5b* ACCOUNT OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 



one would bear a stroke given under half that velo- 

 city. AVith regard to pressure between two sheets 

 of ice, it is clear, tha.t a large vessel would have an 

 advantage over a small one, were it not that a small 

 vessel, if of a proper construction, often rises, when 

 squeezed, several feet above her usual floating-mark, 

 while a large heavy ship, under the same circum- 

 stances, remains nearly fixed, and is, consequently, 

 much more compressed. 



In the perilous and remarkably disastrous voyage 

 performed by Captain James, in the years 1631 

 and 1632, when he wintered in Hudson's Bay, the 

 smallness of his vessel affording an extraordinary 

 degree of strength, compared with a larger vessel, 

 was the means of saving; himself and his crew under 

 a variety of dangers. This vessel, of only 70 tons 

 burden, endured six or seven such beatings against 

 rocks and ice, as would doubtless have occasioned the 

 destruction of almost any vessel of such a size as 

 was lately employed for discovery in the Polar re- 

 gions *. Captain James's little vessel, besides en- 

 during its full share of heavy storms and high 

 seas, both under sail in the main ocean, and at 

 anchor in sliallow water ; besides beating and driv- 

 ing about among ice for twenty days together, and 

 lying all winter, full of water, on an uneven and 



* The four vessels equipped for discovery in the year 1818, 

 were from 250 to 380 tons bui'clen. 



