There were probably white bears somewhere on the icy shores about them, but they never showed themselves; and if birds were there, they did not fly over that sea.
There was reason to suppose that there were a good many whales in the polar sea.

Wherever our party sailed, lay to, or anchored for a time, they were very sure, before long, to see a whale curving his shining black back into the light, or sending two beautiful jets of water up into the air.

Whenever a whale was seen, somebody on board was sure to remark that these creatures in this part of the world seemed to be very tame.

It was not at all uncommon to see one disport himself at no great distance from the vessel for an hour or more.
"If I could get among a school of whales anywhere around Nantucket and find 'em as tame as these fellers," said Captain Jim, "I'd give a boom to the whale-oil business that it hasn't had for forty years." But not long before Mr.Gibbs told the captain that he might go whaling if he felt like it, the old sailor had experienced a change of mind.

He had become a most ardent student of whales.