180 WHALE-FISHERY. 



ther involved itself, by winding the line*repeatedly 

 round its body. The first fish entangled, as was 

 suspected, had long been dead; and it was this lucky 

 interloper, that occasioned the jerks and other sin- 

 gular effects observed on the line. 



Alterations produced in the manner of conducting the 

 Fishery, by peculiar Circumstances of Situation 

 and Weather. 



Hitherto I have only attempted to describe the 

 method adopted for the capture of whales, under fa- 

 vourable circumstances, such as occur in open water 

 or amongst open ice in fine weather; as, however, 

 this method is subject to various alterations, when 

 the situation and circumstances are peculiar, I shall 

 venture a few remarks on the subject. 



1. Pack-fishing. — The borders of close packs of 

 drift ice are frequently a favourite resort of large 

 whales. To attack them in such a situation, subjects 

 the fisher to great risk in his lines and boats, as well 

 as uncertainty in effecting their capture. When a 

 considerable swell prevails on the borders of the 

 ice, the whales, on being struck, will sometimes re- 

 cede from the pac"k, and become the prize of their 

 assailers; but most generally flee to it for shelter, 

 and frequently make their escape. To guard against 

 the loss of lines as much as possible, it is pretty 

 usual either to strike two harpoons from different 

 boats at the same moment, or to bridle the lines of 



