168 OLD WHALING DAYS. 



1732, Burgomaster Anderson, of Hamburg, reported a 

 decided eruption from a small side crater, which had been 

 reported by a seaman; and in the year 1818, Scoresby and 

 another captain saw great pillars of smoke rising from the 

 same place. 



Surrounded by floating ice the whole winter through, 

 and often for a longer period, Jan Mayen lies in the spring- 

 time and early summer so near the edge of the ice-pack, 

 that from 1612 to 1640, it afforded to the English and 

 Dutch whalers a comfortable and much sought after station 

 for their booty and oil preparation. It is said that a single 

 ship in one year then brought home from Jan Mayen 

 196,000 gallons of oil. Wishing to make an attempt at 

 colonizing, in 1633-34, seven Dutch sailors passed the 

 winter here. 



The small community outlived the severity of the winter 

 without much danger to- their lives, until the scurvy broke 

 out amongst them ; and as they could not procure the 

 necessary fresh nourishment, the sickness made rapid 

 strides. The first died on the i6th April, and all the others 

 shared the same fate one month later. Their diary ended 

 with the 3oth. When, on the 4th of June, the Dutch fleet 

 appeared off the island, they were all found dead in their 

 huts. 



Scoresby visited the island in August, 1817, and gave the 

 first reliable account of it. The interest excited by this 

 account led to two other visits. Lord Dufferin landed on 

 the north side of Jan Mayen in 1856, but what with fog and 

 floating ice, could only stay one hour. In 1861, Dr. Berna 

 of Frankfort also landed in two places, and the weather 

 allowed him two days' investigation. 



To return to the voyage. We sailed to the S.W. among 

 much young ice, called by seamen pancake ice, on account 

 of its first forming in round patches. Our captain's 

 experience led him to believe that the last gale had drifted 



