An account of several late voyages and discoveries

to Spitzbergen. t 9 76 degrees and 30 minutes. We failed to the 81ft deg. and no Ship ventured farther that year; but how far thi~ Country is extended to he North, is Oill unknown. lt feemeth, becaufe the Ice fiands firm, and 8oats not, as that in the Sea doth, that there ould be Land not far behind it. A, thc higbeí\ Countrics are furrounded with ountains, as a Fortification is with Walls and orks, fo are thefe Countries naturally fur– unded with high Hills. · The inward Condition of this Country we o not know, but it feemeth, fince we fee one di behiod another, that it is fo throaghout he whole Country. Atthe M11fale·Haven, or M11fa/e. Ba.1, we 6nd lainer and leveller Ground ; anJ the farther e íail toward the Eact, the Ground groweth e lower, yet it is all frony, and with pro– as of fmaller Hi!ls; ic doth not Jook at ali if it c~uld be inhabired by Men. 1 believe alfo tbat che Land rhere rnufi of cdíity be lower and lower; for elfe w ~ íhoald it higher above the other, as we do the o– er Mountains. Concerning the Beaíls that live on this Land, believe they come over che Ice in the Spring, hen the Ice fhnds firm, into rhefe Countries, d that the fame way they go away from thence ain, when ,he long nights begin. Concerning the Birds, we hu·~ parrl y a good oum of rhem, their places aod food is own, as I fhall mention when I come ro wrire tbt:m. C 2 When