r 



A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 165 



purposes of the colony. The materials for these buildings 

 are conveyed from Europe, but not always in sufficient 

 supply for the wants of the people, who have frequently a 



wards of fifty feet : thousands of mallemucks crowded round the 

 ship to partake of the spoil : the whale-bone measured ten feet and 

 one inch. 



May 31: ther. 30°, 33°, 30°: wind N.E., strong breeze: this 

 day gave me a full opportunity of observing a whale moving at 

 will : ascending from the bottom, this enormous animal arose just 

 under the stern of the ship, and moved forwards in a majestic style, 

 having taken in fresh air, and descended forwards slowly again : its 

 motions were etfected with much ease, though the speed is so great, 

 being between eight and nine, sometimes ten mUes an hour : the 

 whales are generally seen at this date in pairs, or three together, 

 two probably rival suitors for the female's regard. 



Weather beginning to grow thick : the cii-cle of view, however, 

 is large : the ice much dispersed, and in active dissolution : colymbus 

 glocitans in considerable number: colymbus troile, few: larus canus 

 and tridactylus : proccllaria glaciaUs less numerous than usual. 



June 1: ther. 32°, 48°, 30°: wind N.E., light breeze: the misty 

 cirrostratus continued since last, congealing into rime as it drifted 

 across the ship : a male whale fifty-eight feet long was killed this 

 day : procellaria glacialis again in immense number : larus maxinius, 

 eburneus, tridactylus and marinus. 



June 2 : ther. 32°, 34°, 33° : wind E., strong breeze : cu-rostratus 

 in mist : a male whale killed this morning measured seventy feet, 



