Chap. IV. PARRY'S FIRST VOYAGE. 79 



joined the expedition as astronomer, and to have 

 charge of the magnetical observations to be made 

 on the voyage. The Hecla had a surgeon, an 

 assistant-surgeon, and a purser; the Griper, an 

 assistant-surgeon and a clerk. The narrative of 

 this voyage has supplied, for the interests of science 

 and geography, numerous and important facts and 

 observations ; and, above all, has opened the door 

 to the discovery of the main object — the North- 

 West Passage. " In this work," it has been said, 

 " we find no display of self-importance, no attempt 

 to deceive, or to throw dust in the eyes of the pub- 

 lic; no marvellous stories to disgust or confound, 

 and make the ignorant stare ; no figures set down 

 at random ; no chart-lines drawn ad libitum ; no 

 representations of objects the mere fancies of the 

 brain ; but, on the contrary, a plain statement of 

 facts and occurrences, and a detail of scientific ob- 

 servations, made with unimpeachable accuracy, and 

 recorded in the clearest and most simple and un- 

 affected language." 



On the 11th May the ships left the river, and on 

 the 28th June were about the middle of the entrance 

 into Davis's Strait, proceeding to the north ward along 

 the edge of the ice, and between it and the western 

 coast of Greenland ; and on the 3rd July crossed 

 the Arctic Circle, having on that day passed at 

 least fifty icebergs of large dimensions ; and on the 

 following day, a more extended chain of a larger 



