Northern Expedition. 309 
which freezes as it falls, and covers every thing with ice. When 
at the Three Islands we made some further observations on the 
bearings of distant objects by compass, and found a change of 
bearings of three points at east and west. The compasses for 
some time have traversed very sluggishly; this, we suppose, 1s 
owing to the increase of dip. I think it not at all improbable, that, 
as the terrestrial magnetism begins to act more inclined to the 
compass needle, it will act with less force—the iron of the ship 
still acting at the same angle, draws the needle towards the cen- 
tre of the ship, which causes this great deviation of the compass ; 
and should we reach the place where the dip is 90, I think the 
compass will stand always north and south by the magnetism of 
the ship. We did not speak the Leith ship ; this must therefore 
take its chance of any craft. The description of Greenland 
given in Dr. Brewster’s Encyclopedia is so correct, that no one 
need add any thing more on that subject until the face of the 
country is again changed. I had picked up some stones from the 
different parts where we touched, for Dr. Brewster; but having 
since read the article Greenland in his book, I find that he knows 
more than a ship load could tell him*. We have been unfor- 
tunate in killing animals, so that I have got no crystalline lenses 
for him. I bespoke some eyes of whales from the fishers; but the 
chance of their killing fish, or of our falling in with them again, 
is doubtful. —If we fall in with a Leith ship, I will send the stones. 
“© July 22.—Yesterday we got an opening, which brought us 
to the 75th deg. The whales begin to make their appearance, 
several having been killed within these eight days. The main 
land appears one continued smooth ridge of snow, only here and 
there the black peak of a mountain appearing; some large islands 
on the coast less covered with snow; the land ice extends three 
or four leagues off, so there is no prospect of approaching the 
coast hereabouts. We sound occasionally in from 200 to 400 fa- 
thoms soft mud and small stones. Three days we were beset in 
the ice; could not observe any current, by the lead lying at the 
bottom, though the ice on the surface was in motion. 
“ July 25,—Lat. 75. 21. long. 60.30. Got here this morn- 
ing, and now see more clear water than we have seen for some 
time past. We must now be crossing the magnetic Pole fast, as 
the variation increases so much, It is puzzling to find out ex- 
actly how the ship is steering by the compass; what with the 
great variation and error, arising from the ship’s attraction and 
the sluggish traversing of the compasses, we must consider some 
time before a course or wind can be properly named. We are nowthe 
* The article ‘ Greenland’ was written by Sir Charles Giesecke, who 
spent seven year's in that country. 
northernmost 
