hips and the learned bodies of which
he is a member, and who are already well acquainted with his
acquirements.

My steady and faithful friend, Mr. William Thom of the royal navy, who
was formerly with me in the Isabella, besides his duty as third in
command, took charge of the meteorological journal, the distribution
and economy of provisions, and to his judicious plans and suggestions
must be attributed the uncommon degree of health which our crew
enjoyed; and as two out of three who died in the four years and a half
were cut off early in the voyage, by diseases not peculiar to the
climate, only one man can be said to have perished. Mr. M'Diarmid the
surgeon, who had been several voyages to these regions, did justice to
the high recommendation I received of him; he was useful in every
amputation and operation which he performed, and wonderfully so in his
treatment of the sick; and I have no hesitation in adding, that he
would be an ornament to his Majesty's service.

Commander Ross, Mr. Thom and myself, have, indeed, been serving
without pay; but in common with the crew have lost our all, which I
regret the more, because it puts it out of my power adequately to
remunerate my fellow sufferers, whose case I cannot but recommend for
their lordships' consideration.

We have, however, the consolation, that results of this expedition
have been conclusive, and to science highly important, and may be
briefly comprehended in the following words: The discovery of the Gulf
of Boothia, the continent and isthmus of Boothia Felix, and a vast
number of islands, rivers and lakes; the undeniable establishment that
the north-east point of America extends to the 74th degree of north
latitude; valuable observations of every kind, but particularly on the
magnet; and to crown all, have had the honor of placing the
illustrious name of our Most Gracious Sovereign William IV, on the
true position of the magnetic pole.

I cannot conclude this letter, sir, without acknowledging the
important advantages we obtained from the valuable publications of Sir
Edward Parry and Sir John Franklin, and the communications kindly made
to us by those distinguished officers before our departure from
England. But the glory of this enterprise is entirely due to Him,
whose divine favor has been most especially manifested towards us, who
guided and directed all our steps, who mercifully provided, in what we
had deemed a calamity, His effectual means of our pr