2 INTRODUCTION. 



most celebrated geographers of the middie of the 

 last century, for instance, De Brosses and Dalrym- 

 ple, firmly believed, even assigning its limits and 

 probable population. Before Cook, it sunk to the 

 bottom of the ocean, " and, like the baseless fabric 

 of a vision, left not a rack behind !'* * The second 

 problem remains, to this day, the subject of hypo- 

 thetical theories and practical researches. For three 

 successive centuries the connection between the 

 tvi^o oceans has been sought in vain ; the greatest 

 navigators of all nations have participated in the 

 attempt to solve this difficult problem, but in this, 

 as in all other maritime enterprizes, the English 

 were they who chiefly distinguished themselves. 

 To them we are indebted for the first attempt ; 

 with the most laudable perseverance they have 

 continued their exertions, without intermission, up 

 to the present time j and to them we shall, in all 

 probability, be obliged for finally and satisfactorily 

 ascertaining the existence or non-existence of this 

 remarkable passage. Had Cook's life been spared, 

 this object would, perhaps, have been attained ; 

 since, if the passage had not been explored by him, 

 he would at least have demonstrated the im- 



♦ Cook, indeed, thought it possible that a continent might 

 exist near the South Pole, because it was his opinion that ice 

 cannot be formed except in the neighbourhood of land, and 

 that, consequently, the immense masses of ice which we meet 

 with in the south polar regions, must originate from a large 

 continent near the South Pole ; but he was equally convinced 

 that this south polar continent would never be discovered. 



