VOYAGE TO GREENLAND. 91 
ing upwards of a ton and a half, without any calcu- 
lation being made of the resistance given by the 
sunken boat, by the boats over the snow, and by 
fifteen men. 
The boats having all returned, and the crews 
being ready for flincing, the ship was moored to 
leeward of the field of ice, and the harpooners, with 
their cutting-knives and blubber-spades, were ready 
to commence the operation; but the flincing was 
soon stopped by the rising of another whale about 
a mile from us. After resting upon the surface for 
a few minutes, it disappeared in the manner usual 
when not disturbed, by slowly elevating its back, 
with a graceful movement of the tail. The boat 
sent in pursuit, took its station against a piece of flat 
ice, where it had not remained long, before the fish 
again rose near a lofty hummock connected with 
the ice to which the ship was moored; the sea 
being perfectly smooth, much address was requisite, 
and the boat was most skilfully sculled upon its back, 
into which a harpoon was deeply driven ; the agita- 
tion instantly produced on the still water, was asto- 
nishing ; and the sudden darting down of the fish, 
placed the harpooner in considerable danger of 
being thrown overboard, by the boat s heeling from 
the action of the tail ; and the boat-steerer had also 
great difficulty in keeping his balance. Instantly, 
with great velocity, the whale dived under the ice, 
and ran out six lines in a very short time ; a boat 
with a fresh supply arrived, their lines were united 
to the others, and the whale continued without the 
