154 
VOYAGE TO GREENLAND. 
tinued line, or whether it is an island or an archi- 
pelago of islands ; and lastly, whether considerable 
national advantage would not be derived from its 
productions, in promoting the interests of commerce ; 
“I yet consider it my bounden duty to submit it, 
as worthy the attention of those who direct the 
affairs of state, to promote such an undertaking, in 
prosecuting which great national benefit might also 
be derived in the improvement of the whale fishery. 
An expedition of two ships, I have ascertained, 
might be sent out fully equipped for 8,000/. or 
10,000/., capable of performing a voyage of six or 
eight months ; but if it were permitted that the 
fishing might be conducted in such intervals as 
could not be appropriated to discovery, the expense 
would possibly be reduced to 6,000/. In the suc- 
cess of such an expedition, I am most sanguine, 
and, were I blessed with fortune, I would not wish 
to increase the burdens of my country with the 
expense, but gladly bear the charge of the under- 
taking, in the confident expectation that much 
valuable information would be derived, beneficial 
to mankind, and honourable to the fame of England. 
A brighter sun never illumined the 
than was attendant on the icy regions 
all this day, and Captain Scoresby observing the 
appearance of the moon, devoted his time to taking 
lunar observations to correct his chronometer, to 
discover the longitude of this unknown land, and 
to make other experiments and scientific observa- 
tions. Among them, I must not omit the use of 
