Letters from high latitudes : being some account of a voyage, in 1856, in the schooner yacht "Foam", to Iceland, Jan Mayen, and Spitzbergen . g lady wouldhave gone off into hysterics. It turned out, however, thatsuch was the very last thing she was thinking of a simple frankness that became her more than all theboarding-school graces in the world, her eyes dancing withmischief and good hiimour, she met him half way, andpouting out two rosy lips, gave him as hearty a kiss as itmight ever be the good fortune of one of us he-creatures toreceive. From that moment I determined to conform
Letters from high latitudes : being some account of a voyage, in 1856, in the schooner yacht "Foam", to Iceland, Jan Mayen, and Spitzbergen . g lady wouldhave gone off into hysterics. It turned out, however, thatsuch was the very last thing she was thinking of a simple frankness that became her more than all theboarding-school graces in the world, her eyes dancing withmischief and good hiimour, she met him half way, andpouting out two rosy lips, gave him as hearty a kiss as itmight ever be the good fortune of one of us he-creatures toreceive. From that moment I determined to conform forthe future to the customs of the inhabitants. Fresh from favours such as these, it was not surprising weshould start in the highest spirits. With a courtesy peculiar VII.] WE START. 63 to Iceland, Dr. Hjaltelin, the most jovial of doctors,—andanother gentleman, insisted on convoying us the first dozenmiles of our journey ; and as we clattered away through thewooden streets, I think a merrier party never set out fromReykjavik. In front scampered the three spare ponies,without bridles, saddles, or any sense of moral responsibility,. flinging up their heels, biting and neighing like mad things ;then came Sigurdr, now become our chief, surrounded bythe rest of the cavalcade ; and finally, at a little distance,phmged in profound melancholy, rode Wilson. Never shallI forget his appearance. During the night his head had 64 LETTERS FROM HIGH LATITUDES. [VII. come partially straight, but by way of precaution, I suppose,he had conceived the idea of burying it down to the chin ina huge seal-skin helmet I had given him against the in-clemencies of the Polar Sea. As on this occasion thethermometer was at 8i°, and a coiip-de-soleil was the chiefthing to be feared, a ton of fur round his skull was scarcelynecessar). Seamens trousers, a bright scarlet jersey, andjack-boots fringed with cat-skin, completed his costume ;and as he proceeded along in his usual state of chronicconsternation,
Size: 1601px × 1560px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., booka, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, bookpublisherlondonmurray
