chap, xxiii HORN SOUND 319 



men lit a great bonfire on shore in our honour, bombs 

 were exploded, guns fired, flags waved from the tents as 

 we passed. Walkey gave us a send-off of his own with rifle 

 shots and the dipping of his little flag. A strange passenger 

 on board, in his enthusiasm of recognition, carelessly took 

 a shot at Walkey ; the bullet went unpleasantly near. Bullets, 

 in fact, were flying all over the place with really frightening 

 casualness after the true Advent Bay manner ! It was all 

 soon over, and we steamed down the fjord in wintry weather 

 with clouds upon all the hills. 



On board was a German gentleman, Dr. Wegener, who 

 had come up for a second time this year, hoping to go on 

 with the Expres to see Herr Andree. As the little steamer 

 was absent we ran straight out to sea, where on the far 

 horizon a sail was descried. In an hour or two we came up 

 with the craft, which proved to be a shark-fisher. They 

 catch the fish, the "blind shark" {Squalus Grcenlandicus), 

 with a long line, haul them on board, cut out their livers 

 (from which cod-liver oil is made), inflate their stomachs, 

 and chuck them overboard. If something were not done 

 to keep the dead fish afloat, they would sink and no more 

 would be caught. We stopped alongside in the tumbling 

 sea, and the fisher of sharks came off in a boat, and was 

 asked whether he would take Dr. Wegener up to Andree's. 

 With the usual high estimate of the value of their services 

 which prevails amongst North Norwegian seamen, he de- 

 manded 600 crowns for the job, at the outside a two days' 

 sail under the conditions existing. The offer was declined. 



We ran down the coast, a long way from shore, seeing 

 only that Bell Sound was filled with a vague leaden cloud 

 resting on the water. 



u The sea- fog, like a ghost, 

 Haunted the dreary coast," 



standing out before the island, a leaden wall, through 



