THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 253 



On comparing: the dimenfions of this with Lord Mul- \7]9- 



grave's white bear, they were found almoft exactly the fame, *- — *■ — * 

 except in the circumference, where our's fell exceedingly 

 fhort. 



Thefe animals afforded us a few excellent meals of frefh 

 meat. The flefli had indeed a ftrong fifhy tafte, but was, 

 in every refpect, infinitely fuperior to that of the fea- 

 horfe ; which, nevcrthelefs, our people were again per- 

 fuaded, without much difficulty, to prefer to their faltcd 

 provifions. 



At fix in the morning of the aoth, a thick fog coming on, Tuefdayzo. 

 we loft light of the ice for two hours ; but the weather 

 clearing, we faw the main body again to the South South 

 Eaft, when we hauled our wind, which was Eafterly, to- 

 ward it, in the expectation of making the American coaft to 

 the South Eafl, and which we effected at half paft ten. At 

 noon, the latitude, by account, was 6y° 33', and longitude 

 1 94° 53', and the depth of water nineteen fathoms. The 

 land extended from South by Eaft, to South South Weft half 

 Weft, diftant eight or ten leagues, being the fame we had 

 feen laft year ; but it was now much more covered with 

 fnow than at that time ; and, to all appearance, the ice ad- 

 hered to the fhore. We continued, in the afternoon, fail- 

 ing through a fea of loofe ice, and Handing toward the land, 

 as near as the wind, which was Eaft South Eaft, would ad- 

 mit. At eight, the wind leflening, there came on a thick 

 fog; and, on perceiving a rippling in the water, we tried 

 the current, which we found tofet to the Eaft North Eaft, at 

 the rate of a mile an hour, and therefore determined to 

 fleer, during the night, before the wind, in order to item it, 

 and to oppofe the large fragments of loofe ice, that were 



fitting 



