C 5* ] 



fhaw, of London, had told his friends, that he had been as 'high 

 North as eighty-four degrees. 



The Dutch, I have been informed, have proceeded to eighty- 

 three degrees, thirty minutes ; but I have it only by hear-fay. 



In refpect. to your fecond query, I remember, that about five 

 years fmce, when I was mafter of the above-mentioned fhip, I 

 was in eighty-one degrees, North latitude, by obfervation, when 

 there was a clear fea to the Northward, as far as the eye could 

 reach from the mail-head ; and I could not help obferving to my 

 people, that if it had happened that we were then upon difcovery, 

 we might have had a fine run to the North, as the wind blew 

 frem at South. The like clear fea I have obferved feveral times 

 during the time I have been in the Greenland fervice, which 

 is now about twenty-one years. I have no doubt but that a 

 navigator might reach a higher latitude than I have been in. 

 provided he was well acquainted with the currents and the ice, 

 for much depends thereon; and took the advantage of a favour- 

 able feafbn. I have remarked,, that when the froft has been fevere 

 in England, and to the fouthward m , there has been a great deal 

 lefs ice to the northward, the enfuing fummer than ufual ; and 

 the weather has been remarkably fine in Greenland. I have, 

 for this reafon, great expectations that the approaching feafon 

 will produce a fuccefsful fiihery, and that it will alfo afford an, 

 opportunity for a trial to reach the pole n . 



a I conceive: that this arifes from the ice becoming of a greater thick- 

 nefs during fuch fevere winters, and confequently cannot be fo foon 

 broken up, or obferved by the Greenland ihips which return to the South- 

 ward, before the ice can have floated to them in the Spitzbergen feas. 



a I am forry to have been informed, fince the Bill for promoting dif- 

 coveries pa fled, that the attempts to penetrate to the Northward will not 

 be fo frequent as I had flattered myfelf ; becaufe, moft of the Greenland 

 veflels being infured, if any accident Ihould happen to a fliip which is 

 not profecuting the whale fiihery, the owners will not be entitled to re- 

 cover. 



Rut 



