Fatiguing Chase. 137 



hours did we pull operand through fields of ice with- 

 out ouce being' able to catch sight of our game, 

 directed only by its blast. I have had many a 

 hard day's work before in a boat in different parts 

 of the world, Avhich now appear to me as child's 

 play compared with our exertions of to-day. The 

 duty devolving on a boat steerer is by no means a 

 sinecure when chasing a lively whale amongst heavy 

 ice ; at times the boat has to be forced between two 

 floes, wide enough only to admit the boat, on which 

 occasion she has to be sculled through by the 

 steerer, and the incessant work of sweeping the 

 boat round the numerous pieces of ice is most labo- 

 rious. Shortly after 5 p.m. the bucket, to our no 

 small relief, was observed hoisted at the mizen-top- 

 gallant mast-head, as a signal for the boats to return, 

 and I was by no means sorry to sweep the boat's 

 head round in the direction of the ship. When 

 once boats have been despatched in chase of fish, 

 they are not at liberty to return until recalled by 

 the bucket, or, if at a distance, by loosing the fore- 

 top-gallant sail. We had not pulled half-a-dozen 

 strokes, before we heard the report of a gun, fol- 

 lowed immediately by the cry of " A fall ! a fall ! " 

 and we knew that our energetic and indefatigable 

 mate was fast. 



Repeating the cry, and sweeping the boats round, 

 we pulled in the direction of the fast boat as lustily 

 and cheerily as if we had not been at work, and at 

 hard work too, for the last five hours. Pushing the 



