234 THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. [chap. 



boat was left behind. Soon after they left the house Ole 

 Andreas Olsen and Henrik Nilsen were separated in a snow- 

 storm from the others who drew the sledges. The latter now 

 agreed to determine by lot whether they should return to the 

 house or continue their journey, and when the lot fell for the 

 latter they allowed it to settle the matter, and so went south. ^ 



Their position was now desperate in the extreme. When 

 they left the house they had about half a pound of reindeer 

 flesh and a little blubber remaining. The weather was dread- 

 ful ; they were badly clothed, and they wanted water. In con- 

 sequence they could make only very short days' marches. At 

 night they buried themselves in the snow, and while the rest 

 slept, one man kept constant watch, to prevent the others from 

 being snowed up and to keep the bears at a distance. They all 

 held out till the sixth night. Then Amandus Hansen died. 

 The rest were compelled to leave him in the snow and continue 

 their journey as well as they could, but they had by degrees 

 become so weak and exhausted that, after having traversed 

 probably about 100 kilometres, for the most part along the 

 coast, they had to leave even the sledges and the most of what 

 they had with them. The seventh or eighth day they caught 

 sight of a little pile of fuel, and the track of a sledge in the 

 snow. By following this track for about ten kilometres they 

 found a small house, inhabited by Samoyeds, who immediately 

 gave them a friendly reception, and entertained them in the 

 most hospitable way. In particular they showed much kindness 

 to Nils Andreas Foxen, whose toes were frost-bitten, and who 

 was in other respects much enfeebled. 



These Samoyeds, three men, three women, and a boy, spoke 

 Russian. They had settled for the winter on tlie south part of 

 Gooselaud to shoot the seal and the walrus. They had with 

 them a large barge, besides some small Samoyed boats, and were 

 comparatively well provided with reindeer flesh, meal, tea, 

 sugar, &c. Their guns were old flint-lock fowling-pieces, but 

 they were good shots. With these Samoyeds the four ship- 

 wrecked men remained the whole winter, and were tolerably 

 well oft". When the weather permitted they assisted the 

 Samoyeds in capturing seals, and when the weather was bad they 

 passed the time as well as they could, the Samoyeds generally 

 employing themselves in playing cards or draughts. In order 

 to avoid scurvy the Samoyeds often took exercise in the open 

 air, and ate reindeer flesh, partly cooked and partly raw, and 

 drank the blood. They lived in the house vintil March was well 

 advanced, when, for want of fuel, they were obliged to hew it 



^ It is very common that the hunters in cases of importance and danger, 

 when it is difficult to settle what course ought to be taken, permit tlie 

 drawing of lots to determine the choice. 



