60 
A VOYAGE TO SFITZBEBGEN. 
upon tlie men themselves or their ready listeners. 
Only in the previous year thirty-two American whale- 
ships were beset, and their crews fearing to be com¬ 
pelled to endure all the horrors of an Arctic winter in 
ships but ill-provided with the necessary provisions, 
left them, and travelled over the ice to their more for¬ 
tunate companions who were safe on the outside of 
the floe, and so escaped with their lives, only too glad 
to leave their own vessels to the mercy of the ice, and 
the savage onslaughts of the storms of the Arctic seas. 
On Monday, the 13 th of May, the warps are ready, 
a steam-tug has taken a final hold of the Samson to 
tow her out. The wharf is still lined with the same 
people ; there, in the crowd, are the wives and families 
of the married portion of the crew. The surging mass 
raise a parting shout as we slowly move towards the 
entrance of the dock, and hurrying to the next point of 
vantage, give many another hearty cheer, which told 
us plainly that their anxious and best wishes are sin¬ 
cerely with us. 
We have Captain Wells on board, and he seems, 
even at the last moment, more than half resolved to 
come with us, but the ties of home are too strong upon 
him, and he fills up all the short remaining time at his 
disposal in giving final instructions, and many scraps 
of valuable advice. He explains many important facts 
