COURAGEOUS EXPLOIT. 26S 



attempt to sink the fish avails, there is scarcely any 

 other practicable method of making prize of it, (un- 

 less when the ice happens to be so thin that it can 

 be broken with a boat, or a channel readily cut in it 

 with an ice-saw), than cutting the blubber away, and 

 dragging it piece by piece across the ice to the ves- 

 sel, which requires immense labour, and is attended 

 with vast loss of time. Hence we have a sufficient 

 reason for avoiding such situations, whenever fish 

 can be found elsewliere. As connected with this 

 subject, I cannot pass over a circumstance which oc- 

 curred within my own observation, and which ex- 

 cited my highest admiration. 



On the 8th of July 1813, the ship Esk lay by 

 the edge of a large sheet of ice, in which were se- 

 veral thin parts and some holes. Here a fish being 

 heard hloiving, a harpoon, with a line connected 

 to it, was conveyed across the ice, from a boat on 

 guard, and the harpooner succeeded in striking the 

 whale, at the distance of 350 yards from the verge. 

 It dragged out ten lines, (2400 yards) and was sup- 

 posed to be seen blowing in diftcrent holes in the 

 ice. After some time, it happened to make its ap- 

 pearance on the exterior, when a harpoon was struck 

 at the moment it was on the point of proceeding 

 again beneath. About a hundred yards from the 

 edge, it broke the ice where it was a foot in thick- 

 ness, with its C7'0ivn, and respiiied through the 

 opening. It then determinately pushed forward. 



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