142 
GltEENLAND VOYAGE. 
the bony septum between the blow-holes in the 
skull. 
On the 3d of July no whales were to be seen. 
Having a fine breeze from the northward, we 
cruized the whole day in the recesses of the floes; 
and in the night, under a fresh gale of wind, we 
made a stretch of about twenty miles to the east¬ 
ward, and back again. It blew a strong gale all 
the next day, during which we made fast to a large 
floe, and made-off the blubber of our last captured 
fish. The weather was thick, with fog or snow, 
the greater part of the gale ; but in the evening 
it cleared up, and soon afterwards the wind mo¬ 
derated. An immense quantity of roaches (Alea 
allc) flew past the ship towards the west. For 
many hours successively, perhaps from one to 
three flocks, consisting on an average of about 
two or three hundred birds, passed us per mi¬ 
nute, all winging their way in the same direc¬ 
tion. I calculated that near half a million of 
these birds appeared within sight in the course of 
twelve hours. 
On the 5th at noon, we were in latitude 71° 7', 
longitude 18° 40' W. Having reached a consider¬ 
able distance to the northward, we fell in with a 
large fleet of ships. In the evening, I was visited 
by my Father, and also by the captains of the 
