96 Rev. W. Scoresby^s Remarks on the Probability 



having seen this atmospheric indication of its existence when in 

 the open sea, at least thirty miles distant. In the year 1823, on 

 the 29th of July, it is stated in my journal, that, " with a gentle 

 breeze of wind from the southward, we traced the edge of a sin- 

 gle field towards the north, from 9 a. m. till 4J p. m., which 

 was estimated to be thirty geographical miles in medial breadth. 

 It was also very thick and heavy. Places of several miles in 

 area were free from hummocks^ Along the edge of another 

 iield, on the same voyage, we coasted a distance of about forty 

 miles. And again, under date of the 16th of July, (latitude 

 70° 43, longitude 19" 44' W.), I find it recorded, that " we pas- 

 sed, in our progress through the floes, some remarkably fine 

 smooth sheets of ice. On several of the heaviest floes, averag- 

 ing, probably, twenty feet in thickness, there were occasional 

 tracts of above a mile square on which there was not a single 

 hummock. And one field had a space of about twenty-four 

 square miles, (four miles by six by estimation), equally regular 

 and even."" This field, indeed, was so smooth, that I designed, 

 had we remained near it a sufficient time, to have made trial of 

 a sailing-sledge, respecting which 1 had given my carpenter or- 

 ders ; and I had no doubt of being able to traverse it by the 

 mere force of a moderate breeze of wind. 



From these facts and observations, I think it must be quite 

 evident, that the nature of the ice met with, in the recent expe- 

 riment, must have been different from what it is on a more wes- 

 terly meridian ; and that this circumstance of itself prevented a 

 fair chance of success. I shall not differ, however, in my views, 

 from Captain Parry, as to whether it may prove to be " an easy 

 task'' to traverse the ice to the Pole. I know it would Tiot be an easy 

 task, and that it would not be found exempt from its peculiar 

 hazards ; but I still believe, from all we yet know of the polar 

 ices, and from all the experience yet obtained, that the probabi- 

 lity of reaching the Pole, notwithstanding the recent failure, re- 

 mains unshaken, and that it is a project as feasable, and even 

 much more so, than the discovery of a north-west passage by 

 sea, and some other approved enterprizes. 



To what has been already said in support of this conclusion, 

 I may add one general argument, which will go far, I conceive, 

 to support the whole of the grounds of reasoning which I had 



