45^ 
A VOYAGE TO 
1778. us; and the main ice was about two leagues to the North. 
At half pall one, we got in with the edge of it. It was 
not fo compact as that which we had feen to the North¬ 
ward; but it was too clofe, and in too large pieces, to 
attempt forcing the fhips through it. On the ice lay a ’ 
prodigious number of fea-horfes ; and, as we were in want 
of frefh pro villous, the boats from each Ihip were fent to 
get fome. 
By feven o’clock in the evening, we had received, on board 
the Refolution, nine of thefe animals ; which, till now, we 
had fuppoled to be fea-cows ; fo that we were not a little 
difappointed, efpecially fome of the feamen, who, for the 
novelty of the thing, had been feafting their eyes for fome 
days paft. Nor would they have been difappointed now, 
nor have known the difference, if we had not happened to 
have one or two on board, who had been in Greenland, 
and declared what animals thefe were, and that no one ever 
eat of them. But, notwithstanding this, we lived upon 
them as long as they lafted; and there were few on board 
who did not prefer them to our fait meat.. 
The fat, at find, is as fweet as marrow; but in a few 
days it grows rancid, unlefs it be falted ; in which Hate, it 
will keep much longer. The lean flelh is coarfe, black, 
and has rather a ftrong tafte ; and the heart is nearly as 
well tailed as that of a bullock. The fat, when melted, 
yields a good deal of oil, which burns very well in lamps ; 
and their hides, which are very thick, were very ufeful 
about our rigging. The teeth, or tulks, of moll of them 
were, at this time, very fmall; even fome of the largell 
and oldell of thefe animals, had them not exceeding fix 
inches in length. From this we concluded, that they had 
lately llied their old teeth. 
They 
