ions in the summer, as they migrate into warmer latitudes in
the winter. We very quickly dispatched a number of them with blows on
the head, and then towed them off to the ship, where each produced some
eighty gallons of oil. Their skins also, which are of great use for
many purposes, were preserved.

The nights were again shortening, when, just before dark, it came on to
blow hard. Sail was taken off the ship, and those with the best eyes on
board were stationed on each bow and at the bowsprit-end, to give notice
of any dangers in sight. We were standing to the westward, going free,
our captain intending soon to haul up for the northward. It was the
darkest part of the still short night, when the lookers-out ahead gave
notice that they heard the crashing sound of ice grinding together.
Directly afterwards the words "Ice ahead!" echoed along the deck.
Immediately the starboard tacks were hauled aboard, and the ship was
kept to the northward.

Again the startling cry was heard, "Ice on the lee-bow!" then "Ice
ahead!" The ship had good way on her. The helm was put down. We flew
to the tacks and sheets, and about she came, her counter actually
grazing a sheet of ice, against which in another moment she would have
struck! We could now only steer to the southward, where we knew more
ice must be found, so that we must speedily be about again. It was
necessary to keep sufficient sail on the ship to enable us to work her
quickly.

On we stood into the darkness, with a knowledge that danger was ahead of
us. "Ice! ice ahead!" was again the cry. We wore about, but just in
time to escape contact with it. We could not tell all the time whether
the ice-fields might not be closing on us. Every tack we made was
shorter and shorter. Still, our only hope was to beat out of the narrow
passage into which the ship had run.

Many tacks were made. A huge iceberg, dimly glimmering through the
obscurity, towered up before us; yet, though dim, not the less terrific.
The helm was put down. There might be space between it and the
field-ice to the southward of it. The southern field hove in sight; we
tacked, but just in time. Then on we rushed towards the iceberg,
beating closely into the wind. Again it appeared on our lee-bow; the
ship heeled over to the breeze. On we rushed--a flaw of wind heading us
would send us to destruction. The wind held steady.

On, on we rushed, the foam flying over our bows and freezing as it f