ADVENTURES OF FOUR SAILORS, WHO WERE CAST AWAY ON THE DESERT ISLAND OF SPITSBERGEN. THESE northern feas, owing to the exceffive cold of the climate, are frequently fo full of ice as to render it exceedingly hazardous to fhips, which are thereby expofed to the danger of being crashed between two bodies of immenfe ice, or of being fo completely furrounded, as to deprive them of every power of moving from the fpot. 2. In this latter alarming fituation were the crew of a Ruffian fhip. A council was immediately held, when the mate mentioned what he recollected to have heard, that a fhip's crew from Mefen, fome time before, had formed a refolution of paffing the winter upon this ifland, and for that purpofe had carried timber proper for building a hut at a little diftance from the shore.. 3. This information led the whole company to form. the refolution of wintering there, fhould the hut be fortunately remaining. They were induced to adopt this meafure from the certainty of perishing fhould they remain in the fhip. They therefore deputized four of their crew to go in fearch of the hut, and make what further discoveries they could... As no human creature inhabited the fhöre on which they were to land, it was abfolutely neceffary for them to carry fome provifions with them for their fupport. They had to make their way, for nearly two miles, over loofe heaps of ice, which the water had raised, and the wind had driven against each other; and this made it equally difficult and dangerous. 5. From this confideration, they avoided loading themfelves too much with provifions, left their weight might: fink them between the pieces of ice, where they must inevitably perish.. 6. Having previously confidered all these matters, they provided themfelves only with a mulket and powder-horn, containing twelve charges of powder and ball, an axe, a fmall kéttle, a bag with about twenty pounds of flour, a knife, knife, a tinder box and tinder, a bladder filled with tobac co, and every man his wooden pipe. 7. Thus poorly equipped, these four failors reached the iland, little thinking what they were to endure while they remained on it. After exploring fome finall part of the country, they difcovered the hut they were in purfuit of, at the distance of about an English mile and a half from the fhore. 8. Its length was thirty-fix feet, and its height and' breadth eighteen. It confifted of a small antichamber aboutTM twelve feet broad, having two doors, the one to exclude the outer air, and the other to form a communication with the inner room. This contributed not a little to keep the larger room warm, when it was once heated.. 9. They found in the larger room an earthen stove, conftructed in the Ruffian manner. They rejoiced exceedingly at this difcovery, though they found the hut had fuffered very much from the feverity of the weather, it having been built a confiderable time.. However, they contrived: to make it fupportable for that night. 10. The next morning early they repaired to the shore, in order to acquaint their comrades with their fuccefs, and alfo to get from the veffél fuch provifions, ammunition, and other neceffaries, as might in fome measure enable them to truggle with the approaching winter. II. But what pen can properly defcribe the terrible fit uation of their minds, when, coming to the place at which they landed, they difcovered nothing but an open fea, clear of all ice, though, but a day before, it had covered the ocean! During the night, a violent storm had arifen, which had been the caufe of this change of appearance in the ocean. 12. Whether the ice, which had before furrounded the veffel, being put in motion by the violence of the winds and! waves, had crushed the fhip to pieces, or whether he had been carried by the current into the main ocean, it was im poffible for them to determine. 134 However, they faw the fhip no more; and as the was never afterwards heard of, it is most likely that she went to the bottom with every foul on board. This dread fal. ful event deprived the poor unhappy wretches of all hopes of ever again feeing their native country. 14. They returned to their hut, and there bewailed their deplorable lot, more perhaps to be pitied than those who were buried in the bofom of the deep. Their thoughts were, in courfe, first directed to procure fubfiftence, and to repair their hut.. 15. Their twelve charges of powder and hot foon produced them as many rein deer, of which there fortunately happened to be many on the islami. They then fet about repairing their hut, and filled up all the crevices, through which the air found its way, with the mofs that grew there in plenty. 16. As it was impoffible to live in that climate without fire, and as no wood grew upon the island, they were much alarmed on that account. However, in their wanderings over the beach, they met with plenty of wood, which had been driven on fhore by the waves. 17. This principally confifted of the wrecks of fhips; but fometimes whole trees with their roots came on fhore, the undoubted produce of fome more hofpitable clime, which were washed from their native foil by the overflowings of rivers, or fome other accident. 18. As foon as their powder and shot were exhausted, they began to be in dread of perishing with hunger; but. good fortune, and their own ingenuity, to which neceffity always gives a fpur, removed thele dreadful apprehenfions. In the courfe of their traverfing the beach, they one day discovered fome boards, in which were large hooks and nails in abundance. 19. By the affistance of these, they made fpears and arrows; and, from a yew tree, which had been thrown on hore by the waves, they formed plenty of bows. With thefe weapons, during the time of their continuance on the ifland, they killed upwards of two hundred and fifty rein deer, befide a great number of blue and white foxes. 20. The flesh of these animals ferved them for food, and their skins were equally ufeful in fupplying them with warm cloathing. The number of white bears they killed were only ten; for thefe animals being very strong, defended themselves with great vigor and fury, and even ventured to to make their appearance frequently at the door of their hut, from whence they were driven with fome difficulty and danger, 21. Thus thefe three different forts of animals were the only food of thefe miferable mariners, during their long, and dreary abode on this inland:. 22. The intenferiefs of the cold, and the want of proper conveniencies, rendered it impoffible for them to cook their victuals properly, fo that they were obliged to eat their provifions almoft raw, and without bread or falt. 23. There was but one ftove in the hut, and that being in the Ruffia manner, was not proper for boiling. However, to remedy this inconvenience as much as poffible, they dried fome of their provifions, during the fammer, in the open air, and then hung them up in the upper part of the hut, which being continually filled with fmoke, they thus became thoroughly dried?. 24. This they ufed inftead of bread, which made them relish their half boiled meat the better. They pro-cured their water in fummer from the rivulets that fell from the rocks; and in the winter, from fnow and ice: thawed. This was their only drink; and their small ket tle was the only convenience they had to make use of form this and many other purpofess 25. As it was neceflary to keep up a continual fire, they were particularly cautious not to let the light be ex tinguifhed; for though they had both steel and flints, yet they had no tinder; and it would have been a terrible thing to be without light in a climate where darkness reigns fo many months during the winter. 26. They therefore fashioned a kind of lamp, which they filled with fein deer fat, and stuck into it fome twisted linen, shaped in the form of a wick. After many trials, they at laft brought their lamp to complete perfection, and kept it burning, without intermiffion, from the day they first made it, till they embarked for their native country. 27. They also found themfelves in want of fhoes, boots, and other neceffary articles of drefs, for all which they found wonderful resources in that genius to which necelity gives birth. 28. Having 28. Having lived more than fix years upon this dreary and inhofpitable ifland, a fhip happened to arrive there, which took three of them on board, and carried them back to their native country. The fourth man was feized with the fcurvy, and being naturally indolent, and not ufing proper exercife, he died, after lingering for fome time, when his companions buried him in the fnow. SPEECH OF CANULEIUS, A ROMAN TRIBUNE, TO THE CONSULS, IN BEHALF OF THE PLEBEIANS. WHA HAT an infult upon us is this! If we are not fo rich as the patricians, are we not citizens of Rome as well as they inhabitants of the fame country? members of the fame community? The nations bordering upon Rome, and even ftrangers more remote, are admitted not only to marriages with us, but to what is of much greater importance, the freedom of the city. 2. Are we, becaufe we are commoners, to be worfe treated than ftrangers? And, when we demand that the people may be free to bestow their offices and dignities on whom they pleafe, do we afk any thing unreafonable or new? Do we claim more than their original inherent right What occafion, then, for all this uproar, as if the univerfe were falling to ruin? They were juft going to lay -violent hands upon me in the fenate house. 3. What! must this empire, then, be unavoidably overturned? Muft Rome of neceffity fink at once, if a plebeian, worthy of the office, fhould be raised to the confulfhip? The patricians, I am perfuaded, if they could, would deprive you of the common light. It certainly offends them that you breathe, that you fpeak, that you have the shapes of men. 4. Nay, but to make a commoner a conful, would be, fay they, a moft enormous thing. Numa Pompilius, however, without being fo much as a Roman citizen, was made king of Rome. The elder Tarquin, by birth not even Italjan, was nevertheless placed upon the throne. Servius Tul |