Dangerous Ice Floes. 73 



moment striking- a floe stem on, causing the ship to 

 come to a dead stop, at another making a cannon 

 from one piece and striking a second on her oppo- 

 site bow, which will rebound with such force as to 

 make the ship's head swerve from four to six 

 points ; again, there are other pieces which are 

 pressed down by the weight of the ship's bow, and 

 which, when released from the pressure, rise rapidly 

 and suddenly in most unexpected directions. Great 

 care must be taken to fend off these latter pieces by 

 means of long poles, as they spring up in the water 

 to such a height, and with such velocity, that they 

 have occasionally been known to rise under one of 

 the boats, whilst suspended at the davits, completely 

 smashing it. Several large icebergs were passed, 

 one, the height of which we estimated at over four 

 hundred feet. By way of making us feel easy and 

 comfortable amongst so many of these huge masses 

 of ice, the captain beguiles the time by recounting 

 to us. a few of his own personal experiences during 

 his long and arduous services in these regions. 

 Some of these I will attempt to relate. 



Whilst serving as harpooneer on board a whaler 

 (in much about the same position in Davis' Straits 

 as we are to-day), his ship was running under 

 reefed topsails and foresail at the rate of ten knots 

 an hour before a strong southerly gale, snow falling* 

 heavily, and the weather, to vise a seaman's expres- 

 sion, as thick as pea-soup. The men were em- 

 ployed in getting the boats in-board, and securing 



