[ 35 J 



hath fet in fo rapidly towards the Waygat*, as to oblige the 

 veflels which happened to be thereabouts, to force all fail poffi* 

 pie, to efcape being inclofed. 



This hardy old tar likewife fuppofes, that he hath been further 

 up the Waygat than perhaps any perfon now living ; for he was 

 once in a fhip which attempted to pafs through it, nor did the 

 matter defift, till they fhoaled the water to three fathoms, when 

 the fea was fo clear, that they could difringuim the bottom 

 from the deck. 



Mr. John Phillips, now mailer of the Exeter, but then mate 

 of the Loyal Club, in the year 1752, reached N, lat. 81 and 

 feveral minutes by obfervation, which circumftance was confirmed 

 by another perfon on board the Exeter laft fummer, on her re- 

 turn from the Greenland fifhery. Captain Phillips added, that 

 it was very common to fifli in fuch latitudes. 



Mr. George Ware, now living at Erith in Kent, ferved as 

 chief mate in the year 1754, on board the Sea Nymph, Captain 

 James Wilfon, when, at the latter end of June, they failed 

 through floating ice from 74 to 81 ; but having then proceeded 

 beyond the ice, they purfued the whales to 82 0 15', which lati- 

 tude was determined by Mr. Ware's own obfervation. 



As the fea was now perfectly clear, as far as he could diftin- 

 guifh with his beft glaffes, both Mr. Ware and Captain Wilfon 

 had a ftrong inclination to pu(h further towards the Pole ; but 

 the common failors hearing of fuch their intention, rernon- 

 ftrated, that if they mould be able to proceed fo far, the fhip 

 would fall into pieces, as the Pole would draw all the iron work 

 out of her. 



* The Weighgatt is fo called from the wind which blows through 

 this ftrait, [weihen, to blow] becaufe a flrong S. W. wind blows out of 

 it. Another name fork is Hindelopen. — See Martens's Voyage, p. 27. 



F 2 On 



