37 ° 
Mr. Abbs's Observations 
by the return of a shoal of haddocks ? For the two last winters 
I have waited with anxiety, but in vain, for such an event 
to take place. 
I am, &c. 
COOPER ABBS. 
Sunderland, May 27, 1792: 
SIR, 
Encouraged by the unexpected and favourable attention paid 
to my letter by Sir Joseph Banks and yourself, I have, since the 
receipt of your favour of the 19th, daily mounted my horse, to 
endeavour to gain further information on the mysterious sub- 
ject. Three days ago, I was fortunate enough to hear of two 
persons in Northumberland who were at Archangel in 1789, 
and waited upon them yesterday. As they lived about two 
miles asunder from each other, the one at North Shields, and 
the other at a village in the country, I had an opportunity of 
hearing, and asking them questions separately. Their names 
are, Mr, John Stoker, of the Ranger, and Mr. John Arm- 
strong, of the Integrity, of North Shields, masters of ships of 
considerable size and value, men of sober, decent character, 
intelligent and respected in their line of profession, from whom 
I received the following account, which I have every reason to 
believe true. That in the latter end of July, 1789, on the 
light passage to Archangel, after doubling the North Cape 
(where they joined eight or ten sail of large ships from various 
ports and nations), and reducing their latitude from 69 to 68, 
between Fisher’s Island and Sweetnose, for about thirty leagues 
east and south, they, to their great surprise, for the space of 
three days, in which they had variable winds, or light airs, fell 
