l^'TROI)UC•Tl()N. XI 



On the 11th May, 1823, Captain Claveiing in the 

 Gripci\ accompanied by Captain (now Colonel) Sabine, 

 sailed for Spitzbergen. The chief object of the expedi- 

 tion was the continuation of a series of observations 

 on the length of the second's pendulum. They landed 

 on a small island, the same as that on which Captain 

 Phipps made his observations, in 1773. Captain 

 Chivering left Captain Sabine and a party to make 

 observations, while he pushed to the northward ; but 

 in lat. 80° 20', his further progress was arrested, like 

 that of Lord Mulgrave, by the ice, along the margin 

 of which he sailed in a westerly direction for about 

 sixty miles ; perceiving no opening, he returned to 

 Captain Sabine's station, and afterwards visited the 

 coast of Greenland. 



In 1826, Admiral Sir Edward (then Captain) Parry 

 proposed to the Admiralty, to attempt to reach the 

 North Pole by means of travelling with sledge-boats 

 over the ice or through any spaces of open water that 

 might occur. This proposal was referred to the Pre- 

 sident and Council of the Royal Society, wdio recom- 

 mended strongly its adoption, and on the 25th of 

 March, H.M.S. Hecla sailed for Spitzbergen. Al- 

 though the primary object of the expedition was 

 frustrated. Captain Parry succeeded in reaching a 

 point nearer to the North Pole than had been or has 

 yet been attained, and his admirable narrative with 

 its views and charts has added much to our acquaint- 

 ance with the appearance and geography of the 

 northern part of Spitzbergen ; while, to say nothing 



David Buchan, R.N., 1818, and by Capt. F. W. Eecchcy, ll.N'., 

 F.ll.S., pp. 52-55. 



