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range called the Croker mountains, stretching across this Strait, has resulted much of the ridicule and discredit which has attached to his accounts, and clouded his early reputation"On the 31st (he says) we discovered, for the first time, that the land extended from the south two-thirds across this apparent Strait; but the fog which continually occupied that quarter, obscured its real figure. During the day much interest was excited on board by the appearance of this Strait. The general opinion, however, was, that it was only an inlet. The land was partially seen extending across; the yellow sky was perceptible. At a little before four o'clock A. M., the land was seen at the bottom of the inlet by the officers of the watch, but before I got on deck a space of about seven degrees of the compass was obscured by the fog. The land which I then saw was a high ridge of mountains extending directly across the bottom of the inlet. This chain appeared extremely high in the center. Although a passage in this direction appeared hopeless, I was determined to explore it completely. I therefore continued all sail. Mr. Beverly, the surgeon, who was the most sanguine, went up to the crow's nest, and at twelve reported to me that before it became thick he had seen the land across the bay, except for a very short space.

"At three, I went on deck; it completely cleared for ten minutes, when I distinctly saw the land round the bottom of the bay, forming a chain of mountains connected with those which extended along the north and south side. This land appeared to be at the distance of eight leagues, and Mr. Lewis, the master, and James Haig, leading man, being sent for, they took its bearings, which were inserted in the log. At this moment I also saw a continuity of ice at the distance of seven miles, extending from one side of the bay to the other, between the nearest cape to the north, which I named after Sir George Warrender, and that to the south, which was named after Viscount Castlereagh. The mountains, which occupied the center, in a north and

south direction, were named Croker's Mountains, after the Secretary to the Admiralty."*

They next proceeded to Possession Bay, at the entrance of the Strait, where a great many animals were observed. Deer, fox, ermine, bears, and hares, were either seen, or proved to be in abundance by their tracks, and the skeleton of a whale was found stranded about 500 yards beyond high-water-mark. Finding, as Ross supposed, no outlet through Lancaster Strait, the vessels continued their progress to the southward, exploring the western coast of Baffin's Bay to Pond's Bay, and Booth's Inlet, discovering the trending of the land, which he named North Galloway, and North Ayr to Cape Adair, and Scott's Bay.

On September the 10th, they landed on an island near Cape Eglington, which was named Agnes' Monument. A flag-staff and a bottle, with an account of their proceedings was set up. The remains of a temporary habitation of some of the Esquimaux were here observed, with a fire-place, part of a human skull, a broken stone vessel, some bones of a seal, burnt wood, part of a sledge, and tracks of dogs, &c.

While the boat was absent, two large bears swam off to the ships, which were at the distance of six miles from the land. They reached the Alexander, and were immediately attacked by the boats of that ship, and killed. One, which was shot through the head, unfortunately sank; the other, on being wounded, attacked the boats, and showed considerable play, but was at length secured and towed to the Isabella by the boats of both ships. The animal weighed 11311 lbs., besides the blood it had lost, which was estimated at 30 lbs.

more.

On the following day, Lieut. Parry was sent on shore to examine an iceberg, which was found to be 4169 yards long, 3869 yards broad, and 51 feet high, being aground in 61 fathoms. When they had ascended to the top, which was perfectly flat, they found a huge

* Vol. I, p. 241-46, 8vo. ed.

white bear in quiet possession of the mass, who, much to their mortification and astonishment, plunged without hesitation into the sea from the edge of the precipice, which was fifty feet high.

From careful observation it was found that there was no such land in the center of Davis' Strait as James' Island, which was laid down in most of the charts. Nothing deserving of notice occurred in the subsequent course of the vessels past Cape Walsingham to Cumberland Strait.

The 1st of October having arrived, the limit to which his instructions permitted him to remain out, Ross shaped his course homeward, and after encountering a severe gale off Cape Farewell, arrived in Grimsby Roads on the 14th of November. As respects the purpose of Arctic discovery, this voyage may be considered almost a blank, none of the important inlets and sounds of Baffin's Bay having been explored, and all that was done was to define more clearly the land-bounds of Davis' Strait and Baffin's Bay, if we except the valuable magnetic and other observations made by Captain Sabine. The commander of the expedition was promoted to the rank of captain on paying off the ships in December, 1818.

The account of his voyage, published by Capt. Ross, is of the most meager and uninteresting description, and more than half filled with dry details of the outfit, copies of his instructions, of his routine letters and orders to his officers, &c.

BUCHAN AND FRANKLIN.

Dorothea and Trent to Pole, 1818.

In conjunction with the expedition of Captain John Ross, was that sent out to the coast of Spitzbergen, and of which Captain Beechy has published a most interesting account, embellished with some very elegant illustrations from his pencil. The charge of it was given to Captain D. Buchan, who had, a few years previously, conducted a very interesting expedition into

the interior of Newfoundland. The first and most important object of this expedition was the discovery of a passage over or as near the Pole, as might be possible, and through Behring's Straits into the Pacific. But it was also hoped that it might at the same time be the means of improving the geography and hydrography of the Arctic regions, of which so little was at that time known, and contribute to the advancement of science and natural knowledge. The objects to which attention was specially pointed in the Admiralty instructions, were the variation and inclination of the magnetic needle, the intensity of the magnetic force, and how far it is affected by atmospherical electricity; the temperature of the air, the dip of the horizon, refraction, height of the tides, set and velocity of the currents, depths and soundings of the sea. Collections of specimens to illustrate the animal, mineral and vegetable kingdoms, were also directed to be made.

The officers and crew appointed to these vessels were:
Dorothea, 382 tons.

Captain - David Buchan.
Lieutenant A. Morell.
Surgeon-John Duke.

Assistant Surgeon

W. G. Borland.

Purser John Jermain.

Astronomer-George Fisher.

Admiralty Mates-C. Palmer and W. J. Dealy. Greenland Pilots-P. Bruce, master; G. Crawfurd,

mate.

45 petty officers, seamen, &c.

Total complement, 55.

Trent, 249 tons.

Lieutenant and Commander-John Franklin.
Lieutenant-Fred. W. Beechy, (artist.)

Purser W. Barrett.

Assistant Surgeon-A. Gilfillan.

Admiralty Mates—A. Reid and George Back. Greenland Pilots-G. Fife, master; G. Kirby, me. 30 petty officers and seamen.

Total complement, 38.

Having been properly fitted for the service, and taken on board two years' provisions, the ships sailed on the 25th of April. The Trent had hardly got clear of the river before she sprang a leak, and was detained in the port of Lerwick nearly a fortnight undergoing repairs.

On the 18th of May, the ships encountered a severe gale, and under even storm stay-sails were buried gunwale deep in the waves. On the 24th they sighted Cherie Island, situated in lat. 74° 33' N., and long. 17° 40' E., formerly so noted for its fishery, being much frequented by walrusses, and for many years the Muscovy Company carried on a lucrative trade by sending ships to the island for oil, as many as a thousand animals being often captured by the crew of a single ship in the course of six or seven hours.

The progress of the discovery ships through the small floes and huge masses of ice which floated in succession past, was slow, and these, from their novelty, were regarded with peculiar attention from the grotesque shapes they assume. The progress of a vessel through such a labyrinth of frozen masses is one of the most interesting sights that offer in the Arctic seas, and kept the officers and crew out of their beds till a late hour watching the scene. Capt. Beechey, the graphic narrator of the voyage, thus describes the general impression created:"There was besides, on this occasion, an additional motive for remaining up; very few of us had ever seen the sun at midnight, and this night happening to be particularly clear, his broad red disc, curiously distorted by refraction, and sweeping majestically along the northern horizon, was an object of imposing grandeur, which riveted to the deck some of our crew, who would perhaps have beheld with indifference the less imposing effect of the icebergs; or it might have been a combination of both these phenomena; for it cannot be denied that the novelty, occasioned by the floating masses, was materially heightened by the singular effect produced by the very low altitude at which the sun cast his fiery beams over the icy surface of the

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