Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Pages ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
540 PHIPP’S JOURNAL.
whence he failed, he found the ice to lie clofe to the land about the latitude of 80°,
and that it was impoffible to pafs that way ; and the ftrong tides making it dangerous to
deal with the ice, he determined to ftand along it to the Southward, totry if he could
find the fea more open that way, and fo get to the Weftward, and proceed on his voy-
age. He found the ice to lieneareft S. W. andS. W. by S., and ran along it about an
hundred and twenty leagues. He had no ground near the ice at 160, 180, or 200
fathoms: perceiving theice ftillto trend to the fouthward, he determined to return to
Spitibergen for the fifhery, where he loft his fhip.
In the year 1614, another voyage was undertaken, in which Baffin and Fotherby
were employed. With much difficulty, and after repeated attempts in vain with thefhip,
they got with their boats to the firm ice, which joined to Red-Beach ; they walked over
the ice to that place, in hopes of finding whale-fins, &c., in which they were difap-
pointed. Fotherby adds, in his account: “ thus, as we could not find what we de-
fired to fee, fo did we behold that which we wifhed had not been there to be feen;
which was great abundance of ice, that lay clofe to the fhore, and alfo off at fea as far
as we could difcern.” On the eleventh of Auguft they failed from Fair-Haven, to try
if the ice would let them pafs to the Northward, or North-eaft-ward; they fteered
from Cape Barren, or Vogel Sang, N. E. by E. eight leagues, where they met with
the ice, wnich lay E. by S. and W. by N. The fifteenth of Auguft they faw ice
frozen in the fea of above the thicknefs of an half-crown.
Fotherby was again fitted out the next year in a pinnace of twenty tons, called the
Richard, with ten men. In this voyage he was prevented by the ice from getting far-
ther than in his laft. He refers to a chart, in which he had traced the fhip’s courfe on
every traverfe, to fhew how far the ftate of that fea was difcovered between 80° and
71° of latitude, and for 26° of longitude from Hackluit’s headland. He concludes the
account of his voyage in the following manner :
‘* Now, if any demand my opinion concerning hope of a paflage to be found in thofe
feas, I anfwer ; that it is true, that I both hoped and much defired to have paffed fur-
ther than I did, but. was hindered with ice; wherein although I have not attained my
defire, yet forasmuch as it appears not yet to the contrary, but that there is a fpacious
fea betwixt Groinland and King James his new land [Spitfbergen] although much
peftered with ice ; I will not feem to difwade this worfhipful company from the yearly
adventuring of 150 or 2co pounds at the moft, till fome further difcovery be made of
the faid feas and lands adjacent.” It appears that the Ruflia company, either fatisfied
with his endeavours and defpairing of further fuccefs, or tired of the expence of the
undertaking, never employed any more fhips on thisdifcovery. |
All thefe voyages having been fitted out by private adventurers, for the double pur-
pofe of difcovery and prefent advantage ; it was natural to fuppofe, that the attention of
the navigators had been diverted from purfuing the more remote and lefs profitable ob-
ject of the two, with all the attention that could have been wifhed. 1am happy, how-
ever, in an opportunity of doing juftice to the memory of thefe men; which, without
having traced their fteps, and experienced their difficulties, it would have been impof-
fible to have done. They appear to have encountered dangers, which at that period muft
have been particularly alarming from their novelty, with the greateft fortitude and per-
feverance; as well as to have fhewn a degree of diligence and {kill, not only in the or-
dinary and praétical, but more fcientific parts of their profefion, which might have done
honour to modern feamen, with all their advantages of later improvements. This,
when compared with the accounts given of the ftate of navigation, even within thefe
forty years, by, the moft eminent foreign authors, affords the moft flattering A: fatis-
2, actory
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
