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Leopold's isles. But at this point their progress westwards was interrupted by a strong barrier of ice, extending quite across from these islands to the north coast of what Captain Parry, we understand, named Barrow Straits. Being thus arrested by the ice, and forced to alter their course, they now entered a great inlet, of 14 or 15 leagues in breadth, which they found extending to the southward. They sailed along its eastern coast-its middle part and western coast being blocked up with ice, as far as lat. 71 deg. north, when their farther progress southward also was found to be impossible, by reason of the ice. In proceeding down this inlet, the magnetic attraction increased so powerfully, that the existence of the magnetic pole may be conjectured to be somewhere in that neighbourhood; probably in the lat. 70 deg. N., and long. of 100 deg. W.

On their return to Barrow's Straits, it was found that the barrier of ice, extending across from Prince Leopold's Isles to the North coast, had broken up, so that the ships were now enabled to pursue their course westwards. Having reached long. 92 deg. they found the land on the north side of the Strait, which had been continuous, from the entrance of Sir James Lancaster's Sound, now discontinuous, owing to a great inlet. Land, however, was still seen to the westward: so the expedition continued its course in that direction. In doing so, the ships passed a number of great islands, all of them apparently surrounded with ice; from which circumstance, partial detentions were unavoidable, and their course ran in a sort of zigzag style, from lat. 73 deg. N. to lat. 75 deg. N.

On the 4th of September they were in long. 110 deg. West; and here they discovered an island which appeared to be larger than any they had hitherto examined, and which we understand was named Melville Island, in honour of the distinguished statesman now at the head of the Admiralty. This island, we are informed, extends from long. 106 deg. W., to 114 deg. W. On the 8th of September, the ships reached 112 deg. W., and were inclosed for several days in the ice. Winter was now fast approaching; the ice was rapidly increasing, and violent north-westerly gales kept it in a constant and dangerous state of agitation.

*These circumstances, of course, rendered the navigation very difficult, and began to endanger the safety of the ships. Our gallant countrymen, however, continued to contend with all these difficulties till the 22d of September, when it became evident that farther navigation was at an end for the season; and, therefore, prudence dictated their retreat to a secure haven for the polar winter. For this purpose, they returned eastward, and found a harbour in Melville Island. But the ice had already formed from eight to ten inches thick, and therefore, the crews were forced to cut a passage for three miles through the ice. The 26th of September, in short, had arrived before they were fixed in their winter quarters in five fathoms water, and within about 200 yards from the shore. The lat. of this harbour (if we recollect rightly, named Winter Harbour,) is 74 deg. N., and 111 deg. W. Hitherto, they

had never lost sight of a continuous barrier of ice to the southward, that is, from west long. 90 deg. to the extreme of Melville Island.

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Every thing was soon made snug for the formidable winter of these regions. The officers and crews formed various plans for passing the dreary days, or rather nights, of the polar regions. Plays were performed by the officers for their own amusement and that of the crews; and we are told, that a melo-drama was written, having for its object the probable success of the expedition, and their ultimate return to their friends through Behring's Straits, after having planted the British flag in countries which had eluded the bold and fearless darings of a Davis and a Baffin.

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The sun disappeared entirely on 11th of November. The thermometer was below Zero of Fahrenheit's scale, when the expedition entered Winter Harbour. In the month of November, the spirit of wine thermometer was 50 deg. below Zero, and in February, the coldest month of these regions, the spirit of wine pointed to the tremendous cold of 54 deg. and 55 deg. below Zero. During these intense colds, our adventurous countrymen felt but little inconvenience so long as they remained under the housing of their ships. A slight covering for the ears, and a shawl around the neck, were considered as sufficient protection against the most intense degree of cold; but when the atmosphere was agitated by gales of wind, then the cold became truly dreadful and insupportable, and every one was forced to seek shelter below. Nevertheless, scarcely any accident occurred from exposure to cold; while the constant and regular exercise, which formed a necessary part of the duty of the crews, kept every one lively, and active, and free from disease. One death only took place during the expedition, and that was in the case of an individual who had contracted the disease of which he died before he left England. This poor fellow reposes in a solitary grave, amidst the trackless wilds of Melville Island. A little mound was erected to his memory, in a region which had never before been seen by any civilized beings, nay, the soil of which has, to all appearance, been but rarely visited by a few casual wanderers, from the most forlorn and isolated tribes of the human race.

When the sun had its greatest southern declination, a twilight was perceptible at noon in the southern horizon, affording sufficient light to read a book with difficulty. The day was like the fine clear evening of winter in our climate. The stars shone with great brilliancy, and when the moon appeared in the firmament, she shone with a beauty and splendor unknown in the more southern and temperate regions of the globe. The northern lights appeared frequently, generally of a yellow colour, sometimes green, but rarely red, and most commonly towards the south-west. It was remarked, that this brilliancy was seldom so great as in our country; no noise was ever heard to proceed from them, and the magnetic needle did not appear to be affected by their pre sence. The sun re-appeared on the 3d of February, after an absence of eighty-three days, and those only who have suffered the privation of its “glorious light" can feel and tell the rapture with which the 4 N

VOL. I.

crews hailed the first glimpse from the mast-head. They had calcu lated the exact period of its return, and were anxiously looking for it from the main-top.

In April, some partial symptoms of thaw appeared. By the end of May, pools and streams of water made their appearance, and shortly after regular thaw commenced. Nearly about this time, Cap tain Parry, with a party of his officers and men, crossed Melville Island, and reached the sea on the opposite side, in latitude 75 deg. North, where they discovered another Island. They were fourteen days absent, and we have heard, made many curious observations on the forms of the hills and mountains of this Island, collecting withal, very extensively, specimens of all its vegetable, animal, and mineral productions. The remains of an enor mous whale were found far inland, and a few huts intimating the pre sence of man were discovered by some of the party. Vegetation had now become active; and sorrel was found in such quantity, ase to remove all those symptoms of scurvy which had begun to make their appearance among the crew. The ice in Winter Harbour was also beginning to dissolve rapidly, and by the end of July it had entirely disappeared. Yet the ships were still quite blocked up by the exterior ice. It was not till the 30th that the outside ice began to crack; -on the 31st of July it moved off very gently, and released the crews from their winter prison, where they had been shut up for 310 days.

On the 6th of August they reached the western extremity of Mel ville Island, situated, in Long. 114 deg. W. where the ice was found to be very thick. From this island new land was observed to the south-west, estimated to be 20 leagues distant; so that they may be said to have seen land as far west as Long. 118 deg. Many attempts were made to reach this interesting Terra incognita, but in vaincand the commander and his admirable crew were, with feelings of the deepest regret, forced to return, owning to the vast barriers of icellima

Having failed in this attempt to reach the south-western landy oánd the winter again approaching, the vessels now sailed directly eastwards, through the Polar Sea, and Barrow's Straits, into Sir James Lancaster's Sound, thence into Baffin's Bay, and by the usual track homewards.co1 In their progress among the islands, the officers shot a few rein-deer, ptarmigan, partridge, and hares; and the howls of the wolf were heard frequently in Melville island. Several musk oxen were killed; and, we are informed, the crews considered it, after being properly mas cerated to get rid of the musky flavour, as preferable eating to that of the rein-deer. One of the sailors, who had ventured beyond his companions in search of rein-deer, returned to the ship with all his fingers frost-bitten, from carrying his musket too long. When the fingers were plunged into cold water, ice was formed on its surface, and this continued to be the case for half an hour afterwards, as often as the fingers were plunged into it. The sailor lost five of his fingers.

From Lancaster Sound to Melville Island, the compass, we understand, was found to be totally useless, a circumstance which left to the commanders no other guides than the heavenly bodies and the s

direction of the land; thus at once presenting the striking spectacle of modern navigators tracking the ocean without the compass, as was done by the mariners of old. We cannot, indeed, conceive a more striking scene than that of our discovery ships forcing their solitary course through unknown regions, surrounded with rugged, dreary, and desolate wastes, in the midst of the most appalling dangers, and deprived of the use of the compass.

HERBERT KNOWLES.

In the Number of this Miscellany for June, we published a Poem equally remarkable for the force and simplicity of its style, and the fervour of its piety, written by Herbert Knowles, a youth of humble fortune, but of rare abilities. By the kindness of a supporter of "The Plain Englishman" we are enabled to communicate to the world some interesting, though imperfect particulars of the life of this extraordinary and lamented young man, with some further specimens of his compositions. These, though inferior in poetical merit to the "Lines written in the Church-yard of Richmond, Yorkshire," are' productions which are highly creditable to the talents and acquirements of a boy of only 14 years of age;-and they are distinctly marked by the same Christian confidence and submission, the same presiding thoughts of a happier state of existence, which constituted the great charm of that Poem which has been already published.

Herbert Knowles, at the period when his talents became known to persons capable of appreciating them and directing them to the advantage of mankind, was a gun-driver in the Royal Artillery. He was quartered with his detachment at Canterbury; where, in the year 1813, being then about 15 years of age, he attracted the attention of a learned and pious clergyman, the Rev. Welbore John Doyle, Chaplain to the Artillery Troops. Although the situation which he filled was amongst the lowest in the regiment, his merits became known to his superiors; --and the Reverend Gentleman above-mentioned encouraged him to persevere in the cultivation of his mind, and warmly interested himself in his fortune, with the view of procuring for him such an education as might enable him to dedicate his talents and his piety to the service of the Church of England. These liberal and friendly exertions were crowned with success;-the obscure boy acquired powerful friends;→→ and arrangements were made for sending him to the University, when he died. There is something particularly affecting in this circumstance, in its most simple statement;-but it is rendered doubly impressive when we contemplate this poor boy's warm-hearted gratitude to his benefactor, his ardent love of learning, his fear that he might never be able to realize the bright anticipations which he had formed, and his deep confidence in the protecting inercy of his Almighty Father. These feelings are very powerfully developed in the following Letter to the Rev. Mr. Doyle, written by him on the 19th November, 1813. We gladly avail ourselves of the permission to publish it, in the conviction that it not only records "the short and simple annals" of the

life of Herbert Knowles with great sincerity, but presents a portrait of his mind, which displays the brightest example of the value of early piety, by showing how beautiful is the alliance between the most powerful talents, and the most exalted faith :

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"HON. SIR,-With what contending emotions my mind was agitated, on leaving your apartments yesterday evening, you can better conceive than I can possibly describe. A kind of fluttering delight, a sensation till then unknown, pervaded every faculty; and it was not until I retired to rest that I could collect sufficient composure to ruminate on the varied occurrences of the day. When reason came to my aid, and reflection pointed out the numerous obstacles that opposed my receiving a better education at College, my spirits (only raised by the impulse of the moment) were damped by the apparent impossibility. But if, in explaining these difficulties, I should necessarily introduce some particulars of my past life (a life hitherto clouded by sorrow and misfortune), pardon the deviatio My father, though at one time one of the most opulent and respectable merchants in London, was so reduced by the chances and vicissitudes always incident to commercial life, that at the time of his death, which was very sudden, he was found incapable of providing for his family; and with his dying breath he recommended us to the care of our relations. I had then three brothers and a sister, one of which has since been called from this transitory state, I trust to a happier and a better world. Our relations considering that, as our fortune would be inconsiderable, it would be better to bring us up to some trade, confined our education accordingly-so that all my humble attainments were entirely unknown to them, and have been the produce of my own exertions. At the age of fourteen I was taken from school, and placed with my uncle in London, and was there nearly two years, in a situation totally unsuited to my talents, inclination, and disposition, when a quarrel unfortunately breaking out, I retired from a scene where I was only considered as an incumbrance, and travelled, not knowing where I was going, over Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, and Berkshire, till at last, by an accident, singular and unaccountable indeed, I was brought to Canterbury, determined, in the situation I am now in, to live unknown in piety and peace. Here, by an accident equally singular, I have been discovered by my friends, and labour still under their displeasure. But here let me pause for a moment. Consider, honoured Sir, under what peculiar circumstances I am placed. All that my most sanguine hopes can promise, even if I were reconciled to them, would be to be replaced in my former situation. How then can it be possible that they will be at the immense expense of sending an orphan like me, with no other claim to their protection than relationship, to College? These, Sir, are the difficulties which appear to me insurmountable. The ardent desire of learning, implanted by nature in my breast, makes me regret those unhappy circumstances which forbid me the pursuit of it. How gladly would I employ those hours dedicated to sleep in the acquirement of it! Had the Great Disposer of events thought proper to bless me with all the splendor of fashionable life, how gladly would I resign it for intellectual improvement. But he doeth according to

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