1769. ROUND THE WORLD, 57 



which, in the corresponding season, is unknown even 

 in Norway and Lapland. 



When the morning dawned, they saw nothing 

 round them, as far as the eye could reach, but snow, 

 which seemed to lie as thick upon the trees as upon 

 the ground ; and the blasts returned so frequently, 

 and with such violence, that they found it impossible 

 for them to set out: how long this might last 

 they knew not, and they had but too much reason 

 to apprehend that it would confine them in that 

 desolate forest till they perished with hunger and 

 cold. 



After having suffered the misery and terror of this 

 situation till six o'clock in the morning, they con- 

 ceived some hope of deliverance by discovering the 

 place of the sun through the clouds, which were 

 become thinner, and began to break away. Their 

 first care was to see whether the poor wretches 

 whorn they had been obliged to leave among the 

 bushes were yet alive ; three of the company were 

 dispatched for that purpose, and very soon after- 

 wards returned with the melancholy news, that they 

 were dead. 



Notwithstanding the flattering appearance of the 

 sky, the snow still continued to fall so thick, that 

 they could not venture out on their journey to the 

 ship ; but about eight o'clock a small regular breeze 

 sprung up, which, with the prevailing influence of 

 the sun, at length cleared the air ; and they soon 

 after, with great joy, saw the snow fall in large flakes 

 from the trees, a certain sign of an approaching thaw : 

 they now examined more critically the state of their 

 invalids : Briscoe was still very ill, but said, that he 

 thought himself able to walk ; and Mr. Buchan was 

 much better than either he or his friends had any 

 reason to expect. They were now, however, pressed 

 by the calls of hunger ; to which, after long fasting, 

 every consideration of future good or evil immedi- 

 ately gives way. Before they set forward, therefore. 



