[ 3 



quantity ftill liquid, which was fo fliarp and acid, 

 that a drop of it could hardly be endured on the 

 tongue : this fmall quantity was preferved to 

 fliarpen their liquors, and went almoft as far as 

 the whole barrel would have done, had it conti- 

 nued unfrozen. Olive oil is faid to become lb 

 hard in that country, that they cut it out of the 

 jars with chifel and mallet ; and it is dangerous 

 to ftand in the way of its fplinters, for they cut 

 the eyes like glafs. The fame curious perfon 

 alfo gave me fome account of the large iflands 

 (as they are called) of floating ice, which fre- 

 quently appear in that traét of fea our fliips 

 make between the north of Scotland and the 

 fouthermoft cape of Groenland, in their way to 

 and from Hudfon's Bay. Thefe ii1afl!es of ice, 

 he fays, might be taken for land covered with 

 fnow, did they not find them in places, which 

 they know, from long experience, to be open 

 feas. Some of thefe iflands appear high and 

 craggy like rocks, having lower parts or plains ; 

 and, when the warm feafons are coming on, the 

 fun melts the fnow and ice, and caufes cafcades 

 to fall I'rom the craggy high parts into the 

 lower, where the w^ater fettles in hollows, form- 

 ing 



