4, A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY 
general opinion was, from the trial made with her 
some time ago at Deptford, that she would be very - 
crank. The breeze we had to-day was not indeed 
sufficiently strong to enable us to judge with certainty 
of her qualities as a sea-boat; I shall therefore avoid 
saying any thing more respecting her for the pre- 
sent, as we shall have many opportunities hereafter 
of judging of her under circumstances that will enable 
us to speak with precision of her good or bad qua- 
lities. All that can be said at present is, that she an- 
swers beyond expectation, inasmuch that all those 
who had any doubts respecting her, and saw her 
under weigh to-day, are already perfectly satisfied of 
her safety as far as her construction is concerned in 
rendering her sea-worthy. 
With respect to the Hecla, she appears to fulfil 
every anticipation, in being one of the fittest vessels 
that could possibly be chosen for the service we are 
going upon, for she is easily worked, is very capa- 
cious for a vessel of her tonnage, and is remarkably 
strong, a quality of the first importance in the re- 
gions we are bound to explore. 
As to the sailing qualities of either vessel, very 
little can as yet be fade it would be preposterous, 
however, to suppose that ships bound up with wood 
and iron, in the way in which they are, can be fast 
sailers ; and even if they were, it would be only a 
quality of secondary consideration: for our business 
is not to run, and have only a bird’s-eye view of' the 
places we pass, but to examine with patience and 
perseverance; ‘* for who knows what there is, where 
man has never been ?” 
Saturday, 8th.— We got under weigh early this 
morning, and worked down as far as Sea-Reach, 
