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ARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



it was not so. A dozen times was the ship headed for our har- 

 bor, and as often were we baffled bj the fog. Sometimes it would 

 disperse, leaving the heavens bright and warm ; then would our 

 gallant barque be swiftly plowing the deep toward the wished- 

 for haven. Suddenly the fog again descended, enveloping us in 

 the gloom of night, so that we could not see a quarter of a mile in 

 any direction, and then once more would the vessel's course have 

 to be arrested. So it continued all day, and toward evening the 

 annoyance was increased by a heavy gale. Of course there was 

 no alternative but to run off the land to sea, and accordingly it 

 was done. 



The next day, when the weather moderated, we made sail back 

 toward our harbor, and at 8 P.M. we were near the same position 

 as on the 4th, still more than thirty miles distant from where we 

 had to go. Fogs then encircled us, and thus we were till the fol- 

 lowing day, when more clear weather appearing, Oookoolear was 

 seen, and ahead of us were observed "Sterry's Tower," "Kogers's 

 Island," and " Sarah's Island." 



As we were standing in to the land, the Rescue, under good sail, 

 was discovered away near the mountains. 



At this time a circumstance occurred that startled myself and 

 all on board beyond measure. I will relate it from my journal 

 as I find it recorded at the time. 



" Tuesday, August 7 th. After dinner I had gone and perched 

 myself up in one of the whale-boats hanging over the ship's side, 

 for the purpose of viewing the mountain scenery as we passed 

 along, and also sketching. I had my marine glass with me, and ' 

 during an interval when the fog — which now and again settled 

 upon us — disappeared, I swept the horizon all around. As I look- 

 ed easterly, my eye caught a strange black sail. Directing the 

 captain and mate's attention to it, they examined, but could not 

 make out what it was. At length we decided that it was a whale- 

 boat with dark-colored sails, and approaching us. Nearer and 

 nearer it came, though yet far off; for when I had first seen it, re- 

 fraction had made the small sails loom up higher even than those 

 of a 300-ton vessel. By this time every one on board was anx- 

 iously looking to the strange boat, wondering what it was, com- 

 ing from a direction seaward. After watching it more than an 

 hour, we noticed that the sail was taken down, and soon afterward 

 we lost sight of the boat entirely. In vain our glasses were 

 pointed in the direction she was last seen. Nothing could be ob- 



