 

 bergen and Norway. Its earliest discovery is 

 said to be due to William Barentz, who landed 

 upon it in 1596, and gave it the name of Bear 

 Island ; but a passage in Purchas seems to imply 

 that it had been known before Barentz made 

 this voyage ; it was afterwards called Cherie 

 Island by Stephen Bennet, who undertook a 

 voyage to the Arctic Seas, in 1603, and named 

 the island after Sir Francis Cherie ; and who, 

 in allusion to the desolate appearance of the 

 island, and the miserable condition in which him- 

 self and a boat's crew were there placed, named 

 one of the hills Mount Misery. 



At the time of its discovery the walruses 

 were so numerous upon its shores that, after the 

 return of Bennet, the Muscovy Company, hoping 

 to derive a lucrative trade from their capture, 

 for several years fitted out vessels for this pur- 



P 2 



