l consent, put away for a future day. Great
reflection, as well as refraction, existed for the time we remained
beset in this position; and the refraction on one occasion enabled us
to detect Captain Penny's brigs as well as the whalers, although they
must have been nearly thirty miles distant.

The ice slackening a little formed what are called "holes of water,"
and in these we soon observed a shoal of narwhales, or unicorn fish, to
be blowing and enjoying themselves. By extraordinary luck, one of the
officers of the "Intrepid," in firing at them, happened to hit one in a
vital part, and the brute was captured; his horn forming a handsome
trophy for the sportsman. The result of this was, that the unfortunate
narwhales got no peace; directly they showed themselves, a shower of
balls was poured into them.

This fish is found throughout the fishing-ground of Baffin's Bay, but
is not particularly sought for by our people. The Esquimaux kill it
with ease, and its flesh and skin are eaten as luxuries; the latter
especially, as an anti-scorbutic, even by the whalers, and some of our
crews partook of the extremely greasy-looking substance,--one man
vowing it was very like chestnuts! (?) I did not attempt to judge for
myself; but I have no doubt it would form good food to a really hungry
person. The narwhales vary in size, ranging sometimes, I am told, to
fourteen feet; the horns, of which I saw a great many at Whale-Fish
Isles, were from three feet to seven feet in length. The use of this
horn is a matter of controversy amongst the fishermen: it is almost too
blunt for offence, and its point, for about four inches, is always
found well polished, whilst the remainder of it is usually covered with
slime and greenish sea-weed. Some maintain that it roots up food from
the bottom of the sea with this horn; others, that it probes the clefts
and fissures of the floating ice with it, to drive out the small fish,
which are said to be its prey, and which instinctively take shelter
there from their pursuers. The body of the narwhale is covered with a
layer of blubber, of about two inches in thickness. This was removed,
and carefully boiled down to make oil; and the _krang_, or carcass, was
left as a decoy to molliemauks and ivory-gulls,--these latter birds
having for the first time been seen by me to-day. They are decidedly
the most graceful of sea-birds; and, from the exquisite purity of their
plumage when settled on a piece of ice or