NEW ri,AN OF FISHING IX BAY ICE. 271 



■vvhcre T expected the fisli to rise. A small boat 

 was laimclied, more leisurely, in the same direction, 

 for my support ; aud wherever the ice, in my track, 

 was capable of supporting a man, assistance was af- 

 forded me in dra'j!:2:infy the line. When the wound- 

 ed fish appeared, I struck my harpoon through the 

 ice, and then, with some occasional assistance, pro- 

 ceeded to lance it, until it was killed. At differ- 

 ent times the fish rose beneath my feet, and broke 

 the ice on which I stood : on one occasion, where 

 the ice was fortunately more than usually strong, 

 I was obliged to leave my ice-shoes and skip off. lu 

 this way we captured three fish, and took their pro- 

 duce on board, while several ships near us made not 

 the least progress in the fishery. After they were kill- 

 ed, we had much trouble in getting them to the ship, 

 but as we could not employ ourselves to advan- 

 tage in any other way, we were well satisfied with 

 the issue. This part of the business, however, I 

 could not effect alone, and all hands who were oc- 

 casionally employed in it, broke through the ice. 

 Some individuals broke in two or three times, but 

 no serious accident ensued. As a precaution, we 

 extended a rope from man to man, which was held 

 in the hands of each in their progress across the ice, 

 tind which served for drawing those out of the wa- 

 ter who happened to break through. Sometimes ten 

 or a dozen of them would break in at once ; but so 

 far was such an occurrence from exciting distress. 



