196 
A VOYAGE TO SPITZBERGEN. 
building their winter residence, their object being in 
the following spring to start from there, when they 
hope to reach the North Pole in boats dragged over 
the ice, before it is broken up by winds, &c. 
In the previous year the schooner was fortunate in 
gaining these islands, and had she been provided with 
steam-power, there was no reason to anticipate failure 
in sailing into the open sea to the north as they 
saw it clearly indicated in that direction. On that 
occasion she had no difficulty to contend with but the 
superstitious fears of the Norwegian captain and crew 
(the wind was blowing hard from the north-west,, 
and the ice, scattered in every direction, was stream¬ 
ing to the southward, leaving occasional open water,, 
and offering no impediment to the vessel’s northward 
course), which could not be overcome. It is to no pur¬ 
pose, then, that any sailors but Englishmen can ever 
hope to “ gain the gold,” as the Arctic voyagers fondly 
name the object of their ambitious hopes. With an 
English crew we are without the least fear of failure,, 
if all goes well with our ship. On, then, to the north¬ 
east of Spitzbergen—on towards the hunting-grounds 
where the walrus will supply us with fresh means of 
Arctic enjoyment. 
It will be remembered that Parry gained the point 
82° 45', and he assuredly might have gone farther 
north had he but started at the right season for sledge 
