Communicate with the " Victor." 265 



on which it lay, it was gradually disappearing, when 

 Deuchars fired, but unfortunately missed, the har- 

 poon striking over. I was sorry we were so unsuc- 

 cessful, as it was a gigantic brute, with tusks over 

 two feet in length. 



Tuesday, August 19 tli. — Thick and foggy the 

 greater part of the day, the ship steaming and sail- 

 ing through extensive fields of pack-ice, and along 

 the edge of very heavy floes. Both yesterday and 

 to-day we passed an immense number of grounded 

 icebergs, some of great magnitude, and this will 

 probably account for the presence of so much ice. 

 The floes have been prevented from drifting out by 

 these huge mountains, which most effectually bar 

 their progress. At about 4 p.m. we sighted and 

 communicated with the little " Victor/' and took on 

 board her home letters. We also saw the only 

 foreign whaler out, the " Harold," a Norwegian. She 

 is clean. 1 At 8 o'clock we saw and communicated 

 with the "Tay," and from Captain Gregg's account 

 of the state of the ice I much fear we shall have great 

 trouble in getting into the east water. He says it 

 is impossible to get to it by going- south ; unfortu- 

 nately we have a northerly wind, and therefore must 

 take advantage of it ; I have no doubt we shall be 



1 Being " clean," in whaling parlance, means that the ship 

 lias been unsuccessful and obtained no fish. The dirtier the 

 ship the greater the delight of the captain and crew. 



