An account of several late voyages and discoveries

to Spit zbergeo. 17 S other crooked Hooks like Birds Claws ; in thc Ring where the Ropcs are faftem:d is another crooked Hook, at the top faftencd by a Ring, fuch a one as we makc ufe of here whcn we wind any thing up by a Crane; but in the mid•. dle betwcen thefe two Hooks is faftened ano– ther Rope, which keeps thc lowermoft Hook fteddy; the two hindmofi Points are knocked inco the Whale-bone bebind, and che two fore– moft íllort ones bcfore, which hold the Whale– bone fafl between ·thcm when it is wound or puUed up. The dcad \Vhales, wben thc Far is cut.off' of them, they let float, and are the Food of the Birds oí Prey when they are hungry; but they had rather have dead Whale, that have fiill their Fat left on them. The whice Bear is g~ nerally not far off, whether there be any Fat lefc on rhem or no, and look like Dogs that only feed upon Carrion, and at that time their white furr is turned into a yellow Colour, and at the fame time they fhed their Hair, and thcir Skins are wonh very Iittle. Where a dead Whale is near, we fee it by thc Birds, : whereof are many, ancl alfo the white Bears s difcover it, as you may fce ac g in thc Table B, chiefl y in the Spring, w ben but a few Wha!es r are caug~t, for thcn they are gr~edy of their :, Prey; atterwards whcn many \Vhales float on ; the Sea, they have their Rel1ics fu U, and we g do not find fo many by a Whale, becaufe they e are difperfed. o CHAP. :r