I6l6. A MIXED CHARACTER. ii2l 



stated to have been calm and clear, and as hot as is 

 commonly felt at that time of the year in Eng- 

 land ; " for the pitch did runne downe the ship's 

 sides ; and that side of the masts that was to the 

 sunne-ward was so hot that the tarre did frye out 

 of it, as though it had boyled." 



At the bottom of a cove, on the south side of the 

 island, thev slew about nine hundred or a thousand 

 morses in less than seven hours ; and such was the 

 quantity of these animals killed, that by the 9th 

 they had taken in thirty-one tons of oil, one hogs- 

 head, one barrell and one tierce of morses' teeth, 

 besides 400 loose teeth. There w^as also a second 

 ship here, called the Dragon belonging to a 

 brewer of St. Catharine's. 



They took on board a couple of young morses, 

 male and feniale ; the female died on the passage, 

 but the male was brought home alive and carried 

 to the court, " where the king and many honour- 

 able personages beheld it with admiration, for the 

 strangenesse of the same, the like w^iereof had 

 never before beene scene alive in Enoland. Not 

 long after it fell sick and died. As the beast in 

 shape is very strange, so it is of strange docilitie, 

 and apt to be taught, as by good experience wee 

 often proved."* 



Another voyage to tins island was undertaken 

 in 1609, w^iich is chiefly remarkable on account 



* Purchas, vol. iii. p. 560. 



