OLD WHALING DAYS. 145 



be solidly fixed at the head of the bay, and could drive no 

 more. We drifted abreast a place called Hearts' Ease, on 

 the north side of the bay. The ice had become quiet, 

 although the wind was still blowing strong. 



The following day the weather was calm and clear. The 

 ice presented a strange appearance,' being composed of 

 a screwed-up pack, and difficult to travel upon. Four of 

 the men succeeded in walking to the land, and returned 

 with some of the inhabitants belonging to Hearts' Ease, 

 who stated that provisions were difficult to be obtained 

 from the principal places along the coast. The people who 

 came to us were very religious, intelligent, and well 

 educated. After having refreshment, the captain gave them 

 some tobacco and bread, which they greatly needed. They 

 had plenty of money, but provisions were scarce. They 

 said nearly all the sealers were fast in the harbours, and had 

 not been able to get out owing to the winds prevailing from 

 the eastward, and there was such a quantity of ice along the 

 coast. We had not seen our companion, the s.s. Camper- 

 down, since we left Shetland. 



There was no change in the ice for two days, when a fine 

 breeze sprang up from the westward, causing it to separate 

 quickly and drift from the land, which enabled all the ships 

 to leave the harbours in search of seals. We steamed to 

 the outside, which now extended but twenty miles from the 

 land in some places, and went as far north as the Funk 

 Islands, where the ice lay a long way to the eastward. 

 Seeing no signs of seals, we prepared to come south. 



The next day a heavy swell set in from the eastward, 

 causing the ice to close rapidly. When steaming south we 

 saw several schooners in the ice with their ensigns flying in 

 distress, and some men travelling towards us. We 

 immediately steamed the ship into the pack, as there was 

 no possibility of the men getting to us on account of the 

 outer edge of the ice being in such a broken condition, 



10 



