AECTIC VOYAGES. 
65 
1. M ‘Clttee’sDisco veey oe the Noeth-WestPassage. Edited by Captain 
Sherard Osborn, C. B., &c. . Second Edition. London: Longman, 
Brown, Green, Longmans, and Boberts. 1857. 
2. A Peesonal Naeeative of the Discoyeey of the Noeth-West Pas¬ 
sage. By A. Armstrong, M. D., B. N., late Surgeon and Naturalist 
of H. M. S. “ Investigator.” London: Hurst and Blackett. 1857. 
3. Ah Aectic Yoyage to Baffin’s Bay and Lancastee Sound, in seaech 
of Eeiends with Sie John Eeanklin. By Bobert Anstruther 
Goodsir. London: YanYoorst. 1850. 
(with a map.) 
The great tidal wave enters the Polar Sea, from the Atlantic, by two 
distinct channels, separated from each other by the Continent of Green¬ 
land. The first branch of the Atlantic Tide, having swept past the 
British islands and coasts of Norway, flows into the Polar Sea, past the 
island of Spitzbergen, being assisted in its flow, and retarded in its ebb, by 
the remains of the Gulf Stream, which is probably still felt in its heating 
effects by the glaciers of Spitzbergen. Of the oscillations and movements 
of the Polar Sea itself, north of Europe and Asia, we know but little, ex¬ 
cepting the fact, furnished to us by Yon Wrangel, that its resultant effect 
on the north-east coast of Siberia is felt in a current setting east by south 
towards Behring’s Strait: arrived at this point, it becomes complicated 
in its action by the influx of the Pacific Tide, whose movements are 
totally different in character. The combined Atlantic and Pacific Tides 
(the latter predominating) flow and ebb in an east and west direction 
along the coast of North America, with a preponderant set to the east¬ 
ward, round Point Barrow, Cape Bathurst, through Dolphin and TJnion 
Strait, and Dease’s Strait; and probably into Yictoria Strait as far.as 
the bottom of Peel Sound and Bellot Strait, leading into Prince Begent’s 
Inlet. It is highly probable, although it has not been distinctly proved, 
that off shore, both in Asia and North America, the Atlantic Tide and 
Gulf Stream produce a resultant movement of the waters of the Polar 
Sea, which presses its loose pack ice, eastward and southward, against 
the western and north-western shores of the Parry Islands, forming the 
great pack ice observed by M‘Clintock on the north-western shore 
of Prince Patrick’s Island, and also the formidable double and triple 
floes to the west and north of Banks’ Land, which so nearly proved 
fatal to the “ Investigator” during her short and dangerous run from 
Nelson Head to the Bay of Mercy. To the westward of Banks’ Land, 
at some distance off shore from the American Continent, is found the 
permanently ice-blocked sea, called by the western Esquimaux, in their 
simple language, the “Land of the White Bear.” This gigantic ice¬ 
floe we believe to be formed by the continued eastern set of the deep 
tidal and oceanic currents of the Polar Sea east of Spitzbergen; and 
that it is prevented*from permanently blocking up the coast line of the 
American Continent only by the influence of the rapid tides which enter 
the Polar Sea, from the Pacific, through Behring’s Straits. These tides, 
vol. v.— eev. x 
