266 ACCOUNT OF THE AllCTIC REGIONS. 



iient, following the line of the coast to the eastward, 

 until it effects a junction with the ice in the Spitz- 

 bergen Sea, or in the great north-western bays of 

 Hudson and Baffin^, or is terminated by land yet 

 undiscovered. 



That remarkable promontory, mid-way between 

 Jan IVlayen and Cherie Islands, formed by the sud- 

 den stretch of the ice to the north, constitutes the 

 line of separation between the east or xvhaling, and 

 west or sealing ice of the fishers : And the deep 

 bay laying to the east of this promontory, which 

 may be called The W hale -fisher'' s Bight, invaria- 

 bly forms the only previous track for proceeding to 

 fishing latitudes northward. When the ice at the 

 extremity of this bay occurs so strong and compact, 

 as to prevent the approach to the shores of Spitzber- 

 gen, and the advance northv/ard beyond the latitude 

 of 75° or 76°, it is said to be a close season ; and, 

 on the contrary, it is called an open season, when 

 an uninterrupted navigation extends along the west- 

 ern coast of Spitzbcrgcn to Hackkiyt's Headland. 

 In an open season, therefore, a large channel of wa- 

 ter lies between the land and the ice, from 20 to 50 

 leagues in breadth, extending to the latitude of 79 

 or 80°, and gradually approximating the coast, un- 

 til it at length effects a coalition with the north- 

 western extremity, by a semicircular head. When 

 the continuity of the body of ice, intervening be- 

 tween Old Greenland and Nova Zv?mbla, is thus in- 



