BAFFIN’S FIFTH EXPEDITION. 
57 
greatest variation in the compass of anypa>tof the world known, 
for by divers good observations, I found it to be above five points 
or 56° varied to the westward.” 
In pursuance of his instructions, Baffin directed his course in a 
south westerly direction, and to his great mortification soon made 
land at the entrance of a sound, to which he gave the name of 
Alderman Jones's Sound, and proceeding still further westward, 
he discovered in latitude 74° 40' anothe- great opening, w hich 
was named Sir James Lancaster s Sound. The hope of the dis¬ 
covery of the passage was now considerably diminished, for 
Baffin began to suspect that he was only sailing in a large bay, 
on the boundaries of which some good harbours might be found, 
but which might not contain any inlet, or strait which led into the 
Pacific. In many places the shore now became inaccessible from 
ice, and which, on their approach southwards, appeared rather 
to increase than to diminish; having sailed down to the latitude 
of 65 u 40', and the barrier of ice still increasing, all hope of 
effecting the passage was abandoned : several of the crew were 
disabled by sickness, the scurvy having appeared amongst them, 
and it was therefore determined to direct their course for Green¬ 
land, where such herbs could be gathered as would check the 
progress of the disease. Having remained there some time for 
the recovery of the crew, they left on the 6th August, and ar¬ 
rived at Plymouth on the 13th September, “ for which, says 
Baffin, and all other blessings, the Lord make us thankfull.” 
The extreme severity of the climate, superadded to the dan¬ 
gers of the navigation, and the risk of perishing by famine dur¬ 
ing the winter months, deterred the majority of navigators from 
prosecuting the discoveries in the north west; and indeed, the 
last voyage of Baffin seemed conclusive of the impracticability oi 
effecting a passage round the north of the American continent, 
although some were still sanguine enough to believe that the 
passage could be found, provided the attempt were made at a 
proper season of the year, and in a higher latitude than that 
which had been hitherto explored. The English merchants con 
sidered that they had been imposed upon by the favourable re 
ports, which had been successively promulgated by the different 
3 i ' 
