136 A Whale heard. 



the crew declared he heard a whale, though a long 

 distance off. 



We all listened attentively, when Davy Smith 

 also hearing it, though the sound was perfectly in- 

 audible to my unpractised ears, we pulled vigor- 

 ously in the direction whence it appeared to come. 1 

 After pulling about a couple of miles through loose 

 pack ice, we again lay on our oars and listened. 

 Shortly the distinct blast of a whale was heard, this 

 time by all of us, and away we went towards the 

 spot indicated by the noise, as fast as five lusty 

 rowers could propel us. 



The ship, seeing that we had what the whalers 

 call a " start/' and knowing that we should not be 

 pulling in such a vigorous manner if it was only 

 after a " unie," sent a couple of boats in the direc- 

 tion that we had taken, and shortly afterwards, 

 having sighted the " fish " from the crow's nest, 

 " all hands " Were called, and all boats sent in 

 chase. 



And a fine chase this whale led us. For five 



1 Sir Edward Parry, in the account of his second voyage, 

 mentions the extreme facility with which sound in cold weather 

 is heard at a considerable distance, relating as an instance that 

 one of his officers having occasion to send a man from the ob- 

 servatory to a distance exceeding one statute mile, had placed, 

 for convenience, a second person half-way between to repeat 

 his orders. This precaution, however, he found unnecessary,. 

 as he was without difficulty able to keep up a conversation 

 with the man at the further station. The temperature at this 

 time was— 18°, and the weather nearly calm. 



