harpoon it, but without ſucceſs. Indeed, we were not very ſolicitous to kill black whales, and willingly gave up the chaſe at this time, to make all the ſail we could, and to exert our utmoſt efforts in order, if poſſible, to diſcover the land before night; which every one on board had poſſeſſed themſelves with the idea of ſeeing, although at ſuch a conſiderable diſtance from the Latitude in which it was ſuppoſed to lay.
During this afternoon we paſſed ſeveral fields of ſpawn, which cauſed the water to wear the appearance of barely covering the ſurface of a bank. At ſun-ſet we could ſee as far as twelve or fourteen leagues; but did not perceive any other ſigns of land than the great flight of birds which continued to accompany us, and they were ſo numerous at times, that had they all been on the wing together, and above us, inſtead of riſing in alternate flocks and ſkimming after the whales, the atmoſphere muſt have been altogether darkened by them. And the number of whales in ſight preſented a fair opportunity of making a profitable voyage in the article of black oil; but my predominant object was to fulfill the particular ſervices recommended to me by the Lords of the Admiralty; and in one point I had at this moment, the moſt flattering hopes of ſucceeding.
