letters from high latitudes-第30部分

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From　causes　similar　（though　of　less　efficacy；　in　consequence　of　the　smaller　area　occupied　by　water）　to　those　which　originally　gave　birth　to　the　ascending　energy　of　the　Antarctic　waters；　a　gelid　current　is　also　generated　in　the　Arctic　Ocean；　which；　descending　in　a　south…westerly　direction；　encounters　the　already　faltering　Gulf　Stream　in　the　space　between　Spitzbergen　and　Nova　Zembla。　A　contest　for　the　mastery　ensues；　which　is　eventually　terminated　by　a　compromise。　The　warmer　stream；　no　longer　quite　able　to　hold　its　own；　splits　into　two　branches；　the　one　squeezing　itself　round　the　North　Cape；　as　far　as　that　Varangar　Fiord　which　Russia　is　supposed　so　much　to　covet；　while　the　other　is　pushed　up　in　a　more　northerly　direction　along　the　west　coast　of　Spitzbergen。　But　although　it　has　power　to　split　up　the　Gulf　Stream　for　a　certain　distance；　the　Arctic　current　is　ultimately　unable　to　cut　across　it；　and　the　result　is　an　accumulation　of　ice　to　the　south　of　Spitzbergen　in　the　angle　formed　by　the　bifurcation；　as　Mr。　Grote　would　call　it；　of　the　warmer　current。

It　is　quite　possible；　therefore；　that　the　north…west　extremity　of　Spitzbergen　may　be　comparatively　clear；　while　the　whole　of　its　southern　coasts　are　enveloped　in　belts　of　ice　of　enormous　extent。　It　was　on　this　contingency　that　we　built　our　hopes；　and　determined　to　prosecute　our　voyage；　in　spite　of　the　discouraging　report　of　the　Norse　skipper。

About　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening　we　got　under　way　from　Hammerfest；　unfortunately　the　wind　almost　immediately　after　fell　dead　calm；　and　during　the　whole　night　we　lay　〃like　a　painted　ship　upon　a　painted　ocean。〃　At　six　o'clock　a　little　breeze　sprang　up；　and　when　we　came　on　deck　at　breakfast　time；　the　schooner　was　skimming　at　the　rate　of　five　knots　an　hour　over　the　level　lanes　of　water；　which　lie　between　the　silver…grey　ridges　of　gneiss　and　mica　slate　that　hem　in　the　Nordland　shore。　The　distance　from　Hammerfest　to　Alten　is　about　forty　miles；　along　a　zigzag　chain　of　fiords。　It　was　six　o'clock　in　the　evening；　and　we　had　already　sailed　two…and…thirty　miles；　when　it　again　fell　almost　calm。　Impatient　at　the　unexpected　delay；　and　tempted　by　the　beauty　of　the　evening；which　was　indeed　most　lovely；　the　moon　hanging　on　one　side　right　opposite　to　the　sun　on　the　other；　as　in　the　picture　of　Joshua's　miracle；Sigurdr；　in　an　evil　hour；　proposed　that　we　should　take　a　row　in　the　dingy；　until　the　midnight　breeze　should　spring　up；　and　bring　the　schooner　along　with　it。　Away　we　went；　and　so　occupied　did　we　become　with　admiring　the　rocky　precipices　beneath　which　we　were　gliding；　that　it　was　not　until　the　white　sails　of　the　motionless　schooner　had　dwindled　to　a　speck；　that　we　became　aware　of　the　distance　we　had　come。

Our　attention　had　been　further　diverted　by　the　spectacle　of　a　tribe　of　fishes；　whose　habit　it　appeared　to　beinstead　of　swimming　like　Christian　fishes　in　a　horizontal　position　beneath　the　waterto　walk　upon　their　hind…legs　along　its　surface。　Perceiving　a　little　boat　floating　on　the　loch　not　far　from　the　spot　where　we　had　observed　this　phenomenon；　we　pulled　towards　it；　and　ascertained　that　the　Lapp　officer　in　charge　was　actually　intent　on　stalking　the　peripatetic　schoolto　use　a　technical　expressionwhose　evolutions　had　so　much　astonished　us。　The　great　object　of　the　sportsman　is　to　judge　by　their　last　appearance　what　part　of　the　water　the　fish　are　likely　to　select　for　the　scene　of　their　next　promenade。　Directly　he　has　determined　this　in　his　own　mind；　he　rows　noiselessly　to　the　spot；　and；　as　soon　as　they　show　themselves；　hooks　them　with　a　landing…net　into　his　boat。

By　this　time　it　had　become　a　doubtful　point　whether　it　would　not　be　as　little　trouble　to　row　on　to　Alten　as　to　return　to　the　schooner；　so　we　determined　to　go　on。　Unfortunately　we　turned　down　a　wrong　fiord；　and　after　a　long　pull；　about　two　o'clock　in　the　morning　had　the　satisfaction　of　finding　ourselves　in　a　cul…de…sac。　To　add　to　our　discomfort；　clouds　of　mosquitoes　with　the　bodies　of　behemoths　and　the　stings　of　dragons；　had　collected　from　all　quarters　of　the　heavens　to　make　a　prey　of　us。　In　vain　we　struggledstrove　to　knock　them　down　with　the　oars；plunged　our　heads　under　the　water；smacked　our　faces　with　frantic　violence；　on　they　came　in　myriads；　until　I　thought　our　bleaching　bones　would　alone　remain　to　indicate　our　fate。　　At　last　Sigurdr　espied　a　log　but　on　the　shore；　where　we　might　at　least　find　some　one　to　put　us　into　the　right　road　again；　but　on　looking　in　at　the　open　door；　we　only　saw　a　Lapland　gentleman　fast　asleep。　Awaking　at　our　approach　he　started　to　his　feet；　and　though　nothing　could　be　more　gracefully　conciliatory　than　the　bow　with　which　I　opened　the　conversation；　I　regret　to　say　that　after　staring　wildly　round　for　a　few　minutes；　the　aboriginal　bolted　straight　away　in　the　most　unpolite　manner　and　left　us　to　our　fate。　There　was　nothing　for　it　but　patiently　to　turn　back；　and　try　some　other　opening。　This　time　we　were　more　successful；　and　about　three　o'clock　A。M。　had　the　satisfaction　of　landing　at　one　of　the　wharves　attached　to　the　copper　mines　of　Kaafiord。　We　came　upon　a　lovely　scene。　It　was　as　light　and　warm　as　a　summer's　noon　in　England；　upon　a　broad　plateau；　carved　by　nature　out　of　the　side　of　the　grey　limestone；　stood　a　bright　shining　house　in　the　middle　of　a　plot　of　rich　English…looking　garden。　On　one　side　lay　the　narrow　fiord；　on　every　other　rose　an　amphitheatre　of　fir…clad　mountains。　The　door　of　the　house　was　open；　so　were　many　of　the　windowseven　those　on　the　ground…floor；　and　from　the　road　where　we　stood　we　could　see　the　books　on　the　library　shelves。　A　swing　and　some　gymnastic　appliances　on　the　lawn　told　us　that　there　were　children。　Altogether；　I　thought　I　had　never　seen　such　a　charming　picture　of　silent　comfort　and　security。　Perhaps　the　barren　prospects　we　had　been　accustomed　to　made　the　little　oasis　before　us　look　more　cheerful　than　we　might　otherwise　have　thought　it。

The　question　now　arose；　what　was　to　be　done？　My　principal　reason　for　coming　to　Alten　was　to　buy　some　salt　provisions　and　Lapland　dresses；　but　dolls　and　junk　were　scarcely　a　sufficient　pretext　for　knocking　up　a　quiet　family　at　three　o'clock　in　the　morning。　It　is　true；　I　happened　to　have　a　letter　for　Mr。　T；　written　by　a　mutual　friend；　who　had　expressly　told　me　thatarrive　when　I　might　at　Alten；the　more　unceremoniously　I　walked　in　and　took　possession　of　the　first　unoccupied　bed　I　stumbled　on；　the　better　Mr。　T　would　be　pleased；　but　British　punctilio　would　not　allow　me　to　act　on　the　recommendation；　though　we　were　sorely　tried。　In　the　meantime　the　mosquitoes　had　become　more　intolerable　than　ever。　At　last；　half　mad　with　irritation；　I　set　off　straight　up　the　side　of　the　nearest　mountain；　in　hopes　of　attaining　a　zone　too　high　for　them　to　inhabit；　and；　poising　myself　upon　its　topmost　pinnacle；　I　drew　my　handkerchief　over　my　headI　was　already　without　coat　and　waistcoatand　remained　the　rest　of　the　morning　〃mopping　and　mowing〃　at　the　world　beneath　my　feet。

About　six　o'clock；　like　a　phantom　in　a　dream；　the　little　schooner　came　stealing　round　the　misty　headland；　and　anchored　at　the　foot　of　the　rocks　below。　Returning　immediately　on　board；　we　bathed；　dressed；　and　found　repose　from　all　our　troubles。　Not　long　after；　a　message　from　Mr。　　T；　in　answer　to　a　card　I　had　sent　up　to　the　house　as　soon　as　the　household　gave　signs　of　being　astirinvited　us　to　breakfast；　and　about　half…past　nine　we　presented　ourselves　at　his　hospitable　door。　The　reception　I　met　with　was　exactly　what　the　gentlemen　who　had　given　me　the　letter　of　introduction　had　led　me　to　expect；　and　so　eager　did　Mr。　T　seem　to　make　us　comfortable；　that　I　did　not　dare　to　tell　him　how　we　had　been　prowling　about　his　house　the　greater　part　of　the　previous　night；　lest　he　should　knock　me　down　on　the　spot　for　not　having　knocked　him　up。　The　appearance　of　the　inside　of　the　house　quite　corresponded　with　what　we　had　anticipated　from　the　soigne　air　of　everything　about　its　exterior。　Books；　maps；　pictures；　a　number　of　astronomical　instruments；　geological　specimens；　and　a　magnificent　assortment　of　fishing…rods；　betrayed　the　habits　of　the　practical；　well…educated；　business…loving　English　gentlemen　who　inhabited　it；　and　as　he　showed　me　the　various　articles　of　interest　in　his　study；　most　heartily　did　I　congratulate　myself　on　the　lucky　chance　which　had　brought　me　into　contact　with　so　desirable　an　acquaintance。

All　this　time　we　had　seen　nothing　of　the　lady　of　the　house；　and　I　was　just　beginning　to　speculate　as　to　whether　that　crowning　ornament　could　be　wanting　to　this　pleasant　home；　when　the　door　at　the　further　end　of　the　room　suddenly　opened；　and　there　glided　out　into　the　sunshine〃The　White　Lady　of　Avenel。〃　A　fairer　apparition　I　have　seldom　seen；stately；　pale；　and　fragile　as　a　lilyblond　hair；　that　rippled　round　a　forehead　of　ivorya　cheek　of　waxen　purity　on　which　the　fitful　colour　went　and　camenot　with　the　flush　of　southern　blood；　or　flower…bloom　of　English　beauty；but　rather　with　a　cool　radiance；　as　of　〃northern　streamers〃　on　the　snows　of　her　native　hills；　eyes　of　a　dusky　blue；　and　lips　of　that　rare　tint　which　lines　the　conch…shell。　Such　was　the　Chatelaine　of　Kaafiord；as　perfect　a　type　of　Norse　beauty　as　ever　my　Saga　lore　had　conjured　up！　Frithiof's　Ingeborg　herself　seemed　to　stand　before　me。　A　few　minutes　afterwards；　two　little　fair…haired　maidens；　like　twin　snowdrops；　stole　into　the　room；　and　the　sweet　home　picture　was　complete。

The　rest　of　the　day　has　been　a　continued　fete。　In　vain　after　having　transacted　my　business；　I　pleaded　the　turning　of　the　tide；　and　our　anxiety　to　get　away　to　sea；　nothing　would　serve　our　kind　entertainer　but　that　we　should　stay　to　dinner；　and　his　was　one　of　those　strong　energetic　wills　it　is　difficult　to　resist。

In　the　afternoon；　the　Hammerfest　steamer　called　in　from　the　southward；　and　by　her　came　two　fair　sisters　of　our　hostess　from　their　father's　home　in　one　of　the　Loffodens　which　overlook　the　famous　Maelstrom。　The　stories　about　the　violence　of　the　whirlpool　Mr。　T　assures　me　are　ridiculously　exaggerated。　On　ordinary　occasions　the　site　of　the　supposed　vortex　is　perfectly　unruffled；　and　it　is　only　when　a　strong　weather　tide　is　running　that　any　unusual　movements　in　the　water　can　be　observed；　even　then　the　disturbance　does　not　amount　to　much　more　than　a　rather　troublesome　rac