may be so termed; and, in order to slew that I am not the only per son who has been unfortunate in this respect, I have inserted, in the Appendix, No. 6, an exact copy of the ship's log for this day, by which it does not appear that the land was seen all around at one time; neither by a comparison of the bearings of the east land, and of the west, taken at different times, do they appear to meet.'

"Journal, &c. by an Officer of the Alexander."

Having had occasion to refer to this Journal, which is commonly ascribed to Mr. Fisher, the author of the volume which we shall shortly notice, it would be unfair not to remark, that it contains, in a very cheap form, a sensible and sufficient detail of the various circumstances connected with the expedition of 1818.

The only remaining event of any importance in Captain Ross's book, is the unfortunate failure at Lancaster's sound. That so important a point as the continuity of the land at the bottom of this inlet, should be affirmed with so little hesitation, and laid down in the chart with so much precision, is not more unaccountable than the negligence which, instead of calling up every officer in the ship to bear testimony to the fact, could satisfy itself with the evidence of three individuals only. We have no wish, however, to dwell on these circumstances, and shall now proceed to the subsequent expedition, which, under more favourable auspices, and more skilful guidance, proved the inaccuracy of previous inferences, and ascertained that Lancaster's sound is in all human probability a branch of the mighty ocean, severing North America from the Polar regions. It is hardly necessary to advert to the getting up of a defunct volume, but we cannot dismiss Captain Ross's work without noticing the tawdry style in which the graphic illustrations are produced, and the bad taste displayed in their selection. The insipid view of Mr. Mouatt's house, has no conceivable relation to the subject of the book; the leaping bear is perfectly childish; the singularly formed bergs would have sufficed in simple outline; and the crimson cliffs' might have been represented without a fierceness of tint which emulates the Red Lion over an ale-house door. Captain Ross's sketches seem to have been put into the hands of some artist whose principal merit consisted in his mechanical facility, and who has dashed out, without feeling or discrimination, a series of drawings very little expressive, as we suspect, of the real character of Arctic scenery.

The failure of the expedition of 1818 being clearly attributable either to defective observation, or to some less creditable cause, another was fitted out in the following year under the orders of Lieutenant Farry, who had, in the former instance, commanded the Alexander. The Hecla (bomb) of 400 tons, and the Griper (gun brig) of much smaller dimensions, were

prepared, in the usual way, for this service, and sailed from the Nore, May 11, 1819. Every precaution was taken for the health and comfort of the crews; double pay was assigned them; and, in addition to the common antiscorbutics, a large quantity of Donkin and Hall's preserved meats and soups, was provided. The Hecla was a large and commodious vessel, and in all respects answered the views of those who selected her; but the miserable little Griper' was quite unfit for the service. At the outset of the voyage, it was found necessary for the Hecla to take her in tow, and though she went remarkably well upon a wind,' yet, in subsequent periods; her bad sailing was found extremely embarrassing. Nothing remarkable occurred until the ships reached the ice, which, in the narrow part of Davis's Strait, they found peculiarly annoying. In one instance, they were five hours crossing a stream of ice not more than three hundred yards wide. The following extract may afford some idea of the teazing and harassing nature of Arctic navigation.

About three A. M., by a sudden motion of the ice, we succeeded in getting the Hecla out of her confined situation, and ran her up astern of the Griper. The clear water had made so much to the westward, that a narrow neck of ice was all that was now interposed between the ships and a large open space in that quarter. Both ships' companies were, therefore, ordered upon the ice to saw off the neck, when the floes suddenly opened sufficiently to allow the Griper to push through under all sail. No time was lost in the attempt to get the Hecla through after her, but, by one of those accidents to which this navigation is liable, and which renders it so precarious and uncertain, a piece of loose ice which lay between the two ships, was drawn after the Griper by the eddy produced by her motion, and completely blocked the narrow passage through which we were about to follow. Before we could remove this obstruction by hauling it back out of the channel, the floes were again pressed together, wedging it firmly and immoveably betwixt them: the saws were immediately set to work, and used with great effect, but it was not till eleven o'clock that we succeeded, after seven hours labour, in getting the Hecla into the lanes of clear water which opened more and more to the westward.'

Parry.

The advantages of local knowledge, added to accurate calculations and skilful manoeuvres, were never more strongly exemplified than they were in the comparative earliness of the season at which the Hecla and Griper made Lancaster's Sound. By the close of July, after a difficult navigation through an immense body of ice, without the slightest indication of a clear sea beyond it, Captain Parry, to whose forecast and decision the highest credit is due, had brought the vessels under his command to the entrance of that inlet, one month earlier than the period at which it had been reached in the former year, though he had started a fortnight later. When the Hecla obtained the first.

sight of the southern point, she telegraphed the Griper, and both ships entered the opening under crowded canvas. As they approached the critical line that was to confirm their hopes or their apprehensions, the crews were restless and on the look-out in all directions.

Being favoured at length by the easterly breeze which was bringing up the Griper, and for which we had long been looking with much impatience, a crowd of sail was set to carry us with all rapidity to the westward. It is more easy to imagine than to describe the almost breathless anxiety which was now visible in every countenance, while, as the breeze increased to a fresh gale, we ran quickly up the Sound. The mast-heads were crowded by the officers and men during the whole afternoon; and an unconcerned observer, if any could have been unconcerned on such an occasion, would have been amused by the eagerness with which the various reports from the crow's nest were received, all, however, hitherto favourable to our most sanguine hopes.' Parry.

"At length, they reached the affirmed closure of the gulf; Croker's Mountains disappeared, and the ships sailing over the visionary barrier, justified the scepticism which had been cherished by the most intelligent sharers in the former enterprise On the 5th of August, their progress was impeded by ice, and Captain Parry was induced to shape his course southerly This soon brought him within the capes of a large inlet, down which he sailed until the 8th, when he was again arrested by a compact line of ice stretching from shore to shore. This capacious strait, branching off from the main channel, probably communicates with some of the deep and unexplored indentations of Hudson's Bay, and has been named Prince Regent's Inlet. Having been thus intercepted a second time, the ships again sailed to the northward, and on the 20th, in a higher latitude than that in which their previous attempts had been made, obtained a passage to the westward. It being so far ascertained that the opening distinguished bitherto as Lancaster's Sound, is a large and open channel, the name of Barrow's Straits was given to it. The success which had attended the navigation, seems to have elevated the spirits and the hopes of all engaged in it; and the following extract will illustrate the fine enthusiasm by which Capt. Parry and his associates were animated.

Though two-thirds of the month of August had now elapsed, I had every reason to be satisfied with the progress which we had hitherto made. I calculated upon the sea being still navigable for six weeks to come, and probably more if the state of the ice would permit us to edge away to the southward in our progress westerly our prospects, indeed, were truly exhilarating; the ships had suffered no injury; we had plenty of provisions; crews in high health and spirits: a sea, if not open, at least navigable; and a zealous and unanimous determi

nation in both officers and men to accomplish, by all possible means, the grand object on which we had the happiness to be employed.' Parry.

From the period of entering Barrow's Straits, the movements of the compasses had become languid and irregular; but, in Regent's Inlet, every remainder of magnetic energy ceased, the directive power of the needle becoming completely subservient to the attraction of the vessel, and the binnacles were actually removed as useless lumber.' In the course of their navigation, the ships crossed to the northward of the magnetic pole, and passed over one of those spots on the globe where the north pole of the needle would have pointed due south. This spot would, in all probability, at this time,' remarks Captain-Parry, be 'somewhere not far from the meridian of 100° west of Greenwich. In the evening of the 4th of September, the vessels passed the meridian of 110°, for the attainment of which the crews became entitled to 5000l., the first bounty in the scale of ' rewards' proposed by the Order in Council to adventurers in this quarter. Their course was now beset with increasing obstaeles: the season was advancing, and dangers seemed accumulating at every movement; yet still, these gallant men pressed on till forward movements became impracticable, and it was neces→ sary to recede for the purpose of finding safe shelter for the winter. On the 20th of September, after an appalling series of difficulties and hazards, the Griper was forced on shore by the ice. Her commander, Lieutenant Liddon, had been for some time past, reduced to a state of extreme debility by rheumatism, and Captain Parry considerately

proposed to him to allow himself to be removed on board the Hecla, until the Griper should be got afloat again. To this proposal, however, he would by no means listen, assuring me that he should be the last man, instead of the first, to leave the Griper; and he remained seated against the lee side of the deck, during the greater part of the day, giving the necessary orders.'

Some idea of the dangers previously encountered, may be formed from the following description of the situation of the ships two days before.

• From noon until six o'clock in the evening, we were favoured with a fine breeze from the southward and westward, so that we got back a considerable distance; but no sooner had the wind become light than our progress was stopped by the bay-ice, notwithstanding up with capstan every effort was made to force through by breaking it bars, blocks of wood, and by rolling a boat amongst it under the ship's bows. At the very time that our progress was thus arrested, the necessity of getting on became more evident than ever, for a large floe was observed to be moving to the westward with considerable velocity, and at the same time closing in with the land, from which we were

not distant above a quarter of a mile. Our situation was therefore $ very precarious one indeed, but as it was impossible to avoid the danger that threatened us, we let go an anchor in ten fathoms of water, after being driven within less than a cable's length of the shore. Here we awaited with great anxiety the approach of the floe, for al though we were driven towards the shore by it, we were not actually in contact with the floe itself, but were carried along with the bay-ice that it impelled towards the land. Close to where we anchored, there happened, very fortunately for us, to be a large hummock, or rather a pile of heavy pieces of ice aground, so that when the floe arrived, this pile received the shock of it, and the collision was certainly tremendous; for immense masses of the Aloe were broken off, and piled up on the top of what was already aground, from which most of them fell, or slided back again on the floe, and this operation continued for some time, until at length the force of the floe, which was at first going at the rate of two miles per hour, was almost entirely spent. It is unnecessary to observe, that, had the ships been caught between the floe and the hummock just mentioned, their destruction would have been inevitable.' Fisher.

Under circumstances such as these, perseverance was no longer practicable, and it became highly expedient to lose no time in returning to a secure harbour, which was at length found in lat. 74°. 47'. 15. long. 110°. 48. 30". W. The ships were roofed over; and in Captain Parry's plate, they have a most snug and comfortable appearance in the midst of darkness and desolation. An interesting detail is given of the various measures adopted for the preservation of health, and the promotion of useful occupations. Among the amusements which were adopted, the most singular and successful suggestion was that of stage performances, which was carried into execution to the infinite gratification of the crew, who expressed a more than ordinary delight at a new piece, composed by Captain Parry, and entitled The North-West Passage.'

Although it may perhaps to some appear a frivolous anecdote what I am about to mention, yet I cannot help noticing it, as it tends to shew the favourable reception with which the dramatic piece in question was received, and at the same time exhibits in a very noted manner the misapplication of words by men who make use of ternis or expressions which they do not thoroughly understand themselves. Whilst the curtain was down between the first and second acts, all the men were conversing together, extolling the merits of the new play, when the boatswain, wishing to pay a higher compliment to it than any other person, said that it was much superior to fine or excellent (the epithets of approbation used by the seamen); that it was "in fact, real philosophy!"' Fisher.

Another source of amusement, much more questionable in point of expediency than the former, was proposed in the establishment of a newspaper, called the North Georgia Gazette.