420 PROCEEDINGS OP THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



tremelj popular in the British navy ; a large number of living officers 

 have participated in the searches for Sir John Franklin, and have thus 

 become familiar with the peculiarities of navigation in high latitudes ; 

 and at this very time efforts are making on the other side of the Atlan- 

 tic for exploring these untraversed regions of our own hemisphere. If 

 this expedition be not equipped at present, there is every reason to be- 

 lieve that a European one, next year, upon a larger scale, will super- 

 sede it ; and that the discoveries and explorations which now reflect 

 such lustre upon the names of Kane and of Grinnell may be thrown 

 into the background by the achievements of those who, while profiting 

 by their experience, may yet overshadow their record. An American 

 expedition ought to be equipped now ; and if equipped, who should lead 

 it but Dr. Hayes ? What other living citizen unites the experience 

 with the knowledge needed for the enterprise ? Those of us who have 

 read his modest narrative of that heroic boat journey towards Upernavik 

 will appreciate that union of chivalry with caution, of daring with dis- 

 cretion, so important for the leader of a hazardous enterprise. They 

 will remember the boldness, the tact, the nerve, and the thoughtfulness 

 which were so conspicuous in that memorable journey. 



Dr. Hayes comes to us supported by the commendation of the lead- 

 ing institutions and men of science throughout the land, and bringing 

 their earnest desires for his success in carrying out his heroic aims. 

 His hopes now rest upon Boston, and it remains for our own city to 

 say whether he shall lead his daring company northward. 



Permit me now, Mr. President, to introduce Dr. Isaac I. Hayes, sur- 

 geon of the late Grinnell expedition under Dr. Kane. 



Dr. Hayes then spoke substantially as follows: — 



I am highly honored, Mr. President, by the invitation which the 

 Academy has extended to me ; and am greatly gratified at having this 

 opportunity to bring to your notice the plan which I have proposed for 

 continuing the researches of the late Dr. Kane. With Dr. Kane's 

 scheme of exploration you are already quite familiar. It was based 

 upon the idea that the great Arctic ice-belt was more readily traversed 

 through Baffin's Bay and Smith Strait than in any other region. He 

 was arrested by the ice at Rensselaer Harbor, in latitude 78° 37', on 

 the eastern side of Smith Strait. Here he passed the winters of 1853 

 and 1854. During the summer of 1854 he conducted his explorations 



