. Narrative of discovery and adventure in the polar seas and regions [microform] : with illustrations of their climate, geology, and natural history, and an account of the whale-fishery. Natural history; Sciences naturelles. â lâlliiI'niYllT"-"ri1i"°''----' --â - f*y 1r! i Ih I ) i â 308 NORTHERN WHALE-FISHERY In 1633 the Dutch planned a settlement on the northern coast of Spitzbergen, when seven sailors volunteered for this arduous undertaking. On the 30th August the fleet left them in North Bay, where they not only undertook to live during the winter, but even to provide them
. Narrative of discovery and adventure in the polar seas and regions [microform] : with illustrations of their climate, geology, and natural history, and an account of the whale-fishery. Natural history; Sciences naturelles. â lâlliiI'niYllT"-"ri1i"°''----' --â - f*y 1r! i Ih I ) i â 308 NORTHERN WHALE-FISHERY In 1633 the Dutch planned a settlement on the northern coast of Spitzbergen, when seven sailors volunteered for this arduous undertaking. On the 30th August the fleet left them in North Bay, where they not only undertook to live during the winter, but even to provide themselves with fresh provisions. They visited all the surrounding shores, took three reindeer and a number of sea-swallows, collecting also a great quantity of a species of watercress. Their great ambition was to catch a whale; but, though tantalized by the sight of many, all tJieir attempts failed. Even one found dead and fresh on the margin of the sea was floated out by the tide be- fore they could secure it. It was on the 3d October that the extreme cold began to be felt, accompanied by numerous flights of birds passing to the southward. On the 13th one of the casks of beer was frozen three inches thick. The winterers were obliged to break the ice in pieces, and thaw it before the fire, when it made a very un- palatable liquor. On the 15th, having ascended one of the neighbouring mountains they could see only a small portion of the sun's disk on the verge of the horizon, and in a few days it entirely disappeared; there was still a faint twilight Of eight hours, which was soon reduced to five, and became every day shorter and shorter. In November the cold increased to the utmost pitch: they could not sleep in their beds, but were obliged either to crouch over the fire, or; an full speed through the hut, to keep up the vital energy. At length they ranged all their couches round the fireplace and a stove, yet still found it ne- cessary to lay themselves down between the stov
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubjectnaturalhistory, booksubjectsciencesn
