Dangers of the Whale Fishery. 75 



sarily be encountered by all who navigate these 

 waters, the whalers have also to undergo the dan- 

 gers which must constantly be met with whilst 

 engaged in their vocation. As the class of acci- 

 dents of which the following is a specimen is, I am 

 sorry to say, not of unfrequent occurrence, I will 

 relate it. A whale had been struck on the east 

 side of Baffin's Bay, but the line having carried 

 away, it succeeded in effecting its escape, carrying, 

 however, the two harpoons, not very pleasant 

 souvenirs, which remained embedded in its flesh. 

 By a curious coincidence, the same fish was fallen 

 in with, some days subsequently, by the same ship, 

 on the west side of the bay. Boats were imme- 

 diately despatched for the purpose of securing their 

 prize ; but this was not easily accomplished. On 

 the approach of the first boat the harpooneer fired 

 and got fast, and was in the act of putting in the 

 hand harpoon, when the fish, with a convulsive 

 effort, struck the boat a blow with its mighty and 

 ponderous tail, smashing it into a thousand pieces, 

 and precipitating the crew into the water. The 

 unfortunate harpooneer was no more seen, having 

 probably been entangled by the line and taken 

 down. The remainder of the crew, with the ex- 

 ception of one, were picked up by the other boats ; 

 the one exception had succeeded in swimming to a 

 piece of ice, but in consequence of exhaustion and 

 numbness caused by excessive cold, was unable to 

 raise himself on it. He would shortly have 



