390 Notices respecting Neiv Books. 



as confidently hope to find the difficulties lessen in proportion as 

 we advanced towards the latter sea; especially as it is well known, 

 that the climate of anv given parallel on that side of America is, 

 no matter from what cause, very many degrees more temperate 

 than on the eastern coast. 



' But, although it is evident that climate does not wholly de- 

 pend on latitude, but on other circumstances also (principally, 

 perhaps, those of locality above mentioned), yet it can scarcely 

 be doubted that, on any meridian to the north of America, for 

 instance, 1 14° west, where we were stopped, the general climate 

 would be found somewhat better, and the navigable season longer, 

 hi the latitude of 69° than in that of 75", near which we win- 

 tered. For this reason, it would perhaps be desirable, that ships 

 endeavouring to reach the Pacific by this route, should keep, if 

 possible, on the coast of America ; and the lower in latitude that 

 coast may be found, the more favourable will it prove for this 

 purpose. 



* Our experience, I think, has clearly shown that the naviga- 

 tion of the Polar Seas can never be performed with any degree 

 of certainty, without a continuity of land. It was only by watch- 

 ing the occasional openings between the ice and the shore, that 

 our late progress to the westward u-as effected ; and had the land 

 continued in the desired direction, there can be no question that 

 we should have continued to advance, however slowly, towards 

 the completion of our cnferprisc. In this respect, therefore, as 

 well as in the improvement to be expected in tiie climate, there 

 would be a manifest advantage in making the attempt on the 

 coast of America, where we are sure that the land will not fail 

 us. The probability of obtaining occasional supplies of wood, 

 game, and anti-scorbutic plants ; the chance of being enabled to 

 send information by means of the natives; and the comparative 

 facility with which the lives of the people might be saved, in case 

 of serious and irreparable accidents happening to the ships, are 

 also important considerations, which naturally serve to recom- 

 mend this route. Should the sea on the coast of America be 

 found moderately deep, and shelving towards the shore (which, 

 from the geological character of the known parts of the continent 

 to the south, and of the Georgian Islands to the north, there is 

 reason to Ijelieve would be tlie case for a considerable distance to 

 the westward), the facility of navigation would be much increased 

 on account of the grounding of the heavy masses of ice in water 

 sufficiently deep to allow the ships to take shelter behind them, 

 at such times as the floes close in upon the land. Furtiicr to 

 the westward, where the primitive formation, and porliaps even a 

 continuation of the Ilockv Mountains, is to be e.Ni)cctcd, a steep 



and 



