The Sketcher.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 238, 4 November 1876, Page 2

The Sketcher.

HUNK'S DISASTROUS VOYAGE. | In the year 1019, an able navigator, Jens i Munks, was sent out on a voyage of dis- ! covc-ry towards (he north-west coast of ■ America, by Christian IV, King of Denmark. ; Sailing from Klsinore on the 18th of May j lie succeeded in reaching Hudson's Bay. j Munk had two vessels, one of them of small burthen, manned with only sixteen' hands ; the largest had a crew of forty- ' eight. He met with a great deal of ice, which forced him to seek for shelter in : what is now called Chestei field's Inlet. , It was the 7th of September when he en- I tered ihe inlet, where, iiom the lateness of j the season, it was but too obvious he must i winter. The ice closed in around him, ' and every prospect of returning home the i same season was shut out every speedily. Munk now began to construct huts on shore for himself and crews, which being completed, his people set out to explore ! the country round, and employ themselves \ in hunting for their future subsistence. | They fell in with an abundance of game. [ Hares, partridges, foxes, bears, and various j wild yowl, were equally applied to secure ' them a winter stock of provisions. j On the 27th of November, they were stir- ' prised by the phenomenon of three distinct suns, which appeared in the heavens. On the 24th of January they saw two equally distinct. On the 18th of December They had an eclipse of the moon. They also saw a transparent circle round the moon, and what they fancied a cross within it, exactly quartering that satellite. These particular appearances, were regarded, according to the spirit of those j days, as omens of no future good fortune. The frost speedily froze up their beer, j brandy, and wine, so Ihat the casks burst. The liberal use of spirituous liquors, which in high latitudes are doubly pernicious, was quickly productive of disease. Their bread and such provisions as they had brought from home where exhausted early in the spring ; and scurvy having reduced them to a most miserable condition they were unable to pursue or capture any of the multitude of wild fowl which Hocked to the vicinity of their miserable dwellings. Death now committed frightful ravages among-st them. They were hclplcsn as children, and died in numbers, in May, lb'2o, their provisions were entirely consumed, and then famine aided disease in (.lie work of death. Never was the waste of life in such a .situation so terrible. Summer had nearly arrived, not to bring hope and consolation to those who had lived through the dark' and dreary winter, but to show the survivors the extent of the havoc death hail made amongst them. Munk was among the living, but bo weak as to he unable to indulge in a hope of recovery, in dispair and perfectly hopeless, he awaited the fate which seemed .inevitable. He had been four days without i'ood. Impelled at length by hunger, and ignorant of the fate of his companions, he gathered strength enough to crawl out of his own hut to enquire after the others, and

try to -satiate his appetite. He discovered that, out of fifty-two,-only two remained alive among the dead bodies of their comrades, who lay unburicd around. Seeing they were the remnant of the crews, and lumger-stung, they encouraged e:ich otln.r to try for food. By scraping away the snow, they were fortunate enough to find some roots, which they devoured with ravenous eagerness, and -then swallowing some herbs ami grass, which happened to be anti-scorbutic, they found themselves better. They then made corresponding efforts to preserve lii'e. They were soon able to reach a river near, and to take some fish, and from that they proceeded to shoot birds and animals. In this way they recovered their strength. The two vessels lay in a seaworthy state, but crcwless and untenantcd. On seeing the ships, which were a few months before well appointed and exulting in anticipated success, and observing the number to which their crews were reduced, what must have been their sensations! Notwithstanding-, they look resolution from despair. 'ihey made the smaller \ esscl ready for sea, taking what stores they had a necessity for from the larger, and a crew of three hands embarked in the ship. They succeeded in repaying Hudson's Straits, enduring dreadim hardships. j Their pas.-age was stormy. Day and night they \>eie nt-cessitaied to labour, until the yes.-el was almost wholly abandoned to her own course. Nevertheless they succeeded in making a port in Norway, on the 2uAi oi September. Upon reaching Denmark, the whole nation viewed them as men who had risen from the tomb. The sympathy displayed towards them by their countrymen was universal, and must have poured balm into their minds and repaid them for the hardships they hail sustained. A subscription was set on foot for another expedition, arising out of the interest the narrative of these unfortunate men had created. Everything was ready for sailing. Mimk not dismayed by his past sufferings, offered his services again to command the now ship, and search out the north-west passage. He attended ai court to take leave oj Christian IV.; and the misfortunes of his former enterprise coming upon the carpet, the King admonished him to be more cautious than he had been on his former voyage, conveying to the brave seamen, by implication, that the loss of the j lives which had taken place was ascribable to their commander. The soul of the blunt Jiavigator was stung by this unmerited reproof. lie was noi the courtier who licks the hand that deals I the ungenerous blow. Munk made a repl} such as the ear of royalty was not accustomed to hear from the sycophants that generally address it. The King, possessing no sense of the j dignity and decency which become a | crowned head, struck the inferior, wh<> j could not return the blow. j The grossiicss of the indignity pierced Munk to the heart. He who had spirit enough not to bear an insult in words, even from a monarch, who had borne hardships, beyond parallel in his profession, could not survivo the disgrace of a blow from a quarter where non -resentment was an act of duly ; and the aspersion remained on the ungenerous hand that dealt, rather than on him who received if. Munk in a few days died of a broken heart, — one oil the numerous victims of royal ingratitude and cruelty.