‘There’s three things to be afeared on,’ said Robson, authoritatively:  ‘there’s t’ ice, that’s bad; there’s dirty weather, that’s worse; and there’s whales theirselves, as is t’ worst of all; leastways, they was i’ my days; t’ darned brutes may ha’ larnt better manners sin’.  When I were young, they could niver be got to let theirsels be harpooned wi’out flounderin’ and makin’ play wi’ their tales and their fins, till t’ say were all in a foam, and t’ boats’ crews was all o’er wi’ spray, which i’ them latitudes is a kind o’ shower-bath not needed.’

‘Th’ whales hasn’t mended their manners, as you call it,’ said Kinraid; ‘but th’ ice is not to be spoken lightly on.  I were once in th’ ship John of Hull, and we were in good green water, and were keen after whales; and ne’er thought harm of a great gray iceberg as were on our lee-bow, a mile or so off; it looked as if it had been there from the days of Adam, and were likely to see th’ last man out, and it ne’er a bit bigger nor smaller in all them thousands and thousands o’ years.  Well, the fast-boats were out after a fish, and I were specksioneer in one; and we were so keen after capturing our whale, that none on us ever saw that we were drifting away from them right into deep shadow o’ th’ iceberg.  But we were set upon our whale, and I harpooned it; and as soon as it were dead we lashed its fins together, and fastened its tail to our boat; and then we took breath and looked about us, and away from us a little space were th’ other boats, wi’ two other fish making play, and as likely as not to break loose, for I may say as I were th’ best harpooner on board the John, wi’out saying great things o’ mysel’.  So I says, “My lads, one o’ you stay i’ th’ boat by this fish,”—­the fins o’ which, as I said, I’d reeved a rope through mysel’, and which was as dead as Noah’s grandfather—­“and th’ rest on us shall go off and help th’ other boats wi’ their fish.”  For, you see, we had another boat close by in order to sweep th’ fish. (I suppose they swept fish i’ your time, master?)’

‘Ay, ay!’ said Robson; ‘one boat lies still holding t’ end o’ t’ line; t’ other makes a circuit round t’ fish.’

’Well! luckily for us we had our second boat, for we all got into it, ne’er a man on us was left i’ th’ fast-boat.  And says I, “But who’s to stay by t’ dead fish?” And no man answered, for they were all as keen as me for to go and help our mates; and we thought as we could come back to our dead fish, as had a boat for a buoy, once we had helped our mates.  So off we rowed, every man Jack on us, out o’ the black shadow o’ th’ iceberg, as looked as steady as th’ pole-star.  Well! we had na’ been a dozen fathoms away fra’ th’ boat as we had left, when crash! down wi’ a roaring noise, and then a gulp of the deep waters, and then a shower o’ blinding spray; and when we had wiped our eyes clear, and getten our hearts down agen fra’ our mouths, there were never a boat nor a glittering belly o’ e’er