CROSS TO HAMMERFEST. 293 



horizon, that on the 7th we had to light them 

 two hours earlier, although we have not made 

 much southing since yesterday. 



We had light winds and mild weather all 

 the way across, and only cast anchor in Ham- 

 merfest harhour at dusk on the evening of the 

 11th. 



To our great surprise and annoyance, we 

 found that the " Anna Louisa " had only made 

 her number twelve hours before us. 



"We found a great accumulation of letters 

 and newspapers, and read nearly all night. 



On the 12th we got the sloop unloaded, and 

 sold the cargo. Owing to the badness of the 

 casks with which we had been provided, a great 

 deal of our blubber was damaged and lost. 

 The price was also very low — as seems always 

 to be the case somehow or other whenever one 

 has anything to sell — but still we realised a 

 sum which went a long way towards pay- 

 ing our expenses ; in addition to which we 

 kept the young bears, the six bearskins, and 

 aU the ivory. 



The 13th and 14th were occupied in getting 

 a stout cage, lined with old iron hoops, made 

 for the bears, settling accounts with our 

 agents, paying oflP the crew of the sloop, and 



V 3 



