POLAR ICE. SITUATION OF. 267 



teriui)ted in an open season, the ice again makes its 

 appearance on the south of Spitzbergen, proceeding 

 from thence direct to Cherie Island, and then east- 

 ward as before. 



Such is the general appearance of tlic margin or 

 outline of the polar ice, which holds, with merely 

 partial changes, for many successive seasons. This 

 outline, however, is necessarily more or less affected 

 by storms and currents ; their more than ordinary 

 prevalence in any one direction, must cause some 

 variety of aspect in particular places, which becomes 

 more especially apparent in the vicinity of land, 

 where its coasts afford marks by which to estimate 

 the advance and retreat of the ice. 



The line formed by the exterior of the ice is va- 

 riously indented, and very rarely appears direct or 

 uniform. Open bays or arms occur, from a few fa- 

 thoms to several miles or leagues in depth. None 

 of them, however, have any determinate form or 

 place, except the Whale-fisher's Bight, or great 

 bay before described, in which the Greenlandmen al- 

 ways seek a passage to the fishing stations. 



The place where whales occur in the greatest 

 abundance, is generally found to be in the 78th or 

 79th degree of north latitude, though from the 72d 

 to the 81st degree they have been met with. These 

 singular animals, which, on account of their prodigi- 

 ous bulk and strength, might be thought entitled to 

 reign supreme in the ocean, are harmless and timid. 



