188 THE WHALEMAN" ; OB, 



that he never could be seen from the top, even if 

 any one were to look for him; death seemed 

 inevitable, and he' felt the hopelessness of his 

 situation, He remained many hours in a state 

 bordering on stupefaction ; at length he resolved 

 to make one effort, which, if unsuccessful, must 

 be fatal. Having commended himself to God, 

 he rushed to the margin of the cave, and sprang 

 into the air, providentially succeeded in grasping 

 the pendulous rope, and was saved." 



June had now come, with no very particular 

 incident in the monotony of hut life, except, per- 

 haps, that of increased earnestness and desire to 

 behold once more the sail of a friendly vessel, and 

 once more to tread her decks. As the time ap- 

 proached when we should realize such an event, 

 hours seemed days, and weeks months. We 

 visited again and again the high eminence on 

 East Cape, where we had a commanding view 

 of the ocean, to see if there was any immediate 

 prospect of the ice breaking up and drifting away. 



THE MANNER OF KILLING DUCKS AND OTHER 

 FOWL PRACTICED BY THE NATIVES. 



In migrating either to the north or south, ducks 

 and other fowl usually fly in large flocks, and 

 generally very low. In order to kill the greatest 

 number, the natives would station themselves at 



