44 THE WHALEMAN ! OR 



We went into the ice with Captain Crosby, in 

 search of whales, and soon found them ; boats 

 were lowered ; pursuit commenced ; several were 

 struck ; but our irons drew, and we therefore lost 

 them. 



A gale of wind coming on and increasing, we 

 worked out of the ice as soon as possible. We 

 were at that time, when the gale commenced, 

 some fifteen or twenty miles in the floating and 

 broken masses, of varied thickness and dimen- 

 sions, greatly obstructing the course of the ship, 

 and rendering her situation at times exceedingly 

 dangerous. But by constant tacking and wear- 

 ing in order to avoid concussion with the ice, or 

 being jammed between opposite pieces, both 

 ships were finally worked out of the ice in 

 safety. 



On the inside of Cape Thaddeus, we saw a 

 large number of ships ; spoke with several, but 

 they reported that whales were scarce. 



We now put the ship on her course for Behr- 

 ing Straits. We took one whale off the Bay of 

 the Holy Cross, which made the fourth since we 

 left port. We sailed along the coast towards the 

 east ; land frequently in sight ; foggy ; heard 

 many guns from ships for their boats. 



When off Plover Bay, ten miles from land, we 

 picked up a dead whale, having no irons in him, 



