OLD WHALING DAYS. 23 



in different directions. The gale moderated, although it 

 was snowing and raining. Parties were sent from the ships 

 to look for those who were absent, and providentially 

 all were found, as several bears had been prowling about. 

 Some of them were discovered asleep behind hummocks of 

 ice. We were not a moment too soon in the work of 

 rescue. I heard afterwards that several were cripples for 

 life. Some were attacked with rheumatism, and no doubt 

 shortened their lives by years. It is sad to think how men 

 will risk their lives for the sake of beastly indulgence at a 

 wreck, as I have seen some do. The following morning the 

 ice slackening, somebody set the wreck on fire, and she soon 

 disappeared. 



During the evening it became calm, and the ice opening, 

 we got the provisions back on board, and began to track 

 the ship along the land floe. Coming to a block, we cut 

 docks. Generally two ships are placed in one dock, 

 because it is sooner done. Sawing a dock is a difficult 

 task, and great care must be taken to get the lines 

 straight, otherwise there is a probability of having nearly 

 as much to cut over again. It must be wider at the 

 mouth than at the end, and sometimes the block will 

 come out in one piece. If it is not sawn with care another 

 cat must be made called a jib piece. Ice saws are from 

 twelve to sixteen feet long, worked with triangles and bell- 

 ropes, and manned by about sixteen men. The work is 

 usually enlivened with songs to cheer the gang. I have 

 seen blasts of powder put into the middle piece of ice, 

 which saves much time and labour. We had no sooner 

 got the ships into their docks, than the sky began to make 

 up in the S.W., a sure forerunner of a gale from that 

 quarter. All preparations were made. The boats and 

 provisions were again on the ice, and in four hours from 

 getting the ships in comparative safety, the gale came upon 

 us accompanied by blinding snow and rain. It was more 



