1823.] Notice of some newly discovered Islands^ 379 



Article XL 



Notice of some newly discovered Islands in the Arctic Sea, By 

 Capt. Duncan : communicated in a Letter from L. Edmon- 

 ston, Esq. 



(To the Editor of the Annals of Philosophy,) 



SIR, Zetland, Balta Sound, Sept. 12, 1823. 



The public attention has been recently so much directed to 

 Arctic discoveries, that I flatter myself the following communi- 

 cation may be acceptable to your journal. 



The Greenland ship Dundee, of London, arrived here on the 

 10th inst. ; and her very enterprising Commander, Capt. Duncan, 

 obligingly furnished me with the following information which is 

 contained almost verbatim in his diary. " Sept. 2, in lat. about 

 68° 40' ; long. 24° 30' W ; foggy weather and east winds (latter 

 part of the day clearer) blowing very fresh. Ship running in 

 north-west towards the land ; at 9, a. m. got within two miles of 

 a small island bearing north-west, which 1 named Sayers Island, 

 after the master of the Harmony, of Hull, then in company ; the 

 mainland running about NNE and SSW, distant about fourteen 

 miles. The nearest headland on it in right bearing north, I 

 named Cape Despair, distance six leagues. Cape Barclay of 

 Scoresby's Chart, bore north-east and east, distance 50 miles ; 

 and the most southern headland on the main bore west and by 

 Kouth, distance 60 miles : this I named Duncansby Head. All 

 the mainland seen from the ship between this point and Cape 

 Barclay, I named Gales Land, in compliment to my owner. 

 About 10 miles south-east from Duncansby Head, there is a low 

 flat island which I termed Robison's Island, after the ship's 

 managing agent. Here we lay to, hoping to see fish, but fell in 

 with none ; and the sea setting in heavy towards the land, and 

 the wind blowing fresh, we stood ofl'to the south. 



"At noon latitude observed 68° 41' ; long. 24° 30' W ; by the 

 bearings of Cape Barclay ; sounded in 100 fathoms water ; 

 rocky bottom. Saw all this new land for twenty-four hours ; 

 the Harmony, of Hull, in company all the time ; but the gale and 

 sea prevented any attempts at landing. Had intended prosecut- 

 ing investigation further southwards, but the lateness of the 

 season, and the unfortunate accident of being heset nearly two 

 months this summer, made all thoughts of such a view impru- 

 dent." 



Gales Land, Capt. Duncan states, resembles in general 

 appearance the south side of Scoresby's Sound. It is very high, 

 and precipitous quite to the sea shore. The mountains running 

 in ridges south-east and north-west, but their peaks are not so 



