Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1840, by

HARPER & BROTHERS,

In the Clerk's Office of the Southern District of New York.

THE two volumes herewith presented to the public contain an uninterrupted narrative, in Captain Parry's own words, of the five voyages made by that distinguished navigator, under the sanction of the British government, in search of a passage from the eastern to the western side of the American Continent, through the Arctic Ocean. Although abbreviated, the curtailment has been effected, not by any change in the language of the original writer, but merely by omitting all such details as were not inviting to the general reader; and, in a word, changing the character of the work from that of an official report to that of a narrative. The effort has been to preserve all interesting and amusing particulars; to record all facts and transactions of importance; to present an accurate though brief notice of all valuable accessions to geographic as well as general knowledge, effected in the progress of the voyages; and, at the same time,

to keep the reader's attention ever on the alert by the rapid and uninterrupted succession of striking incidents.

It is hoped that the aim here designated has been accomplished; and that, in the abridged narrative of Parry's Voyages, there will be found matter, not only to interest the reader for amusement, but also to improve. The scenes and adventures recorded by the navigator are in the highest degree novel and remarkable; and it cannot be other than profitable to know what perils were encountered, what courage, firmness, and ingenuity were displayed, what moral and physical influences were developed, and what triumphs of human skill were achieved, in the progress of voyages undertaken solely to advance the interests of science.

New-York, May, 1840.

H. & B.

Passage across the Atlantic.-Enter Davis's Strait.-Unsuc-

cessful Attempt to penetrate the Ice to the Western Coast.-

Voyage up the Strait.-Passage through the Ice to the West-

ern Coast.-Arrival off Possession Bay, on the southern side

of the entrance into Sir James Lancaster's Sound .

CHAPTER II

15

Entrance into Sir James Lancaster's Sound of Baffin.-Unin-

terrupted Passage to the Westward.-Discovery and Exami-

nation of Prince Regent's Inlet.-Progress to the Southward

stopped by Ice.-Return to the Northward.-Pass Barrow's

Strait, and enter the Polar Sea

CHAPTER III.

29

Favourable Appearances of an open Westerly Passage.-Land

to the Northward, a Series of Islands.-General Appearance

of them.- Meet with some Obstruction from low Islands

surrounded with Ice.-Remains of Esquimaux Huts, and nat-

ural Productions of Byam Martin Island.-Tedious Naviga-

tion from Fogs and Ice.-Difficulty of Steering a Proper

Course.-Arrival and Landing on Melville Island.-Proceed

to the Westward, and reach the Meridian of 110° W. Long.,

the first Stage in the Scale of Rewards granted by Act of

Parliament

43

vi

CHAPTER IV.

Further Examination of Melville Island.-Continuation of our

Progress to the Westward.-Long detention by the Ice.-Party

sent on shore to hunt Deer and Musk-oxen.-Return in three

Days, after losing their way-Anxiety on their account.-Pro-

ceed to the Westward till finally stopped by the Ice.-In re-

turning to the Eastward, the Griper forced on the Beach by

the Ice.-Search for, and Discovery of, a Winter Harbour on

Melville Island.-Operations for securing the Ships in their

Winter Quarters
Page 53

CHAPTER V.

Precautions for securing the Ships and Stores.-For promoting

Good Order, Cleanliness, Health, and Good-Humour among

the Ships' Companies.-Establishment of a Theatre and of

the North Georgia Gazette.-Erection of an Observatory on

Shore.-Commence our Winter's Amusements.-State of the

Temperature, and various Meteorological Phenomena.-Mis-

cellaneous Occurrences to the close of the year 1819

CHAPTER VI.

65

First Appearance of Scurvy.-The Aurora Borealis and other

Meteorological Phenomena.-Visits of the Wolves.-Reap-

pearance of the Sun.-Extreme low Temperature.-Destruc

tion of the House on Shore by Fire.-Severe Frostbites occa

sioned by this Accident

88

CHAPTER VII.

More temperate Weather.-House rebuilt.-Quantity of Ice col-

lected on the Hecla's lower Deck.-Meterological Phenome-

na.-Conclusion of Theatrical Entertainments.-Increased

Sickness on board the Griper.-Clothes first dried in the open

Air.--Remarkable Halos and Parhelia.-Snow Blindness.-

Cutting the Ice round the Ships, and other Occurrences to the

close of May

99

CHAPTER VIII.

Journey across Melville Island to the Northern Shore, and Re-

turn to the Ships by a different Route

110