THE SEAL AND WHALE FISHERY OF 1888. 125 
unsuccessful, the fish breaking back and all escaping. Finally 
the ‘ Perseverance’ left for home on August 28th, 1888, the 
‘Germania’ staying for the fall fishing. Only one Right Whale 
is said to have been seen, and the other vessels and stations in 
the Gulf are reported to have had no better fortune than the 
* Perseverance.’ 
One of the most successful whalers is Capt. Adams, formerly 
of the ‘ Arctic,’ but now commanding the ‘ Maud,’ and in the past 
season his good fortune (skill?) has not failed him. Capt. Adams 
arrived from Davis Straits with a full ship, his cargo consisting 
of three small Right Whales, 300 White Whales, 1000 Seals, and 
175 Walrus, yielding 115 tons of whale and seal oil and 13 cwt. 
of bone; he also obtained several Bears, one of which he brought 
home alive. The following is a brief account of Capt. Adams’s 
voyage to Davis Straits, extracted from one of the Dundee papers, 
which I hope you will allow me to quote, as it not only shows the 
state of the ice in Davis Straits, but also gives a fair idea of the 
course followed by the Straits fishers. 
Capt. Adams states that the 8.W. fishery proved barren on 
account of the stormy weather. Three times the vessel was 
driven down near to the Labrador coast, 180 miles distant, and 
each time three days were occupied in regaining the fishing- 
ground. A number of Seals were secured, but only one Whale 
was seen, and the crew failed to capture it. As there were no 
prospects of success at the 8.W., the whale-fishing on the EH. side 
of Davis Straits was attempted, but the impenetrable fields of ice 
barred the way, and nothing could be done. The voyage north- 
ward was therefore continued to Disco, where a number of Walrus, 
Seals, and Bears were shot. In communication with the natives, 
Capt. Adams learned that many large Whales had been seen off 
Disco early in the year, but that the natives had been unable to 
capture any of them. Melville Bay was comparatively clear of ice, 
so that no difficulty was experienced in crossing it. Continuing 
northward, Cary Islands were passed, and Capt. Adams made an 
attempt to reach what is known as the Middle Ice fishing-ground. 
But here no open water was to be seen, the whole of Baffin’s Bay 
being completely blocked with ice. The only course was to get 
up Lancaster Sound, and this was effected after great difficulty, 
a way having to be cut for a considerable distance through the 
ice-barrier at the entrance to the Sound. Lancaster Sound was 
