46 



ARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



of old Horace would be useful : Naturam expelles furca tamen us- 

 que recurret — You may turn Nature out of doors with violence, 

 but she will return ; and he might have continued — though the 

 violence be an Esquimaux's bowels much contracted by a pair of 

 New London-made pants of the nineteenth century ! 



I will now again quote from my Journal : 



"Saturday, July 7 th. After dancing around the harbor of Hoi - 

 steinborg for many hours, we have at length made anchor within it. 



" During the last two or three days a fog of remarkable character 

 has troubled us in making harbor. All at once the whole heav- 

 ens would be clear and bright ; in five minutes a thick fog would 

 encircle us all around, closing from our view sunlight, the long 

 ridge of Greenland mountains, the well-defined sea horizon, isl- 

 ands, and icebergs. 



''Before coming to the North, I thought I was prepared to give 

 a fair statement of the true theory of fogs. I now am satisfied 

 that no one can give a satisfactory reason for the appearance and 

 sudden disappearance — their reappearance and final dispersion, as 

 I have witnessed them during the last four days. 



"At five o'clock this morning a Danish pilot came on board, who 

 understood fully his business, which is more than I can say of the 

 two Esquimaux, Sampson and Ephraim. Though they have 

 shown great faithfulness, far beyond that of white men (as a gen- 

 eral statement), yet I can not award them great praise in navi- 

 gating large ships in their own and neighboring waters. 



"Last night was a happy night for me. No sunset. The slow 

 descending sun, just dipping its edge in the Northern Sea, then 

 hesitating in its course, then slowly mounting again into high 

 heaven, gladdening my whole soul near to uncontrollable joy ! 



"The incidents connected are worthy to be recorded. The 

 evening (at least after ten o'clock) was fine ; sky as clear as a 

 bell ; the air cool and invigorating. 



"I found, .by a hasty calculation, that we had made the north- 

 ing which would allow us to see the sun continually when clear 

 weather; that the sun would gladden our sight day after day 

 without setting. I announced to all hands that the sun would 

 not go down that night; that on such a moment it would com- 

 mence to return — to rise again. This was a novelty to many of 

 the ship's crew. I then made my calculations carefully as to 

 time — the hour, minute, and second when the sun would arrive at 

 its lowest meridian. This was necessary, that I might determine, 



