Chap. VI. CAPTAIN PARRY'S SECOND VOYAGE. 211 



to that quarter, even had the navigation of that 

 strait been always open, safe, and convenient ; for 

 in that case it could not afford any advantage. It 

 opens into a strait among islands of the Polar Sea, 

 called Prince Regent's Inlet, of the lower part of 

 which nothing was at this time known beyond 

 Iligliuk's information (correct in all other parts), 

 that it terminates at Akkolee, nearly opposite to 

 Repulse Bay. But had it extended to the coast of 

 America, the islands in that corner are so clustered 

 and crowded together as to admit of no probability 

 of a navigable passage there for large ships to the 

 westward ; and no man in his senses would take 

 that line of route to get into Lancaster Sound, 

 when he could go there direct in half the time, and 

 without any of the danger which Fox's Channel 

 and the Fury and Hecla Strait would occasion. 



Towards the conclusion of his narrative, Captain 

 Parry repeats his opinion of the advantages of cow - 

 tinuous land in the navigation of the Polar Seas ; 

 and that the principle of coasting the northern shore 

 of America must still be carefully kept in view ; and 

 he adds, " there is no known opening which seems 

 to present itself so favourably for this purpose as 

 Prince Regent's Inlet." This opinion, thus pub- 

 licly given, is obviously an indication of the ex- 

 pedition which succeeded this, and which may 

 possibly have made some change in Captain Parry's 

 sentiments on this head. Ample proof has since 



p2 



