The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-11-10 00:00:00

LONDON, FRI DAY,

stones, and with which they geitetelly provide them-
orbits in due time against saint*; but soinetimei,
from iteceitaity, they are obliged to dig through the
snow for it. Some of it they eat without tiny pre-
',oration; and a part they scald with water, and
d ink the liquid. They also tarry with them for
the same purpose, as a preventive, a raspberry.
called in Russia moroshko, which they preserve by
tuition; with rye flour, which they eat ; and when
pressed, drink the juice. They also take fir
tops with them, which they bail ; and the %%titer
they drink as an antidote likewise against the
scurvy.
to. Q. In what mother are the hats construct-
ed ?—A. The lints the poriple use they always take
with theta in their vessels, and on their arrival there
put them together. They are constructed of thin
boards. and in the same manner as the portions'
houses here. They likewise gettenally take bricks
with them for building their I Wert INA when they
Gall short, clay found there is made use of in their
stead. Their largest but. which is erected in the
neighbourhood of their vessels, boats, &c. is from
twenty to twenty•tive feet square, and retires us a
station and magazine; but these huts the men
erect who go in quest of skins are only from seven
to eight feet square, and in the autumn are carried
along the shores in boats, and put op at distances
from each other of ten to fifty Russian verge.
They take the necessary provisions with them for the
whole winter to serve two or three men, as many
generally occupying each hitt.
11. Q. What fuel have they, and in whit man-
ner are their huts heated ?—A. The fuel common-
ly used for heating their huts is wood, which they
likewise tiring with them in their vessels, and land
at the station hut. In autumn the necessary quan-
tity for heating the aforesaid small huts is conveyed
iii boats, or on small hand sledges, to the destined
places. They often meet with wood there too,
thrown by the sea on the shores.
12. Q. Oa what kinds of provisions do the Rus-
sians subsist during the winter ?—A. The provisions
they subsist 01 during the winter consist in rye
flour (of which they make bread), salt beef, salt
cod, and salted halibut, butter, oat mad barley
meal. curdled milk, peas. honer,', linseed oil : all
which they bring to Spitsbergen with them, and
divide the same proportionally by weight to each
man. Their employers allow thein provisions for
one year and a half, besides which the fishermen
kill wild lion deer in winter, and birds in summer,
which are experienced to be excellent food, sod very
healthy.
12. Q. Do they chiefly use spirituous or malt
liquors?—A. They chiefly drink a liquoi called
=as, made from rye flour and water. Malt and
spirituous liquors are entirely excluded and for-
bidden by their employers, to prevent drunkenness,
as the Russians, when they had it. drank so ninon-
denrtely, that work was.oftura neghectod entirely.
14. Q. When in the open air, how do they defend
themselves ?—A. They defend themselves from the
rigour of the weather by a covering made of skin,
above which they wear another made of dee skin of
the rein deer, called kushy ; and wear boots of the
some.

15. Q. Do they use masks, and omit the prec.
tice of shaving I—A. They use no mask% nor do
they shave; hut they wear a large warm cap, called
inset*, which covers the whole head and neck,
and most part of the face. They also wear gloves of
sheep skin.

16. Q. Do the inhsbitants cross the country
during the winter?—A. There are oo inhabitants,
as said before, but the fishermen. who are there (or
a time, do go over from one island to the other of
small distances.

17. Q. How do they travel, at what rate, and
bow carry the necessary stock of provisions for their
subsistence during the journey ?—A. They travel
on foot; that is, ou sr.ow skaits, and draw their food
after them in small hand sledges; but those who
bring dogs with them make use of the same. When
travelling, snow is their drink. Horse► or rein deer
would be of no use to them jot the conveyance of
their provisions, nor have the any.
18. Q. By what means do they procure water ;
and is it by inching snow, or do they find springs?
—A. They use spring water, when it is to be had,
often take it from lakes, and from necessity some-
times dissolve snow ; but it seldom happens that
they are in want of fresh water, because they com-
monly pitch ou those places where it is to be met
with.

19. Q. is not the ice so firmly consolidated as to
render all passage across it from one island to the
other perfectly safe during winter ? A. The ice at
Spiizbrrgen is well consolidated ; and in some
places the flakes rim to a great height, one in an-
other, which makes even the passage on foot very
difficult ; other places are quite bunooth, except
those gulfs which run in the laud to about twenty
'
vast., where the ice is continually floating std
drifting; but travelling with horses or rein deer is THOUGHTS ON THE PROBABILITY, EXPEDIENCY,
quite impwsible. AND UTILITY, OP DISCOVERING • !USAGE
20. Q. is not the ice rendered smooth by the NY THE NORTH POLE.
interstices tieing fillccl up with snow ?—A. A. be.
The interesting nature of the subject to which
fore said, the ice is made smooth by th- snow "in this paper relates would tit any time justify its
up the inequalities. publication, but at the ',resent moment it derives
'2l. Q. Dues *ll danger arise either in crossing an additional value front the recent accouut of the
the land or the ice. from the drifting of the snow I. discovery ships, and from the fact that Lieutenant
A. They do not journey in sinter as before men. Franklin continues to pursue hi, journey with the
boned, except to islands at trifling distances; sod distinct view of exploring the Arctic regions by
a traveller is in much danger if unwired by a sud- land.
des, gale of wind, accoinpanied by drifts of snow ; The possibility of talking discoveries iii this way
he is obliged to lie down, covering liiinsell with his i Watt is, by steering directly north). though now
----, and remain so secured till the hurricane is treated as. paradoxical by many, was not, as will
over; but when it continues fur any length of time, hereafter appear, 1'0111)01y lucked upon in that
the pnor wretch often perishes. light, eveu by such as 'ought to be repotted the
22. Q. %Viiat degree of light is there in winter? I mom proper judges. There have hero • variety of
—A. The fishermen do not know what the degree causes that at different times have l'etardrd under.
of light may be in wanes; indeed they are ignorant takings of the utmost importance to the human
of the meaning of the term : however, they say specie..
from the fatter end of October t.i the 19th of Joni.. Among dine we 'nay justly consider the conduct
airy, the sun dues not appear above the horizon, of mine great philosophers, who, a. our jadicitalt
winch causes a coutiuual darkness, and obliges Verulain wisely observes, quitting the luminous
them always to keep a light in their hire by bums I bath of experience to investigate she operation ri of
tug trsiii oil in lamps; but as soon us the mu 'Attire by their owu speculations, imposed Open
•