ight of the Atlantic would be forced up Davis's
Straits, and Melville Bay become "a dead lee-shore." I should therefore
not have taken the ice, or attempted to work my way round Melville Bay,
and would instead have gone to the westward and struck off sooner or
later into the west water, in about the latitude of Uppernavik, 73 deg. 30'
N.

However, this is what amongst the experienced is styled theory; and as
any thing was better than standing still, I was heartily glad to see
the "Chieftain," a bonnie Scotch whaler, show us the road by entering a
lead of water, and away we all went, working to windward. The sailing
qualities of the naval Arctic ships threatened to be sadly eclipsed by
queer-looking craft, like the "Truelove" and others. But steam came to
the rescue, and after twelve hours' hard struggle we got the pendants
again ahead of our enterprising and energetic countrymen.

_Saturday, July 6th._--By 6 A.M. we were alongside of Penny's squadron,
which was placed at the head of the lane of water, up which we had also
advanced; and so keen was he not to lose the post of honour, that as we
closed, I smiled to see the Aberdonians move their vessels up into the
very "nip." In the course of the day the whalers again caught us up,
and a long line of masts and hulls dotted the floe-edge.

The ice was white and hard, affording good exercise for pedestrians,
and to novices, of whom there were many amongst us, the idea of walking
about on the frozen surface of the sea was not a little charming. In
all directions groups of three and four persons were seen trudging
about, and the constant puffs of smoke which rose in the clear
atmosphere, showed that shooting for the table was kept carefully in
view.

[Headnote: _AN OLD WHALEMAN._]

A present of 170 duck-eggs from Captain Stewart of the "Joseph Green"
whaler, showed in what profusion these birds breed, and I was told by
Captain Penny that one of the islets passed by him on the 2d was
literally alive with ducks, and that several boat-loads of eggs might
have been taken off it,--interesting proofs of the extraordinary
abundance of animal life in these northern regions. Our Saturday
evening was passed listening to stirring tales of Melville Bay and the
whale fishery, and several prophecies as to the chances of a very bad
season, the number of icebergs and extent of the ice-fields, inducing
many to believe that more than usual risk would be run in the bay this
year. Sunday