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In the year 1751 Mr. Watt, then not quite feventeen years of 

 age, went on board the Campbeltown of Campbeltown, Captain 

 Mac-Callam, which fhip was at that time employed in the 

 Greenland fimery. 



It feems that during the time the whales are fuppofed to copu- 

 late, the crews of the Greenland veliels commonly amufe them- 

 felves on more. 



Captain Mac-Callam however (who was a very able and fcien- 

 tific feaman) thought that a voyage to the N. Pole would be more 

 interefting, and that, the feafon being a fine one, he had a chance 

 of penetrating far to the Northward, as well as returning before 

 the later fimery took place. He accordingly proceeded without 

 the leafh obftruclion to 83!, when the fea was not only open to 

 the Northward, but they had not feen a fpeck of ice for the laft 

 three degrees, and the weather at the fame time was temperate ; 

 in Ihort, Mr. Watt hath never experienced a more pleafant navi- 

 gation. 



It need be fcarcely obferved, that the latitude, of 83 1 was de- 

 termined by obfervation, as the great objecl: of the voyage was 

 to reach the Pole ; the Captain therefore, the mate, and young 

 Mr. Watt, determined the latitude from time to time, both by 

 Davis and Hadley's quadrants : to this I may add, that their de- 

 parture and return were from and- to Hakluyt's Headland. 



When they were advancing into thefe high Northern latitudes, 

 the mate complained that the compafs was not fteady, on which 

 Captain Mac-Callam deiifled from his attempt, though with re- 

 luctance ; knowing, that if any accident happened, he mould be 

 blamed by his owners, who would be reminded certainly by the 

 mate of the protefts he had made againfl the fhip's proceeding 

 further Northward. 



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