2S0 On the Expeditions to the North Pole. 



Greenland captain, thinks that the polar seas are blocked by ic^, 

 and proposes a joinii y to the pole by means of sledges drawn by 

 rein-detT. Captain Buvnev,\vbo accompanied the immortal Cook, 

 has [)ul)li.>>hed a pamphlet, of which we have received a copv, and 

 in vvliich he proves clearlv that there exists a large extent of land 

 to the north of Behring's strait : he goes too far in supposing 

 that this land piobahlv nnites the two continents of Asia and 

 America ; i)nt it is very certain that his arguments are sufficient 

 to contradict the opinion of the existence of an open sea. 



The gratitude which the English government merits from every 

 friend to science, oiight not to prevent us from examining upon 

 what foundation their hopes of success in this enterprise rest. It 

 is even an advantageous justice due to the commanders of the 

 expedition, to point out to them beforehand the innnense ob- 

 stacles Hgainst which they have to contend. 



Fixed and floating ices maybe considered as the first of these dif- 

 ficulties. Admitting for a moment the non-existence of a polar conti- 

 nent, that Greenland, New Siberia, that the land to the north of 

 Behring's strait, and the land seen and coasted by Baffin, are in 

 reality but fonr islands, (as the maps of the sixteenth century ap- 

 pear to represent them,) yet it is very proiiable, that the narrow 

 seas which separate them are constantly choked with ice. Cap- 

 tain Scmesby observed tiie ice form itself in the open sea, at more 

 than twenty leagues from the coast of Spitzbergeii ; and masses 

 of ice arise from the bed of the sea. Thus, then, the principal 

 argument in favour of an open sea is considerably weakened ; it 

 will be in vain for them to rely on the removal of a barrier of 

 ice, shaken by an earthquake, or broken by the strength of the 

 currents. The sea itself freezes, notwithstanding the assertions 

 of Mr. D. Barrington. This truth once proved, eternal variations 

 in the state of the polar seas may be expected. 



From the year 1660 to 16S0, the most sanguine hopes were 

 entertained of penetrating to the pole ; vet every authenticated 

 effort to this eflfect proves all exertion to have been terminated by 

 fixed ice, which arrested the navigators' further pursuit ; or by 

 floating Hjasses of it, which tiireatening to overwhelm them, com- 

 pelled them to desist from their courageous enterprise. Captaip 

 Wood, who confidently bclieveil the possibility of a passage to 

 the north, was opposed by a continent of ice, which united Nova 

 Zembia, Spitzbergen, and Greenland. — Captain Souter, on the 

 contrary, continued his route to 82 deg. 6 min. in a calm open 

 channel ; but the ice, on each side, i)eginning to connect, the 

 dread of being blocked up obliged him to abandon his pur- 

 pose. The adventurous Baffin was able once to navigate the s^a 

 which bears his name; but it has since been frecpiently found that 

 thi.-i sea was filled with iiurn^jrous islands, some of which were 



iOO leagues 



