SPITZBERGEN. 117 



The access to some of the harhours of Spitzber- 

 gen, is, under some circumstances, and with certain 

 winds, somewhat difficult, if not dangerous. Calms, 

 from the shelter afforded by the high and precipi- 

 tous mountains, are frequent in some harbours, and 

 eddy-winds, squalls and whirlwinds, are found oc- 

 casionally to prevail. 



Though the whale-fishers in the present age ge- 

 nerally see the land of Spitzbergen every voyage, 

 yet not many of them visit its shores. Few oppor- 

 tunities indeed occur, for satisfying a rational cu- 

 riosity, in the examination of this remarkable coun- 

 try. My Father, however, has been several times 

 on shore in different parts. In the year 1813, he 

 cruised for several days among the islands of Fair- 

 Haven ; and in 1816, had boats on shore at Point- 

 look-out. Here they observed several huts, forming 

 the summer residences of the Russian hunters or fish- 

 ers, who frequent this remote country, one of which, 

 from a date marked on the side of it, appeared to 

 have stood ever since the year 1784. A post erect- 

 ed near the beach, as a mark, probably, for the best 

 landing place, or for a signal staff, was curiously 

 carved with a number of grotesque figures. They 

 observed something curious in the structure of the 

 rocks, and in the productions of tlie country ; but 

 the dangers of the coast prevented them from 

 making that examination which was desirable. 



