62 WHALERS TO THE SOUTH. 



I mark his, because I think it is this vicious principle 

 of making the boat /</.*,* and joining another vessel with 

 her, that causes all this precipitate abandonment, insub- 

 ordination, and loss of vessel 



In the case of the ' M'Clellan,' the first act of the 

 boat's crew of the 'Regalia,' sheltered by her, was to set 

 the captain at open defiance, and her own crew would 

 not put a finger to the work. I firmly believe that if 

 Her Majesty's ships had not been present, sad outrages 

 would have been committed. 



I endeavoured to induce the masters of the whalers 

 present to embark part of her cargo of oil, etc., saved, 

 with salvage allowance ; but all refused, declaring that by 

 their law (that of the floe), all that came over their gun- 

 wale was the property of the ship. It is on this principle 

 that they destroy their vessels. The oil then floats ; they 

 could take it on the sea, but not from wreck. For the 

 provisions, fuel, etc., I agreed that Her Majesty's Go- 

 vernment would pay the owners, on production of my 

 receipts. 



About the 20th of July, the whalers having come to 

 the resolution of going south, and not losing more time 

 in trying the uncertainty of Melville Bay, or gaining the 

 "north water" by this route, our letter-bag was de- 

 spatched by the ' True-love.' 



On the 21st, they gradually stole away, leaving us in 

 quiet possession, the ' Alexander' alone determining to 

 stick by us, and to take our latest despatches. The 

 feeling was gloomy, but as the separation directed our 

 energies to our own immediate duty, I was not sorry to 



* Wliy not pass a law to make it piracy to take a boat without the 

 master's signature and full consent? 



