VL] 
VON KRUSENSTERN, 1862. 
289 
the September, the vessel was again pressed so, that the deck 
at times was bent to the form of a vaulk On the ^ September, 
von Krusenstern called the crew together that they might 
choose from their number three persons to advise with the 
commander on the best means of making their escape, and two 
days after the vessel was abandoned, after a meal at which the 
crew were literally offered all the house afforded. They then 
broke up for a journey to land, which was exceedingly difficult 
on account of the unevenness of the ice. They were soon 
obliged to leave the boat, which they had at first endeavoured to 
drag along with them' over the ice, and take the most indis¬ 
pensable of the provisions on their own backs. On leaving the 
ship a sailor had secretly got possession of so much brandy, that 
during the first day’s march he had the opportunity of drinking 
himself dead drunk. To carry him along was not possible, to 
wait was not advisable. He was left therefore to sleep off the 
drink ; and in order that he might do so as soon as possible they 
took off his clothes and left him lying upon the ice with only 
his shirt on. Next day, however, he got up with his comrades 
after following their track in the darkness the whole night. 
Open places were often met with, which the travellers had to 
cross on pieces of driftfice rowed forward by boat-hooks. Once 
when the shipwrecked men were ferrying themselves over upon 
a piece of ice which was already fully loaded, six walruses were 
seen in the neighbourhood. They showed a disposition to 
accompany the seafarers on the piece of ice, which in that case 
would certainly have sunk, and it was only after a ball had been 
sent through the leader’s head that the animals gave up their 
plan for resting, which gave evidence of a gregariousness as 
great as their want of acquaintance with mankind. After 
Krusenstern and his companions had for several days in success 
sion drifted backwards and forwards on a piece of ice in the 
neighbourhood of land, and traversed long stretches by jumping 
from one piece of ice to another, they at last reached the shore 
u 
