VOYAGE OF THE ‘ ECLIPSE.’ 5 
This year the position of the ‘‘ west ice” was fairly normal, 
but from the presence of a ‘‘ south-east pack,” in so far, the 
season was remarkable. This body of ice, formed only in 
seasons of severe frost, occupies an east and west position 
generally to the northward of the parallel of lat. 76°; it consists 
almost entirely of young or “bay” ice formed in situ, and 
seldom of great thickness. Lying in an area of more or less 
still water, unless in so far as affected by the winds, this ice 
remains almost stationary, gradually melting during the summer, 
and finally disappearing altogether. The “south-east pack,” 
although delaying somewhat the progress of the ships northward, 
by preventing the swell from breaking up the ice on the whaling 
grounds, performs an important office to the whaler, and its 
presence accordingly is hailed as a good omen. 
Meeting the ‘‘ south-east pack” in lat. 75°, we at first 
endeavoured to continue our progress northward along the 
margin of the “‘ west ice,” which could still be easily distinguished 
by its greater thickness, but eventually we had to abandon this 
attempt, and, retracing our steps seawards, proceeded east- 
wards along the margin of the south-east ice. On May 11th, 
having reached lat. 77° and long. 3° E., and finding the ice 
farther east running to the southward, we entered the pack, and 
commenced forcing our way northward through the young ice. 
The sea immediately to the westward of Spitzbergen, which is 
usually open, we found, as we proceeded northward, entirely 
covered by ice, and it was not until the evening of the 15th, 
when, having reached lat. 80° 13’ we entered the ‘‘ north water.” 
_ The following are a few notes which I made during this part of 
our voyage :— 
May 1.—Lat, 72° 45’, long. 4° 46’. Water clear and blue; 
temperature 30° at the surface. A few Saddle Seals, Phoca 
grenlandica, lying on the ice. Several which we shot were at 
the age when known to the sealers as ‘‘ Spots.” These Seals 
are probably about six weeks old, having escaped the general 
slaughter at the young sealing about a month before. They are 
bluish grey in colour, shaded to dark blue on the back, to silvery 
grey on the belly, and marked over with black spots, especially 
on the sides (hence the name). One which I measured was 
8 ft. 6 in. in length from the tip of the nose to the tip of the 
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tail, and 2 ft. in girth at the shoulders. The stomachs of several 
