_--And there are many other such
countries in the world. _T._--But then a man need not go to them; he may
stay at home. _Mr B._--Then he must not pass the seas in a ship.
_T._--Why so, sir? _Mr B._--Because the ship may happen to be wrecked on
some such country, where there are no inhabitants; and then, although he
should escape the danger of the sea, what will he do for food? _T._--And
have such accidents sometimes happened? _Mr B._--Yes, several; there
was, in particular, one Selkirk, who was shipwrecked, and obliged to
live several years upon a desert island. _T._--That was very
extraordinary indeed; and how did he get victuals? _Mr B._--He sometimes
procured roots, sometimes fruits; he also at last became so active, that
he was able to pursue and catch wild goats, with which the island
abounded. _T._--And did not such a hard disagreeable way of life kill
him at last? _Mr B._--By no means; he never enjoyed better health in his
life; and you have heard that he became so active as to be able to
overtake the very wild beasts. But a still more extraordinary story is
that of some Russians, who were left on the coast of Spitzbergen, where
they were obliged to stay several years. _T._--Where is Spitzbergen,
sir? _Mr B._--It is a country very far to the north, which is constantly
covered with snow and ice, because the weather is unremittingly severe.
Scarcely any vegetables will grow upon the soil, and scarcely any
animals are found in the country. To add to this, a great part of the
year it is covered with perpetual darkness and is inaccessible to ships;
so that it is impossible to conceive a more dreary country, or where it
must be more difficult to support human life. Yet four men were capable
of struggling with all these difficulties during several years, and
three of them returned at last safe to their own country. _T._--This
must be a very curious story indeed; I would give anything to be able to
see it. _Mr B._--That you may very easily. When I read it, I copied off
several parts of it, I thought it so curious and interesting, which I
can easily find, and will show you. Here it is; but it is necessary
first to inform you, that those northern seas, from the intense cold of
the climate, are so full of ice as frequently to render it extremely
dangerous to ships, lest they should be crushed between two pieces of
immense size, or so completely surrounded as not to be able to extricate
themselves. Having given you this previo