OLD WHALING DAYS. 49 



not despair, but got our boats again prepared, and the 

 watch set ready to begin again. 



The following day we got fast to another whale, with 

 hopes of better luck, but this one also gave us much trouble, 

 as she took the pack, and no boats could follow her, the ice 

 being so tight. We had to bridle on, that is, a boat on 

 each side of the fast boat bent his lines on to the fast boat's 

 lines, so there is the strength of three lines instead of one. 

 This is a last resource, for it must either break the line or 

 draw the harpoon. Hands were sent over the ice with 

 lances, in case the whale made her appearance in a hole of 

 water. In a short time the captain got sight of her, being 

 attracted by the malemauks hovering around. Some of the 

 men put a lance into her, which soon made her spout blood, 

 and shortly after she was killed. We took the lines to the 

 ship and hove the whale alongside, but this was not done 

 without a lot of trouble and anxiety. We were afraid of the 

 harpoon drawing, owing to there being a strain upon it, and 

 having to drag the fish from under the ice for such a distance. 

 This made our fourth whale. The Anne had got six 

 with very little trouble. We saw some ships to the south- 

 ward, and the time drawing on we plied to the northward, 

 towards Black Hook or N.E. Bay, and there fell in with 

 more fish. We got fast to a very large one, which had a 

 young one with her. She made for the ice, and one of the 

 old harpooners was so near that his boat touched her back. 

 He fired his harpoon but missed. He was so confused 

 that he never attempted to use the hand harpoon. This 

 blunder had given the whale breathing time and fresh 

 strength, and before any of the other boats had time to come 

 near her, she had taken the ice, which was not so tightly 

 packed, but allowed her space to rise for breath. Still the 

 boats could not go amongst it. The whale took out fifteen 

 lines in succession, and the other boats not being able to 

 get near to the fast one, there was great danger of losing the 



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