THE SHIPS REPAIRED. 187 



fancy accustomed to a rigorous climate, there 

 have been instances of these poor wretches suf- 

 fering, and being found dead within their huts.* 



It appears, from the above-mentioned source 

 of information, that all the bays in Spitsbergen 

 are frozen over during the winter, but that in 

 the large gulfs, in which there are rapid tides, 

 the ice is occasionally, indeed continually, in a 

 broken state. 



The reindeer, foxes, both black and white, and 

 bears, remain at Spitsbergen during the whole 

 winter, but all the sea-fowl migrate to the south- 

 ward, about the end of the month of September. 



Something more of Spitzbergen might be 

 gleaned from various sources, but I think I have 

 given enough to convey to the reader a just 

 idea of the nature of the country, and of the 

 attempts which have been made to form settle- 

 ments upon it. 



I shall now return to the expedition, which, 

 during its stay in Dane's Gat, had been repairing 

 the damage sustained by its encounter with the 

 ice. Toward the latter end of August this was 

 accomplished, under the judicious management of 

 the carpenter, who is entitled to great credit for 

 his skill, and personal exertion. On the 30th 

 of August the expedition put to sea, and, for 



* Scoresby's " Arctic Regions." 



