4 VOYAGE TO SPITSBERGEN. 



That these are petrified snakes, is really believed 

 by the peasants on the coast, concerning which they 

 tell the following whimsical story : 



An old lady, say they, who lived in that neigh- 

 bourhood some centuries back, having procured a 

 charm, or spell, to banish some noxious reptiles with 

 which that part of the country was then cruelly ha- 

 rassed, set to work, and, by her incantations, collect- 

 ed all the snakes within a considerable distance, and 

 brought them to the banks of Whitby, whence she 

 hurried them down so precipitately on the strand, 

 that they all broke their necks, and of course, in 

 their petrified state, are found without heads *. 



Not many years ago Whitby sent upwards of 

 twenty vessels to Greenland ; but afterwards that 

 trade fell much to decay, until it was latterly re- 

 vived by the persevering activity of Captain Scores- 

 by, whose many successful whale-fishing voyages 

 tended greatly to promote the opulence of this town, 

 by encouraging others to embark in the same lucra- 

 tive business. 



The Resolution, in which I made this voyage, 

 was a stout new ship, of about four hundred tons 

 burden, fitted out as a letter of marque, carrying 



* They affirm that this part of the coast has never since been 

 frequented by those venomous creatures, although they are quite 

 common in other parts of the kingdom. Crcdat cui placeat. 



