chap, xx SEVEN ISLANDS 277 



now calm water, the silence of the great deep was almost 

 oppressive. Through it the voices of Bottolfsen and the 

 sloop's skipper rang, as might those of challenging heroes 

 beneath the walls of listening Troy. We learned that, a fort- 

 night before, the sloop had been hunting round the XE. 

 corner of North-East-Land. Then the ice came down, and 

 they were forced to run before it. Four days ago they 

 passed the Seven Islands but little in advance of the ice, 

 which by now had certainly reached them. Their catch 

 had been poor. They had killed one bear, and filled ninety 

 barrels with blubber — that was all. 



A faint breeze carried them slowly westward, whilst we 

 steamed away north-east near the edge of the pack. The 

 coast of North-East-Land lay about ten miles off on our 

 starboard hand, bleak, desolate, and cloud-capped, in type 

 altogether similar to the north coast of Spitsbergen, and 

 the islands near Smeerenburg. Deep new-fallen snow lay 

 thick on the old snow, down to the sea's margin, only cliffs 

 and steep rocks stood out black from the white mantle. 

 The existence of the great inland ice-sheet, by which this 

 island is wholly enveloped, was here and there suggested 

 through breaks in the clouds. Milton, who owed so much 

 of his knowledge of strange lands to study of Purchas His 

 Pilgrims, might have had North-East- Land in mind when 

 he wrote : — 



" Beyond this flood a frozen continent 

 Lies dark and wild, beat with perpetual storms, 

 Of whirlwind and dire hail, which on firm land 

 Thaws not, but gathers heap, and ruin seems 

 Of ancient pile ; all else deep snow and ice. 

 A gulf profound as that Serbonian bog 

 Betwixt Damieta and Mount Casius old, 

 Where armies whole have sunk ; the parching air 

 Burns frore, and cold performs th' effect of fire. 



