146 ADVENTURES IN THE NORTHERN SEAS. 



but, as he seemed a very decent fellow, and spoke 

 tolerable English, we invited him below, "liquored 

 him up, " and then proceeded to extract all the in- 

 formation and news we could from him. He was 

 very communicative, and gave us, first, the story (to 

 which I have before alluded) of the poor man be- 

 ing killed by the walrus. 



Secondly. Three vessels for Hammerfest, and one 

 for Tromsoe, had gone home full, one of them con- 

 veying the frost-bitten skyppar and his five com- 

 panions. All four vessels intended returning im- 

 mediately, to try to get another cargo if possible, 

 as August, which is usually the best hunting month 

 of the whole summer, is still before us. 



Thirdly. All the ice and all the vessels had left 

 Stour Fiord ; four were hereabouts, and four more 

 to the north and east of Ryk Yse Islands. 



Fourthly. His schooner was provided with whale- 

 lines and tackle, and he described to me a new har- 

 poon which he had on board. I did not see it, but 

 from his description it seemed to be a most ingen- 

 ious implement, and was invented and constructed 

 by the blacksmith in Hammerfest. It seems the 

 harpoon is intended to be struck into the whale 

 with the barbs only very little exposed ; but the 

 slightest pull or strain upon the line explodes some 

 fulminating mercury in the weapon, and this throws 

 out two barbs much larger than can be readily 

 driven into the animal by hand ; and it is thus ex- 

 pected that the chance of losing a fish by the har- 



