VOYAGE TO SPITZBERGEN. 87 



mainder of our voyage, together with the whale-fish- 

 ing, the great object for which voyages are made to 

 this country. 



Having made fast to an Iceberg on the ltith, as 

 before remarked, near the south-west promontory of 

 Cross Bay, we continued in that situation during 

 the 14th, making all the necessary preparations for 

 the fishing, and on the 15th we sailed about ten 

 leagues from the shore in a westerly direction, mak- 

 ing about one point towards the south. It blew 

 this day a brisk gale from the east, which was in- 

 tolerably cold ; the wind at that time passes over 

 large fields of ice, and in that climate, is compa- 

 ratively as noxious as it is in Britain. During a 

 fresh easterly breeze, I have found the cold in the 

 cabin so intense, that, notwithstanding we had a 

 good fire and warm clothing, I have been obliged 

 to put on furred gloves to enable me to hold a book. 

 We this day killed several seals, and might have 

 got many more, but they are not of much use un- 

 less the vessel ba fitted out for their fishing only. 

 This day we made fast to a large iceberg, and the 

 latitude, by observation, was nearly 79°. 



16th, We were almost encompassed by ice, and 

 remained in the same situation as before. 



17th, Remarkably warm. The men were forced 

 to, strip in warping the ship, sallying, &c. In 



