t66 DISCOVERIES OF I676. 



Gouldcn that all the drift- wood found in Green- 

 land was eaten to the very heart with the sea- 

 worm. 7. The relation of two ships which had 

 sailed three hundred ]cag:ues to the east of Nova 



CD 



Zenibla, published in the Philosophical Trans- 

 actions. His arguments were — 1. Tliat the pole 

 vas fullv as warm as under the arctic circle, and 

 that the experience of Greenlanders proved this. 

 2. Something about v/inds and fogs, not very intel- 

 ligible ; and 3. That the magnetic influence w^ould 

 not prevent a safe passage across the pole. 



These reasons and arguments, together wdth a 

 polar draught, were presented to his Majesty and 

 the Duke of York. At a board of Admiralty, at 

 Avhich the king, as usual in those days, was pre- 

 sent, it was ordered that the Speedwell should be 

 appropriated to this service and the command of 

 her given to Captain Wood. And as all voyages 

 of discovery are liable to accidents, the Duke of 

 York, with several noblemen and gentlemen, pur- 

 chased a pink of 120 tons, called the Pr^osperous, 

 to accompany the Speedvv^ell. To this pink Cap- 

 tain William Flawes was appointed as com- 

 mander. Both ships Mere well equipped for the 

 occasion, victualled for sixteen months, and sup- 

 plied with such commodities as were likely to turn 

 to the best account on the coast of Tartary and 

 Japan. 



The two ships sailed from the Nore on the 

 28th of May, 1()76, and seem to have doubled the 

 North Cape about the 19th of June ; but thq 



