I Think There Must Be Some Mistake Here; When
We Parted Company With The "Reine Hortense," We Were
Still Upwards
Of 100 miles distant from the southern
extremity of Jan Mayen.] from the southern part of that
island, but we
Saw the ice-field stretching out before
us as far as the eye could reach; hence it became evident
that Jan Mayen was blocked up by the ice, at least along
its south coast. To ascertain whether it might still be
accessible from the north, it would have been necessary
to have attempted a circuit to the eastward, the possible
extent of which could not be estimated; moreover, we had
consumed half our coals, and had lost all hope of being
rejoined by the 'Saxon.' Thus forced to give up any
further attempts in that direction, Commodore de la
Ronciere, having got the ship clear of the floating ice,
took a W.S.W. course, in the direction of Reykjavik.
The instant the 'Reine Hortense' assumed this new course,
a telegraphic signal - as had been previously arranged -
acquainted Lord Dufferin with our determinations. Almost
immediately, the young Lord sent on board us a tin box,
with two letters, one for his mother, and one for our
commander. In the latter he stated that - finding himself
clear of the ice, and master of his own movements - he
preferred continuing his voyage alone, uncertain whether
he should at once push for Norway, or return to Scotland.
[Footnote: I was purposely vague as to my plans, lest
you might learn we still intended to go on.] The two
ropes that united the vessels were then cast off, a
farewell hurrah was given, and in a moment the English
schooner was lost in the fog.
Our return to Reykjavik afforded no incident worth notice;
the 'Reine Hortense,' keeping her course outside the ice,
encountered no impediment, except from the intense fogs,
which forced her - from the impossibility of ascertaining
her position - to lie to, and anchor off the cape during
part of the day and night of the 13th.
On the morning of the 14th, as we were getting out at
the Dyre Fiord, where we had anchored, we met - to our
great astonishment - the 'Cocyte' proceeding northward.
Her commander, Sonnart, informed us that on the evening
of the 12th, the 'Saxon' - in consequence of the injuries
she had received, had been forced back to Reykjavik. She
had hardly reached the ice on the 9th, when she came into
collision with it; five of her timbers had been stove
in, and an enormous leak had followed. Becoming
water-logged, she was run ashore, the first tine at
Onundarfiord, and again in Reykjavik roads, whither she
had been brought with the greatest difficulty."
LETTER X.
BUCOLICS - THE GOAT - MAID MARIAN - A LAPP LADY - LAPP LOVE-
MAKING - THE SEA-HORSEMAN - THE GULF STREAM - ARCTIC
CURRENTS - A DINGY EXPEDITION - A SCHOOL OF PERIPATETIC
FISHES - ALTEN - THE CHATELAINE OF KAAFIORD - STILL NORTHWARD
HO!
July 27th, Alten.
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