TOWARDS ITS YOUNG. 81 



ing it with its flipper. In this manner it moved 

 about the pool, keeping in an erect posture, 

 and always directing the face of the young to- 

 ward the vessel. On the slightest movement 

 on board, the mother released her flipper and 

 pushed the young one under water; but, when 

 everything was again quiet, brought it up as 

 before, and for a length of time continued to 

 play about in the pool, to the great amusement 

 of the seamen, who gave her credit for abilities 

 in tuition, which, though possessed of consider- 

 able sagacity, she hardly merited. 



It was some consolation to us, amidst the 

 mortification we endured from our protracted 

 detention in the ice, to find that there were 

 very few hours in which some little incidents 

 of an amusing nature did not occur to divert 

 our attention from the monotony of the daily 

 duties of the ship. At one time the wander- 

 ings of bears would be watched with all the 

 eagerness of a sportsman beating a cover; at 

 another, the gambols of seals and walruses would 

 take up our attention ; and occasionally the ap- 

 pearance of whales or narwhals in small pieces 

 of water about us, would invite pursuit. The 

 bears would sometimes approach so near as to 

 sniff at the linen drying upon the ice ; and 



G 



