A new voyage into the northern countries being a discription of the manners, customs, superstition, buildings, and habits of the Norwegians, Laponians, Kilops, Borandians, Siberians, Samojedes, Zemblans, and Islanders : with reflexions upon an error in our geographers about the scituation and extent of Greenland and Nova Zembla.

CHAP. XL. Our departure from Zembla in Order to our return. Our arrival in Greenland, the Whale-Fishing, and the way they make Oyl of them.

THe year being far spent, and the lat∣ter end of August already come, the days began to shorten, and we had half an hour night, besides the cold increasing upon us, it was judged best (having a

fair N. N. E. Wind) to weigh Anchor and stand to the S. W. we had not sail'd many hours before the wind came about S. S. E. which forced us to our former Northern course, to gain the Coasts if we could, which we did, and by the favour of that wind sailed by them as far as Green∣land, where being catched with a W. S. W. wind, we were obliged to cast Anchor again near a great number of French and Dutch Vessels which lay near the shore a fishing for Whale, which Fishing is much after the rate of the Sea-Horse. Having struck it with their Irons, they draw it gently towards the Shore, and when it is dead, cut it all into Mamocks, for the fat, which they melt in great Kettles to draw out the Oyl, not far from certain Cabanes which the Fishermen build for that purpose upon the Coast.

This happened very luckily for our Zemblians, their Stomachs were almost lost for want of oyl, for two days together they had had none to dip their Fish in, because it grew scarce in the Ship, and we were forc'd to abate their allowance of oyl with the Fish we gave them to eat.

I saw them order one of their Whales, and stood by till they had done. They

drew out of her as much Whale-bone as weighed three hundred and fifty pound weight, which they reserved for the Tay∣lers for Busks and bodies for the Ladies.