ritical. We were in shoal water,
upon a lee-shore, and the main body of the ice to windward, driving
down upon us. It was evident, that if we remained much longer between
it and the land, it would force us ashore, unless it should happen
to take the ground before us. It seemed nearly to join the land to
leeward; and the only direction that was open, was to the S.W. After
making a short board to the northward, I made the signal for the
Discovery to tack, and tacked myself at the same time. The wind proved
rather favourable, so that we lay up S.W. and S.W. by W.

At eight in the morning of the 19th, the wind veering back to W., I
tacked to the northward, and, at noon, the latitude was 70 deg. 6', and
the longitude 195 deg. 42'. In this situation, we had a good deal of
drift-ice about us; and the main ice was about two leagues to the N.
At half-past one, we got in with the edge of it. It was not so compact
as that which we had seen to the northward; but it was too close, and
in too large pieces, to attempt forcing the ships through it. On the
ice lay a prodigious number of sea-horses; and, as we were in want of
fresh provisions, the boats from each ship were sent to get some.

By seven o'clock in the evening, we had received, on board the
Resolution, nine of these animals, which, till now, we had supposed
to be sea-cows; so that we were not a little disappointed, especially
some of the seamen, who, for the novelty of the thing, had been
feasting their eyes for some days past. Nor would they have been
disappointed now, nor have known the difference, if we had not
happened to have one or two on board, who had been in Greenland, and
declared what animals these were, and that no one ever eat of them.
But, notwithstanding this, we lived upon them as long as they lasted;
and there were few on board who did not prefer them to our salt meat.

The fat; at first, is as sweet as marrow; but in a few days it grows
rancid, unless it be salted, in which state it will keep much longer.
The lean flesh is coarse, black, and has rather a strong taste; and
the heart is nearly as well tasted as that of a bullock. The fat, when
melted, yields a good deal of oil, which burns very well in lamps; and
their hides, which are very thick, were very useful about our rigging.
The teeth or tusks of most of them were, at this time, very small;
even some of the largest and oldest of these animals had them not
exceeding six inches in length. From this we