LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 45& 
In the deserts of Africa, or the savannahs of America, has the 
tree, under which he can shelter himself, but in the region of 
desolation, the eye wanders over an illimitable extent of snow- 
covered rocks—the vault of heaven resting upon them, round 
and round, as if it were the limits of the world. 
From such a region as this, little could Commander Ross ex¬ 
pect to gain, whereby he could enlarge his knowledge of the 
animal or the vegetable kingdom, or obtain any valuable addition 
to his scanty stock of natural curiosities. Amongst the animals 
hitherto obtained, their natural history was well known, as 
being only modifications of the species known to exist in other 
latitudes. In the ornithological department, not a bird was 
seen, the natural history of which was not well known, or which 
were not the common inhabitants of countries, which had been 
visited by the earliest navigators, or the description of which, 
was not to be found in the works of the olden writers. The 
seas yielded but the seal, the walrus and the whale; of the 
molluscous animals, the specimens were of the most insignificant 
kind, and differing very little from the common perriwinkle of 
our seas. 
The specimens, with which Capt. Ross had succeeded in filling 
his cabinet, were but so many types of the same species, known 
in his own country, and from which not a single department of 
science could be enriched or benefited. The anxiety and ex¬ 
pense, bestowed in bringing a rhinoceros or a tapir to this 
country, deserve the unqualified approbation of every one, who 
is solicitous to extend his knowledge of the wonders of the 
animal kingdom ; but it would be a matter of some difficulty, to 
determine the necessity or utility of bringing a hare from Felix 
Harbour, which, neither in its natural properties nor habits, 
differs in the slightest degree from the same species of animals, 
that abound in the hills of Scotland, as well as almost in every 
latitude in the world. There was indeed some degree of pride, 
in being able to say, that it was a hare caught where no Euro¬ 
pean ever caught a hare before, and where it is most probable 
that no European will, ever catch another. The answer, therefore, 
was perfectly correct and judicious, which Capt. Ross gave to 
