198 ADVENTURES IN THE NORTHERN SEAS. 



This was not a full-sized specimen of Baloena at- 

 bicans, as I believe they sometimes attain to a length 

 of twenty feet, and circumference of twelve; but we 

 were very much pleased at having obtained a spec- 

 imen, as this was the only one we killed, and the 

 only time we had an opportunity of seeing these 

 animals alive. They are rather rare on this part 

 of the coast, although frequenting the bays on the 

 west coast of Spitzbergen in great numbers during 

 the summer months. 



There are said to be great numbers of this whale 

 in the estuaries of the great rivers of Siberia, and 

 the natives there sometimes kill them in large quan- 

 tities by stretching strong nets across the tideways, 

 and then harpooning or spearing them. 



After breakfast the fog cleared away, and the 

 gale being now gone, we left our anchorage at Hal- 

 manne Island, and cruised about all day. The ice 

 has all been driven away again to the northeast by 

 the late gale, and we were unwilling to go north 

 again so late in the season, as the chances of bad 

 weather are now considerable. We held a council 

 of war, therefore ; and, as it was clear we could do 

 little more with the walruses this season, we de- 

 termined to seek the "Ginevra" at the rendezvous 

 of the Russian huts, and to devote a few days to 

 reindeer stalking in the valleys up Stour Fiord. 



We reached the harbor at Hvalfiske Point about 

 9 P.M. on the 23d. 



