150 Captain Weddel’s Voyage towards the South Pole^ 
gabl^j Captain Weddel judged proper to confer upon it the 
name of The Sea of George the Fourth^ in honour of our Gra-^ 
cious Sovereign, The variation of the compass. Captain Wed- 
del states, to have fluctuated a great deal in these high latitudes ; 
which he can account for only by that inactivity which the com- 
pass is found to exhibit in corresponding northern latitudes. 
The lateness of the season, and many concurrent circumstances, 
compelled Captain Weddel to take advantage of a strong south- 
erly wind to return homewards. On the 15th, he arrived at the 
island of South Georgia, after a perilous navigation of ISOO 
miles, amongst ice-islands. 
While lying at Georgia, he observed a tremulous motion in a 
mountain situated on the south side of the islarid. He discovered 
this by remarking, that the surface of the quicksilver in an arti- 
ficial horizon was much agitated ; although not the least 
breath of wind, nor any other ostensible cause of the pheno- 
menon existed. After calling at the Falkland Islands, in Octo- 
ber following, the vessel visited the coast of South Shetland, 
and found its harbours unapproachable, on account of ice." 
On their way homewards they made a stay of nearly two 
months among the Islands of Terra del Fuego ; during which 
Captain Weddel had many opportunities of acquiring accurate 
information regarding the character of the natives, as well as of 
ascertaining the conveniency which this coast affords for ship- 
ping. They arrived in England on the 7th of July 1824, af- 
ter a hazardous voyage of nearly two years. 
4. — Russian Epedition along the Northern Shores of Siberia. 
The Russian Government had long formed the project of 
exploring the north coast of Siberia, M, de S. was sent out for 
this purpose ; but his researches were extremely limited, and he 
only described a part of the coast, to a distance of about a hun- 
dred versts beyond the eastern part of the Kolyma. Toward 
the year 1822, it was resolved to send out a new expedition for 
exploring these countries. Three young officers, MM. Wran- 
gel, Anjou, and Matuchkin, were charged with it : they were 
occupied four years in it, and justified the confidence of the 
Government, by the courage, prudence, and zeal, which they 
evinced in the discharge of this duty. They succeeded in 
making a description of the whole north coast of Siberia, in de- 
