GREENI.AND OR POLAR ICE. 



appearance on the south of Spitzbergen, proceed* 

 ing from thence direct to Cherry Island, and then 

 eastward as before. 



Such is the general appearance of the margin 

 or outline of the polar ice, which holds, with 

 merely partial changes, for many successive sea- 

 sons. This outline, however, is necessarily more 

 or less affected by storms and currents : their more 

 than ordinary prevalence in any one direction, 

 must cause some variety of aspect in particular 

 places, which becomes more especially apparent 

 in the vicinity of land, where its coasts afford 

 marks by which to estimate the advance and re- 

 treat of the ice. 



The line formed by the exterior of the ice, is 

 variously indented, and very rarely appears direct 

 or uniform. Open bays or arms occur, from a 

 few fathoms, to several miles in length. None of 

 them, how^ever have any determinate form or 

 place, except the " fVhak-jishefs Bight,'''' or 

 great bay before described, in which the Green-, 

 landmen ever seek a passage to the fishing sta- 

 tions. 



The place where whales occur in the greatest 

 abundance, is generally found to be in the 78th 

 \ or 79th degree of north latitude, though from the 



*72d to the 81 St degree they have been met with. 

 These singular animals, w^hich, on account of 

 their prodigious bulk and strength, might be 

 thought entitled to reign supreme in the ocean^ 



