Part 3

Unmarried men have another inducement to enter into matrimony; for when government requires a number of men for the Navy, the proprietors take good care to send off those who are unmarried. By these factitious regulations, the population has become superabundant, insomuch that the produce of the islands does not support their inhabitants more than seven or eight months in the year. Before the proprietors of land became so deeply engaged in the fishing business, juvenile or premature marriages were, in these islands, looked on as next to a crime, because thereby the population might increase to such a degree as to become ruinous and oppressive to the whole community. For this reason, a regulation was made against marriage, unless when the parties could produce evidence that they possessed L.40 Scots, or L.3, 6s. 8d. Sterling. This salutary law is now never enforced, to the great prejudice of the whole inhabitants. It is curious to observe how the principles of Mr. Malthus accommodate themselves to, and receive illustration from, the smallest societies.

The secluded inhabitants of these solitary isles are very unhealthy, and seem to complain of one general disorder, which is of a phthisical and scrophulous nature, the cause of which evidently seems to be this: the men are exposed to intense cold at the fishing, where they remain twenty-four, thirty, and sometimes forty-eight hours in open boats; get their feet wet: and when they come home have but very sorry cheer to accommodate themselves with; nor is their daily employment sufficiently laborious to prove a healthful exercise. Hence proceed colds, coughs, phthisis pulmonalis, and every thing which renders the frame a complete nest of complicated disorders. The women above the common rank, lead a very sedentary life, and seldom appear out of doors, unless at church, which, probably on account of its great distance from them, they do not often visit. Besides, tea has found its way into these dreary regions, a constant use of which is the well-known enemy of those who lead sedentary lives, and do not take exercise sufficient to promote the necessary secretions. Hence come on relaxation of the solids, indigestion, flatulency, glandular obstructions, hysterics, &c.

None of the female sex here appeared so healthy and blooming as those employed in cultivating the ground.

During our stay here in both 1806 and 1807, I was asked to visit different sick patients, and found a private infirmary almost in every house. To some of those I hope I gave useful medicines; to others I gave only some simples to satisfy them, as I found they were fast hastening to that “bourn whence no traveller returns.”

Medical advice and drugs are at a very exorbitant price here; and such cordials as wine, &c. cannot be procured for love or money. As the Captain was so charitable as to allow me to give medicines gratis to such as were really objects of compassion, I took nothing for my trouble in preparing them, or visiting the sick; knowing, that if God should be pleased to make me an instrument in relieving the distressed, I would be more than amply repaid.

April 3. Having got eight men at Balti Sound, we weighed anchor at ten A. M. and sailed out of the north entrance with a fine south-west breeze.

For some days we had fine clear frosty weather, during which time no particular occurrence took place.

On the 12th, at four P. M. we saw the long narrow island of Jan Mayen, (so called from the name of its discoverer,) bearing north-east, and distant about ten leagues. It lies in about 71° N. Lat. and 8° 15´ E. Long. from Ferro. Vid. Forster’s _Hist. Voy. to the North_, p. 422.

This island was once, in honour of Prince Maurice of Nassau, called _Mauritius Island_ in _Greenland_, to distinguish it from Mauritius island on the N. W. point of Spitzbergen. It stretches from N. E. to S. W. The north end rises into a high mountain called Beerenberg, from its being haunted by bears; though its steepness renders it inaccessible to man. A hundred yards from the shore the water is about sixty fathoms deep: but a little farther out no soundings have been found.

The seas neighbouring to this island were formerly much frequented by whale fishers, (especially from 1611 to 1633,) but the whales are now seldom found here, having withdrawn to the ice, where they enjoy more security.

The bears, sea-horses, and other voracious marine animals, together with the foxes and carnivorous birds, not finding so good a supply of whale carrion, as usual, have also, in a great measure, deserted the coast.

On the land are still seen some vestiges of those temporary buildings where the fishers of that time boiled their blubber. But this practice of boiling blubber in the North has long since been discontinued, and is now performed on the return of the vessels to their respective ports.

In 1633, seven sailors were left in Jan Mayen Island to winter; but on the 7th of June following they were all found dead, (chiefly of the scurvy,) by some people from Holland, who arrived there. It was evident that they had lived through the winter, as their journal was carried down to the 30th of April, soon after which they must have fallen victims to disease.

It is necessary to observe, that the Dutch at this period entertained hopes of being able to found some permanent establishments in the North, and that for this purpose men were sometimes left in these islands, to make observations during the winter. The wretched fate that generally attended these adventurers, at last induced the States-General totally to relinquish the attempt.

Here we fell in with some _streams_ of ice, which we went through in search of seals; but of these we saw very few, and got none. Spoke a brig from Bergen. 15th, One sail in sight.

On the 16th we were encountered by a violent storm from the north; and after running, as near as we could calculate, about fifty leagues in a south-westerly direction, we were met by a great number of birds; this clearly showed us to be at no great distance from land, and had we continued under the same course, we perhaps would soon have fallen in with Iceland; here however, we lay-to under close reefed top-sails, till the weather moderated, and on the 17th we sailed in a north-east direction. The weather at this time was so hazy that we could not take an observation; and after a gale, and lying-to, not much reliance can be placed on the reckoning by account.

I may here remark that top-sails are now generally reckoned the best sails for a ship to ly-to under. They are not exposed to accidents from becalming in a heavy sea; and, from their height, they have more power to steady the ship than a sail of treble size nearer the deck; top-sails used for lying-to should be made of stouter canvass than usual.

22d, The Greenland fleet in sight.

23d, Eighteen sail in company. Lay-to about three quarters of an hour to get some fresh water ice, which is known from that of salt water by its crystalline transparency, the other being very opaque. We occasionally brought large pieces of it on board in a boat, which were piled upon the deck to serve as water for the use of the men, and had also a hogshead filled with it for the tea-water in the cabin.

24th, Several showers of snow. To-day we passed that solitary spot called Bear, or Cherry Island, in Lat. 74° 30´ N. Long. 19° 5´ E. The surface of this island is mountainous, craggy, and dreary in its aspect; exhibiting in some places a scene of black, stupendous precipices; and in others lofty eminences covered with snow.

The ears of people approaching this island are incessantly assailed with the sounds of the impetuous waves dashing against the rugged shores; the crashing collision of floating ice; the discordant notes of innumerable birds; the barking of arctic foxes; the snorting of walruses[8], and the dreadful roaring of the polar bears.

[8] These animals have been found here, lying huddled together, a thousand in a heap.

The currents near the island are remarkably rapid, which renders it impracticable to cast anchor within two miles of it, where soundings can be had in twenty or thirty fathoms. Vid. Forster, p. 329.

In 1604, this island was visited by a ship commanded by Stephen Bennet, who, in this and many succeeding voyages, killed prodigious numbers of sea-horses, or walruses. He discovered also abundance of lead ore under a mountain, (by him named Mount Misery, from its truly wretched and forlorn appearance,) of which he brought upwards of thirty tons home to England. Here are also found coals of an excellent quality, and very fine virgin silver of different forms. Vid. Forster, p. 332.

Near to Cherry Island is a small spot called Gull Island, on which were likewise found several veins of lead ore and coals.

25th, Clear weather and hard frost.

26th, Clear weather, and a considerable quantity of ice.

27th, Some snow; ice increasing.

28th, At ten A. M. the ship was made fast to a large iceberg, the lowest part of which was about ten, and the highest forty feet from the surface of the water. Its circumference was considerable.

These floating mountains of ice, to which Dutch navigators have given the name of Icebergs, and which are of all different magnitudes, are originally formed on land. The sun, even in those high latitudes, has a considerable power in melting the snow on the mountains, which, running down into the valleys, and again congealing, segments frequently break off from the entire mass, and fall into the sea. The ice of which these floating masses are composed, is of various colours. The original fresh water ice is sometimes incrusted with that formed from the sea water, and this again is covered with new ice formed of fallen snow. The different positions of the spectator relatively to the incidental rays of light, varies likewise the seeming hue of the whole. In some parts it emulates the vividness of the emerald, and in others, the most beautiful sapphire. When the iceberg is totally composed of melted snow, which is sometimes but partly the case, the refraction of the solar rays is the most beautiful; and the appearance of those floating mountains on the side opposite the sun, presents such a blaze of light, intermingled with different glowing tints, as totally to baffle description. “Frost,” says the eloquent Pennant, “sports with these icebergs, and gives them majestic as well as other singular forms. Masses have been seen, assuming the shape of a Gothic church with arched windows and doors, and all the rich drapery of that style, composed of what an _Arabian_ tale would scarcely dare to relate, of crystal of the richest sapphirine blue; tables with one or more feet; and often immense flat roofed temples, like those of _Luxor_ on the _Nile_, supported by round transparent columns of cerulean hue, float by the astonished spectator.”

I have not unfrequently seen floating masses of ice which had evidently been formed of drifted snow, since they wanted the compactness and solidity of those formed by the melting of the snows. Many of these contained trees, and (as there are no trees in Spitzbergen) must have been originally formed in the northern parts of Russia or America, and, being carried by the rapid rivers of these countries into the ocean, had drifted into these latitudes. These trees have often the appearance of being burnt at the ends; and Olafsen mentions, that the violent friction which they frequently experience, occasionally sets them on fire, and exhibits the extraordinary phenomenon of flame and smoke issuing from this frozen ocean.--_Malte-Brun_, tome v. 241.

Between one and two o’clock this morning, I was much entertained by the sun darting his rays through the cabin windows.

30th, Cast off from the iceberg, and endeavoured to force our way through the ice in a northern direction, till it became so thick and close around us, that we were forced to make fast to another large iceberg, where a small part of the surface of the water was free from ice.

May 1st, In the morning, about twelve or one o’clock, the Garland was put upon the main-top-gallant stay by the last married man, as is usual among the Greenland ships. It is formed by the crossing of three small hoops in the form of a globe, and is covered with ribbons, &c. The crew on this occasion blacken their faces with a mixture of grease and soot, and dance round the decks, their chief musical instruments being frying-pans, mess-kettles, fire-irons, &c. This rough mode of festivity they continued till the Captain ordered them a plentiful allowance of grog. After regaling themselves with the very acceptable donation of their commander, they washed themselves, and began to coil away the boat lines, and prepare for the fishing. In every boat there is a line, 720 fathoms long, to the end of which is fixed a harpoon about eight feet five inches long; the iron part is better than two feet long, and is extremely sharp. On each side of the point is placed a barb, or wither, diverging from the harpoon at an angle of nearly forty degrees, to prevent the instrument from flinching and losing its hold. There are also several lances, or spears, about six feet long, the points of which are about two inches broad: by these the whales are killed after being struck with the harpoons.

A boat’s crew consists of a harpooner, a boat-steerer, a line-manager, and three or four men, more or less, according to the size of the boat.

2d, Cast off, and made for a large iceberg, one mile to the east, to which we made fast, and were soon after closed in by the ice. This iceberg was twenty feet high, and mostly composed of fresh water ice. We had not been above two hours in this situation before a strong gale cleared away the ice, and we discovered South Cape in Spitzbergen, bearing north-east, distant thirty miles.

May 3d, Sailed for Charles Island on the west coast of Spitzbergen, the most southern part of which is in latitude 78°.

We were much impeded in our course by ice, which, according to the Greenland phrase, was very _rank_, around us. The ship struck occasionally on masses of considerable size, to the no little surprise of those sailors who were making their first voyage hither. We had this day a piece of fresh beef cooked for dinner, which we brought from England; it tasted as well, and was as full of juice as if newly killed: as did all the fowls which we got at Shetland: These were hung by the legs to a rope upon the quarter-deck; but neither plucked nor gutted. Our eggs likewise preserved their good taste. This proves the antiseptic power of intense cold.

4th, Intense frost. Ice-bound, with several sail in company.

5th, Strong gales. Unhung the rudder.

6th, The ship towed through very rank ice, by four boats manned by half the crew. Ten sail in company.

7th, Made fast to an iceberg about seventy yards long and forty broad, and about twenty feet above the surface of the water. It was very much furrowed, and, from its great depth, drifted but little, while the lesser fragments of ice were driven past it at the rate of about two knots an hour.

I had this day a complete proof of the fallacy of the opinion, which maintained that salt water did not freeze. All around the ship, ice was formed on the surface of the water; I observed the spiculæ darting with considerable velocity, and in an immense variety of forms. This ice, when newly formed, is of a bay colour, and when it has attained the thickness of window glass is called by the sailors, _bay ice_. It is rough on the surface, and opaque; if the frost be not interrupted by a swell of the sea, or storm, the salt-water ice often extends to an immense distance. It is by the Greenland sailors termed a _field_, when of such extent that the eye cannot reach its bounds. The smaller fragments of salt-water ice are called _seal meadows_, and on them these animals often sport by hundreds.

In storms large masses of ice are frequently piled on each other, to a considerable height; these are called _packs_, and often assume a very fantastic appearance. The grinding noise occasioned by the collision of those huge masses of ice against each other, and against the ship, not only fills the mind of the auditor with a degree of horror, but, for a considerable time, deprives him of the sense of hearing.

Storms in those seas are so extremely dangerous, that the most powerful pens could convey but a faint representation of their horrific sublimity.-- The fury of the ocean is but the least of the enemies the sailor has to contend with. If the ship, during a storm, should be encircled by ice, there is hardly a possibility of avoiding impending fate.

8th, Discovered the south point of Prince Charles’ Island, bearing east, distant six leagues.

On the 11th, we made Fair Foreland, or Vogel Hook, the northern extremity of Charles’ Island and on the 13th, we reached the southern extremity of the westernmost cape, forming Cross-bay in Spitzbergen, at a short distance from which, we were made fast to a large iceberg.

Spitzbergen is a general appellation given to a vast assemblage of frozen islands, lying between South Cape, in 76° 30´, and Verlegan Hook, in 80° 7´ north latitude. Its greatest breadth is from the westernmost part of Mauritius, or Amsterdam Island, called Hackluyt’s Headland, to the extreme east point of North-Eastland, comprising from 9° to nearly 24° east longitude.

The inhospitable nature of this frozen climate has prevented Spitzbergen from being properly explored. The best charts that have been published are extremely defective, and its larger divisions are but imperfectly defined. It could nowise interest the reader to peruse a dry catalogue of headlands or straits; and a few general observations may suffice to exhaust all that is interesting in its appearance.

The general aspect of this gloomy and sterile country, affords a scene truly picturesque and sombre. The shores are rugged, bold and terrific, being in many places formed by lofty, black, inaccessible rocks, some of which taper to exceedingly high points, and are altogether bare, and almost destitute of vegetation. The entire face of the country exhibits a wild, dreary landscape, of amazingly high[9] sharp-pointed mountains, some of which rear their summits above the clouds, and are capped with strata of snow, probably coeval with the creation of the world.

[9] The altitude of one near the Black Point, south end, was found, by the megameter, to be 1503 yards. Phipps’ _Voyages_, p. 87.

“So Zembla’s rocks (the beauteous work of frost,) Rise white in air, and glitter o’er the coast: Pale suns, unfelt, at distance roll away, And on th’ impassive ice the lightnings play; Eternal snows, the growing mass supply, Till the bright mountains prop th’ incumbent sky; As Atlas fix’d each hoary pile appears, The gather’d winter of a thousand years.”

The mountains of Spitzbergen have been observed, by voyagers, to decline in altitude towards the east; neither are the eastern mountains so black, steep, or naked, as those more to the west. This curious phenomenon is considered by some naturalists as a general law of nature. The mountains here are totally composed of one entire and single mass of granite. The only fissures discovered in their vast extent, are formed by the intensity of the frost rending them assunder. They burst with a noise like thunder, and often huge fragments are torn from the summits, and rolled with great impetuosity to the base.

The glaciers are the most astonishing of all the natural phenomena of this county. It would only convey a faint representation of their size and magnificence, to say, that they far surpassed those of Switzerland. Travellers who have been in both countries, declare there is no comparison between them. Perhaps the most proper method to form a just conception of their magnitude, is by considering the size of the icebergs, which, as previously stated, are fragments of them. One of these masses, according to Phipps, has been found grounded in twenty-four fathoms water, while it towered above the surface to the height of fifty feet. Almost every valley can boast of its glacier, some of which vie with the mountains in height. They are occasionally hollow, and immense cascades of water are precipitated from them.

The magnificence of this scene it is impossible to describe. The gloomy silence of the surrounding country, the hoarse noise of the water dashing from an immense height, and the magnificent effect produced by the reflection of the solar rays, form a _tout ensemble_ which can only be faintly conceived.

Though the mountains of Spitzbergen consist generally of rocks of primary formation, it is not altogether destitute of those of a later origin. Captain Phipps discovered several species of marble, which dissolved readily in muriatic acid. On the east side of the country, potters’ clay and gypsum have been found, and different specimens of talc, mica, and lapis olearis, are to be met with. Phipps did not perceive any metallic ores in this country, nor, as far as I know, have other voyagers discovered any. The interior of the country, however, has been very little, if at all, explored, and it would therefore be wrong to conclude against their existence from this circumstance, more especially as they are said to be found in Greenland.

Solid as the rocks of this barren country are, their disintegration has gone on to a considerable extent. The combined effects of cataracts, formed of melted snow, of frosts, and tempests, are at once perceived in the quantity of grit, or coarse sand, worn down from the mountains. This sterile substance, (the only thing among the rocks resembling soil,) is somewhat fertilized by the putrified _lichens_, and dung of wild birds.

No fountains, or springs of fresh water, are to be found here; frost arrests the watery fluid in its course, and prevents it from ascending to the surface. The cascades falling from the glaciers, are solely formed of melted snow, and with this only the navigators can be supplied.

This inhospitable climate is not entirely destitute of vegetation; some plants are found, which brave the rigour of perpetual frost, and convey some faint representation of a more southern country. They are generally short, crabbed, and have a wretched appearance. The _Salix herbacea_, (dwarf willow,) the most vigorous of them all, scarcely rises two inches from the ground. Among the few herbs, the _Cochlearia_, (scurvy grass,) deserves the first rank, as being the providential resource of distempered seamen. Here are also found several species of _Lichen_, (liverwort,) _Saxifraga_, _Ranunculus_, _Bryum_, and a few others, of little or no use in the medical world.

On the west side of Spitzbergen there are some safe harbours and roads for ships. The sea near the shore is, for the most part, shallow, and the bottom rocky; but it often suddenly deepens to some hundred fathoms, where the lead sinks in soft mud, and sometimes mixed with shells. In Smeerenberg, which has a sandy bottom, vessels may ride in thirteen fathoms water not far from the shore, where they are sheltered from all winds.

The tide, from the number of islands through which it passes, flows very irregularly, in some places only three and four feet.