o INTUODLXTION. 



ble ; so many attempts to approach the pole have 

 been made by the most intrepid navigators of 

 EngUmd and Holland, and not one has been able 

 to penetrate to 81°. It is said, indeed, that since 

 the east coast of Greenland has been free from 

 ice, ships have reached 83^ but these rare in- 

 stances, connected, too, as they are, with a pheno- 

 menon, whicli, in all probability, will be of short 

 duration, namely, the clearing of the coast of 

 Greenland from ice, do not prove the possibility 

 of reaching the pole itself. The case is different 

 with a north-west passage, which seems to be less 

 decidedly impossible. In order to go on sure 

 grounds, it was requisite to seek for this passage 

 as well from west to east, as from east to west; the 

 first way had the advantage, that the western 

 boundaries of Baffin's Bay, and the countries to the 

 north of Hudson's Bay might be explored; which, 

 not much to the credit of the nineteenth century, 

 were still quite unknown : the other, on the con- 

 trary, had the advantage, that it included a voyage 

 through the South Sea, and that the examination 

 of the northern coast of America might be of 

 advantage to our possessions in those countries. 

 Count Romanzoff resolved to make both attempts 

 at the same time, only with this difference, that 

 the attempt from west to east should be made by 

 a ship (but not of too large a size), to be dis- 

 patched from Russia, and that the other should be 

 undertaken from America, also at his expense. 



