660 [June 18, 



nearly 80 latitude ; and at the commencement of June they passed 

 Verlegen Hook, and anchored in Treurenburg Bay, whence Parry, 

 in 1827, made his celebrated attempt to reach the North Pole. 

 But the polar ice immediately afterwards pressed against the 

 coast, and imprisoned both vessels more than a month in Treu- 

 renburg Bay. The pack was so close that no boat excursions of any 

 extent could be made. The explorations for survey were a good 

 deal impeded by this circumstance; for the investigation of the 

 western coast of Spitzbergen could not be commenced until a much 

 later period than intended. The survey of Weide Jans Water could 

 not be carried into effect, owing to drift ice, adverse winds, and calms. 

 Mr. Duner, to whom this undertaking was allotted, as well as the in- 

 vestigation of the practicability of the survey along the western coast 

 of Spitzbergen, came to the conclusion that no impediments existed 

 for carrying out the triangulation from Ross Islet to Amsterdam 

 Island, but that the mountains surrounding Magdalena Bay are so 

 steep and difficult or impossible of access, that the continuation of 

 the survey southwards must be considered, if not absolutely im- 

 possible, at least so difficult and entailing such heavy expense, 

 that its execution along that coast will probably never be carried 

 into effect. 



Mr. Chydenius, who was to explore the northern portion of the 

 arc, presumed to be measurable from Ross Islet to Hope Island, 

 was more fortunate in his work. During sundry boat excursions and 

 ascensions of many mountains from the northernmost part of Spitz- 

 bergen to the termination of Hinloopen Strait, he succeeded in com- 

 pletely solving the problem as to that part of Spitzbergen, comprising 

 nearly the half of the arc to be measured. The survey was carried 

 out courageously and energetically under circumstances of frequent 

 difficulty, as well in the drift ice as in crossing the glaciers of the 

 interior. 



The accompanying map makes a detailed description unnecessary, 

 and I therefore confine myself to stating that all the lines of the 

 sights in the network marked with continuous lines are, with one single 

 exception, observed, and that Mr. Chydenius has had opportunities 

 of convincing himself that though not all the lines of the sights in 

 the network marked with dotted lines are observed, yet nothing pre- 

 vents the angular points connected by them from being seen one from 



