t «' ] 



between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in any direction whatfo- 

 ever, might greatly contribute to the attempting fiich an enterprize. 



To this, another incitement might be perhaps added, by 

 giving one thoufand pounds for every degree of Northern 

 latitude which might be reached by the adventurer from 85 0 

 to the Pole, as fome lb very peremptorily deny all former in- 

 stances of having p^.ietrated to fuch high latitudes. An Act hath 

 accordingly pafled for the firft of thefe purpofes ; and for the 

 fecond, with this variation, that a reward of 5000 1 is given only 

 for approaching within a degree of the Pole. 



I mall conclude, however, in anfwer to their incredulity, by 

 the following citation from Hakluyt: 



" Now, left you mould make fmall account of ancient wri- 

 " ters, or of their experience, which travelled before our times, 

 " reckoning their authority amongft fables of no importance, I 

 " have, for the better affurance of thofe proofs, fet down part of 

 " a difcourfe written in the Saxon tongue, and tranflated into 

 " Englifh by Mr. Nowel, fervant to mafter fecretary Cecil, 

 " wherein is defcribed a navigation, which one Ochter made 

 " in the time of king Alfred, king of Weft Saxe, anno 871; 

 " the words of which difcourfe are thefe : 4 He failed right 

 " North, having always the defert land on the ftarboard, and on 

 " the larboard the main fea, continuing his courfe till he per- 



ceived the coaft bowed directly towards the caft, &c.' Whereby 

 " it appcareth, that he went the fame way that we do now yearly 

 44 trade by St. Nicholas into Mufcovia, which no man in our age 

 " knew for certainty to be fea, till it was again difcovered by the 

 44 Englim in the time of Edward VI. 



" Nevertheleis, if any man mould have taken this voyage in 

 " hand, by the encouragement of this only author b , he mould 



" have 



b Perhaps the fame fea is alluded to in the following line of Dionylius : 

 Hcvtgv usv xcths&rt, ^STr^ye/of, Kpovioy, ts% 

 n As the name of Frozen can fcarccl}^ be applierl to that of the Baltic. 



As 



