HALF-MOON ISLAND. 185 



CHAPTER XIII. 



Whales' Bones. — Rapid Elevation of the Land. — Early Whale- 

 fishery. — Shallowing of the Sea. — Trench plowed by an Ice- 

 berg. — Last Day at the Sea-horses. — Successful Stalk and 

 double Shot. — Lose two Harpoons. — Very bad Luck. — Dif- 

 ficulty of shooting Walruses. — Gale. — Wrecks in Spitz- 

 bergen. — Insurance. — Kill a White Whale. — Description of 

 the same. — Sail to the Rendezvous. 



After this long digression about the North Pole, 

 I resume the narrative of our proceedings. 



Early in the morning of the 18th we had got 

 back to Black Point, having been turned out of 

 bed at midnight and at 4 A.M. to polish off seals 

 which came in sight. 



At eight o'clock we started in both boats, and 

 proceeded, Lord David to Halmanne (or Half- 

 moon) Island, and myself to a cluster of rocky 

 islands lying four or five miles E.S.E. of Black 

 Point. We did not expect to do much good in the 

 way of sport, so we both agreed to bring back boat- 

 loads of fire-wood from our respective islands if we 

 should get nothing better to load them with. I 

 landed upon one of the islands, and ascended to the 

 highest point to look, out ; there was some ice vis- 

 ible in different directions around, but I could dis- 

 cover nothing alive upon it, so I set the boat's crew 



