40 ACCOUNT OF THE AF.CTIC KEGIONS. 



of persons well acquainted witli the nature and dan. 

 gers of the enterprise, to undertake it *, 



SECT. IV. 



Remarks on the Opinion of a Sea Communica- 

 tion between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, 

 hij the North Pole. 



The scheme suggested hy Robert Thorne of 

 Bristol, of finding a passage to India across the 

 North Pole, about the year 1527, appears to have 

 been, immediately attempted, by an expedition con- 



* I have conversed with some persons who have performed 

 jom-neys of above 1000 miles, over a sm^face of snow, dm-ing 

 the winter, in the way above described, and v.ho would not be 

 unwilling to undeitake an expedition for making discoveries in 

 the Frozen Ocean. 



Since this sheet was sent to press, I have learned with sa- 

 tisfaction, from authority which is unquestionable, that Go- 

 vernment, in concert with the Hudson's Bay Companj', have 

 taken measures for the immediate investigation of the coast of 

 the Frozen Ocean, from the mouth of the Copper Mine River, 

 eastward to Hudson's Bay, or Baffin's Bay, or other coast, with 

 which it may, on examination, be found to be connected. 

 Lieutenant Franklin, it is said, accompanied by persons expe- 

 rienced in tlie modes of travelling in that country, is to be cm- 

 ployed on this interesting service. From this officer's known 

 zeal and activity, and from the proiuising character of this mode 

 of making discoveries, the most satisfactory results are to be 

 anticipated ; for, whatever progress may be made in tracing the 

 shores of the Frozen Ocean to the eastward, will be a certain 

 ^tep towards tlie completion of the discoveries w^ich Iwve ex- 

 cited such uncommon interest. 



