himself. Just as the fish was going down, the
harpoon shook out, and, jumping off its back, to which he gave a hearty
kick, he struck out for the boat, and was picked up when he could swim
no more. He is the only man I ever heard of who really has ridden on a
whale's back, though there's many a tale told by those who have, which
is not true."

"I've been on the back of a live whale more than once," said Garrock.
"I mean when we've been fishing among bay ice, and the fish have come up
through the holes to breathe. But I was going to say how last season we
had a chase after a fish, which gave us more trouble than I ever saw
before. It led us a chase for the best part of the day, after it had
been struck. It dragged one boat, with twenty lines fast, right under a
floe, and then broke away; and when we killed it at last, it had taken
out thirty lines, which, as you know, is close upon six miles of line."

Thus yarn after yarn was spun. I do not attempt to give the peculiar
phraseology of the speakers; but their stories, which I believe to be
perfectly true, may prove interesting. For a whole week we were beset,
and some of the green hands began to fancy that we should be blocked up
for the winter; but the old ones knew better.

Every day the surface of the ice, where the nip had taken place, was
examined with anxious eyes, in the hopes that some sign of its taking
off or breaking up might be given. At length the pressure became less,
the sound under the ice shrill and sharp, instead of the sullen roar
which had before been heard; the fragments which had been cast above
others began to glide down and disappear in the chasms which were
opening around, and water was seen in a long thin line extending to the
northward.

A lane was formed, with a wall of fragments on either side; the lane
widened, the fragments rushed into the water, and the captain, from the
crow's-nest, ordered the ship to be towed out of dock. The order was
cheering to our hearts; and as we had plenty of hands, it was soon
executed. All sail was made, and away we flew through the passage, in a
hurry to take advantage of it, lest it should again close upon us. We
succeeded in getting clear, and soon after were joined by our consorts,
which had escaped the nip.

We made the land again to the northward of Cape York, and, when close
in, were completely becalmed. The boats of each ship were ordered ahead
to tow; and thus we slowly progressed alon