^6 JOURNAL. 



September, overboaid ; as we experienced on our way home, tnougli 

 the fhips w^ere then much lightened by the confumption of 

 provlfions, and expenditure of ftores. Such accidents in 

 the outfet muft have defeated the voyage. At the time we 

 failed, added to the fine weather, we had the further ad- 

 vantage of nearly reaching the latitude of eighty without 

 feeing ice, which the Greenlandmen generally fall in with 



in the latitude of feventy-three or feventy-four. There was 

 alfo moft probability, if ever navigation fhould be pradi- 



cable to the Pole, of finding the fea open to the Northward 



after the folftice ; the fun having then exerted the full 



influence of his rays, though there was enough of the 



fummer ftlU remaining for the purpofe of exploring the 



feas to the Northward and Weftward of Spitfbergen. 



APPENDIX. 



