274 Fairly on our Way Home. 



The weather is getting oppressively warm, and the 

 fire in the cabin has been allowed to go out for the 

 first time since leaving Scotland. The thermo- 

 meter has been as high as forty-seven degrees. We 

 have caught two more small birds, one a linnet and 

 the other a finch, which have been blown off to us 

 from the Greenland shore during the late northerly 

 winds. We are now, I am happy to say, well round 

 the cape and in the broad Atlantic, and are hoping 

 for a succession of westerly winds. It has been 

 perfectly impossible to do anything during- the last 

 few days ; even now the ship is so lively as to com- 

 pel me to hold on to the inkstand with one hand 

 while I write with the other. 



Thursday, September 11th. — A fine clear day, 

 with a light north-easterly wind, the ship progress- 

 ing slowly at the rate of three knots an hour ; but 

 better that than being becalmed or having a head 

 wind. Advantage was taken of the fine weather to 

 wash and dry all the whale lines, which were towed 

 overboard in a bight astern after the greasy places 

 had been washed with fresh water and soft soap. 

 On the arrival of the ship in harbour they will be 

 removed to a loft on shore, where they will be 

 thoroughly examined as to their fitness for another 

 season. The harpoon guns are all carefully lubri- 

 cated, sewn up in canvas, and stowed away for the 

 winter. Men are going about the upper deck with 

 paint brushes and paint of various colours, and giv- 



