HALF-MOON ISLAND. 199 



CHAP. XIII. 



Whales' Bones. — Eapid Elevation of the Land. — Early 

 Whale-fishery. — Shallowing of the Sea. — Trench ploughed 

 by an Iceberg. — Last Day at the Sea-horses. — Successful 

 Stalk and double Shot. — Lose two Harpoons. — Very bad 

 Luck — Difficulty of shooting Walruses. — Gale, — Wrecks 

 in Spitzbergen. — 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 own pro- 

 ceedings. 



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 

 Halfmoon) 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 boatloads of firewood 

 from our respective islands if we should get 



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