In addition to these the 'Eclipse' lost another very large Whale, which, after an exciting struggle, succeeded in breaking away.
The 'Diana' was the next vessel to arrive. She killed her first fish on the 29th of June, and then proceeded to Lancaster Sound in search of White Whales. Here, however, the ice was so heavy, and the weather so boisterous, that little could be done, and she narrowly escaped destruction on two occasions from ice pressure, and was glad to escape from so dangerous a locality. The next Whale she met with, and that a very large one, broke away after receiving three harpoons; and it was not till the end of October that a second fish of much smaller dimensions was secured. Her total produce was 2 Whales, 110 White Whales, 1 Walrus, and 20 Bears, yielding 47 tuns of oil and 38½ cwt. of bone. The last vessel to arrive was the 'Balæna,' with 2 Right Whales, 104 White Whales, 2 Walrus, 3 Seals, and 8 Bears, producing 46 tuns of oil and 36 cwt. of bone. The 'Alert' brought from the Cumberland Gulf station the produce of 2 Black Whales, 149 Walrus, and 3420 Seals, equal to 40 tuns of oil and 6 cwt. of bone; including which the total return for the season amounted to 14½ Black Whales, 738 White Whales, 420 Walrus, 3420 Seals, 149 Bears; equal to 260 tuns of oil and 163½ cwt. of bone.
The present price of produce is £22 10s. for oil. There are so many grades of Walrus hides that it is difficult to estimate the value of the bulk, but the price has gone down considerably. White Whale hides have realized very good prices. One sale of bone has been effected, I am informed, at the rate of £1450 per ton; but, in consequence of the falling off in the American fishery, £2000 per ton is now being asked for size-bone, with every chance of being realized. At a rough estimate the value of the produce would probably be about £24,680.
I mentioned earlier in these notes the 'Problem,' formerly of Yarmouth. Three of the trawlers, which formed part of the "Short Blue" fleet of Messrs. Hewitt & Co., of that port, and which has now been dispersed, were purchased for service in the Arctic; they were sailing vessels, averaging about 136 tons d.w., very handy, good sea-boats, and splendid sailers; but the venture has been most unfortunate. Of the three, the 'Problem,'
