230 cook's VOYAGE TO JULY, 



both. The larger, which probably was the dam of 

 the younger, being shot first, the other would not 

 quit it, though it might easily have escaped on the 

 ice, whilst the men were reloading, but remained 

 swimming about, till, after being fired upon several 

 times, it was shot dead. 



The dimensions of the larger were as follow : 



From the snout to the end of the tail 

 From the snout to the shoulder-bone 

 Height of the shoulder 

 Circumference near the fore-legs - 

 Breadth of the fore-paw - 



Weight of the four quarters - 



Weight of the four quarters of the smallest 



On comparing the dimensions of this with Lord 

 Mulgrave's white bear, they were found almost 

 exactly the same, except in the circumference, where 

 our's fell exceedingly short. 



These animals afforded us a few excellent meals of 

 fresh meat. The flesh had indeed a strong fishy 

 taste, but was, in every respect, infinitely superior to 

 that of the sea-horse ; which, nevertheless, our people 

 were again persuaded, without much difficulty, ta 

 prefer to their salted provisions. 



At six in the morning of the 20th, a thick fog 

 coming on, we lost sight of the ice for two hours > 

 but the weather clearing, we saw the main body 

 again to the south south-east, when we hauled our 

 wind, which was easterly, toward it, in the expect- 

 ation of making the American coast to the south- 

 east, and which we effected at half past ten. At 

 noon, the latitude, by account, was 69° 33\ and lon- 

 gitude 194<° 53', and the depth of water nineteen 

 fathoms. The land extended from south by east, to 

 south south-west half west, distant eight or ten 



