IN SEAltfifH OF WHALES. 115 
Here we “• dodged” during ii gale of wind which 
we had on the following day. Seven or eight 
ships were 1 at this time discovered from the mast¬ 
head, at' a distance to the eastward : their ap¬ 
pearance excited considerable interest with all 
hands, from the circumstance of our having been 
for a long time entirely alone. 
On Monday morning, June 17th, we proceed¬ 
ed in search of openings amid the southern floes, 
and succeeded in finding an outlet in the desired 
direction. In the afternoon, we fell into a sea of 
a fine turbid green colour, which gave us increased 
hopes of whales ; and, about midnight, I was gra¬ 
tified by the appearance of one, but it was at a 
great distance, and retired out of sight before the 
boats could reach the place. 
The weather was perfectly clear, and the land 
in sight all the day; although a few miles to the 
eastward of us there was evidently a thick fog. 
As we advanced to the southward, some addi¬ 
tional headlands lying to the westward of us were 
discovered, and the bearings of them taken. I 
obtained good sights for the longitude, both in 
the forenoon and afternoon, which agreed to a 
mere trifle: the mean was 17° 40' 10" W. A 
set of azimuths gave the variation 43° 15' W. 
The latitude at noon was 73° 17'. 
On the 18th, there being many appearances of 
H 2 
