90 Prof. O. Heer on the last Discoveries 



the east, in order to endeavour to find Gillisland, and then 

 to sail towards the north along the eastern coast of Spitz- 

 bergen. But when they arrived at Stor fiord, and wished to 

 advance towards the Thousand Islands, colossal mountains of 

 ice came to meet the ship. These glaciers presented a mag- 

 nificent spectacle in the blue water of the sea. The naviga- 

 tors, not allowing themselves to be stopped by these floating 

 masses, attempted to penetrate their labyrinth. Soon, how- 

 ever, they found them accumulated in such quantities and 

 so close to each other, that it was necessary to give up all idea 

 of pressing forward. They therefore went back to gain the 

 western coast of Spitzbergen, to the investigation of which 

 they devoted several weeks. 



The extent of Spitzbergen is about equal to twice that of 

 Switzerland. On the west coast several long fiords penetrate 

 deeply into the interior, and push their way like great lakes 

 between the high mountains which rise everywhere from the 

 sea-shore. Into all these fiords great glaciers descend, from 

 which enormous fragments are constantly detaching them- 

 selves, passing towards the sea, and forming floating moun- 

 tains. King's Bay in particular has a savage grandeur which 

 is calculated to inspire terror ; it is completely framed in by 

 glaciers, which descend in scarped slopes towards the sea, and 

 present innumerable fissures. 



The northern shore of the Ice fiord is covered with similar 

 glaciers, whilst on the southern shore there are here and there 

 sheltered spots where small colonies of alpine plants with 

 brilliant flowers enamel a carpet of moss. There are found 

 rosy beds of Silene acaulis and the blue Polemonium ; the 

 violet saxifrage [Saxifraga oppositifolia) adorns the rocks, 

 and among the stones grow the white Dryas octopetala and 

 the arctic poppy ; on some points a greensward even ventures 

 to show itself. The Ice fiord is therefore the chosen residence 

 of the reindeer ; and for years they have been sought there. 

 Last summer two parties of English sportsmen went there to 

 hunt the reindeer. A more abundant produce, however, is 

 furnished by the marine animals. In the Ice fiord numerous 

 white dolphins play about; and these within the last few years 

 have become the object of a productive fishery : six vessels 

 were engaged in it when the explorers arrived on these shores. 

 But this movement is but the shadow of that which was to be 

 observed a hundred years ago. Every year from 200 to 300 

 vessels arrived in these waters, and 12000 sailors were en- 

 gaged there in the lucrative whale-fishery. On Amsterdam 

 Island, in Schmeren's Bay, a regular town of wooden barracks 

 was raised in the summer ; it was established for melting the 



