120 A YEAR WITH A WHALER^ 



and walrus-hide mittens over yarn mittens. The 

 walrus-boots were fastened by a gathering string 

 just below the knees and by thongs of tanned skin 

 about the ankle. Some of the men wore heavy 

 reindeer-skin coats. The skin clothes worn by the 

 officers and boat-steerers were of finer quality 

 and more pretentious. Perhaps the handsomest 

 costume was that of Little Johnny. It consisted 

 of coat, vest, and trousers of silvery hair-seal, 

 with the edges of the coat trimmed with the 

 snowwhite fur of fur-seal pups. With this he 

 wore a black dogskin cap and walrus-hide boots. 



While we were among the ice, the officer in the 

 crow's nest directed the course of the brig. 

 Whaling officers are great fellows to show their 

 skill by just grazing dangerous ice. Many a 

 time we green hands stood with our hearts in our 

 mouths as the ship seemed about to crash into a 

 'berg bows-on. 



" Starboard, sir," the helmsman would re- 

 spond. 



" Starboard," would come the order from 

 aloft. 



The bow would swing slowly to one side and 



