136 Mary Somerville. 



square miles a circumstance which had not oc- 

 curred before in the memory of man. Scoresby was 

 of rare genius, well versed in science, and of 

 strict probity. When he published this discovery, 

 the Admiralty, in the year 1818, sent off two expedi- 

 tions, one under the command of Captains Franklin 

 and Buchan to the east of Greenland, and another 

 under Captains Koss and Parry to Baffin's Bay. 

 Such was the beginning of a series of noble adven- 

 tures, now the province of history. 



I had an early passion for everything relating to 

 the sea, and when my father was at home I never 

 tired asking him questions about his voyages and the 

 dangers to which he had been exposed. Now, when 

 I knew something of nautical science, I entered with 

 enthusiasm into the spirit of these Arctic voyages ; 

 nor was my husband less interested. We read 

 Scoresby's whaling voyages with great delight, and 

 we made the acquaintance of all the officers who 

 had been on these northern expeditions. 



Sir Edward Parry, who had brought us minerals 

 and seeds of plants from Melville Island, invited us 

 to see the ships prepared for his third voyage, and 

 three years' residence in the Arctic seas. It is im- 

 possible to describe how perfectly everything was 

 arranged : experience had taught them what was 

 necessary for such an expedition. On this occasion 



