FISHERY or DIFFEHEXT LATITUDES. SOQr 



derived imcommon advantage from an early arrival. 

 In 1815, some ships were near Spitzbergen in 

 March, and fished in the first week of April in the 

 latitude of 80", wliere a great nuniber of whales 

 were seen. Accompanying the ice in its drift along 

 the coast to the southward, the same tribe of whales 

 were seen in the latitude of 78°, about the middle 

 and end of the month, and a considerable number 

 were killed. In 1816, fish were seen in 80", in the 

 same month, but few killed, on account of the for- 

 mation of bay ice upon the sea. In 1817, the 

 weather was very tempestuous in April, and scarce- 

 ly any whales were killed ; and in 1818, the fish- 

 ery of this month was inconsiderable. 



Grown fish are frequently found at the edge, or 

 a little within the edge of the loose ice, in the 79th 

 degree of north latitude, in the month of May ; 

 and small whales of different ages at fields, and 

 sometimes in bays of tlie ice in the 80th degree. 



Usually, the fish are most plentiful in June ; 

 and on some occasions they are met with in every 

 degree of latitude from 75" to 80". In this month, 

 the large whales are found in every variety of situa- 

 tion ; sometimes in open water, at others in tlie loose 

 ice, or at the edges of fields and floes, near the main 

 impervious body of ice, extending tov*^ards tlie 

 coast of JFcst Greenland. The smaller animals of 

 the species are, at tlie same time, found farther to 



VOL. II. <^ 



