The Northwest Passage, «$/-c. 103 



unknown magnetic pole, or fly around from the point of the 

 bowl in which it is suspended, and that which indicated north 

 will now be south ; the east will become the west, and the 

 hour of noon will be that of midnight. 



" These curious circumstances will probably be considered 

 to mark the passage by the pole, as the most interesting of the 

 two, while it will perhaps be found equally easy. We have, 

 indeed, very little doubt, that if the polar basin should prove 

 to be free from land about the pole, it will also be free of ice. 

 A sea of more than two thousand miles in diameter, of unfa- 

 thomable depth, (which is the case between Greenland and 

 Spitzbergen,) and in constant motion, is not likely to be frozen 

 over at any time. But if all endeavours to discover a passage 

 to the Pacific by either route should prove unavailing, it will 

 still be satisfactory to have removed every doubt on this sub- 

 ject by ascertaining the fact. In making the attempt, many 

 objects interesting and important to science will present them- 

 selves to the observation of those who are engaged in the two 

 expeditions. That which proceeds up Davis's Straits, will 

 have an opportunity of adjusting the geography of the north- 

 east coast of America, and the west coast of Greenland ; and 

 of ascertaining whether the latter be not an island or an archi- 

 pelago of islands ; and much curious information may be ex- 

 pected from both. 



" They will ascertain, what is as yet but very imperfectly 

 known, the depth, the temperature, the saltness, and the spe- 

 cific gravity of the sea-water in those high latitudes — the velo- 

 city of the currents, the state of atmospherical electricity in 

 the arctic regions, and its connexion, at which we have glanced, 

 with the inclination, declination, and intensity of force of the 

 magnetic needle ; on which subject alone, a collection of facts 

 towards the upper part of Davis's Straits would be worth a 

 voyage of discovery. It has, indeed, been long suspected that 

 one of the magnetic poles will be found in this neighbourhood, 

 as in no part of the world have such extraordinary phenomena 

 been observed, or such irregularities in the vibratidn and the 

 rariation of the needle. 



