PERILS OF POLAR WHALING 



our cargo without a fight, and the magazine was opened 

 and guns were double shotted. Cutlasses and pistols were 

 served out, and everything gotten ready for trouble. 



Whether our captain feared the Russian could overpower 

 him or not, I never knew, but all at once the orders were 

 given to set the studding sails, and as the brig paid off to 



BOATING AMID ICE FLOES 



a quartering wind, up went the kites, and she soon was 

 bowling off ii knots. The cruiser opened fire on us with 

 bow guns but the shot fell wide of us. We shifted one of 

 our broadside guns aft, and returned the fire, but with as 

 little effect as had that of our pursuer. 



The Russian spread every available stitch of canvas but 

 we were dropping him rapidly astern. The race continued 

 on the same course until about 8 o'clock that night, when 

 we took in all light sails and hauled the brig up to the wind, 

 standing to the westward, until about daylight, when we 

 shaped our course to pass out behind the islands and into 

 neutral waters. 



367 



