WHALE-FISHERY. 147 



whales were seen. Accompanying the ice in its 

 drift, along the coast to the southward, the same 

 tribe of whales were seen in the latitude of 7S° f 

 about the middle and end of the month, and a con- 

 siderable number were killed. In 1816, fish were 

 seen in 80°, in the same month, but few killed, on 

 account of the formation of bay ice upon the sea. 

 In 1817, the weather was very tempestuous in April, 

 and scarcely any whales were killed; and in 1818, 

 the fishery of this month was inconsiderable. 



Grown fish are frequently found at the edge, or 

 a little within the edge of the loose ice, in the 79th 

 degree of north latitude, in the month of May; and 

 small whales of different ages at fields, and some- 

 times in bays of the ice in the 80th degree. 



Usually, the fish are most plentiful in June; 

 and on some occasions they are met with in every 

 degree of latitude from 75° to 80°. In this month, 

 the large whales are found in every variety of sit- 

 uation; sometimes in open water, at others in the 

 loose ice, or at the edges of fields and floes, near the 

 main impervious body of ice, extending towards 

 the coast of West Greenland. The smaller ani- 

 mals of the species are, at the same time, found far- 

 ther to the south, than in the spring, at floes, fields, 

 or even among loose ice, but most plentiful about 

 fields or floes, at the border of the main western ice, 

 in the latitude of 78 or 78 f degrees. 



In July, the fishery generally terminates, some- 

 times at the beginning of the month, at others, 



