DISASTROUS SPRING FISHING. 25 



had been mucli damaged, and two or tliree 

 totally lost ; amongst others, the " Empress of 

 India," a bran new iron screw whaler, from 

 Peterhead, which had cost 20,000^., had gone 

 down bodily, the crew escaping with difficulty 

 into a Norwegian brig, belonging to the same 

 port and same owners as the " ISTordbye." 

 Ericson expressed his decided conviction that 

 iron vessels will "never do " for the northern 

 whale-fishery, as the excessive cold renders the 

 iron brittle, and concussions with the ice are 

 apt to start the rivets. 



The " Nordbye " herself had undergone a 

 terrible battering in that inclement season in 

 those stormy seas, and had only captured about 

 300 small Jan May en seals — whereas 3000 

 would hardly have been remunerative. Poor 

 Ericson was further in great tribulation on 

 account of having broken all his telescopes ; 

 the mate, a fine young fellow of twenty-two, 

 only two days before, had tumbled out of the 

 " crow's-nest " at the main-top-gallant-mast- 

 head on to the deck, along with the last 

 telescope, and had broken it to pieces; upon 

 further inquiry I ascertained that he had 

 broken Ms own necJc at the same time, and 

 was picked up dead. To do my friend Ericson 



