142 



THE POLAK WORLD. 



structed of logs, others of deal two inches in thickness. They are of the same 

 kind as those used by the peasants in Russia, and, being taken out in pieces, 

 are erected with but little trouble in the most convenient situation. The stoves 

 are built with bricks, or with clay found in the country. During the stay of 

 the hunters, they employ themselves in killing seals or walruses in the water, 

 and bears, foxes, deer, or whatever else they meet with on land. Each ship is 

 furnished with provisions for eighteen months, consisting of rye flour for bread, 

 oatmeal, barley-meal, peas, salt beef, salt cod, and salt haUbut, together with 

 curdled milk, honey, and linseed oil ; besides which, they enjoy the flesh of the 

 animals which they kill. Their drink consists chiefly of quas, a national bev- 

 erage made from rye floui and water ; malt or spirituous liquors being entirely 

 forbidden, to prevent drunkenness, as, when they were allowed it, they drank 

 so immoderately that their work was often altogether neglected. Their fuel 

 for the most part is brought with them from Russia, and drift-wood is used 

 for the same purpose. 



The hunters, seldom travelling far in winter, make their short excursions on 

 foot on snow-skates, and draw their food after them on hand-sledges. Not sel- 

 dom they are overtaken by terrific snowstorms, which force them to throw 

 themselves flat upon the ground, and sometimes even cost them their lives. 

 Their best preservation against the scurvy is bodily exercise ; they also use the 

 Cochlearia fenestrata, which grows wild in the country, either eating it without 

 any preparation, or drinking the liquor prepared from it by infusion in water. 

 Yet, in spite of all their precautions, they often fall a prey to this terrible 

 scourge. In the year 1771, Mr. Steward, of Whitby, landed in King's Bay to 

 gather drift-wood, and found a Russian hut. After having vainly called for ad- 

 mittance, they opened it, and found a corpse stretched out on the ground, its 

 face covered with green mould. Most likely the unfortunate man, having bur- 

 ied all his comrades, had, as the last survivor, found no one to perform the same 

 kind office for himself. Generally the Russian hunters, after spending the win- 

 ter in Spitzbergen, return home in the following August or September ; but 

 their stop is often prolonged during several years ; and Scharostin, a venerable 

 Russian, who died in 1826 in Ice Sound, is deservedly remarkable for having 

 spent no less than thirty-two winters of his long life in that high northern land, 

 where he once remained during fifteen consecutive years. Surely this man 

 ought to have been crowned king of Spitzbergen — 



On a throne of rocks, in a robe of clouds, 

 With a diadem of snow ! 



Every year, at the beginning of summer, about a dozen vessels leave the ports 

 of Hammerfest and Tromso for Spitzbergen. Formerly it was a very common 

 thing for them to procure three cargoes of walrus and seals in a season, and less 

 than two full cargoes was considered very bad luck indeed ; now, however, it is 

 a rare thing to get more than one cargo in a season, and many vessels return 

 home after four months' absence only half full. Yet, in spite of this diminution, 

 the numbers of walruses still existing in that country are very considerable, par- 

 ticularly on the northern banks and skerries, which are only accessible in open 



