Polar Explorations. 143 
Franklin and Capt. Parry, represent the degree of cold 
greater at 68° on Bear Lake than at Melville Island, or any 
of the higher latitudes, and it is reasonable to suppose that 
it may be within a few degrees of the maximum existing in 
any part of the frigid zone. The sudden waste of ice oc- 
curring immediately upon the return of the sun, after four 
month’s darkness, seems to be a provision of nature to pre- 
serve the arctic circle from total congelation, and to main- 
tain the balance of the waters in their circuit round the 
earth. If these views are correct, the travelling in summer 
must always be more or less impeded by fogs and rains, and 
by sludge and moving ice; and it is a question which can be 
solved only by experiment, whether a degree of cold suffi- 
cient to prevent these impediments, would not be greater 
than men could sustain, when travelling in the open air. 
Capt. Parry observed that when the cold was most intense, 
if there was any wind, it was nearly impossible to walk even 
a few yards, without freezing tina and that being the 
fact, although no breeze should r the keen air, there 
would be danger of defeat to the enterprise from the cur- 
rents, which their progress through it would occasion 
The north coast of Greenland, and one cape on the Asiatic 
continent, have not been surveyed. If they are united by 
an isthmus across the pole, a journey on its eastern shores 
might be undertaken with some prospect of success, pro- 
vided the cold essential to the continuity of ice, and a ha 
surface, should not be more severe than could be supported 
y the travellers. 
During the absence of the party on the ice, the officers 
teft in charge of the Fecla were engaged in scientific enqui- 
ries, and particularly in investigating the natural history of 
Spitzber 
rhe | island has occupied a place in the minds of men as 
being all which is imagined of the Pole. It presents lit- 
tle to the traveller ra mountains of ice, and vallies cov- 
_ a esrores w. No tree or bush clings to the 
iagrer ice orgs cennd in solitary soe no sound 
ken by wild banuta; ied ’shunned ‘Sage men. in t fee 
summer, a few bears prowl among the snows, and the 
= visit it for the mosses, and scanty vegetables whisk 
