54 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF 



need hardly say of severe cold too, and the place where 

 the captain or harpooners frequently sit for hours to- 

 gether, in a temperature thirty or forty degrees below 

 the freezing point. From this place an immense extent 

 of country can be descried, with all the movements of 

 the surrounding sea and ice, as also the appearance of 

 whales or any other animals peculiar to this climate, 

 none of whom could be perceived from the deck. 



As soon as the whalers arrive in the Polar Seas, 

 which are frequented by the object of their adventure, 

 the crew is constantly on the alert, keeping watch night 

 and day. Each vessel generally has seven boats, three 

 on each side of the ship, suspended from davits, and the 

 jolly-boat over the stern ; so that if required they can 

 be lowered at a moment's warning : and in calm weather, 

 when there are many whales near, one is usually kept 

 manned and afloat, either attached to the stern or rowing 

 a small distance from the ship. 



The whale-boats are painted at both ends ; the names 

 of the ship and the captain, with the date of the year, 

 are painted on the bows ; and the keel is protected with 

 iron, in case of accident or other circumstances that 

 should require it to be drawn over the ice. They are 

 furnished generally with four or five oars, and one for 

 the steerer ; likewise from four to six lines of a hundred 

 and forty fathoms of rope, each coiled down and at- 

 tached to the harpoon ; it is likewise supplied with 

 several lances, a hatchet, a small red flag and staff, 

 sometimes a fowling-piece with powder-horn and shot- 

 bag ; the latter, however, are never used for the purpose 

 of capturing the whale \ but in order to attack or defend 

 themselves from the Polar bear, or shoot any of the nu- 

 merous birds inhabiting this climate, which forms a most 

 nutritious and delicate species of food. 



