THE 
LAST VOYAGE 
OF 
CAPT. JOHN ROSS,R.N., 
FOR THE DISCOVERY OF A NORTH WEST PASSAGE. 
PERFORMED IN THE YEARS 1820-30-31-32 and 33. 
CHAPTER I. 
HISTORY OF THE EARLY VOYAGES TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 
There is scarcely any species of History, which to the 
inquiring mind presents greater delight, or which is studied 
with greater assiduity, than that which treats of the adventures 
of the early Navigators, in their daring efforts to penetrate into 
distant transmarine Countries, the existence of which has been 
only guessed at, or which by the ignorant multitude has been 
treated as a wild and improbable fable. We follow these ad¬ 
venturous men in their daring enterprise ; we view them at their 
top-mast head, straining their vision over the wide waste of 
water, hoping to discover some small speck, which might tell 
them of the realization of their hopes, and we follow them nightly 
^to their cheerless hammocks, disappointed and despairing; 
discomfiture and disgrace their future companions; themselves 
the objects of neglect and ridicule; but then on a sudden, the 
restless fire of the noble Soul breaks forth—the inspirations 
of a mighty Genius support them in the contest—Onwards! 
onwards! is the cry—Hope once more fills the sails—Courage 
takes the helm—and the God of the brave is the pilot. 
The maritime power of England, founded on a spirit of dis¬ 
covery, began to manifest itself as early as the reign of Alfred, 
