. Narrative of discovery and adventure in the polar seas and regions [microform] : with illustrations of their climate, geology, and natural history ; and an account of the whale-fishery. Natural history; Sciences naturelles. 388 NORTHERN WHALE-FISHERY. â | ' 1 .:. , I I i '^m"''-'^^ *,'«. north-western shores of Baffin's Bay, fish had been seen in vast numbers, the spirit of enterprise was kindled, and success soon crowned its efforts. Since that period, not only the Greenland Seas have been nearly deserted, but the original fishing-grounds in Labrador and Davis* Strait have been regard
. Narrative of discovery and adventure in the polar seas and regions [microform] : with illustrations of their climate, geology, and natural history ; and an account of the whale-fishery. Natural history; Sciences naturelles. 388 NORTHERN WHALE-FISHERY. â | ' 1 .:. , I I i '^m"''-'^^ *,'«. north-western shores of Baffin's Bay, fish had been seen in vast numbers, the spirit of enterprise was kindled, and success soon crowned its efforts. Since that period, not only the Greenland Seas have been nearly deserted, but the original fishing-grounds in Labrador and Davis* Strait have been regarded only as secondary objects; while every nerve has been strained to reach those interior shores, where whales are still found in an abundance elsewhere unexampled. To arrive at this more important station, the captains may proceed along either >jf the coasts of that great in- land sea. The western might appear at first sight the more eligible one, leading most directly to the object, and avoiding that middle barrier which is so peculiarly dangerous. This shore, however, is exposed to the great body of ice, which, at the beginning of the season, floats down from the north, rendering the navigation at once tedious and dangerous. Hence the usual practice among whalers is to work their way up the eastern passage till they turn Cape York; beyond which the sea becomes much narrower, the central ice usually terminates, and an opening is found stretching to the western side. Before reaching Cape York, however, and after passing that formidable promontory called the Devil's Thumb, they must cross the spacious ex- panse of Melville Bay, bounded on the north by a bold shore, covered with perpetual ice and snow. Here those dangers occur which have proved fatal to so many navigatoi-s. A strong wind from the south-west loosens the ice, and drives its severed fragments directly into the bay just specified. Arrested by its northern bound- ary, these are crowded together, and tossed with
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1840, books, booksubjectnaturalhistory
