A WHALING INCIDENT. 



449 



to have, after a time, hot coffee placed before me by the ready 

 hands of Suzhi. 



The next morning, October 10th, we renewed our boat- voyage 

 back to the ship. On the way a deer was seen, and my crew im- 

 mediately landed to secure it. This was done without much dif- 

 ficulty, guns having been brought into good use for the purpose. 

 The animal was a fine one, and very soon made a great feast for 

 all of us. It was quickly skinned, and the raw food greedily 

 eaten. I partook of some of it, and especially of the marrow of 

 the legs, the bones having been broken by pounding them with a 

 stone. "Johnny Bull" took the head, broke open the skull, and 

 feasted on the brains. Suzhi now and then thrust her fingers 

 down into the paunch, drawing forth portions of the contents, and 

 eating them with much relish. While waiting at this place I 

 took a walk along the beach, and found a ship's beam high and 

 dry on the rocks. It was of oak, twenty-seven feet long, and 

 eighteen by twelve inches square. Spikes that had once helped 

 to hold fast the ship's deck, and the bolts running through at each 

 end, were much eaten with rust. It probably belonged to the 

 Traveller. 



When we again started it was with difficulty that any progress 

 could be made, owing to the head wind; but at last, toward even- 

 ing, we neared the locality of the ship. At that time another 

 boat under sail was observed, and we soon found it to be manned 

 wholly by Innuits. It was a pretty sight, that boat, with no load 

 save its light crew, sailing in the strong wind, with a heavy sea 

 prevailing. The masts and sails were bent over, almost touching 

 the waves, and yet she bounded forward, beautifully rising over 

 the waters, and dashing along like a white whale in alarm. As 

 soon as the boat neared us, we learned that during my absence 

 the crew of the George Henry had captured two whales, and this 

 news was soon afterward fully confirmed when I saw the huge 

 carcasses alongside of the ship. 



On' board, Captain B and his crew were busy and joyous 



over the work. A friendly word was hastily given, and I went 

 below. I regretted to learn that a man had been seriously in- 

 jured, nearly losing his life by a blow from one of the captured 

 whales. The boat in which this man was had run with a six- 

 knot breeze right on the whale in an oblique direction, its bow 

 actually mounting the monster's back near its tail. At that mo- 

 ment the " boat-header" — Morgan — threw, with all the force of a 



Ff 



