VOYAGE 



TO THE 



NORTH POLE. 



Relation of a Voyage made to the North Pole, in the Fri- 

 gate the Syrene ; including a Physical and Geographical 

 Notice relative to the Island of Iceland. By the CHE- 

 VALIER DE LA Poix DE FREMiNviLLE, Lieutenant, Chief of 

 the Brigade of the Company of the Marine Cadets, and a 

 Member of several learned Societies. 



SINCE the time of Duguay Trouin, the French government 

 had not turned its attention to the North Seas. In the couVse 

 of the last war, an expedition to these seas was projected, for 

 the purpose of annoying the whale-fishery carried on there by 

 the English, and to take and destroy the vast fleets that ar,e 

 annually employed by them in this trade. Such a scheme 

 was pregnant with much danger ; nevertheless, the advan- 

 tages likely to result from it were great in more relations than 

 one. Government, therefore, now resolved to put the plan in 

 practice ; and, in consequence, three frigates were armed. 

 The command of the squadron was confided to Captain le 

 Due, an experienced seaman, who had already made several 

 voyages in the Hyperborean Ocean. 



A resolution was taken to collect every possible advantage 

 from an expedition that should advance as near as possible to 

 the pole, to penetrate into seas almost hitherto unexplored ; 

 military operations were not to be the only object; the sciences 

 were to come in for a share of the probable benefits. Captain 

 le Due, in his instructions, was directed to let slip no oppor- 

 tunity to avail himself of any astronomical and geographical 

 observations and facts that might conduce to the improve- 

 ment of our hydrography, to this day very imperfect, with re- 

 spect to the North Seas. 



The minister of marine determined that an officer should 

 embark, as supplementary, in the frigate the Syrene, wherein 

 the commodore sailed, to superintend, in an especial manner, 

 the hydrographic labours. I was selected for this undertak- 

 ing; a better choice might doubtless have been made; but 



