Blowing a Gale. 23 



gale, before which the ship is going nine and ten 

 knots. A wet, drizzly day, with a lower tempera- 

 ture than we have experienced since leaving Eng- 

 land. We may at any moment expect to fall in 

 with icebergs, and extra men are placed to look 

 out day and night. A collision with one at our 

 present speed would not be very desirable. The 

 captain does not expect to make any ice until we 

 are off Cape Farewell. No signs of the other 

 whalers were visible to-day. We have completely 

 run them out of sight. The ship is decidedly not 

 comfortable in wet weather, as her decks leak like a 

 sieve from the continual straining; and both the 

 main cabin and my own are in a constant state of • 

 drip, which, to say the least, is most annoying. 

 The upper deck also at sea, even in moderate 

 weather, is rendered unpleasant for exercise, in 

 consequence of the ship having open water-ways 

 running fore and aft, which appear more useful in 

 admitting the water than in taking it off. These 

 little annoyances will not, however, be of long 

 duration, as we are making good runs, and in a 

 short time shall have crossed the Atlantic and be 

 in the smooth water of Davis' Straits. 



Our days are monotonous enough, and I shall 

 not be sorry when we arrive at the S. W. fishing, 

 where, amongst whales and ice, there will be much 

 to see and learn. At present one day is the very 

 counterpart of another. We have the same meals 



