8 ICE-BOUND ON KOLGUEV 



number of these birds. A very large proportion of 

 them were males, for of course their ducks were sitting. 

 Among them were a few changing plumage, but most 

 were still white on the rump. 



4 



June 6th. — Early on the following morning we were 

 passing Hitteren Island, where the red deer are. And 

 -skipping a good deal about lights, positions, and 

 entrances, which would not interest every one — it may be 

 enough to say that in rather more than half-an-hour from 

 the Varnsen Fjord, which we had crossed at 3.40, we 

 came to Rorvik on the Vigtens, which the tourists know. 



Knutsen said this was a capital place for salmon ; and 

 indeed we saw many nets set and setting — the eiders 

 swimming like tame ducks all about among the people at 

 work. So we slowed the engines while I spun in the 

 current where it set off the rocks. But nothing would 

 tempt them— neither a spoon, nor a fish, nor a spinning- 

 devil. We were obliged to keep the screw just going, 

 and this, though very slow and gentle, possibly scared 

 the fish. I think a salmon is not like a pike in this way ; 

 he thinks before he commits himself. 



And here besides the eiders, which, as evening came, 

 strung out into long lines and made away, there were 

 many Arctic terns. 



I hardly went to sleep that night — it was all so pretty. 

 I sat and sketched it. 



Just below Rorvik is that curious lump of rock called 



