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610 LE ROY’S NARRATIVE OF FOUR RUSSIAN SAILORS.
fometimes wintered here; with the fkins, the teeth, and the oil, of thefe animals, and
particularly of the laft mentioned, they carry on a confiderable trade : what rather
fhould excite aftonifhment, is the circumftance, of no fhip’s arriving at the ifland du-
ring the whole time of our failors’: refiding there. Hence I fufpe&t that the advantage
derivable from the fifhery in this quarter, is not equal to that upon the weftern coaft of
Spitzbergen, to which fhips commonly fail.
They told nie it frequently happened that they met with teeth of fea calves upon the
fhore, and fometimes jaws of thofe animals, but never entire carcafes. This can excite
no wonder. It does not admit a doubt, that if they died on the fhore, they would be
devoured by the white bears, and probably by the foxes as well.
The great number of teeth and jaws with which the fhores are beftrewed, makes
me fufpect with great probability, that thefe carnivorous beafts frequently furprize the
fea calves when afleep, and devour them. Iam led to this {ufpicion from a knowledge
of its being comman for the bears to feed on the dead whales, which are frequently
feen floating on the fea, or are caft upon the fhores of thefe iflands contiguous to the pole.
We have before obferved, that the rein-deer are fupported by the mofs, which grows
‘plenteoufly in thefe uninhabited and defart regions, but what feeds the foxes that are
met with? Itis well known that this animal is carnivorous, and lives on the continent
upon fowl, and hares, which it furprizes: it is alfo probable that in this country, its
food is thofe animals which the bear has killed, and which not having power itfelf to at-
tack, have yet fallen an eafy prey to that ftronger beatt.
Before I proceed to mention the lucky, and unhoped-for deliverance of our failors
from their lonefome fituation, a fituation in which they expected to pafs their days, I
muft now relate an incident which I had omitted before, and which is well worthy of re-
mark: As long as they remained upon this ifland, they had been free both from lice and
fleas; and it was not till their return to their native country, that thefe vermin made
their appearance again upon them. P
Mott writers of voyages have remarked that upon crofling the equinodtial line, failors
who are much fubject to be loufy, and the cloaths which they wear, that is to fay, their
checked fhirts, become immediately clear of them: as foon however as they recrofs the
line, they are peftered with thefe vermin again, as much as before. ‘Thefe two fimilar
incidents occafion me a reflection reafonable enough in itfelf; it is that fince the pafling
of the line, and the pafling of the polar circle produces a fimilar effect, there muft needs
be between the one, and the other, a conneétion, into which it would be well that natur-
alifts fhould examine.
Our unfortunates had now been nearly fix years in this difmal fituation, when Feodor
Werigin died, reduced to a fkeleton ; fo much had he fuffered from his dreadful illnefs.
Releafed it is true from the cares of attending and feeding him, and from the grief of
fecing him fuffer, without the power of affording him relief, they did not yet fee his death
without emotion ; they faw their number now diminifhed, and there were but three re-
maining. As his deceafe took place in the winter, they made a hole in the fnow as deep
as poflible, and laid his corple init, covering it in the beft manner they could, that the
white bears might not get to and devour it.
To conclude, at a time when every one was reflecting upon this laft duty paid to their
companion, and under apprehenfion that it would be his lot to lay by his fide, contrary
to all expectation, a Ruffian veflel appeared in fight, on the fifteenth of Auguft
1749-
On board the fhip was a merchant of a certain fect, called by its profeffors Stara
vieva, ov the ancient faith, a good and worthy character. ‘The fhip was originally hes
9* tende
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