56 
A VOYAGE TO SPITZBERGEN. 
the more intelligent passing unscathed, while the less 
observant are compelled to struggle on in hopeless 
mazes, which too often render their venture fruitless, 
if no worse fate attends them, as we will have occasion 
to mention further on. 
It may be well to mention that our friend had in the 
previous year sailed to the north of Spitzbergen, and 
in lat. 81° 24/ had seen open water and islands to the 
north-east of Spitzbergen; but his intention was, on 
the present occasion, if the season would admit of it, 
to advance still further north, and on his return voyage, 
if possible, to coast along the east side of Spitzbergen, 
and after rounding the north-east point to circumnavi¬ 
gate the island, a feat which had never yet been accom¬ 
plished except by Barentz, two hundred and seventy-five 
years ago. It must be remembered that in those days 
navigators had not in use such instruments for obser¬ 
vation as we now possess, to enable them to navigate 
a ship and determine the position of the land, which, 
as far as the east coast is concerned, is but poorly 
dealt with by the chart-makers. For many years the 
whaling captains who continue to contribute fresh facts 
respecting the land, have only added to our ignorance 
by suggesting corrections which make confusion worse 
confounded, by reporting their views upon the actual 
position of the places they have visited, on their 
