CHAPTER IIT.

The voyage—The ‘‘ Dolphin” and her crew—Ice ahead—Polar seencs—AMast-
head observations—The first whale—Great excitement.

Ne now we have fairly got into blue water—
the sailor’s delight, the landsman’s dread,—

“The sea! the sea! the open sea;
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The blue, the fresh, the ever free.”

“Tt’s my opinion,” remarked Buzzby to Singleton
one day, as they stood at the weather gangway
watching the foam that spread from the vessel’s bow
as she breasted the waves of the Atlantic gallantly—
“it's my opinion that our skipper is made o’ the right
stuff. He’s entered quite into the spirit of the thing,
and I heard him say to the first mate yesterday he'd
made up his mind to run right up into Baffin’s Bay and
make inquiries for Captain Ellice first, before goin’ to
his usual whalin’-ground. Now that’s wot I call
doin’ the right thing; for, ye sec, he runs no small
risk o’ getting beset in the iee, and losing the fishin’
season altogether by so doin’.”

“He’s a fine fellow,’ said Singleton; “I like him
better every day, and I feel convinced he will do his