Letters from High Latitudes; being some account of a voyage in the schooner yacht 'Foam' ... to Iceland, Jan Mayen, & Spitzbergen, in 1856

Front matter

FIRST GLIMFSE OF JAN MiTEH. LETTEKS TROM HIGH LATITUDES; BEING some account op a VOYAGE, IN 1856, IN thb SCHOONEE YACHT " FOAM," TO ICELAND, JAN MAYEN, & SPITZBEEGEN. BY LORD DUFFERIN. FOURTH EDITION. LONDON : JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. 1858. [The right of Translation is reserved."] "But since it pleased a vanish'd eyef I go to plant it on his tomb, That if it can, it there may bloom, Or dying — there at least may die." "He, To whom a thousand memories call, Not being less, but more than all The gentleness he seemed to be, So wore Ms outward best, and join'd Each office of the social hour. To noble manners, as the flower And native growth of noble mind." In Memoriam. ,1 (fab hticnbcb io iljtsf so Jfrancis (Kgcrton, £arl of illtsmm. | noto Jttsmbt tjjtm to Jps IfUmurg. CONTENTS.

Through the Sounds— Stornaway — the setting up of the Figure-head — Fitz's Foray — " Oh weel may the Boatie row, that wins the Bairns' Bread" — Sir Patrick Spens joins — up Anchor 25

Letter V

The North Atlantic — Spanish Waves — our Cabin in a Gale — Sea-sickness from a scientific Point of View — Wilson — a Passenger commits Suicide — first Sight of Iceland — Floki of the Ravens — the Norse Mayflower — Faxa Fiord — we land in Thule CONTENTS. VI 6?.

Letter VI. Page

Reykjavik— Latin Conversation— I become the Proprietor of twenty-six Horses — Eider Ddcks — Bessestad— Snorro Sturleson — ■ the old Greenland Colony — Finland — a Genoese Skipper in the Fifteenth Century — an Icelandic Dinner — Skoal — an after-dinner Speech in Latin — winged Rabbits — Ducrow — Start of the Baggage-train .... 40

Letter VII

Kisses — Wilson on horseback — a Lava Plateau — Thingvalla — Almannagia — Rabnagia — our Tent — the shivered Plain — Witch-drowning — a Parliamentary Debate, a.d. 1000 — Thangbrand the Missionary — a German Gnat-catcher — the mystical Mountains — Sir Olaf — Heckla — ■ Skapta Jokul— the Fire Deluge of 1783— we reach the Geysir — Strokr — Fitz's bonne Fortune. — more Kisses— an Eruption — Prince Napoleon — Return — Trade — Population — a Mutiny— the "Reine Hortense" — the seven Dutchmen— a Ball — low Dresses — Northward Ho ! . .

Letter VIII

Start feom Reykjavik — Snaefell — the Lady op Froda — a Bebsebk Tragedy — the Champion of Ereidavik— Onunder Fiord — the last Night — crossing the Arctic Circle — Fete ON BOARD THE " REINE HORTENSE " — LE PeRE ARCTIQDE — WE FALL IN WITH THE ICE — '" THE SaXON " DISAPPEARS — MlST — A Parting in a lonely Spot — Jan Ma yen — Mount Beerenbero — an unpleasant Position — Shift of Wind and Extrication — " to Norroway over the Faem " — a nasty Coast — Hammerfest 128

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 ! CONTENTS. VII

Letter XI. Pagb

We sail for Bear Island, and Spitzbergen — Cherie Island — Barentz — Sir Hugh Willoughby — Parry's Attempt to beach the north pole — again amongst the ice— iceblink — first Sight of Spitzbergen — Wilson — Decay of our Hopes — constant Struggle with the Ice — we reach the 80° N. lat. — a freer sea we land in spitzbergen — english bay — Lady Edith's Glacier — a midnight Photograph — no Reindeer to be seen — et Ego in Arctis — Winter in Spitzbergen — Ptarmigan — the Bear-saga — the " Foam " Monument — Southwards — Sight the Greenland Ice — a Gale — Wilson on the Malstrom — Breakers ahead — Roost — taking a Sight — Throndhjem 199

Letter XII

Throndhjem — Harald Haarfager — King Bacon's last Battle — Olaf Tryggvesson — the "Long Serpent " — Saint Olave — Thormod the Scald — the Jarl of Lade— the Cathedral — Harald Hardrada — the Battle of Stanford Bridge — a Norse Ball— Odin and his Paladins 243