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94 THIRD VOYAGE OF THE DUTCH
back ones are very fimall, fo that in general they do not reckon on a greater number
than four hundred. It is the only confiderable profit which can be derived from this
coatt.
‘* On each fide of the back part of the head the whales have large fins, where they
are more eafily {truck with the harpoon and more dangeroufly wounded. When they
are wounded, and the blood runs from the head, they force the water and blood through
the vent which they have above the head as high as the ma(ft : when they have exhaufted
their {trength by {truggling the boats approach, and throw darts on their head and in
the aperture.
“ The whales have a thick black fkin, covered with a black cuticle, and fmooth as
fatin: their food is a fmall fifth, called by the French a fea-flea, and which is not fo large
as the famphire plant: they fwim with the mouth open, and {wallow this little fifh while
fwimming, fhutting their mouth as foon as it enters.
“¢ There are alfo white whales, which are of little value. Whitings are alfo found
but in fmall quantity. There are many aquatic birds, and particularly fea-gulls, which
gather on dead whales; two kinds of divers; loms, which properly are a {pecies of
parrot, geefe, mallards, ducks which lay very large eggs, and a great quantity of wild
eefe.
«¢ A little farther north are found fea-cows, which may be named fea-elephants, for
they much refemble the elephant by the fize of the body, and by their teeth: as to their
fkin, though it be very thick, and that fome have been feen at Amfterdam weighing
four hundred pounds, it is however not efteemed, becaufe it is unequal and foul. They
have much lard, which may be clarified fo as to afford oil. When they fee another cow
of their {pecies which is dead, they affemble in great numbers, and placing themfelves
upon it they heat it, and occafion it to corr upt.
“¢ At five leagues {till farther north, where are channels of frefh water, there are feen
marine dogs, of the fame nature as thafe which are feen in thefe provinces, that is to fay,
the United Provinces.
‘* This is all the knowledge relative to the ftate of this country which was poffefled at
the time of the publication of the prefent relation.”
On the twenty-third of June a part of the crew landed, with the intention of obferving
the variation of the compafs : while they were thus occupied a white bear fwam towards
the veffel, and would have entered if he had not been perceived. They fired fome fhot,
when the bear returned to the ifland in which were the other part of the failors. Thofe
who remained on board feeing him return failed immediately: towards land, and fhouted
with all their {trength to warn their companions, who hearing thefe cries, imagined the
veffel had {truck on fome rock. The bear itfelf was fo frightened that it took another
route leading from the ifland, at which thofe on board were much rejoiced, for their
companions had no arms.
With refpeéct to the variation of the compafs, they found it to differ 16°. On the
twenty-fourth they failed and approached very near to fhore, where having landed, they
found two teeth of the fea-cow, each weighing fix pounds, and alfo another fmall one.
On the twenty-fifth they failed along the coaft in 79° lat. and having difcovered a
large gulf they entered it, and advanced about ten leagues; but were obliged to tack
about quickly in order to “depatt, on account of contrary winds.
On the twenty-eighth they doubled a cape lying on the weftern coaft, where was fo
great a quantity of birds, that they caft themfelves in great flights againtt the fails of
the veffel.
On the twenty-ninth they were obliged to bear off from the land on account of the
ice, and they arrived in lat. 76° 50’.
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