n8 OLD WHALING DAYS. 



which made it a most anxious time for us all, on account of 

 our damaged condition,, but with great care we got into the 

 open water without further mishap, although we received 

 some very heavy thumps on our bows. 



We then proceeded to the northward, amongst straggling 

 streams of ice, in search of seals, which make their way in 

 that direction in separate bodies. Sometimes good voyages 

 have been made when the weather was fine by shooting 

 over the streams of ice, which are covered with seals. At 

 times, after the first shot, all disappear, yet at other times 

 hundreds have been shot in one day. The season was 

 getting late for them, as we had been frozen up so long. 



Troubles seemed to follow us quickly. Many men were 

 on the sick list, especially the carpenter, who had been ill 

 several times during the voyage, but the doctor had always 

 pulled him through. He now appeared worse than ever, so 

 we slung a hammock in the cabin, where we could better 

 attend to him. He expressed a wish to be sent home. A 

 Scotch brig in our company was going home, and the 

 captain kindly consented to take him. The poor man was 

 so delighted that he dressed himself and stepped into the 

 boat quite cheerfully, and to all appearance had taken a 

 new lease of life. He died a few days afterwards, and was 

 buried at Lerwick, where we afterwards laid the doctor. 



Proceeding further north, we came to the whaling 

 grounds situated off the island of Bontekoe and Cape 

 Broer Ruys, among very heavy loose floes and sconces. 

 This ice sometimes attains the thickness of thirty-two feet. 

 We sailed and dodged about in search of whales, and saw 

 but few, although the ice lay in such a favourable position 

 for them. The fogs being so frequent prevented us from 

 sailing about as we otherwise should have done. 



One day we came up to a brig which had found a dead 

 whale. The carcase was extended to a great size. The 

 crew had been busy for some time shooting bears which 



