WHALE-FISHERY. 193 



travelled safely over ice which had not been frozen 

 above twenty-four hours, and which was incapable 

 of supporting the weight of the smallest boy in the 

 ship. 



Whenever a fish was struck, I gave orders to the 

 harpooner, in running the lines, to use every means 

 of drowning it; the trouble of hauling it up, under 

 the circumstances in which the ship was placed, 

 being a matter of no consideration. This was at- 

 tempted, by holding a steady tight strain on the 

 line, without slacking it or jerking it unnecessarily, 

 and by forbearing to haul at the line when the fish 

 was stopped. By this measure, one fish, the stout- 

 est of the three we got, was drowned. When 

 others were struck, and the attempt to drown them 

 failed, I provided myself with a harpoon; and, ob- 

 serving the direction of the line, travelled towards 

 the place where I expected the fish to rise. A 

 small boat was launched, more leisurely, in the 

 same direction, for my support; and whenever the 

 ice in my track was capable of supporting a man, 

 assistance was afforded me in dragging the line. 

 When the wounded fish appeared, I struck my har- 

 poon through the ice, and then, with some occasional 

 assistance, proceeded to lance it, until it was killed. 

 At different times the fish rose beneath my feet, and 

 broke the ice on which I stood; on one occasion, 

 when the ice was fortunately more than usually 

 strong, I was obliged to leave my ice-shoes and 

 skip off. In this way we captured three fish, and 



Vol. III. %o 



