VOYAGE TO SPITSBERGEN. 89 



the most experienced sailors often fall into such, 

 mistakes. 



20th, Latitude by observation 79° 50'. Sea 

 clear of ice, with a smart easterly breeze. In this 

 parallel of latitude we ran 12° to the west in eigh- 

 teen hours. This will not appear surprising on 

 considering that a degree of longitude in this pa- 

 rallel is little more than ten miles. 



21st, Fell in with a dead fish. This whale had 

 been killed for a considerable time, and was en- 

 tirely covered with Mallemukkes,, and other vo- 

 racious birds. At a distance it resembled a float- 

 ing mass of feathers, but on our approaching it, we 

 were almost stunned by the quarelling noise of these 

 Harpies. We brought it alongside and stripped 

 it of its remaining blubber. 



22d, After having stripped off the blubber, we 

 sailed north-east ; the sea. was clear of ice,, and 

 the weather serene. A distant view of the ice- 

 bergs reflecting the rays of the sun, added an in- 

 expressible beauty and grandeur to the scene. 

 They had all the appearance of illuminated Gothic 

 castles, and realized the magnificence of fairy 

 scenes. 



23d, Killed a large whale. This animal, the 

 largest with which men are as yet acquainted, is of 

 that genus of fish termed cetaceous. Some classi- 



