132 
GREENLAND VOYAGE. 
Two or three whales were seen about its margin. 
The sea was almost covered with roaches (Little 
Auks) which were busily engaged in picking up 
the shrimps and other insects, that seem general¬ 
ly to abound in the green coloured water. 
We were employed most of the next day (the 
weatlier being calm and foggy) in “ making off” 
the blubber of the whale captured on the 25th. 
As the ice was too compact, in all directions, 
to afford a safe passage towards the north, the 
course I wished to pursue, while the weather was 
foggy, we were obliged to remain stationary the 
whole of the 28th ; but, at an early hour of the 
following morning, it “ cleared up,” and enabled 
us to resume the search for whales. 
During the fog, we killed a very large narwal. 
It measured 15 feet 4 inches in length, and 9 feet 
4 inches in circumference. It was a male, and 
had a hom or tooth 7 feet 6 inches long, exter¬ 
nally, besides 15 or 16 inches of the same imbed¬ 
ded in the skull. Being an aged animal, the skin 
was almost wholly white. On the back and sides, 
however, there were a few grey oblong spots or 
patches; and on the sides and belly a number of 
bright yellow specks. This latter colour, which 
was quite superficial, seemed to be the effect of 
age, or of cutaneous disease. It was remarkably 
fat, having a covering of blubber, over the muscu- 
