208 Mr. A. Newton on the Birds of Spitsbergen. 



At length we got away ; but the combination of ice and fog 

 required great care in steering. From the middle of the bay 

 we could not distinguish the land on either side ; and my little 

 pocket-compass, the only one we had in the skiif where I was, 

 was so easily affected by the proximity of iron, that I had to 

 pass the guns forward, and even then could not place much con- 

 fidence in it. Presently, after working round some very big 

 hummocks of ice, we saw the other boat hauled up on the point 

 near the hut before mentioned ; and by its side was a fine large 

 whale-boat, from the stern of which gaily waved the split 

 Swedish flag. This sight gave me great pleasure ; for I knew 

 that this flag betokened the presence of Professor Nordenskjold, 

 the leader of the Swedish Scientific Expedition, on account of 

 whose prolonged absence, there had been some little anxiety 

 expressed by his comrades, whom we had left on board his 

 schooner in Safe Haven. A few minutes after, and I joined the 

 party on the beach — my friends, who had landed first, acting as 

 Masters of the Ceremonies and presenting me to the Professor 

 and to Mr. Malmgren, who was with him. It was rather a sin- 

 gular meeting; but right glad was I to make the acquaintance 

 of a fellow-ornithologist, and that on the very scene of his labours. 

 However, there was but a short time to interchange civilities. 

 The weather was threatening, we had all a long day^s work 

 before us, and the Swedes especially were desirous of regaining 

 their vessel, from which they had been absent more than a fort- 

 night, having penetrated some thirty miles further up the 

 Sound, where, probably, man had never been before, and where 

 they had been completely blockaded, and their return prevented, 

 by the ice. Once more, therefore, we started. Emerging from 

 Advent Bay, and getting into the Sound, we found, to our joy, 

 the fog and ice clinging to its southern side — the northern 

 coast, with its continued succession of glaciers, all reaching to 

 the sea, and some of them of very great extent, being quite 

 clear of both these foes to navigation. After a most weary 

 pull — a gi'eat part of the way against the tide — which equally 

 tried both the patience of the sitters and the endurance of the 

 oarsmen, we reached the yacht just about midnight. 



On the 14th I did myself the honour of paying Mr. Malm- 



