Fulmar Petrels. 61 



good humour, and working- with that cheerfulness 

 and energy which are the result of a contented and 

 happy disposition. 



. The whale skin, which is generally thrown over- 

 board, is on board the " Arctic " carefully collected 

 and placed in a tank, by order of our kind and 

 thoughtful captain. On the arrival of the ship at 

 Lievely, it will be by him distributed amongst the 

 Esquimaux inhabitants of that settlement, by whom 

 it is much relished and appreciated as an article of 

 food. It is also regarded as an excellent anti- 

 scorbutic. 



During the proceedings of yesterday and to-day 

 the ship was literally surrounded by hundreds of 

 screaming and greedy fulmar petrels (called by the 

 whalers " mollies"), clamouring and fighting over 

 the numerous pieces of kreng and blubber that 

 floated alongside and astern of the ship. These 

 greedy birds are at times so voracious as frequently 

 to alight on the whale to pick up some choice and 

 delicate morsel, whilst the men are actually em- 

 ployed on the fish in the duties of flinching. 



We are now amongst loose pack ice, our large 

 water-hole of yesterday being filled with numberless 

 floes. 



From the crow's nest there is no open water 

 visible, nothing but ice as far as the eye can reach. 

 To one having such limited experience in these 

 matters as myself, we appear to be hopelessly sur- 



