covered the autograph originals of the narrative, the table of latitudes and longitudes, the Brief Journal, and a letter to the worthy advancers and adventurers of the voyage, all written or compiled by Baffin himself. The excellent letter in which Baffin forwards the other documents to the adventurers, commences by a series of well-turned compliments, which he concludes by saying, that "who so seeketh to sett forth the worthie prayse of our LONDON MERCHANTS, had need bee more then a good rethoritian;" then follow some few directions necessary to the understanding of the Table of latitudes and longitudes, Chart, &c.; the whole letter bearing the evidence of the greatest candour and truth. The "Breefe Iournall is too long for our pages, but the following is the table of latitudes and longitudes referred to in the letter:

The LONGITUDE and LATYTUDE of such PLACES wheare we have beene on shore within RESOLUTION ILAND, and what Moone doth make a full sea, or the TYME OF HIGH WATER or the CHAINGE DAY; and also there distance from RESOLUTION ILAND.

On the 17th March 1615, the Discovery sailed from Blackwall, and after "an indifferent good passage," first sighted the coast of Greenland on the 6th a little to the east of Cape Farewell, after

May,

* BLANK IN THE ORIGINAL.? 1, Longitude. 2, Latitude. 3, Bearings. 4, Time. 5, Distance.

†This corner of the page is torn.

F

rounding which, they kept a south-westerly course till the 17th May, when they entered Hudson's Strait. On the 1st June they anchored in a good harbour on the west side of Resolution Island, having encountered adverse winds, which stopped their progress to the westward. From this harbour they weighed on the 2nd, and continued groping along the northern shore of the strait, "so well as the ice would give them leaue to gett," until the 8th, when they had reached "a company of ilandès,” which they called "Savag Isles, hauing a great sound, or indraught, betweene the north shoare and them." Here they met and had communication with some of the natives, "muche like to the inhabitaunte of Groyneland, sauing that they are not so neate and artefitiall, seeminge to bee more rude and vnciuill, raynginge vp and doune as theare fishinge is in season." Proceeding onward, without anything very particular occurring save some lunar observations made by Baffin off Broken Point, the accuracy of which, a century after, called forth the praise of Captain Parry— Bylot, on the the 29th June," raysed Salisbury Island," which, however, on account of the ice, he was unable to approach. He therefore stood to the northward, and succeeded, after great danger, in passing another island, to which, "by reason of the greate extremetye and grindinge of the ice," he gave the name of Mill Island. Often were they in great peril; at one time "the ship was hoysed aloft; and at other tymes shee hauinge, as it were, got the vpper hand, would force greate mighty peeces to sinke downe on the one side of her, and rise on the other. But God, which is still stronger than either rocks, ice, eddy, or streame, preserved vs and our shippe from any harme at all.”

Bylot now stood away to the north,3 directly up the broad strait known as the Fox Channel, and on the 3 "Polar Seas," p. 244, west; "Purchas," north-westward; Original MS., north.

12th saw a fair cape or headland to the west, to which he gave the name of Cape Comfort, from the good prospects held out of a passage from the strong set of the current. But "owr sudden hopes weare as soon quayld, for the next morninge, hauinge dubbled the cape, when we supposed (by the account of the tyde) we should be sett to the northward, it beinge little or no winde, we weare sett to the contrary." The ship's head was therefore turned to the south, at the time when the land bore N.E. by E. This land Parry afterwards found to be one of several islands, which he named Baffin Island, "out of respect to the memory of that able and enterprising navigator," and to a remarkable headland on Southampton Island he gave the name of Cape Bylot, as being probably the westernmost land seen by him on this voyage. On the 15th May they anchored in a small cove near Cape Comfort, from whence they sailed next day, and after a consultation as to whether the discovery should be pursued as recommended by Baffin, or whether the remainder of the voyage should be spent in the capture of the morse, it was decided to follow up the first suggestion, and accordingly they stood for Nottingham Island. Here they were beating about till the 27th, "havinge much foule wether, many stormes, often foggs, and vncertain windes.' On the 30th they anchored at Digges' Island, where the prospects of any passage being very bad, they gave up all hope of success and steered for Resolution Island, at the mouth of Hudson's Strait, which they made on the 3rd August. The next day they set sail, and the 6th September had sight of Cape Clear, and on the 8th they came to an anchor in Plymouth Sound, "without the loss of one man; for these and all other blessings the Lord make vs thankfull."

Whatever might have been thought by the adven

turers of the ill-success of the voyage, it would seem that they did not look upon the conduct of Baffin in the same light as a modern author of great celebrity on this point. It must, indeed, be "with no ordinary feelings of satisfaction" that Mr. Rundall has at length been able to set the world right as to the worth of one whose name is now known in connexion with the most magnificent bay in the world.

The Adventurers again set forth the same ship and officers next year, and amongst other instructions they issued the following for their guidance: "For your course, you must make all possible haste to the Cape Desolation, and from thence, you, William Baffin, as pilot, keepe along the coast of Groenland and vp Fretum Dauis, untill you come toward the height of Eightie Degrees, if the Land will giue you leave. Then, for feare of inbaying by keeping too Northerly a Course, shape your Course West and Southerly, so farre as you shall think it conuenient, till you come to the Latitude of Sixtie Degrees. Then direct your course to fall with the Land of Yedzo about that height, leauing your farther sayling Southward to your own discretion; according as the time of the Yeere and Windes will giue you leave. Although our desires be, if your Voyage proue so prosperous, that you may haue the Yeere before you, that you goe so farre Southerly as that you may touch the North part of Japan, from whence, or from Yedzo, if you can so compasse it without danger, we would haue you to bring home one of the men of the country; and so, God blessing you with all expedition, to make you returne home againe."

With these clear directions on board, the Discovery sailed from Gravesend on the 26th March 1616, but was twice forced to put into an English port before a fair start was made. On the 14th May the Greenland

Sir John Barrow, Bart., "Chron: Hist: Arctic Voy: 1818."

coast was sighted, in 65° 20′ N., and in lat. 70° 20′, they first anchored in a sound on the "London coast' of Davis. Their next point was Hope Saunderson, the extreme reached by Davis, and to the cluster of islands among which they were here forced to take shelter, they gave the name of Woman's Islands, from the circumstance of their having fallen in with some native women concealed behind the rocks, one of whom is said to have appeared fourscore years of age. Having induced the poor fugitives to return to the miserable dwellings from which they had fled through fear, and having established a confidence, which does great credit to his humanity, Baffin took his departure from these islands, and pushing his way north, on the 19th June reached another group, lying a few miles off the main, in lat. 74° 4', where he was forced to anchor on account of the ice, which gave him a great deal of trouble. He then tried to make his way to the westward, but fruitlessly, and was driven to return north, to some islands in lat. 73° 45', to wait until the ice, which much to their surprise melted very fast, should no longer oppose their progress. On the 18th, there appearing a favourable change, they again stood to the northward, and on the 1st July an open sea, in lat 75° 40'," anew revived the hope of a passage." Next day they passed, in lat. 76° 35′, a cape or headland, to which the name of Sir Dudley Digges, one of the adventurers, was given;3 and a few leagues farther, a fair sound, with an island standing at its mouth, was called after another of the same worthies, Wolstenholme Sound. In lat. 77° 30', another sound, which they

3" Cape Dudley Digges was found to be a few miles to the southward of the situation in which Baffin has laid it down. It appeared to form a precipice of about eight hundred feet in height, was perfectly clear of snow, and presented a yellowish vegetation at top, behind which, at the distance of eighteen miles, there appeared to be high mountains covered with snow." (Ross (Capt. John) Voyage: Isabella and Alexander, in 1818. London, 1819, p. 141.)