180 A Successful Day. 



is nothing, I think, can beat our morning's work, 

 which was the laborious duty of towing a dead 

 whale for more than eight hours. We did not get 

 alongside the ship until eleven o'clock this fore- 

 noon. On arriving' we found that they had just 

 succeeded in killing the first whale struck, which, 

 like the one we got a few days ago, had been 

 amazingly troublesome, having towed the ship and 

 five boats some distance. They were nearly nine 

 hours killing her, but she proved to be a perfect 

 monster, larger than any we have hitherto taken. 

 Tom Webster, the second mate, was also fortunate 

 enough to get a couple of small whales. Four fish 

 again at a fall, we are indeed lucky; although the 

 one large one is worth about twice as much as the 

 three others. We commenced flinching a little be- 

 fore twelve, which lasted until 7.20 p.m. At eight 

 all hands were sent to bed, and I am again appa- 

 rently in sole possession of the ship. As it is 

 now nearly 10.30 p.m., and I have not been in bed 

 since yesterday morning, and have only had three 

 hours' sleep during the last sixty-four, I shall follow 

 the good example set by everyone, and also retire. 

 Sunday, July 6th. — I am becoming rapidly con- 

 scious of the fact that I am gradually falling into 

 the insidious clutches of that enemy which has for 

 so long successfully attacked and held sway over 

 my shipmates and everything on board the "Arctic," 

 — that irresistible and encroaching- foe — dirt ! 



