FISHERY OF DAVIS' STRAITS. 389 



able circumstances. The water being shallow in many 

 situations, the boats require only a small quantity 

 of line ; and the weather being warm, the sailors 

 perform their occupations, if not with pleasure, at 

 least with comfort to themselves. But at the South- 

 West, each operation of the fishery is performed un- 

 der rather unpleasant and even dangerous circum- 

 stances. Darkness of night, exposure to storms, 

 and frequency of swells, are all unfavourable to the 

 fishers. The flensing of a whale at the South- West, 

 is usually more troublesome and more hazardous 

 than elsewhere, owing to the prevalent swell which 

 rarely altogether subsides. 



Davis' Straits fishers, within the present century, 

 after making a successful fishery at a distance from 

 land, have been in the habit of resorting to the bays, 

 and there mooring in safety, until the troublesome 

 process of making-off was accomplished. ' . 



On the passage homeward, the ships usually steer 

 down the middle of the Straits, and proceed suffi- 

 ciently far south for avoiding the " Cape-ice," before 

 they haul up to the eastward. From thence, the 

 prevalence of westerly winds in the summer season, 

 generally affiards them an easy passage across the 

 Atlantic. Their course is nearly due cast ; which 

 being on a parallel of latitude, they can have no 

 difficulty in finding Shetland, Orkney, or the norths 

 west coast of Scotland, accordingly as they may 

 wish ; their only particular caution being to keep 

 a good look-out for land, some tiuic before they may 



