us information, you will easily
understand the distressful situation of a Russian ship, which, as it was
sailing on those seas, was on a sudden so surrounded by ice as not to be
able to move. My extracts begin here, and you may read them.

_Extracts from a Narrative of the Extraordinary Adventures of Four
Russian Sailors, who were cast away on the Desert Island of East
Spitzbergen._

"In this alarming state (that is, when the ship was surrounded with ice)
a council was held, when the mate, Alexis Hinkof, informed them, that he
recollected to have heard that some of the people of Mesen, some time
before, having formed a resolution of wintering upon this island, had
carried from that city timber proper for building a hut, and had
actually erected one at some distance from the shore. This information
induced the whole company to resolve on wintering there, if the hut, as
they hoped, still existed; for they clearly perceived the imminent
danger they were in, and that they must inevitably perish if they
continued in the ship. They despatched, therefore, four of their crew in
search of the hut, or any other succour they could meet with. These were
Alexis Hinkof, the mate, Iwan Hinkof, his godson, Stephen Scharassof,
and Feodor Weregin.

"As the shore on which they were to land was uninhabited, it was
necessary that they should make some provision for their expedition.
They had almost two miles to travel over those ridges of ice, which
being raised by the waves, and driven against each other by the wind,
rendered the way equally difficult and dangerous; prudence, therefore,
forbade their loading themselves too much, lest, by being overburdened,
they might sink in between the pieces of ice, and perish. Having thus
maturely considered the nature of their undertaking, they provided
themselves with a musket and powder-horn, containing twelve charges of
powder, with as many balls, an axe, a small kettle, a bag with about
twenty pounds of flower, a knife, a tinder-box and tinder, a bladder
filled with tobacco, and every man his wooden pipe.

"Thus accoutred, these four sailors quickly arrived on the island,
little expecting the misfortunes that would befall them. They began with
exploring the country, and soon discovered the hut they were in search
of, about an English mile and a half from the shore. It was thirty-six
feet in length, eighteen feet in height, and as many in breadth; it
contained a small antechamb