May, 1858. WHALEFISH ISLANDS. 117 



was fast rising, and snow beginning to fall 

 thickly ; there was nothing for it, however, but 

 to stand off under easy sail for the night. 



12th. — At anchor at the Whalefish Islands. 

 On the evening of the 10th we stood off from 

 the inhospitable barrier of ice, prepared to meet 

 the storm ; snow fell so thickly that we could 

 hardly see the icebergs in time to avoid them. 

 We supposed ourselves to be well to leeward of 

 the Whalefish Islands, but were deceived by the 

 tides ; suddenly a small, low islet was seen on 

 the lee bow ; not being able to pass to wind- 

 ward, we were obliged to wear ship, and, in 

 doing so, passed within the ship's length of 

 destruction — for we were certainly within that 

 distance of the rocks ! The islet was covered 

 with snow, and, but for some very few dark 

 points showing through, it could not be distin- 

 guished from ice. On the 11th the weather im- 

 proved, and in the evening we came to our pre- 

 sent anchorage. From a hill we can watch an 

 opportunity to enter Godhavn. Notwithstand- 

 ing the blowing weather, some natives came 

 about five miles off to us ; the water washed 

 over their little kayaks, and kept the occupants' 

 sealskin dresses streaming with wet up to their 

 shoulders ; this part of their dress seems rather 

 part of the kayak, as it is attached to it round 



