NATURAL HISTORY. 



545 



the line of separation between the 

 east or whale-tishing, and west or 

 sealing ice of the fishers. And 

 the deep bay lying to the east of 

 this point, invariably forms the 

 only pervious track for proceeding 

 to fishing latitudes northward. 

 When the ice at the extremity of 

 this bay occurs so strong and com- 

 pact as to prevent the approach to 

 the shores of Spitzbergen, and the 

 advance northward beyond the la- 

 titude of 75° or 76°, it is said to 

 be a close season ; and, on the 

 contrary, it is called an open sea- 

 son, when an uninterrupted navi- 

 gation extends along the western 

 coast of Spitzbergen to Hackluyt's 

 Headland. In an open season, 

 therefore, a large channel of water 

 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, until it at length effects 

 a coalition witli the north-western 

 extremity, by a semicircular head. 

 When the continuity of the mass 

 of ice, intervening between West 

 Greenland and Nova Zembla, is 

 thus interrupted in an open sea- 

 son, the ice again makes its ap- 

 pearance on the south of Spitz- 

 bergen, proceeding from thence 

 direct to Cherry Island, and then 

 eastward as before. 



Such is the general appearance 

 of the margin or outline of the 

 ])olar ice, whicli holds, with merely 

 partial changes, for many succes- 

 sive seasons. This outline, how- 

 e er, is necessarily more or less 

 affected by storms and currents : 

 their more tliun ordinary preva- 

 lence in any one direction, must 

 cause some variety of aspect in 

 particukir places, which becomes 

 more especially appai'cat ill the 



vicinity of land, where its coasts 

 afford marks by which to es- 

 timate the advance and retreat of 

 the ice. 



The line formed by the exterior 

 of the iccj is rariously indented^ 

 and very rarely appears direct or 

 uniform. Open bays or arms oc- 

 cur, from a few fathoms, to seve- 

 ral miles in length. None of 

 them, however, have any deter- 

 minate form or place, except the 

 " Whale-fisher's Bight," or great 

 bay before described, in which the 

 Greenlandmen ever seek a passage 

 to the fishing station!. 



The place where whales occur 

 in the greatest abundance, is ge- 

 nerally found to be in the 7Sth 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 prodigious bulk 

 and strength, might be thought 

 entitled to reign supreme in the 

 ocean, are harmless and timid. 

 They seem to prefer those situa- 

 tions which afford them the most 

 secure retreats. Among the ice, 

 they have an oocasional shelter ; 

 but so far as it is permeable, the 

 security is rather apparent than 

 real. That they are conscious of 

 its affording them shelter, we can 

 readily perceive, from observing 

 that the course of their flight 

 when scared or wounded, is ge- 

 nerally towards the nearest or 

 most compact ice. The place of 

 their retreat, however, is regu- 

 lated by various circumstances ; 

 it may sometimes depend on the 

 quality and quantity of food oc- 

 curring, the disposition of the ice, 

 or exemption ftom enemies. At 

 one time, tl;eir favourite haunt is 

 aniidst th^ huge and ex,tcaded 

 3 N ■ ' masses 



