30 Rev. W. Scoresby's Remarks on the ProhahiUty 



rest in doubt because of conflicting opinions ; but may have 

 the opportunity of discerning how far my objections are con- 

 vincing, and whether or not ihey are conclusive. 



To this end, as far as relates to the argument in respect to 

 the importance of the time of the year for trying the experi- 

 ment, I have only, in addition to what has been said, to direct 

 the attention of the Society to several formidable difficulties which 

 Captain Parry encountered, arising entirely out of the advanced 

 state of the season, which proved one of the chief and obvious 

 causes of the want of greater success. 



From the want of continuity among the ice, small spaces be- 

 ing continually met with during their entire progress, they were 

 frequently subjected to the arduous service of unloading and 

 loading their boats, and of launching and hauling them up, which 

 laborious routine they had" sometimes to perform eight or ten 

 times a-day, and once no less than seventeen times during one 

 day ■'s journey *. 



From the quantity of rain which fell, the people were both 

 injured as to their strength and comfort, and their progress was 

 often retarded for hours together •\-. 



From the snow on the ice being saturated with water, not 

 only were the men's feet continually wet, and their physical en- 

 ergies considerably enervated, but the adhesion of their feet to 

 the wet snow rendered the movements of the travellers so diffi- 

 cult, that in some cases they had to advance upon all-fours, and 

 in other cases they fairly stuck fast %. 



From the partial dissolution of the ice, or rather probably 

 from the resolution of a portion of the winter's covering of snow 

 into prismatic or pyramidal needles, the progress of the party 

 was often rendered difficult and painful, in consequence of the 

 piercing of their feet by these pointed crystals. 



And from the quantity of water found on the floes, they had 

 sometimes, when it was not deep enough to float their boats, to 

 make considerable circuits, instead of pursuing their course 

 through the body of these lakes, a line which, had it been free 

 from water, would have always proved the best and most level 

 track. 



• Narrative, p. 143. f I<^- P- 71, 78, 84, 85, &c. 



X Id. p. 71. 



