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of the hardy men who risk so much in a pursuit so fraught with danger, men of skill and science should devote some attention to supply a want so great as this. At a time when so much thought and money have been expended upon projectiles and ammunition of every kind, it surely is hardly fair to the whaler to let him go on his dangerous venture with no better weapon than that now in use.

We had worked to the opposite side of Moffen Island since our last visit, and being curious about its proper bearings, we went on shore for an observation and took our compass with us. The result proved that we were correct in our conjectures. Here we picked up two rare birds (Tringa cinerea).

Resting upon the beach at some considerable distance from the water's edge we saw a whale's skull of rare dimensions. It was in beautiful preservation, blanched in the sun's rays; the remainder of its bones are being gradually covered up in the shingle and accumulated débris drifting with the frequent icebergs that are driven against the coast; from this cause it is easy to see that the island is gradually rising above the waves. We saw the various inscriptions which cover the skull, recording the many visits to the spot by Norwegian and other whalers, and we stumbled over the vast accumulation of walrus remains collected there

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after some successful raid of a former hunting party, whose gain must have been enormous, judging from the number of the slain whose bones lie bleaching in all directions.

The ice has drifted round Moffen Island from the westward, and we are still within its influence; and seeing no prospect of any immediate release, we go away on a walrus expedition. We find the pursuit of

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this game entirely different from that of the seal, and having no previous experience lose many an obvious chance. In this way we approach a large bull walrus resting on the ice, but he catches the sound of the boat as she grinds against some floating ice, and before we are prepared he slides gently back into the sea; as our bullet strikes full on the back of his head, making his death a certainty, he sinks into the water

out of our reach. We were in hopes that the wound was less fatal, and that he would rise again to the surface. Armed with a hand harpoon, we are over the spot where he went down, almost in time to strike him, but he has sunk to rise no more. The schooner, still beset, is drifting to the westward; but as evening approaches, we begin to have hopes of escaping into the open water. Then, as if to mock us, every tack we make with that object seems but to increase the cold resolve of our jailor to keep us within his firm grip. The harpooners are so accustomed to this kind of treatment, they are almost indifferent to it all. They say the ice forcing its way is carried by a strong current to the southwards, as they with perfect coolness fend off each seeming danger as it presents itself and tack and tack again towards the clear spaces. Now and then we receive a thump on our ship's stout timbers; but she seems intent only on obeying the steersman's will, and, as if aware that in the position of danger we now are, everything depends upon her disregard to the blows, bravely bears her punishing, and she in turn delivers her blows full tilt against the enemy as he rushes against her with impetuous force. We watch her cool defiance in silent admiration. She seems to us to say-let it come! we are prepared. One hard knock, well delivered against a field of ice,

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and what seemed inevitable is instantly averted, the mass slews round, and we glide into smooth water, the vessel is laid-to, and a short respite gives our men the sorely-needed rest they require before all hands are called upon once more to face new dangers. This time our difficulty comes from the water, which, rushing like a mill-race round the point-ends of ice, gurgles and foams with frantic haste to get past the obstacle. This time the water wins. Our ship misses stays; she no longer works with that cool indifference we had but recently been applauding. Something is

evidently wrong with her, and we are not long in doubt. A piece of her keel becoming detached, has got across her bows, and impedes her efforts. We strive all we can to remove the impediment, without success. A rope is lowered, with a noose and slip-knot, in the hope of jerking off the broken timber, firmly held by an iron bolt. We are perplexed to understand the extent of our injury, and the success of this attempt may only make matters worse by breaking away more than would be desirable. On we go, bumping now without the power to direct the schooner towards the blows we are receiving, and once more we are slewed round by the forces we can no longer contend against. At this moment a deceitful tongue of ice projects from the field for some distance beneath the surface, and

on to this hidden floor we glide without power to help our ship. The almost worn-out crew have to pluck up energy sufficient to avert our new danger. They hasten to remove all the heavy lumber in the fore part of the schooner to add weight to her stern; they run along the deck and jump in the hope of giving her motion; others make strenuous efforts to cut the ice asunder beneath her keel. In the midst of the toil, which may be rendered futile should we be blocked up by fresh accessions of ice, the schooner gently and of her own accord slips back into deep water, and we breathe again. There is no time lost in trying to get her well to windward, as the ice is rapidly getting to the westward, and it will never do to be driven back. For three days this struggle is carried on with hardly an hour's respite, and these three days seem an infinity of time to us all. The wind, coming up from the south, had probably been the cause of all our present trouble, as in the previous year there was no difficulty of this kind to contend with, and we are again confirmed in the oft-repeated opinion, that had we but steam-power to assist us, we should have escaped from all the fatigue. which had now nearly exhausted us. One thing is quite certain, these encounters with the ice are as nothing when compared with like difficulties in Smith Sound. There, in the narrow channels, the currents flow

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