not find, or should be satisfied there is
not any probability of finding any such passage, or, finding it, you
should not be able to get through in the vessel you command, you are
then to return to England, as before-mentioned, unless you shall find
any branch of the sea leading to the westward which you shall judge
likely to afford a communication between the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans, and which you shall not be able to explore in the course of this
year, it being, in that case, left to your discretion to stay the winter
in the most commodious situation you can find, in order to pursue the
discovery next year, if you shall find it advisable so to do; and,
having discovered such passage, or not succeeded in the attempt, you are
to make the best of your way to England, as above directed.

* * * * *

It was natural to hope, that something would have been done in one or
other, or in both these voyages of the Lion, that might have opened our
views with regard to the practicability of a passage from this side of
America. But, unfortunately, the execution did not answer the
expectations conceived. Pickersgill, who had acquired professional
experience when acting under Captain Cook, justly merited the censure he
received, for improper behaviour when intrusted with command in Davis's
Strait; and the talents of Young, as it afterward appeared, were more
adapted to contribute to the glory of a victory, as commander of a line
of battle-ship, than to add to geographical discoveries, by encountering
mountains of ice, and exploring unknown coasts.[37]

[Footnote 37: In the Philosophical Transactions, vol. lxviii. p, 1057,
we have the track of Pickersgill's voyage, which, probably, may be of
use to our Greenland ships, as it contains many observations for fixing
the longitude and latitude of the coasts in Davis's Strait. But it
appears that he never entered Baffin's Bay, the highest northern
latitude to which he advanced being 68 deg. 14'. As to Young's proceedings,
having failed absolutely in making any discovery, it is of less
consequence, that no communication of his journal could be
procured.--D.]

Both Pickersgill and Young having been ordered to proceed into Baffin's
Bay; and Captain Cook being directed not to begin his search till he
should arrive in the latitude of 65 deg., it may not be improper to say
something here of the reasons which weighed with those who planned the
voyages, and fra