366 DISCOVERIES OF ROSS, I8l8* 



lity of reaching this northern extremity of the earth's 

 axis : it was resolTed, therefore, to fit out two distinct 

 expeditions ; the one to proceed up the middle 

 of Davis's Strait to a high northern latitude 

 and then to stretch across to the westward, in the 

 hope of heing able to pass the northern extremity 

 of America, and reach Behring's Strait by that 

 route ; the other to proceed directly north, between 

 Greenland and Spitzbergen, and in tlie event of 

 meeting with an open polar sea, free from land, 

 in which case it was hoped it would also be free 

 from ice, to proceed direct for Behring's Strait, by 

 which route the distance would be shorter than 

 the other by nearly one-third. 



The ships fitted out for exploring the north-west 

 passage were the Isabella, of 382 ton«, commanded 

 by Captain John Ross, and the Alexander, of 

 252 tons, under the orders of Lieutenant Wil- 

 liam Edward Parry. Those destined for the 

 polar passage were the Dorothea, of 370 tons, 

 commanded by Captain David Buchan, and the 

 Trent, of 250 tons, under the command of Lieute- 

 nant John Franklin; to each ship there was also 

 appointed an additional Lieutenant and two master's 

 mates or midshipmen. Two of these Lieutenants 

 are the sons of two eminent artists, one of the 

 late Mr. Hoppner and the other of Sir William 

 Beechey, and both of them excellent draughtsmen. ♦ 



The four ships were all fitted out as strong as 

 wood and iron could make them, and every regard 

 paid in the internal arrangement to the comfort 



