DEDICATION. 



TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE 



SIR H. BAETLE FRERE, G.C.S.L, K.C.B., D.C.L. 



President of the Royal Geographical Society. 



Dear Sir Bartle Frere, 



[HE permission to dedicate this narra- 

 tive of a whaling cruise to you, as 

 President of our Society, is specially 

 gratifying to me, because it encourages 

 me to hope that you will treat this effort to further 

 the great cause of Arctic exploration with indul- 

 gence, and that you will overlook the numerous 

 shortcomings of so inexperienced an author. My 

 intention is to convey, to the utmost of my ability, 

 accurate information respecting the operations of 

 that fleet, commanded by daring and adventurous 

 seamen, which annually navigates the Arctic seas. 



It is an auspicious circumstance that, in these 

 days, as in the days of old, a distinguished Indian 



