OLD WHALING DAYS. 19 



able in an early season. We were no sooner close to the 

 land, called by the whalers Black Land, from its appearance, 

 than a great many fish were seen. We struck one and killed 

 her, then made fast to an iceberg to flense comfort- 

 ably, and also to keep us from drifting, as a sailing vessel is 

 nearly unmanageable with a dead whale alongside. We 

 finished our work and gave chase to several more which 

 came near us, but did not succeed in striking another 

 that day. 



The weather was calm and clear next morning. The 

 whales close in shore were very numerous, but we could not 

 get near them. We pulled, sculled, and used the paddles 

 to no purpose, for they are very quick of hearing, and being 

 within a mile from the shore it was supposed the high land 

 attracted the sound under water, and alarmed them. 

 Our oars were muffled, and the boats pulled without any 

 noise, but our efforts were not rewarded by a catch, and that 

 day passed without anything eventful. A breeze sprang up 

 in the morning, and a whale rising close to the ship, we 

 lowered two boats. As she rose again we struck her. 

 The harpoon was no sooner in than she swept the boat of one 

 side of its oars and filled it with water. Nothing daunted, 

 we got another harpoon in, and soon killed her with lances. 



Sometimes we put three, or perhaps four, harpoons in 

 before we begin lancing, according to circumstances. We 

 now killed our third whale, and continued to ply 

 about, first in the ofTing and then inshore, but no fish were 

 to be seen. We sailed north towards Hare Island. There 

 we lay at an iceberg a week, close to the land, and watered 

 from a large stream which ran down the valley. This island 

 projects out, and stops the ice from drifting south, 

 especially when many bergs ground a short distance off. 

 It became calm at last, and the ice opening, we began to 

 tow in company with twelve other ships. For eight hours 

 we were thus employed, and then reached open water. 



