OLD WHALING DAYS. 



149 



appears that the greatest quantity of seals were to the north- 

 ward this year, and a large number were killed by the 

 inhabitants. 



This was a most disastrous year. About fifty sail were 

 lost on the ice along the coast during our stay, and it was 

 the most severe time experienced by the oldest sealer in St- 

 John's since 1831. Our vessel being the first steam whaler 

 that had been in the harbour, great interest was taken in her. 

 Every fine day numbers of visitors came on board to inspect 

 her, and the whaling gear. 



The Governor, Sir Alexander Bannerman, and his officers, 

 visited us, and gave us great credit for having the ship so 

 neat and clean. In course of conversation, it was found 

 that Sir Alexander and Captain Gravill were old acquaint- 

 ances, as they had met in Greenland when boys. The 

 newspapers also spoke well of the conduct of our crew, and 

 wished us every success in whaling, although they said they 

 were not sorry we had not succeeded in sealing upon their 

 coast. 



At last a new propeller was cast and the other one 

 repaired, which we shipped, and were once more ready to 

 seek our fortunes in the far north. It was with regret that 

 we parted with our kind friends in St John's. Staying here 

 would not bring grist to the mill, so we bade adieu to them, 

 and steamed away towards Davis's Straits. We sailed and 

 steamed along the edge and sometimes among streams of 

 ice, expecting to fall in with the bladder-nose or hooded 

 seal, .as good voyages have frequently been picked up after 

 the other sealing was finished, but our expectations were not 

 realized. In Lat. 55 N., the ice led us further to the east- 

 ward, so we made the best of our way to the whaling grounds. 

 I will here remark that the s.s. Camperdown, of Dundee, 

 came into the harbour three days before we sailed. She 

 had been beset six weeks off White Bay, and had also lost a 

 propeller. She took her coals and proceeded on her way. 



