154 White Whales. 



brightly, entirely dispersing the unpleasant mist by 

 which we had been troubled the whole day, but not 

 sufficiently to dissipate the dense clouds which 

 persistently hung over the land, concealing from my 

 view much that I was naturally anxious to see. 



Shoals of white whales were seen gambolling like 

 porpoises along the floe edge, but they did not 

 approach sufficiently near for me to get a shot at 

 one. Sir Leopold McClintock succeeded in shoot- 

 ing one during his cruise in the i( Fox/' and speaks 

 of its flesh as being palatable, and preferable to 

 that of seal. By eleven we were off Cape Craufurd, 

 the coast line, owing to the provoking clouds, 

 being alone visible. 



June 28th. — I was awakened at half-past three 

 this morning by the cry of " a fall ! " and the lower- 

 ing away of the boats. Being surfeited with the 

 continual capture of fish, and feeling rather drowsy? 

 I determined to let the fish be taken without wit- 

 nessing its death struggle, and turning over on the 

 other tack, again courted sleep. But it was of no 

 use, for in a few minutes the steward came in, and 

 informed me of what I very well knew, that there 

 was " a fall/ 5 I told him I was delighted to hear 

 it, and again tried to get to sleep. After a lapse of 

 a few minutes, the skipper bounced into my cabin, 

 saying in a voice loud enough to wake the dead, 

 " Are you awake, captain ? " When I informed 

 him of the important fact that I was wide awake, 



