OLD STAGERS. 
259 
cheaply fitted, by which greater speed is attainable, or 
the consumption of a less quantity of fuel is secured, 
are to be found on board the Norwegian steam whalers. 
Their stowage also is very defective, and this involves 
the additional expense of a tender, generally a sailing 
craft in tow. They creep along rather than steam, 
and are totally useless even for the purpose they fill 
at the present time. A steamer of this kind, home- 
built, with vertical engines of the old pattern, making 
its fussy way over the sea, is a curious addition to the 
Arctic landscape. The slow rate is preposterous ; the 
dark volume of filthy smoke rolling out, and the noise 
of her engines fretting and fuming as they plod along 
fill us with pity for the backwardness of the people who 
are forced to remain content with such old-fashioned 
appliances in this age of improvements. 
We sailed into King's Bay and anchored in view 
of the glacier, which shares in interest with the rare 
and beautiful marble found here by the few visitors 
who make their way so far north. We climbed amongst 
the cliffs in search of specimens, and in one place, 
where the rocks are hollowed out into a lofty cavern 
with a current of pure water flowing along its bottom, 
we found some charming bits of pure white stone 
curiously veined with streaks of red; specimens of 
these we carried away with us. 
