Chapter XVII. 



FURY BEACH. 



TJNDAY, August 3rd. — The boats re- 

 turned at four o'clock this morning, 

 and were, as I predicted, unsuccessful, 

 having given up the chase as hopeless. 

 As they pulled towards the ship, the whale gave 

 three or four unusually heavy, and, as it were, defiant 

 and triumphant blasts. Fearing the ice was closing 

 in, the ship's head was pointed to the northward, 

 and shortly after breakfast we were again off Fury 

 Beach. This time the ship was " hove to," and we 

 all went on shore. 



Fury Beach is classic ground in the annals of 

 Arctic adventure. During the stormy month of 

 August, in the year 1825, it was the scene of much 

 heavy work zealously performed, of an exercise of 

 most skilful seamanship, and of the final loss of Her 

 Majesty's ship " Fury." On the 1st of August, 1825, 

 the " Hecla," commanded by Sir Edward Parry, 



