26 SPITSBERGEN chap, ii 



of merely normal thickness, and would not go into the double- 

 backs made for them. And finally he found that, in a new 

 film roll-holder, the cylinder would not turn, and only rent 

 in half the film it was intended to wind off. 



A tremendous amount of sewing was accomplished by 

 industrious persons. Gregory and Trevor- Battye "fixed up 

 contraptions" for capturing minute marine organisms, and 

 almost every one had something to set to rights. Bachelors 

 came out strong with hus'ifs, which had all the appearance 

 of being the handiwork of gracious maidens. One particu- 

 larly favoured individual confessed to having received no 

 less than seven as gifts. They were primed with needles, 

 buttons, and the like, but no one had put in hooks and eyes 

 (which we chanced to want), nor were there needles of tri- 

 angular section, nor thimbles that would go on to thumbs. 

 I observed that, after an hour's sewing, the hand of even the 

 most skilful was bleeding from various wounds. 



Trevor-Battye and Studley had deep consultation over a 

 book of flies, made by the latter with admirable skill. In- 

 tricate was their talk and wide their reminiscence of fish 

 killed in many lands — those grand days in each man's past 

 that make up the sum of pleasant memory. 



Gaily laughed the morning that followed ; gaily danced 

 the sunshine on the waters of successive sounds, with sky 

 clear, air fresh and stimulating. Graceful black-backed gulls 

 followed in our wake, and frequent eider-ducks and drakes 

 flew aside. From hour to hour we passed islands and pro- 

 montories, and threaded a way through broad sounds or 

 narrow passages, sometimes emerging into the open sea, 

 but only to find it as still and kindly as a lake. If ocean 

 travelling were always like this, I could understand the 

 attraction of a sailor's life. Yet the air was not still, for 

 there was a merry breeze before which scudded double- 

 prowed boats, assuredly the gracefullest craft in the world. 



