WHALE FISHERY. 443 



ice. Its back being fairly exposed, the harpoon, struck 

 from the boat on the outside, was observed to be so 

 slightly entangled that it was ready to drop out. Some 

 of the officers lamented this circumstance, and expressed 

 a wish that the harpoon were better fast ; observing, at 

 the same time, that if it should slip out, the whale would 

 either be lost, or they would be under the necessity of 

 cutting it up where it lay, and of dragging the pieces of 

 blubber over the ice to the ship ; a kind and degree of 

 labor which every one was anxious to avoid. No sooner 

 was the wish expressed, and its importance made known, 

 than one of the sailors, a smart and enterprising fellow, 

 slept forward and volunteered his services to strike it 

 better in. Not at all intimidated by the surprise which 

 was manifested in every countenance, by snch a bold 

 proposal, he pulled out his pocket knife, leaped upon the 

 back of the living whale, and immediately cut the har- 

 poon out. Stimulated by this courageous example, one 

 of his companions proceeded to his assistance. While 

 one of them hauled upon the line and held it in his hands, 

 the other set his shoulder against the extremity of the 

 harpoon, and though it was without a stock, he contrived 

 to strike it again into the fish more effectually than it 

 was at first ; the fish was in motion before they finished. 

 After they got off its back it advanced a considerable 

 distance, breaking the ice all the way, and survived this 

 uncommon treatment ten or fifteen minutes. This ad- 

 mirable act was an essential benefit. The fish fortunately 

 sunk spontaneously after being killed, on which it was 

 hauled out to the edge of the ice by the line, and secured 

 without further trouble. It proved a stout whale, and an 

 acceptable prize. 



Fishing in Crowded Ice or in Open Packs. 

 In navigable open drift ice, or among small detached 

 streams and patches, either of which serve in a degree 

 to break the force of the sea, and to prevent any consid- 

 erable swell from arising, we have a situation which is 

 considered as one of the best possible for conducting the 

 fishery in ; consequently, it comes under the same de- 

 nomination as those favorable situations, in which I have 

 first attempted to describe the proceedings of the fishers 



