NORTHERN OCEAN 363 



their skins are of great use to the Esquimaux ; as it is of them 

 they cover their canoes, make all their boot-legs and shoes, 

 besides many other parts of their clothing. The Seal-skins 

 are also of great use to those people as a substitute for casks, 

 to preserve oil, ^c. for Winter use ; they are also blown full 

 of wind and dried, and then used as buoys on the whale-fishery. 

 The flesh and fat of the Seal is also more esteemed by the 

 Esquimaux than those of any other marine animal, salmon 

 not excepted. 



Besides these, the Sea-Unicorn^ is known to frequent Sea Unicom. 

 Hudson's Bay and Straits, but I never saw one of them. Their 

 horns are frequently purchased from our friendly Esquimaux, 

 who probably get them in the way of barter from those tribes 

 that reside more to the North ; but I [392] never could be 

 informed by the natives whether their skins are like those 

 of the Whale, or hairy like those of the Seal ; I suppose the 

 former. 



Species of Fish. 



The Fish that inhabit the salt water of Hudson's Bay 

 are but few : — the Black Whale, White Whale, Salmon, and 

 a small fish called Kepling, are the only species of sea-fish 

 in those parts.* 



The Black Whale ' is sometimes found as far South Black whaie. 



\} The narwhal, Monodon monoceros Linn., is still a rare inhabitant of 

 Hudson Strait and the extreme northern part of the Bay.] 



* In the Fall of the year 1768, a fine rock cod was drove on shore in a high 

 gale of wind, and was eaten at the Governor's table ; Messrs. William Wales 

 and Joseph Dymond, who went out to obser\'e the transit of Venus which 

 happened on the 3d of June 1769, partook of it ; but I never heard of one 

 being caught with a hook, nor ever saw an entire fish of that description in those 

 parts : their jaw-bones are, however, frequently found on the shores. 



[The common cod, Gadus callariiis Linn., enters Hudson Strait, and is 

 economically important in Ungava Bay. An occasional one is reported in 

 Hudson Bay, but whether or not the fish is abundant there is not known.] 



[* Balana 7nysticcti(s Linn. This species, the principal object of pursuit 

 by the northern whalers, was originally fairly common in the northern part of 

 Hudson Bay, but is now rare there.] 



