32 OLD WHALING DAYS. 



At last we got fast to a fish, and soon had her despatched. 

 We began to flense, but during the operation the wind, 

 being on the ice, drove us a mile into the loose pack. This 

 could not be avoided, as a ship with a dead whale alongside 

 is not very handy. We were beset two days. During 

 that time we had the blubber put away, and made ready 

 for further catches. It became calm, and the ice slacking, 

 we towed into clear water. All the ships had already gone 

 north, and no more whales being seen, we followed. We 

 reached as far as Hare Island, and made fast to an ice- 

 berg, close to the land, when a heavy gale sprang up. We 

 had six warps made fast to the iceberg, yet notwithstanding 

 there was great danger of their parting. Luckily they held on 

 during the storm, which lasted twenty-four hours, all hands 

 being in readiness. We were surrounded by ice, and were 

 afraid of the berg floating, and putting us on the weather 

 side. However it kept aground. We were only in 20 

 fathoms of water, and steep to the land. A boat's crew 

 went on shore to take a view from the top of the 

 island. They came back with the news that the other ships 

 were a long way north, and all had made fast to icebergs. 

 Very little water was seen. This was very dishearten- 

 ing, as we had expected by this time to be in the Black 

 Hook water, amongst whales. We consoled ourselves 

 with the reflection that a few hours' calm might make a 

 great alteration. The ice slacking inside of the Waigat 

 Straits, and towards the island of Disco, all hands were 

 called to tow. A current drifted us near to the island, and 

 brought the ice upon us. We again made fast to an iceberg 

 close to the land. An hour afterwards a poor young fellow 

 died on board. He had been ill all the voyage from 

 Stromness ; he was consumptive. The doctor had been 

 very attentive to him, and he received every assistance 

 from the crew. The carpenter made a coffin, and carved 

 a headboard out, and we called all hands to bury him 



