136 OLD WHALING DAYS. 



With tracking and towing a few hours we reached the south 

 water, and encountered another gale, which would have 

 annihilated our little fleet if we had remained in the ice. 

 We searched every bight, hoping to get to the westward, 

 until we arrived off Holsteinberg, and were becalmed for 

 two hours near a small bank having about twenty-three 

 fathoms of water upon it. The bank suddenly deepens, 

 with no bottom at seventy-five fathoms. 



We tried our luck at cod fishing, but were disappointed 

 of our expected treat. The Esquimaux name for Holstein- 

 berg is Tirieniak Pudlit, or Fox Pit ; this is the principal place 

 for deer upon the east side of Davis's Straits. Upwards of 

 three thousand deer skins are annually sent to Denmark. 

 The hunting grounds are extensive, and the natives go up 

 the fiord for many miles. Salmon is also plentiful there. 

 The rise and fall of the tide is very little compared to the 

 opposite side of the Straits. 



A- breeze springing up, we reached to the ice edge and 

 saw no prospect of getting within sight of the west land, or 

 into apy opening of the ice. We held a consultation, and 

 unanimously agreed to retrace our way back to the north- 

 ward, though it was very trying to our patience. We saw 

 little change in the appearance of the ice until we came 

 again into Melville Bay. There, a great deal of water was 

 seen, and plenty of room to ply with a northerly wind, but 

 now calms prevailed, which made it very slow, dreary work, 

 towing. After towing, sailing, and taking every advantage 

 of the light winds, we came in sight of Cape York on the 

 north side of the Bay before we were able to strike across 

 Baffin's Bay, and at last made the land on the south cheek 

 of Lancaster Sound. 



It was not far from here that the Isabella, whaler of Hull, 

 Captain Humphrey, picked up Captain J. Ross, R.N., and 

 his crew in their boats. They had left their ship, Victoria, 

 fast in the ice in Boothia Straits. The expedition left 



