Proceedings, (&;G.Jor 1886. 293 



27tli March, lat. 50 degs. 2 mins. S., long. 87 W.— A large 

 company of bottle-nosed whales were seen. 



29th December — IsTear Graham Land, we observed a very great 

 number of the largest sized black whales, so tame that they allowed 

 the ships sometimes almost to touch them before they would get out 

 of the way, so that any number of ships might procure a cargo of 

 oil in a short time. Thus, within ten days after leaving the Falk- 

 land Islands, we had discovered not only a new land but a valuable 

 whale fishery, well worthy the attention of our enterprising merchants, 

 less than 600 miles from one of our own possessions. 



SlstDecmber^lat. 64 degs. S., long. 55 degs. 28 mins. W. — Great 

 numbers of the largest size black whales were lying upon the water in 

 all directions ; their enormous breadth quite astonished us. The 

 colour of the sea was a dirty brown. 



6th February, 1843, lat. 63 degs. 46 mins. S., long. 52 degs. 37 

 mins. W. — Seals were numerous; one killed measured 12ft. 2in. in 

 length, and weighed 1145 lbs. 



No. 4. Notes of an interview with Mr. Davis, second master of 

 H.M. "Terror," 1839-43.— Mr. Davis said that while in the 

 Antarctic regions, a great number of whales were seen, but he 

 could not say of what species they were. He had often heard Sir 

 James Ross remark that a ship would have little difficulty in getting 

 a full cargo. Sir James Ross knew whales well, having been 

 thirteen voyages to the Arctic regions. He also remarked that the 

 weather was very often overcast, but there was very little fog. He 

 thought they were always too late in being out. 



No 5. Notes of an interview with Dr. Hooker, F.R.S., Director 

 of the Botanical Gardens of Kew, formerly surgeon of H.M.S. 

 " Erebus," 1839-43.— Dr. Hooker was satisfied they did not 

 see any right whales after they got among the ice at Victoria 

 Land; those seen there were of a small species, not seen in 

 the north. Mr. Abernethy, one of the petty officers, who knew 

 about the northern whales, said they were different from anything 

 he had seen there. South from the Falkland Islands, near Graham 

 Land, great numbers of what Sir James Ross and others called 

 the right whale were seen. We showed Dr. Hooker the drawing 

 •of a Greenland whale, and he said the whales seen near Graham 

 Land were similar, but somewhat flatter on the crown. We com- 

 pared Sir James Ross' journal and the account of his voyage with 

 extracts from the journal kept by Dr. Hooker on board the '* Erebus," 

 which we examined, and they were both found generally to agree so 

 far as they referred to the appearances of whales, although the 

 species is not always mentioned by both. When, however, both 

 mention the appearance or species of whales seen on any date the 

 journals in that respect are found to agree. 



No. 6. Notes of an interview with Mr. Beeman, boatswain of 

 H.M. '' Terror," 1839-43.— Mr. Beeman recollects hearing Mr. 



