26 OLD WHALING DAYS. 



the harbour, there is very little chance of its coming out 

 again that year. If a ship is not careful to get close to the 

 land, the anchor might be dropped in 120 fathoms, for it 

 deepens very suddenly. The island projecting well out, 

 whales frequently make their appearance, and it used to be 

 a favourite plaee for 'ships. Many good fish have been 

 caught here. When the boats left the ships some went 

 round one way and some the other, and met on the north 

 side. 



We stayed here about a week, and the ice being seen 

 coming rapidly south, we got under weigh, and went a little 

 further to the southward, to a place called Durban, another 

 fine harbour when free of ice, but a long way for the boats 

 to pull to the outside. This harbour has also very peculiar 

 characteristics. Ships have been driven out by the ice 

 coming from inland. It was a mystery how the ice came 

 that way, as none was seen at the outside. In 1854, three 

 boats belonging to the Eclipse were suddenly beset by ice 

 on the north side of Merchants' Bay, the crews being 

 forced to leave them, and nine days later the boats were 

 found drifting out of Durban harbour, which solved the 

 problem. A full account will be seen in the sixth voyage. 

 The whole of the west side is nothing but islands, bays, 

 and fiords, which nobody knows anything about, and which 

 are not worth the trouble to explore. 



Not having seen any whales, we came down to Dyer's 

 Cape, but no harbour being there, we sent our boats 

 inshore. The ship was under weigh, cruising off and on, 

 and the full watch having to be set during the whole night, 

 our work was very laborious. The men through not getting 

 rest, were liable to go to sleep in the boats. Fortunately, 

 we had only three days, of it. We ran south towards 

 Exeter Sound. This place has an inner and an outer 

 harbour. The inner harbour is seldom used on account 

 of the long pull out to sea. The outer one is exposed 



