The Crew's Decision. 257 



told him lie must judge for himself, though, as far 

 as I was concerned, I should like to go north. He 

 replied, that he was most anxious to obligee me, and 

 would be guided by circumstances. If there was a 

 southerly wind outside Lancaster Sound he would 

 try and go up. Having made up his mind to go 

 home, he sent for all the harpooneers, saying to them 

 as they came aft, " What do you say, boys, home, 

 or another fish ? " They all with one voice cried, 

 " Home ! " and gave three cheers, which was soon 

 taken up by the men, and continued for some little 

 time, everyone being in the highest spirits. Steam 

 was raised, and the order given to go ahead ; and 

 now the fan is making the ship throb again as we 

 steam past Fury Point and down Prince Regent's 

 Inlet. All my hopes are now centred in a south- 

 erly wind, and plenty of it. We have lost our 

 midnight sun, and for the first time since crossing 

 the Arctic circle I am writing by the light of a 

 candle, though it is quite light enough to do any- 

 thing else but write. 



Wednesday, August l'dth. — Unmistakable signs 

 of approaching winter were observed last night, 

 the ship having to steam through a large extent of 

 bay ice. 1 It is quite surprising the quantity of 

 pack ice that is now in the inlet, much more than 

 when we came up. The late northerly winds must 



1 Bay ice is newly formed ice. 



