PONCHE A LA SPITZBERG. 221 



I had now shot all the deer which I could dis- 

 cover in the valley, and more than my four sailors 

 could carry down to the sea in one day. While we 

 were cutting up the last two deer a black fox made 

 his appearance, probably attracted by the smell of 

 the venison ; but he seemed to be fully aware of 

 the important fact that his sable jacket was worth 

 £20,* as he avoided all my attempts to get within 

 rifle-shot of him. 



Before proceeding to the sea with a second load 

 of meat we ate some biscuits, and, as the intense 

 frost had congealed all the water in this high val- 

 ley, we indulged in a "ponche a la Romaine," or 

 rather "ponehe a la Spitzberg" by saturating cup- 

 fuls of snow with rum ; and I can strongly recom- 

 mend that cordial to any one under similar circum- 

 stances. 



In this valley I observed some singular conical- 

 shaped masses of trap or other Plutonic rock, 

 which had abruptly burst up through the lime- 

 stone hills. 



We got on board about 4 P.M., and my four 

 men having walked at least twenty miles, ten of 

 which with half a fat stag on each of their backs, 

 I sent a boat's crew of fresh hands to bring down 

 the remainder of the venison. 



The reindeer ( Cervus Tarandus) abounds in most 

 parts of Spitzbergen, and in every valley which af- 



* A good skin of this rare animal is, I believe, the most val- 

 uable fur in the world. 



