Chapter CXLVII: Section II

_Preservation of Quirini on the Coast of Norway, and Residence In the Isle of Rostoe_.

As they had no rope with, which to make fast their boat to the shore and prevent it from being dashed to pieces, they remained in it the whole night. Next day at dawn, sixteen weak, miserable and exhausted wretches, the sad remains of forty-seven who had originally taken refuge in the large boat, went on shore and laid themselves down in the snow. Hunger, however, soon obliged them to examine if there might not remain some of the provisions which they had brought with them from the ship: All they found was a very small ham, an inconsiderable remnant of cheese, and some biscuit dust in a bag, mixed with the dung of mice. These they warmed by means of a small fire, which they made of the boat seats, and in some measure appeased their hunger. On the following day, having convinced themselves beyond doubt that the rock on which they then were was quite desert and uninhabited, they resolved to quit it in hopes of being able to reach some inhabited island, or part of the adjacent coast of Norway; but, after filling five small casks with snow water, and getting into the boat to put their resolution into execution, the water ran in torrents through all the seams, and the boat went to the bottom immediately, so that they were forced to get on shore again quite drenched in the sea. During the whole of the preceding long night, the boat had been beating against the rock, which had loosened its planks and opened all the seams. Despairing now of any relief, as they were utterly destitute of any means to repair their boat, they constructed two small tents of their oars and sails, to shelter themselves from the weather, and hewed the materials of their boat in pieces to make a fire to warm themselves. The only food they were able to procure consisted in a few muscles and other shell-fish, which they picked up along the shore. Thirteen of the company were lodged in one of the tents, and three in the other. The smoke of the wet wood caused their faces and eyes to swell so much that they were afraid of becoming totally blind; and, what added prodigiously to their sufferings, they were almost devoured by lice and maggots, which they threw by handfuls into the fire. The secretary of Quirini had the flesh on his neck eaten bare to the sinews by these vermin, and died in consequence; besides him, three Spaniards of a robust frame of body likewise died, who probably lost their lives in consequence of having drank sea water while in the boat; and so weak were the thirteen who still remained alive, that during three days they were unable to drag away the dead bodies from the fire side.

Eleven days after landing on this rock or uninhabited island, Quirini's servant, having extended his search for shellfish, their only food, quite to the farthest point of the island, found a small wooden house, both in and around which he observed some cow-dung. From this circumstance the forlorn people concluded that there were men and cattle at no great distance, which inspired them with, fresh hopes of relief, and revived their drooping spirits. This house afforded them abundant room and good shelter; and all, except three or four, who were too weak to be able for the fatigue of removing to such a distance, changed their abode to this hut, crawling with great difficulty through the deep snow, the distance being about a mile and a half, and they took with them as much as they were able of the ruins of their boat, to serve them for fire-wood. Two days after this, while going along the shore in search of the usual supply of shell-fish, one of the company found a very large fish quite recently cast up by the sea, which appeared to weigh about two hundred pounds, and was quite sweet and fresh. This most providential supply they cut into thin slices and carried to their dwelling, where they immediately set to work to broil and boil it; but so great was their famine, and so tempting its smell, that they had not patience to wait till it was thoroughly dressed, but devoured it eagerly half raw. They continued to gorge themselves with this fish almost without intermission for four days; but at length the evident and rapid decrease of this stock of food taught them more prudent economy, and by using it sparingly in future it lasted them ten days more. Those who staid behind in one of the tents near the place of their first landing, sent one of their number to see what had become of the rest; and, when he had been refreshed with some of the fish, he carried a portion to his two companions, and the whole survivors were soon afterwards reassembled in the wooden hut. During the whole time that they subsisted upon the providentially found fish, the weather was so exceedingly tempestuous that they certainly would not have been able to have looked out for shellfish, and they must inevitably have perished of famine.

Having made an end of the large fish, which seems to have lasted them for fourteen days, they were obliged to have recourse again to the precarious employment of gathering shellfish along the shore for their subsistence. About eight miles from the rock upon which they now were, which Fioravente informs us was called _Santi_, or Sand-ey by the natives, there was another isle named _Rustene_[1], which was inhabited by several families of fishers. It happened that a man and two of his sons came over from Rost to Sandey to look after some cattle which were amissing. Observing the smoke from the hut in which Quirini and his wretched companions had taken shelter, curiosity led them to examine the hut. On their approach, their voices were heard by the people within the hut; but they believed it to be only the screaming of the sea-fowl who devoured the bodies of their deceased companions. Christopher Fioravente, however, went out to examine whence the unusual sound proceeded; and espying the two youths, he ran back in haste, calling aloud to his companions that two men were come to seek them. Upon this the whole company ran out immediately to meet the lads, who on their parts were terrified at the sight of so many poor famished wretches. These latter debated for some time among themselves whether they should not detain one of their visitors, with the view of making themselves more certain to procure assistance; but Quirini dissuaded them from this projected violence. They all accompanied the youths to the boat, and entreated the father and sons to take two of their people along with them to their habitations, in order the sooner to procure them assistance from thence. For this purpose they chose one Gerrard of Lyons, who had been purser of the ship, and one Cola a mariner of Otranto, as these men could speak French and a little German.

The boat with the fishermen, and the two men who had been deputed to seek assistance, went over to Rostoe on Friday the 31st. of January 1432. On their landing, the inhabitants were much astonished at their appearance, but were not able to understand them, though the strangers addressed them in different languages; till at last one of the strangers began to speak a little German with a German priest of the order of friars predicant who lived there, and informed him who they were and whence they came. On Sunday the 2d February, which happened to be the festival of the purification of the blessed Virgin, the priest admonished all the people of Rostoe to assist the unhappy strangers to the utmost of their power, at the same time representing the hardships and dangers they had undergone, and pointing to the two famished wretches then present. Many of the congregation were softened even to tears at the recital, and a resolution was formed to bring away the miserable survivors as soon as possible, which they accomplished next day. In the mean time, those who remained behind at Sandey considered the absence of their companions as extremely long; and what with hunger, cold and anxiety, they were almost dead. Their joy may be more easily conceived than expressed, when they perceived six boats approaching to their relief. On landing, the Dominican priest inquired which of them was the captain of the unhappy crew; and when Quirini made himself known as such, the priest presented him with some rye bread and some beer, which he looked upon as manna sent from heaven. After this the priest took him by the hand, and desired him to choose two of his companions to accompany him; and Quirini pitched upon Francis Quirini of Candia, and Christopher Fioravente a Venetian, all three embarking in the boat of the principal man of Rostoe along with the priest. The rest of the company were distributed in the other five boats; and these good Samaritans went even to the tents where these unfortunates had first dwelt, taking away with them the only survivor of the three men who had staid behind from weakness, and buried the other two; but the poor invalid died next day.

On the arrival of the boats at Rostoe, Quirini was quartered with the principal person of the island: This man's son led him to his father's dwelling, as his debility was so great he was unable to walk without assistance. The mistress of the house and her maid came forwards to meet him, when he would have fallen at her feet; but she would not permit him, and immediately got him a bason of milk from the house, to comfort him and restore his strength. During three months and a half that Quirini dwelt in this house, he experienced the greatest friendship and humanity from the owners; while in return he endeavoured by complaisance to acquire the good will of his kind hosts, and to requite their benevolence. The other partners of his misfortunes were distributed among the other houses of the place, and were all taken good care of.

The rocky isle of Rost, or Rostoe, lies 70 Italian miles to the westwards of the southern promontory of Norway, which in their language they call the worlds backside, and is three miles in circumference[2]. This rocky isle was inhabited at this time by 120 souls, of whom 72 received the holy communion on Easter-day like good catholics. They get their livelihood and maintain their families entirely by fishing, as no corn of any kind grows in this very remote part of the world. From the 20th of November to the 20th of February, the nights were twenty-one hours long; and on the contrary, from the 20th of May to the 20th of August the sun is either always seen, or at least the light which proceeds from it. Thus during June, July and August, they may be said to have one continued day of three months; while in the opposite months of winter they have one almost continued night. During the whole year they catch an incredible quantity of fish; which, however, are almost solely of two kinds. One of these they catch in prodigious quantities in the great bays, which they call _stockfish_[3]. The other, called Halibut, is a kind of flat fish of an astonishing size, for one of them was found to weigh near two hundred pounds. The stockfish are dried without being salted, in the sun and air; and, as they have little fat or moisture, they grow as dry as wood. When they are to be prepared for eating, they arc beaten very hard with the back part of a hatchet, by which they are divided into filaments like nerves; after which they are boiled, and dressed with butter and spices to give them a relish. The people of this country carry on a considerable trade with these dried stockfish into Germany. The halibuts, are cut into pieces on account of their great size, and are then salted; in which state they are very good eating. With these two kinds of fish the people of Rostoe load every year a ship of about 50 tons burthen, which they send to Bergen, a place in Norway, about a thousand miles from their island; and from whence a great number of ships of 300 or 330 tons burthen, carry all the produce of the fisheries of different parts of Norway into Germany, England, Scotland, and Prussia, where they are exchanged against the produce of these countries, particularly for every necessary article of food, drink and clothing, as their own country is so extremely barren and unfruitful, that they cannot raise these things for themselves.

Thus, most of their traffic being carried on by means of barter, they have little money among them, nor is it very necessary. When these exchanges have been made at Bergen, the vessel returns to Rostoe, landing in one other place only, whence they carry wood sufficient for a whole year's fuel, and for other necessary purposes.

The inhabitants of these rocks are a well-looking people, and of pure morals. Not being in the least afraid of robbery, they never lock up any thing, and their doors are always open. Their women also are not watched in the smallest degree; for the guests sleep in the same room with the husbands and their wives and daughters; who even stripped themselves quite naked in presence of the strangers before going to bed; and the beds allotted for the foreigners stood close to those in which their sons and daughters slept. Every other day the fathers and sons went out a fishing by day-break, and were absent for eight hours together, without being under the least anxiety for the honour and chastity of their wives and daughters[4]. In the beginning of May, the women usually begin to bathe; and custom and purity of morals has made it a law among them, that they should first strip themselves quite naked at home, and they then go to the bath at the distance of a bow-shot from the house. In their right hands they carry a bundle of herbs to wipe the moisture from their backs, and extend their left hands before them, as if to cover the parts of shame, though they do not seem to take much pains about the matter. In the bath they are seen promiscuously with the men[5]. They have no notion of fornication or adultery; neither do they marry from sensual motives, but merely to conform to the divine command. They also abstain from cursing and swearing. At the death of relations, they shew the greatest resignation to the will of God, and even give thanks in the churches for having spared their friends so long, and in now calling them to be partakers of the bounty of heaven. They shew so little extravagance of grief and lamentation on these occasions, that it appeared as if the deceased had only fallen into a sweet sleep. If the deceased was married, the widow prepares a sumptuous banquet for the neighbours on the day of burial; when she and her guests appear in their best attire, and she entreats her guests to eat heartily, and to drink to the memory of the deceased, and to his eternal repose and happiness. They went regularly to church, where they prayed very devoutly on their knees, and they kept the fast days with great strictness.

Their houses are built of wood, in a round form, having a hole in the middle of the roof for the admission of light; and which hole they cover over in winter with a transparent fish skin, on account of the severity of the cold. Their clothes are made of coarse cloth, manufactured at London, and elsewhere. They wore furs but seldom; and in order to inure themselves to the coldness of their climate, they expose their new born infants, the fourth day after birth, naked under the sky-light, which they then open to allow the snow to fall upon them; for it snowed almost continually during the whole winter that Quirini and his people were there, from the 5th of February to the 14th of May. In consequence of this treatment, the boys are so inured to the cold, and become so hardy, that they do not mind it in the least.

The isle of Rostoe is frequented by a great number of white sea-fowl called _Muris_ [6] in the language of the country. These birds are fond of living hear mankind, and are as tame and familiar as common pigeons. They make an incessant noise; and in summer, when it is almost one continued day for three months, they are only silent for about four hours in the twenty-four, and this silence serves to warn the inhabitants of the proper time of going to rest. In the early part of the spring, there arrived an amazing quantity of wild geese, which made their nests on the island, and even sometimes close to the walls of the houses. These birds are so very tame, that when the mistress of the house goes to take some eggs from the nest, the goose walks slowly away, and waits patiently till the woman has taken what she wants; and when the woman goes away, the goose immediately returns to her nest.

In the month of May, the inhabitants of Rostoe began to prepare for their voyage to Bergen, and were willing also to take the strangers along with them. Some days before their departure, the intelligence of their being at Rostoe reached the wife of the governor over all these islands; and, her husband being absent, she sent her chaplain to Quirini with a present of sixty stockfish, three large flat loaves of rye-bread and a cake: And at the same time desired him to be informed, that she was told the islanders had not used them well, and if he would say in what point they had been wronged, instant satisfaction should be afforded; it was also strongly recommended by that lady to the inhabitants, to give them good treatment, and to take them over to Bergen along with themselves. The strangers returned their sincere thanks to the lady for the interest she took in their welfare, and gave their full testimony, not only to the innocence of their hosts in regard to what had been alleged, but spoke of the kind reception they had experienced in the highest terms. As Quirini still had remaining a rosary of amber beads which he had brought from St Jago in Gallicia, he took the liberty of sending them to this lady, and requested her to use them in praying to God for their safe return into their own country.

When the time of their departure was come, the people of Rostoe, by the advice of their priest, forced them to pay two crowns for each month of their residence or seven crowns each; and as they had not sufficient cash for this purpose, they gave, besides money, six silver cups, six forks, and six spoons, with some other articles of small value, which they had saved from the wreck, as girdles and rings. The greater part of these things fell into the hands of the rascally priest; who, that nothing might be left to them of this unfortunate voyage, did not scruple to exact these as his due for having acted as their interpreter. On the day of their departure, all the inhabitants of Rostoe made them presents of fish; and on taking leave, both the inhabitants and the strangers shed tears. The priest, however, accompanied them to Bergen, to pay a visit to his archbishop, and to give him a part of the booty.

[1] Rost, or Rostoy.--Forst.

[2] The small island of _Rust_ probably the one in question, is the
south-westernmost of the Loffoden isles of Norway, in lat. 67°. 80 N.
long. 11°. E. and is about 80 statute miles from the nearest land of
the continent of Norway to the east. The rest of the Loffoden islands
are of considerable size, and are divided from Norway by the
Westfiord, which grows considerably narrower as it advances to the
north-east.--E.

[3] The Cod or Gadus Morrhua, is termed stock-fish when dried without
salt.--E.

[4] This must have appeared a most wonderful reliance upon female chastity,
in the opinion of jealous Italians, unaccustomed to the pure morals of
the north.--E.

[5] This custom of promiscuous bathing is very ancient, and existed among
the Romans, from whom it was learnt by the Greeks, but gave rise to
such shameful lewdness, that it was prohibited by Hadrian and
Antoninus. This law seems to have fallen into oblivion, as even the
Christians in after times fell into the practice, and gave occasion to
many decrees of councils and synods for its prohibition; yet with
little effect, as even priests and monks bathed promiscuously along
with the women. Justinian, in his 117th novel, among the lawful causes
of divorce, mentions a married woman bathing along with men, unless
with the permission of her husband. Russia probably adopted bathing
from Constantinople along with Christianity, and in that country
promiscuous bathing still continues; and they likewise use a bundle of
herbs or rods, as mentioned in the text, for rubbing their bodies.
--Forst.

Norway certainly did not learn the practice of bathing either from
Rome or Constantinople. Some learned men are never content unless they
can deduce the most ordinary practices from classical authority, as in
the above note by Mr Forster.--E.

[6] The Norwegians call this species of sea fowl _Maase_; which is probably
the Larus Candidus; a new species, named in the voyage of Captain
Phipps, afterwards Lord Mulgrave, _Larus eburneus_, from being
perfectly white. By John Muller, plate xii. it is named _Lams albus_;
and seems to be the same called _Raths kerr_, in Martens Spitzbergen,
and _Wald Maase_, in Leoms Lapland. The Greenlanders call it
_Vagavarsuk_. It is a very bold bird, and only inhabits the high
northern latitudes, in Finmark, Norway, Iceland, Greenland, and
Spitzbergen. This _Maase_, or sea-gull, is probably the white _Muxis_
of the text.--Forst.