HARD TIMES. 
73 
general confusion; steep flights of stairs, and houses on 
opposite sides actually joined together above, span 
the thoroughfares in many places. The hotel is situated 
in one of these narrow ways, or “ entries ” as they are 
called. While we were there, the whole village wore 
a busy aspect, which may have been unusual; cer¬ 
tainly the cause was not far to seek, for two hundred 
of the inhabitants, grown weary, perhaps, of the con¬ 
tinual privations they were forced to endure during 
the long winter, had resolved to emigrate, and the 
town w~as filled with their friends, who had come in 
from the country round to wish them God speed on 
their setting out for better fortunes in the New AVorld. 
When the hour for parting came the men did not 
show unwillingness to leave, but the new accessions 
to our crew had little time to get their things together, 
and overstayed their time. We had secured the ser¬ 
vices of a carpenter and four additional hands, so that 
our party now numbered seventeen people, and, judg¬ 
ing from appearances, we were likely enough to have 
a pleasant time of it in the north, where there would 
be plenty of sport; if the formidable array of whaling 
and sealing weapons, as well as the well appointed 
armoury, could be any guarantee for our success. We 
have much serious work to occupy us as well; the 
many costly scientific instruments plainly indicate this 
