MISHAP AMONGST THE ICE. 47 



very cold wind is blowing from the north-east, 

 and the thermometer on deck is just above 

 freezing point. In such weather seals and 

 walruses do not lay on the ice, nor show more 

 than their heads above water occasionally, as 

 if to inquire if the weather above was getting 

 any more favourable for basking. We pretty 

 much imitate these sensible amphibise in our 

 habits, as we don't show much on deck. 



In the afternoon a small sloop came in sight, 

 and appeared desirous of speaking us, so we 

 hove-to for them. The captain of the sloop 

 then came on board in a boat, and, touching 

 his cap to us, he began a dismal story, which 

 my slight knowledge of Norsk did not enable 

 me to follow, so we had it translated to us by 

 one of our crew, who, from having sailed in an 

 American ship to San Prancisco, could speak 

 tolerable English, or rather American. It 

 appeared that about three weeks ago another 

 small sloop, with a crew of six men, had been 

 totally lost amongst the ice near Hope Island. 

 The crew had taken to their boat, and had been 

 rowing and drifting about looking for another 

 vessel imtil yesterday, when this sloop had 

 picked them up. They were in the last ex- 

 tremity from cold and hunger, having had 



