54 



as far as Trorasoe, bej-^ond which we did not anticipate much diS5culty 

 in finding our way with the aid of charts. He proved most cai'eful, 

 attentive and obliging, and was always in good humour, his only defect 

 being that of understanding no language but Danish or Norsk. This 

 he began to get over after associating some weeks with the crew, and in 

 the meantime the inconvenience was not so gi'eat as might be supposed, 

 as it took but a short time to teach him the meaning of "luff" and 

 " keep her away," two short phrases worth a whole vocabulary in prac- 

 tice, and by which alone he was enabled to direct the steering of the 

 vessel through the most intricate and dangerous passages. On the 

 20th, we were for two pr three hours exposed to a heavy swell from the 

 ocean, but by noon were again under shelter, and at 3 p.m. came to an 

 anchor inside the Vigten Islands, where I dredged in about 30 fathoms 

 and obtained living specimens of Scalaria Greenlandica, Mangelia nana, 

 Margarita alabastrum, Trophon Gunneri, &c. At midnight (if clear 

 daylight can be so called), we continued our course, and at 8 a.m. passed 

 the remarkable Island of Toorg Hatten, named, like the Dutchman's 

 Cap in the neighbourhood of Staffa, from its resemblance, when seen 

 at a distance, to what is popularly called a south-wester. Its height is 

 probably ten to twelve hundred feet, and at about mid elevation it is 

 pierced by a large cavern, through which we saw the daylight when dis- 

 tant a few miles. The weather coming on foul with wind and rain, we 

 anchored an hour or two aften\'ards in a good harbour, much resorted 

 to by coasting vessels, opposite to a pretty village and church called 

 Bronoe, where we dredged in the afternoon with very poor success. 

 The morning of the ^Ist was duU and cloudy, but it cleared up 

 beautifully as the day advanced, when the weather was all that could 

 be desired, and the scenery most grand and varied ; indeed uotiiing could 

 be more enjoyable than the evening and night which followed. We 

 were dredging from seven o'clock to half-past ten at night in 80 to 200 

 fathoms water, and obtained for the first time Terebratula cranium, also 

 Area raridentata, a Pecten of which I have not seen a second specimen, 

 Pleurotoma nivale, and a new species of Triforis, the largest of 

 the genus. Early the next morning I was upon deck after an absence 

 from it of only four hours ; indeed we almost grudged having to go 

 below. The scenery continued most beautiful, but I will not attempt 

 to describe its features, to which I am so little competent to do justice. 

 We passed the arctic circle early in the morning, and anchored at noon 

 at an Island called Omnaes Oe, where I again occupied the afternoon 

 in dredging, while others of the party were employed in catching fish 

 and shooting Eider ducks and other sea fowl. The temperature was 

 warm, (rising to about 60° Fahrenheit,) and in the evening a few mos- 



