in search of whales. 4}) 
supposed, because of any disagreeable effluvia 
arising- from the blubber, since, before putrefaction, 
the blubber is not at all offensive; and even after 
putrescence, we are not annoyed by it, there being 
nothing whatever unpleasant in the smell of a 
whale-ship, until after its arrival in port, where 
the cargo is un stowed. 
Being now near the northern ice, and seeing 
no whales to induce our stay, as soon as we finish¬ 
ed “ making-off,” we began to retrace our way to 
the southward. We skirted the main western 
ice, trending with an unbroken edge to the south¬ 
west, towards a supposed large opening of the ice, 
indicated by a dark shade or reflection of water in 
the sky. After four or five hours sailing we ob¬ 
tained sight of the water, and perceiving a possibi¬ 
lity of getting into it, though the communication 
was extremely narrow and complicated, we made 
the attempt, and, in consequence of the capability 
of the ship for extraordinary evolutions, succeeded, 
without striking a single piece of ice. The John, 
which closely followed us, was not so fortunate, as 
one part of the channel closed before slm reached 
it, and detained her above an hour. The wind 
being from the SE., brought the loose ice rapidly 
down upon the main body, so that, as we expect¬ 
ed, our retreat was immediately cut off. Though 
we were in a basin of water, completely surround- 
