10 Capture of Walruses. 



vere shocks ; but from the mode in which she was strengthened, 

 ^id not Beem to feel them. On one occasion, from bad steer- 

 age, we ran bump against the middle of a floe that completely 

 stopped her way,, and almost threw us off our legs ; even this 

 did not seem to affect her, though we were careful not to repeat 

 the experiment : by making all snug, and getting the top-gallant- 

 masts on deck, she went boldly through it at her extreme rate 

 of seven knots, with the wind a-beam. Notwithstanding the se- 

 verity of the gale, with the thermometer at 32°, not the slightest 

 inconvenience was felt, but rather a cheerful bracing effact, as 

 the weather had become clear, with the sun shining brilliantly, 

 such as we have in the clear frosty mornings of October ; sphcing 

 the main brace, and issuing the extra warm clothing, seemed to 

 produce general good will and activity fore and aft. Had the 

 weather been favourable for such a purpose, it was my inten- 

 tion to have made Cherry Island, and laid down its true posi- 

 tion, but I did not consider it a matter of sufficient consequence 

 to risk any delay, especially as the wind was now so favourable 

 for our ulterior destination. 



Towards the evening it became more moderate. At 7 p. m. 

 we saw Spitzbergen, N. E. per compass, distant 50 or 60 miles ; 

 the land drift-ice completely surrounded the ship, but, by car- 

 rying sail, an hour's forcing brought us into a clear sea. 



Our Greenland pilots considered it to be heavier, and in a 

 greater quantity than usual in this latitude, and at this season. 

 The following days the weather was moderate, and we met 

 with no farther obstruction during our run along the coasts of 

 Spitzbergen. On the 28th we hoisted out the jolly boat, to try if 

 there was any current, but found none. Sounded in 65 fathoms, 

 muddy bottom. 



On the 29th we passed many pieces of land-ice, upon one of 

 which we observed several walrusses, about twenty in number, 

 and dispatched a boat to endeavour to capture some of them. 

 They allowed the boat to approach quite close to them, only a 

 few jumping into the water. The rocket-gun was fired, but 

 missed. They were then attacked with rifles, apparently with 

 more effect, as appeared from the blood flowing copiously from 

 their wounds, and a harpoon was struck into one of them, which 

 held but a few second?. They were pursued for some dis- 



