NORTH WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 25 



particle was about the fize of a fmall bean, of a fubftance ^ "j^^ ^• 



like blubber or jelly, quite tranfparent,. and contained a ' • 



fmall flirimp alive but not matured. December. 



Monday i2i 



I HAVE reafon to fuppofe this fpawn comes out of the 

 river Plata, as we were nearly oppofite its mouth ; our 

 latitude being 34" 35' South, and the longitude 45° 37'^ 

 Weft ; the great numbers of fpermaceti whales which are 

 generally met with here, are doubtlefs induced by thefe 

 tranfparent fubftances to frequent a fituation. where they 

 Gonftiantly find fuch abundant food. 



On the 15th, being in 37' 44.'' South latitude, and Thurfdayij. 

 48° 20' Weft longitude, we pafted a great number of 

 ipermaceti whales ; a large piece of bark, which appeared 

 to have been recently feparated from the tree, was k&n 

 floating in the water ; and albatrofies, fheerwaters, and a 

 number of birds which were entirely white, and greatly 

 refem.bled a pigeon, were flying about in every dire<Sion. 

 During ' the forenoon of the 20th the water was very Tuefday 20. 

 much coloured ; but as there is no known land near the 

 fituation we then were in, and having a brilk favourable 

 gale, I did not chufe to interrupt our progrefs by found- 

 ing ; we faw a number of albatrofies, fheerv/aters, and 

 filver-coloured birds,, a fliark, and feveral whales. Our 

 obfervation^ at noon gave 42** 26'' South latitude,, and the 

 longitude was 53" 39' Weft- 



In the evening of the 21ft we had a frefh gale of wind wednef. ii. 

 at Weft South Weft, and the fea breaking in a very extra- 

 ordinary manner,, we founded, but got no bottom, with a 

 line of fixty fathom. The next morning large patches of Thurfday 2;. 



E rock- 



