100 On the Discovery of 
courage and perseverance, amidst appalling difficulties, and trials 
almost superhuman. 
Though currents and other circumstances sufficiently evince the 
existence of a North-west passage, it would appear, from the ac- 
counts before us, that there cannot be a hope of accomplishing 
it in the parallel of the newly-discovered Georgian Islands. In 
your Number of January, it was recommended to attempt to ef- 
fect a passage into the Hyperborean Sea, out of Repulse Bay, at 
the North extremity of Hudson’s Bay; and there, at this moment, 
the discovery ships are making such attempt. This dreary and 
inhospitable coast runs nearly East and West, about the parallel 
of 70°, and between 90° and 160° of West longitude, to Iey Cape, 
where the American coast runs South-south-west to Behring’s 
Straits. We have no accounts of this coast on which any reliance. 
can be put; and if we credit such as we have, the sea in these 
Northern regions is constantly frozen up. it appears from Cook’s 
Voyages, that even in summer the sea was frozen over between 
the Russian and American coasts. This shows, that whatever 
may be the result of the present attempt to the East or West of 
Southampton Island, there cannot remain the slightest hope of 
effecting the passage through Behring’s Straits. In former state- 
ments, there was some reason to suppose that the passage would 
be achieved through the Polar Basin, considerably to the North- 
ward of the parallel of the new discoveries, with the disadvantage 
of a longer run than by the usual course. If, however, the north- 
west passage can be made along the North coast of America, as 
now attempting, certainly, the run to India; and especially to 
China, will be shorter ; but in such case, the risk, hazard, and 
danger would be constantly imminent. Ships so situated would 
be liable to be crushed to pieces by ice-bergs; would be frequently 
rendered immoveable by sudden or continued congelations of the 
ice; would at a certain time of the year be enveloped in dark- 
ness; or would always have the greater part of their crews dis- 
abled by intensity of cold,and undergoing the amputation of limbs 
mortified by the stoppage of the current of life. 
If commerce is to derive benefit from- any new or additional 
productions to be yielded by these unexplored Seas, Islands, and 
Coasts, it is evident that the Hyperborean Coast itself, and not 
ships, must be the medium of procuring such advantage. It is 
probable that sledges may travel along the ice on this coast; or 
at various stations on it, such as Mackenzie's River, or Copper- 
mine River (provided wood is found on, or can be floated down 
to, the coast), stout small vessels might be constructed for the 
purpose of proceeding northward among (as yet undiscovered) 
islands, in favourable seasons, But this is under a supposition 
that incurred expense would be more than defrayed by commer- 
cial returns, Having 
