NARWHAL. 
133 
however, but after blundering for a while in the slush 
and snow, we turned back, defeated, and made other 
and equally fruitless attempts in every direction where 
there seemed a possibility of success. Baffled in 
our efforts, we were about returning, when an unex¬ 
pected occurrence arrested our progress. A novel 
interruption, a whirl under the surface of the water, 
and the boat suddenly slewing round, caused us all 
to start up in consternation. What could be the 
cause ? Looking over the side, we see a large Nar¬ 
whal rising to the surface, his splendid horn and 
curiously dappled hide being distinctly visible. He 
presents a capital opportunity for a successful shot; 
but, as often happens in such circumstances, we are 
not ready either with gun or harpoon, and as he has 
seen his danger, he has dived out of reach, and we are 
forced to return on board without a capture. The 
hole we are in evidently closes around us, and we 
make desperate efforts to escape from being caught in 
the ice. Already we have struck several pieces and 
received some severe thumps, even a bit of our false 
keel, being broken off, came up to warn us of our 
danger ; and now we have hardly room to turn round. 
These disappointments and disasters fill the most 
experienced amongst us with forebodings of evil, and 
we find ourselves falling in with his opinion. We 
