VOYAGE TO GREENLAND! 89 
only run out our coniplement of six lines, but also 
three others belonging to a boat that had been sent 
to our assistance. I now observed the boat from 
which the second harpoon had been struck, moving 
rapidly along the ice, over large hummocks, while 
its crew were exerting their utmost strength to im- 
pede its progress. From the commencement of the 
attack, we had used our best endeavours to check 
the career of this resolute fish, but human efforts 
were for the present unable to control its power. 
Determined, however, not to give more line, we put 
over the stern a heavy grapnel and long tow-line, to 
which every man held on with his utmost strength, 
while I, having got into the boat to travel in this 
unusual manner, was drawn with great speed to the 
place where the whale was first struck; here, to 
prevent the boat being taken under the ice, more 
line was given, but to no great extent. Fortunately, 
the whale quitted the ice, and came up in open 
water ; when we had soon the pleasure of seeing a 
jack displayed from another of the boats to an- 
nounce that a third harpoon had struck the prey. 
About a quarter of an hour after this, we heard the 
welcome shout which follows the death of a fish. 
Our boat’s crew being engaged in pulling in the 
line, I had an opportunity of exploring part of this 
extensive plain of ice which was immeasurable to 
the eye. This dreary waste was wholly composed 
of newly-created ice, and, rising from the surface 
of the ocean, was in many places perfectly flat, while 
in , others, it was covered with hillocks, especially 
