APPROXIMATIONS ToVaRDS THE POLES. 317 



ed, been made by the Russians ; that on the me- 

 ridian of Nova Zembla, the highest northern la- 

 titude has been attained by the Dutch ; and 

 that in the sea of Spitzbergen, in Hudson's and 

 Baffin's Bay, in the sea beyond Behring's Strait, 

 and towards the sea, washing the northern shores of 

 America, the highest northern latitudes, have been 

 reached by the British. Towards the southern 

 Pole, the most careful and extensive explorations 

 have also been made by our countrymen ; Captain 

 Cook, with indefatigable perseverance, having ad- 

 vanced towards the Pole on various meridians, as 

 far as the ice would permit. On his first attempt, 

 in the year 1772, they met with ice in about 51° S. 

 latitude, and longitude 21° E. They saw great 

 fields in 55° S. on the 17th January 1773 ; and on 

 February the 2l4th, were stopped by field ice in 62° 

 south latitude, and 95° east longitude. 



Again, on the second attempt in December of the 

 same year, they met with ice in about 62° south la- 

 titude, and 172°-173° west longitude ; and on the 

 15th, saw field ice in latitude 66°. On the 30th of 

 January 1774, they were stopped by immense ice- 

 fields in latitude 71° 10' 30'^ S., and in longitude 

 107° W., which was the most considerable approxi- 

 mation towards the South Pole that had ever been 

 effected. 



