IX THE DRIFT-ICE OFF THE COAST OF GREENLAND. 21 



snapper ' and so maltreating them that often they die in con- 

 sequence. It is the terror of the seals. No sooner do the latter 

 perceive their mortal enemy than they make a hasty escape on. 

 to an ice-floe, or land ; but the grampus is not so easily daunted. 

 If the edge of the ice, or land, is not very high, it simply flings up 

 its tail and sweeps the seal into the sea, where it is done for in 

 the twinkling of an eye. 



We first saw three or four of these whales on the starboard 

 side, and then five came from the port side, making straight 

 towards us; they dived, swam under the vessel, came up again 

 far away on the other side, and finally disappeared in the direction 

 that the others had taken. They kept always in a single straight 

 line, and all at an equal distance one from another. They dived 

 simultaneously, and came up again simultaneously, as if by 

 word of command. A German regiment could hardly have gone 

 through their manoeuvres with greater precision. 



The following day we had the same calm, brilliant weather, 

 and at a speed of five knots we glided on smoothly and quietly 

 northward. On our right was the so-called ' Devil's Thumb,' 

 a high rock in the shape of a dark finger pointing upwards; 

 and we were soon inside the notorious Melville Bay. Many 

 a vessel has here had a hard fight with the ice which presses down 

 in great masses from the sounds on the north and west, and from 

 the numerous glaciers on the east of the bay. Some of these 

 vessels have got adrift, others have been crushed to pieces, and 

 have sunk with all hands on board ; while others, again, have 

 been beset as early as the month of August, and have drifted 

 southwards all through the winter. 



Early on the morning of August 7 we got into quite compact 

 ice. During the night, young ice formed about half an inch in 

 thickness. Thin as this is, it yet retards progress, as it prevents 

 the floes from drifting together when thrust aside by the ship ; 

 and at half-past three in the morning we had to stop and wait 

 for slacker water. 



There are usually plenty of bears in Melville Bay. We had 

 seen their tracks during the night, but had hitherto not been 

 able to discover any, although we kept a sharp look-out on all 



