"Indeed," said Tommy, when Mr Barlow had finished the story, "I think Alonzo was a very sensible man; and, if it had not been for him, his brother and all his companions must have been starved; but then this was only because they were in a desert uninhabited country. This could never have happened in England; there they could always have had as much corn or bread as they chose for their money." "But," said Mr Barlow, "is a man sure to be always in England, or some place where he can purchase bread?" _Tommy._--I believe so, sir. _Mr B._--Why, are there not countries in the world where there are no inhabitants, and where no corn is raised? _T._--Certainly, sir; this country, which the two brothers went to, was such a place. _Mr B._--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 previous information, you will easily understand the distressful situation of a Russian ship, which, as it was sailing on those seas, was on a sudden so surrounded by ice as not to be able to move. My extracts begin here, and you may read them.