led on the floe busily engaged in
hauling in the lines. He said nothing; but I saw him look up, and,
after glancing around for some moments, put his hand over his brow, and
gaze earnestly forth in the direction the ship had gone. The anxious
expression his countenance instantly assumed alarmed me; and, though he
at once resumed his task of coiling away the lines, I saw that all was
not right. I then cast my eyes seaward, to see whereabouts the ship
was. I need scarcely say that I felt a very natural alarm, when I
discovered that she was almost hull down.

Andrew again looked up. The anxious expression on his face had in no
way diminished; but he was not a man to alarm or unnerve his companions
by any unnecessary exclamation.

"Bear a hand, lads," he at length said. "The sooner we get in our
lines, and tow the fish alongside, the better."

"I was thinking the same," said old David. "And I say the sooner the
ship stands back to pick us up, the better for us. We couldn't get the
fish alongside till long after dark, if she comes no nearer to us; and
how she's to do that, without a breeze springs up, I don't know."

These few remarks scarcely interrupted the task in hand. When it was
accomplished, however, and we had time to look round us, we all began to
consider more about the difficulty of our position. I must explain that
there were two boats, with a crew of five men each, so that we were ten
in all. We had with us a few provisions and a cooking apparatus, with
our pea-jackets to put on while waiting after our heating exercise.

The harpooners and the elder men now began to consult what was best to
be done. David gave it as his opinion that the other boats had been led
a long chase after a fish, and that the ship had followed thus far to
the southward to pick them up, with the intention of returning
immediately to us, when the calm so unexpectedly came on.

"There's no doubt about what has happened, mates; but I want to know
what those who have had experience in these seas think is about to
happen," said Andrew. "There's something in the look of the sky and
sea, and the feel of the air, which makes me think a change is about to
take place. I therefore ask whether we shall stay by the fish, or leave
her secured to the floe, and get aboard as fast as we can."

In answer to this proposal, which was certainly wise, and perfectly
justifiable, several opinions were given. Some were for getting on
board wi