VOYAGE TO SPITZBERGEN. 43 



ly much frequented by whale fishers, (especially 

 from 1611 to 1633,) but the whales are now sel- 

 dom found here, having withdrawn to the ice, where 

 they enjoy more security. 



The bears, sea-horses, and other voracious ma- 

 rine animals, together with the foxes and carni- 

 vorous birds, not finding so good a supply of whale 

 carrion as usual, have also, in a great measure, de- 

 serted the coast- 

 On the land are still seen some vestiges of those 

 temporary buildings where the fishers of that time 

 boiled their blubber. But this practice of boiling 

 blubber in the North has long since been discon- 

 tinued, and is now performed on the return of the 

 vessels to their respective ports. 



In 1633, seven sailors were left in Jan May en 

 Island to winter; but on the 7th of June following 

 they were all found dead, (chiefly of the scurvy,) 

 by some people from Holland, who arrived there. 

 It was evident that they had lived through the win- 

 ter, as their journal was carried down to the 30th of 

 April, soon after which they must have fallen vic- 

 tims to disease. 



It is necessary to observe, that the Dutch at this 

 period entertained hopes of being able to found 

 some permanent establishments in the North, and 

 that for this purpose men were sometimes left in 



