336 ACCOUNT OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 



that the seams in the upper part of the ship's sides 

 cracked, and opened with a noise resembling the re- 

 port of a pistol, so that it was apprehended the ship 

 would either sink or fall to pieces. These openings, 

 at first, rendered the vessel very leaky, hut after she 

 was liberated and got into open water, and into a 

 milder climate, they closed and became again im- 

 pervious to water *. 



In the interesting narrative by Pelham, of the 

 preservation of eight seamen, who were accidentally 

 left in Spitzbergen, in the year 1630, and wintered 

 there, are some remarks on the effects of cold. The 

 sea of the bay where they took up their abode, 

 froze over on the 10th of October. After the com- 

 mencement of the New- Year, the frost became most 

 intense. It raised blisters in their flesh, as if they 

 had been burnt with fire ; and if they touched iron 

 at such times, it would stick to their fingers like 

 birdlime. Sometimes, when they went out of doors 

 to procure water, they were seized in such a way by 

 the cold, that their flesh felt as sore as if they had 

 been cruelly beaten. 



Seven Dutch sailors who wintered in Spitzber- 

 gen in the year 1633-4, were exposed to such a de- 

 gree of cold, that as early as the 13th of October, 



• Beschrj^ving der Walvisvangst, vol. iii. p. 17. This ef- 

 fect, it may be observed, was probably caused by diyness ra- 

 ther than cold. 



