INTRODUCTION. V 



Whether there be any wells, pitts, or mines, so deep that 

 the cold does not touch the bottom thereof ? 



" 15. How the land trends ? and whether the parts under 

 or near the Pole be by those that have gone furthest that 

 way thought to be sea or land ? How near any hath been 

 known to approach the Pole ; and whether the cold m- 

 creaseth with the increase of latitude ? 



" 16. To make, if possible, some experiments or observa- 

 tions about the magnet or needle ; and particularly, how 

 much the declination is there ? and whether they doe ex- 

 actly observe the degrees of declination in their course ? 

 Likewise to make observations about the height of the sun 

 and other celestial bodies, and their diameter, refractions ? 

 etc. 



" 17. What is their opinion concerning the North-east 

 passage ? 



" 18. What fish do most frequent those seas, besides 

 tuhales ? Any thing observable in their fishing ? as the 

 usual or unusual bigness, strength, and the several sorts of 

 lohales ; and particularly to observe whether that kind of 

 ichales they call Trompa, have in their heads the sperma 

 ceti, and in their entrals the amhergreese, looking like coivs- 

 dung, as was alledged out of Purchas, in numb. 28, pag.538 ? 



" 19. To give in an exact relation of the whale-Jishing , 

 throwing the harp-irons, following the fish, etc. 



" 20. To describe the wliole manner of making the oyl of 

 tohales." 



Martens' work was the first published on Spitz- 

 bergen, and in its description of the ice and ani- 

 mals especially, seems to be very correct and graphic, 

 and it gives a very good account of the mode pur- 

 sued by the Dutch, in the capture of the whale 

 and the wakus, more than a century and a half ago ; 



