rticulars. The west coast
of Greenland has not been explored beyond 72 deg. latitude. Little or
nothing, that can be relied on, is known concerning the sea of Davis
or Baffin's Bay; the latter, indeed, being generally considered as
imaginary, and having no other evidence for its existence, than the
assertions, of a man conceived unworthy of credit. The whole distance
from the coast of that bay, as commonly laid down, to the point where
Hearne saw the sea, viz. in 69 deg. latitude, being about sixty degrees
of longitude, is totally unknown. The same thing is to be said of
both the space betwixt the last mentioned spot, and that at which
Mackenzie's river is conceived to enter, which is denominated the
Arctic Sea, amounting to upwards of twenty degrees more, and also
of about an equal space betwixt this last position and Icy Cape, the
highest point at which Captain Cook arrived in this voyage. If any
passage do exist, it is certain, that it must be beyond 69 deg. latitude,
as high as which, it has been indubitably proved by the labours of
Cook, Mackenzie, and Hearne, that the continent of America is unbroken
by any navigable passage from sea to sea. Above that latitude, it
is not only possible, but also even probable, that the Arctic Sea,
supposing it to be the same which Mackenzie and Hearne saw, and that
it is equally low down, or nearly so, throughout the other spaces
alluded to, may, in some peculiarly mild seasons, admit the passage
of canoes, if not of larger vessels. The circumstance of a much higher
latitude having been actually navigated in the Atlantic Ocean, might
seem to warrant such an opinion, and would, of course, justify some
renewed attempts in such an enterprise, were it not, that it has been
proved by the present voyage, that the ice extends lower down in the
Pacific Ocean, and that there is no small reason to believe, that
Greenland forms an integral part of the American continent. Still,
however, in every view of the subject, there does appear encouragement
to make some experiments of the nature of Hearne's and Mackenzie's,
particularly towards the east of the track explored by the former; and
it is even extremely probable, that some marine co-operation in the
direction of both Hudson's Bay and Davis' Strait, would facilitate and
secure some discovery of more utility, than a mere improvement of our
maps. But it is improper to disburden imagination on such a subject in
this place.--E.]

I shall now qu