Land at Dronthehn in Norway. 29 



in some degree, and we set the storm staysails to sheer her clear 

 of the floes. Upon heaving up the chains and hawsers, found 

 we had lost three ice-anchors and the kedge. We now conti- 

 nued our course to the SE. and southward, frequently interrupt- 

 ed by streams of closely packed ice. At ten we were able to 

 carry close-reefed topsails and foresail. In the course of the 

 day we experienced one of the heaviest shocks we had expe- 

 rienced, and such as must have knocked a Greenlandman 

 to pieces. I now determined to penetrate the barrier, and at- 

 tempt to bore the ship through. We accordingly entered it 

 about three in the afternoon, and by alternately backing and fill- 

 ing and forcing the ship against the floes, we opened a passage 

 for ourselves, and in less than two hours succeeded in gaining 

 the open sea. From this period till the 20th we had a succes- 

 sion of heavy gales. On the 23d, in Latitude 63° 5B\ we made 

 the coast of Norway ; the breakers were observed a considerable 

 distance off the land. Having fired several guns for a pilot, 

 without success, we tacked and stood out to sea. 



September 24. — At day-light land in sight, consisting of nu- 

 merous small islands with breakers off them. We observed a 

 fishing-boat standing off; we received a pilot, and, hoisting up 

 his boat, proceeded along the coast. The following days the 

 weather was moderate. On the 1st October, in running amongst 

 a number of small islets, the pilot ran the ship upon a sunk 

 rock, on which she struck hard and remained fast till the tide 

 rose, when we backed her off. We discharged our pilot and 

 anchored till the 3d, when we got another and made sail. 

 The following day we entered Drontheim Fiord, and worked up 

 against easterly winds ; at length, on the 6th, we anchored in 

 the harbour. 



The attentions we here x-eceived from Count Trampe, Gover- 

 nor of the Province, Mr Schnitler, the British Consul, and other 

 respectable inhabitants of this place, under any circumstances 

 could not have failed to excite the most grateful sentiments ; but 

 the contrast between the difficulties and fatigues we had under- 

 gone with the comforts and indulgencies of civilized life, ren- 

 dered them doubly so. Througii tlie kindness of the Consul, a 

 villa belonging to Mr WcnscI, his father-in-law, was allotted to 

 Captain Sabine and myself, and here we experienced all the 

 comforts which kindness and hospitality could bestow, and I 



