XVI 
INTRODUCTION. 
main very indifferent, was obtained ; and a great 
extent of coast, the principal part of which was 
previously unknown, was investigated and sur¬ 
veyed. 
The voyage was accomplished in the ship Baf¬ 
fin, burden 321 tons, built at Liverpool, under 
my personal inspection, expressly for the whale- 
fishery, in the year 1820. No expence having 
been spared in the construction of this ship, 
every known principle calculated for producing 
strength, accommodation, sea-worthiness, and fast 
sailing, in so far as these properties were compa¬ 
tible, was adopted, and with such good effect, as 
to answer, upon trial, our highest expectations. 
As the fishery of Balfin’s Bay, in consequence 
of the great loss of shipping that has been sus¬ 
tained on that station within the last four or five 
years, will probably be pursued to a less extent 
than formerly, the fishery of Greenland, in which 
there have been very few losses, will rise in im¬ 
portance. 
It is therefore hoped, that the researches made 
during this voyage on the .Coast ol Greenland, 
