HON. CAPTAIN PHIPPS. 315 



whale-bones. The island was composed prin- a.d. 



1 M 7 *-i 



cipally of "stones, of an hexagonal form, and 

 about thirty inches diameter, commodiously 

 placed for walking over." The middle of the 

 island was covered with moss, scurvy-grass, sorrel, 

 and a few ranunculuses, then in flower. Two 

 reindeer were feeding upon this pasturage, one of 

 which was shot, and found to be in good con- 

 dition and well flavoured. The island abounded 

 with snipes, geese and ducks, which were hatch- 

 ing their eggs. The officers of the boat, in 

 their way back to the ship, wounded a sea-horse, 

 which dived immediately, and bringing up with 

 it a number of others, commenced an attack 

 upon the boat and wrested an oar from one of 

 the seamen. So furiously was this assault con- 

 ducted, that it was with great difficulty the 

 animals were prevented staving and upsetting 

 the boat ; and the event might have proved 

 alarming, had not a boat from the Carcass* 

 come to their assistance and dispersed their as- 

 sailants. This was the second attack that had 

 been made by these animals on the boats of 

 the expedition. 



On the 30th the ships had reached the lati- 

 tude of 80° 31' N., in longitude 18° 48' E. 



* From Mr. Southey's " Life of Nelson/' we are informed 

 that Nelson had charge of this boat. 



