Increased Extent of open Water in the Offing.-A Travelling Party despatched to the Northward.-Unsuccessful attempt to raise Vegetables on shore.-Decease of James Pringle.- A Party of Esquimaux build Huts near the Ships.-Return of the Travellers, and account of their Journey.-First Ap- pearance of the Plants.-Birds become numerous.-Com- mence cutting a Canal through the Ice for liberating the Ships.-Illness and Decease of John Reid and William Sou- TECHNICAL TERMS PECULIAR TO THE NAVIGATION AMONG ICE. BAY-ICE.-Ice newly formed upon the surface of the sea. The expression is, however, applied also to ice a foot or two in thickness. BESET. The situation of a ship when closely surrounded by ice. BIGHT. An indentation in a floe of ice, like a bay, by which name it is sometimes called. BLINK. A peculiar brightness in the atmosphere, often assuming an arch-like form, which is generally perceptible over ice or land covered with snow. The blink of land, as well as that over large quantities of ice, is usually of a yellowish cast. BORE.-The operation of "boring" through loose ice consists in entering it under a press of sail, and forcing the ship through by separating the masses. CALF. A mass of ice lying under a floe near its margin, and, when disengaged from that position, rising with violence to the surface of the water. See TONGUE. CLEAR WATER.-Any part of the sea unencumbered with ice. CROW'S NEST.-A small circular house like a cask, fixed at the masthead, in which the look-out man sits, either to guide the ship through the ice or to give notice of whales. Dock. In a floe may be natural or artificial; the former being simply a small "bight," in which a ship is placed to secure her from the danger of external pressure; and the latter, a square space cut out with saws for a similar purpose. FIELD. A sheet of ice generally of great thickness, and of too great extent to be seen over from a ship's masthead. FLINCHING. The operation of stripping a sea-animal of its skin and blubber. FLOE.-The same as a field, except that its extent can be distinguished from a ship's masthead. A "bay-floe" is a floe of ice newly formed. FLOE-PIECE.-An expression generally applied to small pieces of floes, not more than a furlong square. A HOLE or POOL of Water.-A small space of" clear water," when the rest of the sea is covered with ice. HUMMOCK.-A mass of ice rising to a considerable height above the general level of a floe, and forming a part of it. Hummocks are originally raised by the pressure of floes against each other. LAND-ICE.-Ice attached to the land, either in floes or in heavy grounded masses lying near the shore. LANE of Water.-A narrow channel among the masses of ice, through which a boat or ship may pass. LEAD. A channel through the ice. A ship is said to "take the right lead" when she follows a channel conducting her into a more navigable sea, and vice versa. MAKING-OFF Blubber.-The operation of putting it into casks. NIPPED. The situation of a ship when forcibly pressed by ice. PACK.-A large body of ice, consisting of separate masses, lying close together, and whose extent cannot be seen. PANCAKE ICE.-Newly formed ice, assuming the peculiar conformation of numberless patches of " sludge," and giving the surface of the sea the appearance of a handsome pavement. PATCH of Ice-The same as a pack, but of small dimensions. SAILING-ICE.-Ice of which the masses are so much separated as to allow a ship to sail among them. SALLYING a Ship.-The operation of causing her to roll, by the men running in a body from side to side, so as to relieve her from the adhesion and friction of the young ice around her. SLUDGE.-Ice of the consistence of thick honey, offering little impediment to a ship while in this state, but greatly favouring the formation of a "bay-floe." STREAM-A long and narrow, but generally continuous, collection of loose ice. TONGUE. A mass of ice projecting under water from an iceberg or floe, and generally distinguishable at a considerable depth of smooth water. It differs from a "calf” in being fixed to, or a part of, the larger body. WATER SKY.-A dark appearance in the sky, indicating "clear water" in that direction, and forming a striking contrast with theblink" over land or ice. YOUNG-ICE. Nearly the same as "bay-ice," but generally applied to ice more recently formed than the latter. VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY OF A NORTHWEST PASSAGE. INTRODUCTION. LIEUTENANT PARRY was appointed to the com mand of his majesty's ship the Hecla, a bomb of 375 tons, on the 16th of January, 1819; and the Griper, gun brig, 180 tons, commissioned by Lieutenant Matthew Liddon, was at the same time directed to put herself under his orders. The object of the expedition was to attempt the discovery of a Northwest Passage into the Pacific. The vessels were rigged after the manner of a bark, as being the most convenient among the ice, and requiring the smallest number of men to work them. They were furnished with provisions and stores for two years; in addition to which, there was a large supply of fresh meats and soups preserved in tin cases, essence of malt and hops, essence of spruce, and other extra stores, adapted to cold climates and a long voyage. The ships were ballasted entirely with coals; an abundance of warm clothing was allowed, a wolfskin blanket being supplied to each officer and man, besides a housing-cloth, similar to that with which wagons are usually covered, to make VOL. I.-B a sort of tent on board. Although the finding a passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific was the main object of the expedition, yet the ascertaining many points of natural history, geography, &c., was considered a most important object, never to be lost sight of. After they had passed the latitude of 65° north, they were from time to time to throw overboard a bottle, closely sealed, containing a paper, stating the date and position at which it was launched. Whenever they landed on the northern coast of North America, they were to erect a pole, having a flag, and bury a bottle at the foot of it, containing an abstract of their proceedings and future intentions, for the information of Lieutenant Franklin, who had been sent on a land expedition to explore that coast from the mouth of the Coppermine River of Hearne. According to the official instructions, the interests of science were not neglected, and many im. portant facts were made out; among the most curious, it may be mentioned, that it appears to be proved that the North Pole is not the coldest point of the Arctic hemisphere, but that the place where the expedition wintered is one of the coldest spots on the face of the globe. |