OLD WHALING DAYS. 79 



summer, when we most needed them. Our usual haunts 

 were visited, but only two whales were captured. One had 

 a gun harpoon embedded in its body, which must have been 

 there many years, as the name of the ship to which it 

 belonged could not be deciphered. The part which pro- 

 jected from the body was worn to a point, and all round it 

 the blubber was quite hard, and the stench was so bad that 

 we threw the harpoon overboard. The time was approach- 

 ing for us to seek a passage through Melville Bay. When 

 off Proven we fell in with the Gipsy and Undaunted, 

 both belonging Peterhead. Our captain being the senior, 

 the others came on board to hold a consultation, so it was 

 decided to keep company with each other through the Bay. 

 A strong S.W. wind began to blow. We led the way, and 

 had just passed Upernavik. In the .vicinity of the great 

 glacier many sunken rocks lay in our way. A good look- 

 out was kept on the fore topsail yard, and the master 

 in the crow's nest. Yet with all his experience and pre- 

 caution we ran upon a rock which was covered with a piece 

 of ice. At the time we struck we were going at the rate of 

 eight knots. All hands were called to lighten the ship 

 forward. There was five fathoms water aft, and four on the 

 starboard beam. The fore part and port beam was fast on 

 the rock. The captains of the other vessels kindly offered 

 their assistance, but our master told them they had better 

 leave us and make the best of their way northward while 

 there was water. They returned to their respective ships, 

 but soon made fast to an iceberg five miles away. Both 

 being strangers to Davis's Straits, they did not like to 

 venture any further, seeing it was such an intricate part, and 

 one of them had already glided over a rock. There is very 

 little rise and fall in this part, and what is called a tide and 

 a half tide. The day tide being the best, we took warps 

 out to a berg astern, and provisions from the fore hold, and 

 the following day hove her off. Although the crew had 



