Page:The open Polar Sea- a narrative of a voyage of discovery towards the North pole, in the schooner "United States" (IA openpolarseanarr1867haye).pdf/492

 *ville Bay had been made in about five hours less time than our northern.

From the Horse's Head we jogged on through a foggy atmosphere with occasional thick squalls of snow and light variable winds, until after three days' groping we found ourselves again at anchor in Upernavik harbor.

While the chain was yet clicking in the hawse-hole, an old Dane, dressed in seal-skins, and possessing a small stock of English and a large stock of articles to trade, pulled off to us with an Esquimau crew, and, with little ceremony, clambered over the gangway. Knorr met him, and, without any ceremony at all, demanded the news.

"Oh! dere's plenty news."

"Out with it, man! What is it?"

"Oh! de Sout' States dey go agin de Nort' States, and dere's plenty fight."

I heard the answer, and, wondering what strange complication of European politics had kindled another Continental war, called this Polar Eumæus to the quarter-deck. Had he any news from America?

"Oh! 'tis 'merica me speak! De Sout' States, you see? dey go agin de Nort' States, you see? and dere's plenty fight!"

Yes, I did see! but I did not believe that he told the truth, and awaited the letters which I knew must have come out with the Danish vessel, and which were immediately sent for to the Government-House.

It proved that letters had been brought for us by our old friend, Dr. Rudolph, who had returned a few weeks before from Copenhagen, and who kindly brought them aboard himself as soon as he knew of our arrival, and almost before my messenger had reached the shore.