252 AVOYAGETO 



«779« ably fmooth water, and with very favourable weather, by 

 the fame way we had come in. We were never able to pe- 

 netrate farther North than at this time, when our latitude 

 was 70 33' ; and this was five leagues fhort of the point to 

 which we advanced lad feafon. We held on to the South 

 South Weft, with light winds from the North Weft, by the 

 edge of the main ice, which lay on our left hand, and 

 ftretched between us and the continent of America. Our 

 latitude, by obfervation at noon, was 70° 11', our longitude 

 196 15', and the depth of water fixteen fathoms. From this 

 circumftance, we judged that the Icy Cape was now only at 

 feven or eight leagues diftance; but, though the weather 

 was in general clear, it was at the fame time hazy in the ho- 

 rizon ; fo that we could not expect to fee it. 



In the afternoon, we faw two white bears in the water, to 

 which we immediately gave chace in the jolly boat, and had 

 the good fortune to kill them both. The larger, which proba- 

 bly was the dam of the younger, being mot fuft, the other 

 would not quit it, though it might eafily have efcaped on the 

 ice, whiltl the men were reloading, but remained fwimming 

 about, till, after being fired upon feveral times, it was ihot 

 dead. 



The dimcnfions of the larger were as follow: 



From the fnout to the end of the tail 

 From the fnout to the mouider-bone 

 Height of the moulder 

 Circumference near the fore-legs 

 Breadth of the fore- paw 



Weight of the four quarters 



Weight of the four quarters of the fmalleft 256 



6 On 



