62 OLD WHALING DAYS. 



constant use of the spyglass ; yet there are times afforded 

 for study, and grand sights to be seen from that elevated 

 place. You can picture yourself in the crow's nest, which is 

 fitted with a seat and a step to rest your feet upon, and has 

 also a weather board to protect you from the wind. Now 

 supposing the ship is made fast to an iceberg, close to the 

 land, waiting for an opening of the ice, and the time mid- 

 night, weather clear and calm, the sun shining beautifully. 

 In the offing nothing is to be seen but close packed ice and 

 numerous icebergs of all shapes and sizes. The land close 

 to is bare and rocky, with clear sparkling water running 

 down the steep valley from which we have just watered. 

 All is so quiet that the stillness appears oppressive, yet the 

 beauties of nature are so varied as to wear off that quietness. 

 The land in places is very high, and there are glaciers in 

 the distance with the sun shining upon them, which gives an 

 indescribable grandeur to their appearance. Then is the 

 time to see and study nature in her wild and beautiful state. 

 Sometimes a very sudden change comes over the scene, 

 perhaps four hours hence. In the south, clouds are 

 travelling fast to the northward, and the sun begins to look 

 greasy. The wind comes in light gusts, and then follows a 

 gale. All hands are called to get the ship into a more 

 sheltered position if possible. It is now blowing a severe 

 gale, with thick snow, although the month is June. The 

 berg keeps the pressure off the ship. The ice wraps round 

 it and lays great strain upon the warps, sometimes breaking 

 them, or the anchors jump out of the holes. This is a most 

 critical time until the ice becomes tightly packed behind, or 

 the gale abates. This shews the two extremes which so 

 often occur, and proves that a master's life is not a bed of 

 roses. When he retires to rest he may be called up at any 

 moment, so his mind is constantly agitated, asleep or awake, 

 especially is this the case with the man who has not been 

 successful. The only pleasant time he enjoys is on the 



