40 
II. 
The Natural Phenomena and Productions op the Polar Regions, 
By C. F. Eavis. 
Head at the General Meetings on May Mh and November 2nd, 1871. 
[Abstract.] 
The discoveries of tbis century in the Arctic regions began with the 
voyage of Captain Eoss in 1818. With two vessels, the second commanded by 
Lieutenant Parry, he reached the head of Baffin's Bay and entered 
Lancaster Sound which was invitingly clear of ice. But after pursuing the 
course of this great channel for about thirty miles, he too hastily judged 
the passage impracticable, and abandoned the enterprise. Parry, who happily 
did not share in the views of his Commander, was the following year 
appointed to the command of another expedition which following upon the 
track of the former reached the group of islands named by him " North 
Georgian Archipelago" but now generally "Parry Islands" and wintered 
there, having added to the chart of the Arctic regions both shores of Lancaster 
Sound and the northern part of Prince Eegent's Inlet. Unable to 
penetrate much farther west in the following summer he returned home. 
The next year Parry and Lyon made another attempt by way of Hudson's 
Bay. This voyage occupied two years and resulted in several additions to 
the maps, but the passage remained undiscovered. In May 1824 Parry 
sailed again with the Kecla and Fury, attempting the passage by Prince 
Eegent's Inlet, but the Fury being wrecked through the pressure of the ice 
upon a rocky coast he was obliged to return home leaving the stores of the 
lost ship upon the coast carefully stored and available for any future 
expedition needing supplies. Thus ended the three memorable voyages 
of Sir Edward Parry in search of the north-west passage. 
Meantime Lieutenant (afterwards Sir John) Franklin in company with 
Dr. (afterwards Sir John) Eichardson reached the shores of the Polar Sea 
over the American continent, explored its coast a considerable distance and 
after a most disastrous return journey reached York Factory on Hudson's 
Bay after an absence of three years, having travelled by land and water 
5550 miles. Three years later we find these two great enterprising men 
again upon their travels. This time they descended the Mackenzie Eivcr 
to its mouth and explored the shores of the Polar Sea westward to 
longtitude 150 p and eastward to the mouth of the Coppermine. 
