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4)
1861 Oct 18 Fri

songs.  The American crews are silent - they have thoughts of the Wintering again here wh is enough to make them sad.  At VI-30 the Boats within 1/2 mile of the ship - this distance being covered with thick ice they give the whale line by passing it out while they make their way to ship.  Slowly the 7 Boats in line approach.  The head boat finds great difficulty in making any progress.  An Innuit sits straddle the bow cutting away the ice while those at the oars drive them into the ice urging the Boat along.  At length all Boats along side.  A double whale line is handed aboard wh. extends down to the shale 1/2 mile off & all hands commence pulling in whale.  The process is thus.  All hands hold of rope walk along length of ship & as each gets far as he can - let go turn & hasten back - seize hold of line again & trudge & pull.  All hands get elated - join in song.  Capt B & myself of the workers & singers.  At VII- Whale along side & made fast.  To-morrow while some are to [[strikethrough]] cut [[/strikethrough]] flense Whale others are to cruise for Whales if they can get to open water.  While towing up the Whale now along side - another was seen a short distance off lying like a log top of the water!  I learn that some of the forward hands who are fast for getting home prayed that the whale now secured might go adrift last night - so that the ship weight not be detained in getting it up here & reducing its blubber to oil!
John Anton the unfortunate victim of the blow from

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5)
1861 Oct 18 Fri

the Whale's flukes the other day is in critical condition.  He raises a great quantities of blood & is frequently attacked with fainting.  It is now feared that the effects of that blow will prove fatal.

I took Meridional or rather [[underlined]] post [[/underlined]] Meridian Obn for Lat today.  When I got in readiness found Sun falling quite fast.  I give Sextant Alt. but it is [[underlined]] too small [[/underlined]]
[[underlined]] Unreliable [[/underlined]] = 34°-10'
Artificial Horizon Large Sex. Index Er. -2'-00"
Evidently I was over 14 minutes too late for Meridian Sun making a difference of 3'-00"
34-10 + 2'-00 = 34°-13'

The incident of capturing Last Whale