THE ST. LAWRENCE ISLANDS. 159 



small mouth, is six feet long, and of an oval shape. 

 It probably feeds upon the moUuscae, which it 

 sucks in upon the surface of the water : the exte- 

 rior part of the fish consists of a gristle, covered 

 with a strong skin, which serves him as armour. 

 The flesh, which is between fish and crabs, ap- 

 peared to us, who had for a long time tasted 

 nothing fresh, quite a dainty, and, as it weigh- 

 ed five poods (ISOlbs.), it served our whole 

 crew for several days. A dead albatross, which we 

 drew on board, measured, with expanded wings, 

 seven feet. I took advantage of the calm, went 

 out with a Six-thermometer, and obtained the fol- 

 lowing results. 

 Temperature of the air, according to 



Fahrenheit - . . 60" 00' 



On the surface of the water - - 58 50 



At a depth of 250 fathoms - - 48 50 



Transparency of the water, six fathoms. 

 The 5th : by a good observation, we were to- 

 day in latitude 35° 35\ longitude 191° 49'. It ap- 

 peared that the current had carried us in two days 

 fifty-two miles and three quarters to S.W. 34°. We 

 saw a land-bird, and several species of sea-fowl ; 

 sailed past two bamboo canes tied together, and 

 other pieces of wood ; all indications of the vicinity 

 of land : all our hopes, however, to discov^er it re- 

 mained unfulfilled. We harpooned another moon- 

 fish, and observed that its flesh shone, during 

 the night, like phosphorus. We clearly per- 

 ceived that we were quitting the fine tropical 



