204 DISCOVERIES OF I676. 



But, said he, before the fleet had caught fish 

 enough to lade us, we, by order of the Green- 

 laud Company, sailed unto the north pole and 

 came back again. Whereupon (his relation 

 beino- novel to me) I entered into discourse with 

 him, and seemed to question the truth of what he 

 said ; but he did ensure me it was true, and that 

 the ship was then in Amsterdam, and many of 

 the seamen belonging to her to justify the truth 

 of it ; and told me moreover, that they had sailed 

 two degrees beyond the pole. I asked him if they 

 found no land or islands about the pole? He told 

 me — No, there was a free and open sea. I asked 

 him if him if they did not meet with a great deal of 

 ice? He told me, No, they saw no ice : I asked him 

 what weather they had there ? He told me fine warm 

 weather, such as w^as at Amsterdam in the sum- 

 mer time, and as hot. I should have asked him 

 more questions, but that he was engaged in dis- 

 course with his friend, and I could not in modesty 

 interrupt them longer."* 



Such accounts as these were amply sufficient to 

 revive the notion of a north or north-east passage, 

 which had so long lain dormant. It has generally 

 happened, in this country, that some individual more 

 sanguine than the rest of the community has, by 



* A Brief Discourse^ Sfc. By Joseph Moxon. Harris s Voyages^ 

 Tol. . p, . — Fossibility of approaching the North Pole, asserted 

 hy Hon. D.Barrington, 



