into another sea, was given up,
after having sailed into it during the night, and till three o'clock the
following day. It is unnecessary here to examine the reasons which induced
Captain Ross to leave this sound without putting the question of its nature
and termination beyond a doubt, by an accurate and close survey. He says,
that at three o'clock he distinctly saw the land round the bottom of the
bay, forming a connected chain of mountains with those which extended along
the north and south sides. No person seems to have been on deck when this
land was seen by the captain, and orders in consequence given to put the
ships about, except Mr. Lewis, the master, and another. So that in this
latitude, where the sight at all times is mocked with fogs and other
circumstances which mislead it, and where, therefore, it is absolutely
necessary that as many eyes as possible should be employed, that these
should get as near the object as possible, that it should be viewed for a
considerable length of time, and under as many aspects, and from as many
points as possible--not a subordinate or incidental design of the voyage,
but that for which it was expressly made, was abandoned, and on the sole
responsibility of the captain and two other persons.

It is evident, too, that the entrance to many inland seas seems, when
viewed from a distance, to be blocked up by connected land. It is well
observed by the reviewer, whom we have already quoted, that there is not a
reach in the Thames that to the eye does not appear to terminate the river;
and in many of them (in the Hope, for instance) it is utterly impossible to
form a conjecture, at the distance of only two or three miles, what part of
the land is intersected by the stream.

Although, however, this voyage was abandoned when it ought not to have
been, and consequently failed in its peculiar and important object, yet
some access to geographical knowledge was gained by it. The existence of
Baffin's Bay is confirmed, though its width and form are different from
those which were previously assigned it in the maps; and thus this
enterprising and deserving navigator has at length justice done to him.

Other branches of science were benefited and extended by this voyage,
however unsuccessful it proved in its grand and leading object; and some of
the accessions were of a very interesting nature. We allude principally to
the observations made on the swinging of the pendulum,--the variation and