72 
A VOYAGE TO SPITZBERGEN 
white pithie substance that is upon the roots, or great ends, 
of the finnes, w th such scraping-irons as coopers use; being 
instruments very fitting for that purpose. Then are they 
rubbed in the sand, to dense them from grease w ch they re- 
ceaue when the heads are brought to the shoare-side: for, 
whitest the whale is in cutting up, his head is under the 
water, and his finnes remaine cleane; but, being brought 
neare the shoare and grounded, then doth the grease cleaue 
vnto them at the ebbing or falling of the water, w ch is alwaies 
fattie w th blubber that floats vpon it continuallie. When the 
finnes are thus made cleane, they are sorted into 5 seuerall 
kindes, and are made up into bundells of 50, contayneing of 
ech sorte 10 finnes. These bundles are bound up w th coards; 
and vpon ech of them ther is tied a stick, whereon is written 
some nomber, and the companie’s mark sett: and so they are 
made readie to be shipped. 
Nowe a little concerning the sea-morse (of manie called the 
sea-liorse ); w ch , indeed, maie seeme to be rather a beast then 
a fish, and partakes both of the sea and the land. He is, in 
