558 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1817. 



fields in latitude 71° 10' 30", and 

 lO?** west longitude, which was 

 the most considerable approxima- 

 tion towards the South Pole that 

 had ever been effected. 



Thus, it appears, that there 

 subsists a remarkable difference 

 between the two hemispheres, 

 with regard to the approach of 

 the ice towards the equator ; the 

 ice of the southern being much 

 less pervious, and extending to 

 much lower latitudes, than that of 

 the northern hemisphere : — 



That the 73d or 74th degree of 

 north latitude can be attained at 

 any season of the year ; whereas 

 the 71st degree of south latitude, 

 has been but once passed : — And, 



That, whilst the antarctic ne 

 plus ultra appears to be the 7'2d 

 degree of latitude, that of the 

 arctic extends full GOO miles fur- 

 ther ; the nearest approach to the 

 South Pole being a distance of 

 1130 miles, but to the North, 

 only 510 miles. 



Lastly, With regard to the pro- 

 bability of exploring the regions 

 more immediately in the vicinity 

 of tlie Pole than has yet been ac- 

 complished, or even of reaching 

 the Pole itself,— I anticipate, that 

 without reference to the reasoning 

 on which the opinion is grounded, 

 it might be deemed the frenzied 

 speculation of a disordered fancy. 

 I flatter myself, however, that I 

 shall be able to satisfy the Society, 

 that the performance of a journey, 

 over a surface of ice, from the 

 north of Spitzbergen to the Pole, 

 is a project which might be under- 

 taken with at least a probability 

 of success. 



It must be allowed, that many 

 known difficulties would require 

 to be surmounted, — many dangers 



to be encountered, — and that some 

 circumstances might possibly oc- 

 cur, which would at once annul 

 the success of the undertaking. 

 Of these classes of objections, the 

 following strike me as being the 

 most formidable, which, after 

 briefly stating, I shall individually 

 consider in their order : 



1. The difficulty of performing 

 a journey of 1200 miles, GOO going 

 and GOO returning, over a surface 

 of ice, — of procuring a sufficient 

 conveyance, — and of carrying a 

 necessary supply of provisions and 

 apparatus, as well as attendants. 



The difficulty may be increased 

 by 



(a.) Soft snow; 



(6.) Want of the continuity of 

 the ice ; 



(c.) Rough ice ; and 



(d.) Mountainous ice. 



2. The difficulty of ascertaining 

 the route, and especially of the 

 return, arising from the perpen- 

 dicularity of the magnetical needle. 



3. Dangers to be apprehended, 

 (a) From excessive cold ; 



(b.) From wild beasts. 



4. Impediments which would 

 frustrate the scheme : 



(a.) Mountainous land; 



(b.) Expanse of sea; 



(f.) Constant cloudy atmos- 

 phere. 



1. It is evident that a journey 

 of 1200 miles, under the existing 

 difficulties, would be too arduous 

 a task to be undertaken and per- 

 formed by human exertions alone, 

 but would require the assistance 

 of some fleet quadrupeds, accus- 

 tomed to the harness. 



Rein-deer, or dogs, appear to 

 be the most appropriate. If the 

 former could sustain a sea voyage, 

 they might be refaeshed on the 



northern 



