314 ACCOUNT OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 



ward, and found the ice, which was very compact 

 when we passed it on the 21st of the month, now 

 loose and navigable. The drift-ice from the north, 

 had formed a chain of communication between the 

 two packs, among which, on the 28th of May, in 

 latitude 80° 8', longitude 0° 40' E., we met with 

 whales so numerous, that, in the course of a month, 

 we succeeded in capturing twenty-four of the spe- 

 cies. These, with two seals, two sea-horses, two 

 bears, and one narwhale, afforded an excellent car- 

 go*. 



On the 30th of June, we prepared for our passage 

 home ; and the day following, entered the icy bar- 

 rier that we encountered on our advance, which now 

 consisted of an open but heavy pack. After a 

 troublesome navigation of two or three days, we 

 emerged from the ice into the open sea, and did not 

 afterwards meet with any obstruction. 



From the 9th of May, until the 10th of July, we 

 saw but one ship. 



On our arrival in England, we were informed, 

 that two French frigates had cruized the fishing 

 country during the latter end of the season, and 

 had destroyed several of the whalers ; one of which 

 frigates we narrowly escaped on our passage home, 

 it having been captured near the Faroe Islands, 

 within a day of our passing the same. This an- 



* The whole produced upwards of 2X6 tons of oil. 



