30 POLAR BASIN. AUSTIN. [Feb. 11, 1856. 



ances of that nature. Had a spectator viewed the sea from the northern coast of 

 America, about the Mackenzie, when visited by some of our travellers, he would 

 have returned and reported an open Polar Sea ; whereas we know, from the re- 

 ports of Collinson and M'Clure, that there is an impenetrable barrier of ice 

 to the northward, which is well known to the Esquimaux to be permanent. 

 The same promising appearance was observed by Penny, Sir Edward Belcher, 

 and others. In the case of Penny, it is proved that just beyond his horizon 

 the ice covered the whole sea and did not break up the whole of ,the summer 

 of 1853, and that an expedition of thirteen boats, on sledge runners, passed 

 over this very spot on their outward journey from the ship of Sir E. Belcher. 



Sir Edward Belcher stated he had discovered the Polar Basin ; but we have 

 learnt from himself, on a recent occasion in this room, that a Polar basin, in 

 his interpretation, is a sea covered with moveable masses of ice — a sensible 

 interpretation, in which, I believe, all Polar navigators will concur. 



Captain Inglefield, in the same sanguine feeling as Baron Wrangell, reported 

 that he had discovered an open Polar basin when he returned from Smith's 

 Sound, whereas we now know Dr. Kane found all that sea covered with thick 

 ice, which did not break up all the summer, and over which he travelled in 

 his sledges. 



But not to occupy the time of this Meeting, it is quite clear that had these 

 discoveries not been followed up, a Polar basin would have been declared to 

 exist in the case of Penny ; had Inglefield's track not been revisited, a Polar 

 basin would have been said to exist there ; had Wrangell's ground not been 

 revisited, the same would have continued to be said of the sea in that quarter ; 

 and there is the same reason to believe that if Dr. Kane's discoveries be fol- 

 lowed up, they will lead either to a vast inland basin or to a sea covered with 

 the same moveable mass of ice travelled over by Parry, and which has stopped 

 M'Clure, Collinson, Sir E. Belcher, and all other Polar navigators who have 

 endeavoured to penetrate those seas. 



Mr. White observed, in reply, that his interest in the existence of an open 

 Polar sea had been excited by sympathy for Franklin. Another probability 

 that some of Franklin's party existed was suggested by Dr. Kane, who stated 

 that some of his men were very anxious to remain with the Esquimaux, and he 

 had great difficulty in persuading them to return with him. 



Sir Robert M'Clure and Captain Kellett were also of opinion that some of 

 the men might still be living among the Esquimaux. 



2. Report of Surveyor T. Austin, Commanding the Expedition to 

 explore the Interior of Western Australia, N. and E. of the Settled 

 Districts. 



Mr. Austin commanded an expedition sent by the Government to 

 search the interior of Western Australia, N. and E. of the settled 

 districts, for land available for pastoral and agricultural purposes ; and 

 his party consisted of 10 men and 27 horses. Starting from near 

 Perth, on July 10th, 1854, he ultimately arrived at the Geraldine 

 mines on the Murchison River (about 27° 50' lat., 114° 40' long.) on 

 Nov. 20th. The direction of his route was as follows : — First to a 

 little beyond Cow-cow-ing 31° lat., 118° long., then northward to a 

 great dry salt-water lake 1,400 feet above the sea, in 27° 40' lat., 

 118° 30' long. ; thence in a north-westerly direction, approaching the 



