Chap. IX. PARRY'S POLAR VOYAGE. 325 



land. On a piece of land the pendulum may be 

 swung, and the rise, fall, and direction of the tides 

 observed. It would also be interesting to examine 

 into the nature of the soil, and its vegetable produc- 

 tions ; the disposition of the strata, and the mineral 

 products, if any : and if the land be of a tolerable 

 extent, a meridional distance may be measured. 

 Other matters of interest and novelty would occur 

 to a scientific and skilful observer. These are mere 

 speculations, thrown out at random, but may serve, 

 among other suggestions, as objects of attention. 



Captain Sir Edward Parry, having now con- 

 cluded his fifth voyage into the Arctic regions, in 

 four of which he commanded, and was second in 

 the other ; and there being no further attempt in 

 contemplation at the conclusion of the last voyage 

 to continue the search, he deemed it expedient to 

 close his honourable and useful naval career, at 

 least in sea-going ships ; and it may therefore not be 

 out of place here to put on record a memorandum 

 of the valuable services rendered to his country in 

 various situations, and to the navy in particular, 

 with whose interests he is still connected. 



It has been stated, in the fifst Arctic voyage, in 

 what manner he was introduced into that line of 

 service, by being selected to command one of the 

 discovery ships. 



In 1818. The Alexander, as Lieutenant-Commanding ; being 

 second to Commander Ross. 



