OF FOUR RUSSIAN SAILORS. HI 
did was to explore the country, and soon discovered the hut 
they were in search of, about a mile and a half from the 
shore. It was thirty-six feet in length, eighteen in breadth, 
and as many high. It contained a small anti-chamber, about 
twelve feet broad, which had two doors, one to shut out the 
exterior air, the other to communicate with the inner room. 
This contributed greatly to keep the larger room warm when 
once heated. In the larger room was an earthen stove, con- 
structed in the Russian manner ; that is a kind of oven with- 
out a chimney, which serves occasionally either for baking, 
for heating the room, or, as is customary among the Russian 
peasants in very cold weather, to sleep upon. 
This discovery gave our adventurers great joy. The hut 
had, however, suffered much from the weather, having now 
been built a considerable time. They passed the night in it, 
and early the next morning hastened to the shore, impatient to 
inform their comrades of their success, and also to procure 
provisions, ammunition, and other necessities, as might better 
enable the crew to winter on the island. Their astonishment 
and agony of mind, when, on reaching the place where they 
had landed, they saw nothing but an open sea, free from ice, 
which but the day before had covered the ocean, may more 
easily be conceived than described. A violent storm which 
had arisen during the preceding night had been the cause of 
this disastrous event. But they could not tell whether the 
ice which had before hemmed in the vessel, had been driven 
by the violence of the waves against the ship, and shattered 
her to pieces ; or whether she had been carried out to sea by 
the current, a circumstance which frequently happens in those 
seas. Whatever accident had befallen her, they saw her no 
more; and as no tidings were ever afterward received ol 
her, it is most probable that she sunk, and that all onboard of 
her perished. 
This unfortunate event deprived the wretched mariners of 
all hope of ever being able to quit the island, and they return- 
ed to the hut full of horror and despair. Their first attention 
was employed, as may easily be imagined, in devising the 
means of providing subsistence and repairing their hut. The 
twelve charges of powder which they had brought with them, 
soon procured them as many rein-deer, with which the island 
abounds. 
It has already been observed that the hut discovered by the 
sailors had sustained some damage. There were cracks in 
many places between the boards of the building, which alloW'- 
