SPORTING ADVENTURES 



IN THE 



NORTHERN SEAS. 



CHAPTER I. 



First Trip to Spitsbergen in 1858. — Find schooner Yacht and 

 light Gigs unsuitable. — Determine to go again in 1859. — 

 Hire a suitable Vessel and Crew, and build two Boats. — 

 Lord David Kennedy agrees to accompany me. — Contested 

 Election delays our starting. — Result of Poll unfortunate 

 alike for Walruses and Constituency. — Preliminary Trip to 

 Guernsey. — Sail from Leith. — Steamer a little out in her 

 Reckoning. — Dreadful Famine in Lerwick. — Gale. — Nam- 

 sen Fiord and River. — Salmon Fishing. — Terry's Breech- 

 loading Rifles. 



In August, 1858, while cruising in my yacht the 

 "Ginevra," of 142 tons, on the coast of Norway, 

 I was induced, by the accounts I received of rein- 

 deer and other game to be met with in Spitzbergen, 

 to make a trip across from Hammerfest to that 

 country. It being late in the season before we got 

 there, our stay was very short, and our sport was 

 limited to killing a few reindeer, seals, and Brent 



B 



