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596 LE ROY’S NARRATIVE OF FOUR RUSSIAN SAILORS.

I had omitted to quefion the men on any feparate matters which he had learnt from
them. ‘The two accounts did not differ in the fmalleft degree in the anfwers given to
the various queftions put to them. ‘This is an inconteftible evidence of the truth of
their narrative, fince in different places, and af different times, they uniformly ftated
the fame.

In the year 1743 Jeremias Ottamkoff, an inhabitant of Mefen, in Jergovia, a part of
the government of Archangel, bethought himfelf of fending out a veffel with fourteen
hands to Spitzbergen, to fifh for whales and fea-calves, called by the Ruffians Morgi ;
in which line he carried on a confiderable trade. For eight days together this veffel had
a favourable wind, but on the ninth it changed. Inftead of proceeding to the weftern
fide of Spitzbergen, to which the Dutch and other nations annually refort for the whale
fiflrery ; they were defirous of failing to the eaftern fide, and fhortly reached an ifland
which is called Eaft Spitzbergen, known to the Ruffians by the name of Maloy Brown,
which fignifies Little Brown ; Spitzbergen Proper being called by them Bolfchoy Brown,
that is, Great Brown. They were within three werlts of fhore (two Englifh miles),
when fuddenly the veffel was inclofed by ice; this gave them great uneafinefs. They
held a council among themfelves on what to do, when the boat{wain recollected to have
heard that fome inhabitants of Mefen had once refolved upon wintering on this ifland ;
they had alfo taken with them the materials of a hut, in ready-fitted timber, on board.
their fhip ; and this hut had been judged to be certainly at fome diftance from the fea-
fhore. This information of the boatf{wain induced them to refolye on fpending the
winter there themfelves, fhould the hut remain as they hoped’; confidering that they
fhould run great danger in any cafe if they hazarded remaining at fea. They deputed
four perfons to feek for and endeavour to find the hut, and any other medium of aflift-
ance; that is to fay, the boatiwain, Alexis Himloff, and three failors, Iwan Himkoff,
Stephen Sharapoff, and Foedor Weregin.

They had to land ona defert ifland. Thefe unfortunate men were therefore, of
courfe, to be fupplied with arms, and plenty of provifion. On the other hand, they
had to proceed the diftance of a mile over fragments of ice, now lifted up by the waves, —
and now driven againft each other by the wind ; which made the way as perilous as la-
borious, and confequently enforced the circumfpection of not overloading themfelves,
left they fhould fink, and not arrive.

They provided themfelves for this expedition with a mufquet, a powder-horn, con-
taining twelves charges of powder, a quantity of lead, an axe, a {mall kettle, 4 ftove, a,
piece of touchwood, a knife, a tin-box full of tobacco, and each his pipe ; with thefe few
articles and provifions, did thefe four unfortunate failors reach the ifland.

They overcame all their difficulties, and quickly difcovered the hut they were in fearch
of: it was erected about a quarter of a mile from the fea. It was about fix fathoms
long ; its breadth and its height} were each three fathoms. It had a fmall entrance.
hall, which might be two fathoms broad, and confequently had two doors, the one
opening into the hall, the other into the chamber. ‘This ferved very well to preferve
the warmth of the room when it was heated. ‘To conclude, there was found in this
apartment a clay fire-place, fet up in the Ruffian manner, i, e. a ftove without a chim-
ney, ferving the double purpofe of cooking the victuals and heating the room, and alfo
for men to place themfelves upon : this is a common practice among the country people
when they are cold.

I have obferved that they were without a chimney in this room, and this can excite
but little aftonifhment: the Ruffian peafantry, feldom building their houfes in any other
manner. As for the fmoak with which the whole chamber is filled whena fire is made

6 in

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