The Possibility of Approaching the North Pole asserted ... A new edition. With an appendix, containing papers on the same subject and on a North West Passage, by Colonel Beaufoy, F.R.S. Illustrated with a map of the North Pole ... Second edition

Front matter

ON THE i POSSIBILITY OF APPROACHING THE NORTH POLE. CHARGES WOOD, Printer, Poppin's Court, Fleet Street, London. THE POSSIBILITY OF APPROACHING THE NORTH POLE ASSERTED. BY THE HON. D. BARRINGTON. A NEW EDITION. 0 WITH AN APPENDIX, CONTAINING PAPERS ON THE SAME SUBJECT, AND ON a Jlortl) imttt tJaesagr. BY COLONEL BEAUFOY, F.R.S. ILLUSTRATED WITH A MAP OF THE NORTH POLE, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST DISCOVER TF« SECOND EDITION. LONDON: PRINTED FOR T. AND J. ALLMAN PRINCES STREET, HANOVER SQUARE ; W. H. BEID, CHARING CROSS; AND BALDWIN, CRADOCK, AND JOY, TATERSOSTEIl ROW. 1818.

Preface

THE interesting nature of the subject to which the following Papers relate, would, at any time, justify their republi cation; but at the present moment they derive an additional value from the expedition which is now preparing to explore the Arctic Regions. Whether the extended boundaries of geographical science, aided by the local information which it is said has been communicated by those who are employed in the Greenland Fisheries, frill secure the success of this enterprise, it is impossible to anticipate ; but, as English- VI

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. men, we must naturally wish, that dis coveries, which were first attempted by the adventurous spirit and maritime skill of our countrymen, should be finally achieved by the same means. As early as the year 1527, idea °f a passage to the East Indies by the North Pole was suggested by a Bristol Merchant to Henry VIII ; but no voyage seems to have been undertaken for the purpose of navigating the Circumpolar Seas till the commencement of the following century, when, in 1607, an expedition was fitted out, at the expense of certain Merchants of London. To this attempt several others succeeded at different periods, and air of them were projected and carried into execution by private individuals. The adventurers did not indeed accom-

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. VII ■> jdish the object they exclusively sought, that of reaching India by a nearer route than doubling the Cape of Good Hope ; but though they failed in that respect, the fortitude, perseverance, and skill which they manifested, exhibited the most irrefragable proofs of the early existence of that superiority in naval affairs, which has progressively elevated this country to her present eminence among the nations of Europe. At length, after the lapse of above a century and a half, this interesting ques tion beraine an object of royal patronage, and the expedition which was commanded by Captain Phipps, afterwards Lord Mul grave, in 17733 was fitted out at the charge of Government. It will add to the value of the following pages when

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. it is known, that the author of them* was the first proposer of this memorable voyage ; and that, in consequence of his representations, as to the practicability of circumnavigating the Pole, the Royal Society made that application to Lord Sandwich, then at the head of the Ad miralty, which led to the appointment of the expedition for exploring those re gions. Though Captain Phipps found it im possible to penetrate the wall of ice, which extended for more than twenty degrees between the latitudes of 80° and 8l*, the opinions of Mr. Barrington, upon the possibility of proceeding farther, under different circumstances, remained un shaken. With indefatigable assiduity therefore he began to collect every fact

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. IX connected with the subject ; and as he accumulated his materials he read them to the Royal Society. This mass of written, traditionary, and conjectural evidence, he afterwards published, in the year 1775 ; and it cannot be denied that its republication at the present moment is at least appropriate, independently of the intrinsic value which must always attach to the researches of so acute and ardent an inquirer. The Publishers, however, are happy in being permitted to add to the value of these Tracts, by subjoining, as an Appen dix, some Papers upon the same subject by Colonel Beaufoy, F.R.S. The atten tion of that gentleman was turned to the practicability of reaching the North Pole, from Spitzbergen, during winter, by tra- X

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. veiling over the ice and snow in sledges drawn by rein deer. He therefore trans mitted various queries, to which he re ceived answers from Russians who had wintered in those remote islands. The information thus elicited is exceedingly curious, and much of it may be most advantageously employed by those who are about to brave the dangers and inclemen cies of that dreary climate. In order to render the present volume as complete as possible, an entirely new Map of the North Pole is prefixed, drawn from the best authorities, and with the Pole in the centre, so as to exhibit the utmost degree of latitude which has hitherto been approached. Under all these circumstances, it is hoped the Work will find a favourable reception. Its claims,

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. XI indeed, are of no dubious nature ; for it is the production of persons eminent for their scientific attainments. Subsequent discoveries can alone impair its value. Till the ardour of well-directed enterprize shall disclose what yet remains unexplored, the exposition of our actual knowledge, and the speculative deductions of en lightened theory, cannot be unacceptable to the lovers of geographical research. . March 1, 1818.

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TO THE POLAR TRACTS. BY THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRINGTON. THE following Tracts, relative to the pos sibility of near approaches to the Pole of our own hemisphere, as likewise of a com munication between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in any Northern direction, were first published in 1775 and 177^. I now think it right again to print them, because they contain many well attested facts with regard to reaching high Northern Latitudes, which are not

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TO THE to be found elsewhere, and have a tendency to promote geographical discoveries. I am very ready to admit, indeed, that the purposes of commerce can never be answered by the great uncertainty of a constant passage (even when such communication is discovered), in seas which are so frequently obstructed by the ice packing in vast fields. I find likewise, that since the Resolution and Endeavour returned from their last voyage, many conceive a North East or North West Passage to be impracticable, because our ships, in two successive years, were not able to penetrate beyond *j\°, by impedi ments of ice. Besides, however, that the ice packing in particular situations varies often in different years, both these at tempts were made in the month of Au gust, which I flatter myself to have proved, is the very season of the year when the ice, breaking up on the coast, is floating in every direction, and consequently often packs in masses of an immense extent.

These vast fields of ice, indeed, often are dispersed ; but who hath, or indeed should have, the fortitude of waiting for this accident, whilst he is already in a high Northern Latitude, and the winter is-* fast approaching? If the ice, however, should thus pack in April or May (which I conceive it would not, as little must be left to float from the preceding summer), yet as the warm weather is then increas ing from day to day, the navigator would wait with some degree of patience till his ship may be released from this temporary obstruction. The situation of the dis coverer, under these circumstances, may be compared to a traveller passing over a large tract of sea sand, when the tide is flowing or ebbing. In the first instance

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TO THE XVI he spurs his horse, because the sea may be expected at his heels ; in the latter he proceeds with great composure, as every instant he loses in point of time the sea is farther remoAed. Others again have despaired of a North West Passage, from Captain Pick ersgill not having succeeded in his at tempt for this purpose during the year 1776*. This voyage was intended for two pur poses (at least as I have been informed ;) the first to protect some of our whale fishers on the coast of West Greenland from the Americans then in rebellion ; and the second (if the time after this service permitted) to join Captain Cook, should he have been so fortunate as to have ac complished his passage from the Pacific * In tbe Lion armed brig. Ocean, when he would probably have re turned to England by Davis's Straits This plan seems to have been very Avell laid, but that persevering navigator was delayed at the Cape by Captain Clark's ship not arriving till a considerable time after his own reaching that place of ren dezvous, and in the farther progress of his voyage by adverse winds, which drove him to the Friendly Islands instead of Otaheite, so that he did not make his attempt of a passage till 1777- Captain Pickersgill did not leave Scilly till the 10th of June 1766, and conse quently, whatever obstructions he met with from floating or packing ice, might be reasonably expected when he reached the coast of West Greenland. It appears, however, by what I shall copy from the conclusion of his Journal on the 31st of August, that he did not find these to be h

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TO THE considerable, and that after the trial his hopes of a passage were very sanguine. " I shall conclude with a few observa tions on this part of the world (sc. Green land) and so terribly represented by peo ple, who, in order to raise their own merit, make dangers and difficulties of common occurrences, merely because the places are unknown, and there is little or no probability of their being ever contra dicted. I do not mean this as a personal reflection ; but having discoursed with many of the masters of Greenland vessels as well as their employers, and heard such dreadful stories of those countries, I can not help remarking it as tending to mis lead those, who, from a laudable principle, would be benefactors to their country, but are deterred from it by these misrepre sentations. I shall communicate observations on the ice, the atmosphere, the land of Forbisher, and the probability of a North West Passage, in a short time*."

This, however, hath unfortunately been prevented by Captain Pickersgill's death ; but the Astronomer Royal, who communicated Captain Pickersgill's Jour nal to the Royal Society, hath informed me by letter, " That he had often heard this navigator express himself as well as sured of a North West Passage ; adding, that he received accounts of it from the inhabitants on the side of Davis's Straits, and that it was directly North West, very different from Baffin's track. '* Captain Pickersgill likewise thought, that the best method to find the passage was to get out early, before the ice broke away in the upper ptart of Davis's Straits.'" * Phil. Trans. for 177$, part ii, p. 10C3. XX

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TO THE It thus appears, that the last attempts of a North West Passage ended with the officer's employed thereon being thoroughly persuaded, that it was not only practicable, but highly probable. As the late geographical discoveries have given such general satisfaction, I have little doubt but that they will be farther prosecuted when a peace takes place, and shall therefore here venture to throw out my poor thoughts with regard to the yet remaining desiderata for the more perfect knowledge of the planet which we inhabit. When we are informed by proper trials, that the attempt in any particular direction cannot succeed, we shall then be as much at rest as with regard to Lunar oceans or continents, if such there be. I have mentioned in the following Tracts, that the parliamentary rewards given for approaching within one degree of the North Pole are not likely to pro duce the effects intended, because the Greenland whale ships are all ensured ; if they were therefore to go beyond the common fishing latitudes, it would be such a departure from the voyage ensured, that they would not be able to recover, if accidents happened in such a deviation.

I am informed, however, that there are some vessels employed in time of peace by government, to prevent smuggling on the Northern Coast of Scotland. These ships might be instructed, when a promising wind blows from the Southward, to pro ceed as far North as the ice will permit. The crew of such a ship would be en couraged by expectations of the parlia mentary reward ; and though one attempt might fail, another might succeed. The expense to the public would be trifling,

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TO THE whilst the smugglers would not know how soon the ship might return to its station. Our Commodore upon the Newfound land station might also send a vessel, at a small expense, to explore all the Northern part of Hudson's Bay, with which we are so imperfectly acquainted at present. Such attempts during peace might take place almost every summer ; and I should suppose that this scientific and opulent nation would never hesitate (whilst there is the least dawning of hopes) to send proper vessels occasionally to make farther trials both of a North West Passage by Baffin's Bay, and a North East beyond Nova Zembla. The coast of Corea, the Northern part of Japan, and the Lequieux Islands, should also be explored ; the cheapest and perhaps best method of doing this would be to employ a vessel in the India Company's service, which might be victualled at Canton.

Thus much with regard to discoveries, or better knowledge of the more unfre quented parts of the Northern Hemi sphere. The desiderata in that of the South seem to be the following : — To make the complete circumnaviga tion of New Holland, so as at least to be better acquainted with some parts of the coast of this immense island ; a vessel for this purpose might be victualled at the Cape of Good Hope, or Canton : nor is the voyage a distant one, when compared with those of Captain Cook. New Guinea also should be better explored. We scarcely know more of the islands of Tristan da Cunha than their Longitude and Latitude ; but their interior parts should be examined. Not vastly distant is Sandwich Land, which many on board

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TO THE POLAR TRACTS. Captain Cook supposed to be a vast con tinent. It may be objected, indeed, that if it is so, it will turn out to be a continent of ice and snow; I am not here, however, recommending discoveries for the purpose of commerce, but for the im provement of geography. I should conceive, that a voyage either from the Cape or Brasil would easily give opportunity of effectuating both these purposes. Perhaps, whilst discoveries by sea are thus dwelt upon, encouragement should be given to travellers by land, for pro curing better information with regard to the central parts of Asia, Africa, and America. In short, let us endeavour to know as much as we may of our globe ; nor should this be considered as a vain and trifling curiosity, though no benefits to commerce may result from these inquiries.

INSTANCES OF NAVIGATORS WHO HAVE REACHED HIGH NORTHERN LATITUDES. Read at a Meeting of the Royal Society, MAY 19, 1774. AS I was the unworthy proposer of the Voyage towards the North Pole, which the Council of the Royal Society recommended to the Board of Admiralty, I think it my duty to lay before the Society such intelligence as I have happened to procure with regard to navigators having reached high Northern Latitudes * ; because * It is well known, that there are many such accounts in print, but to these I need not refer the Society. B some of these accounts seem to promise, that we may proceed farther towards the Pole than the very able Officers, who were sent on this destination last year, were permitted to pene trate, notwithstanding their repeated efforts to pass beyond 80^°. I shall begin, however, by making an ob servation or two with regard to the Greenland Fishery, which will in a great measure account for our not being able to procure many in stances of nearer approaches to the Pole than the Northern parts of Spitzbergen.

Fifty years ago, such apprehensions were entertained of navigating even in the loose, or what is called sailing ice, that the crews com monly continued on shore *, from whence they only pursued the whales in boats. The demand, however, for oil increasing, whilst the number of fish rather decreased, they were obliged to proceed to sea in quest of them, * There were houses still standing on Spitzbergen, where the Dutch used to boil their train oil.— Marten's Voyage, p: 24. See also Callander, vol. iii, p. 723." and now by experience and adroitness seldom suffer from the obstructions of ice*. The masters of ships, who are employed in this trade, have no other object but the catching whales, which, as long as they can procure is more Southern Latitudes, they certainly will not go in search of at a greater distance from the port to which they are to return : they, therefore, seldom proceed much beyond 80° North Latitude, unless driven by a strong Southerly Wind or other accident.

Whenever this happens, also, it is only by very diligent inquiries that any information can be procured ; for the masters, not being com monly men of science, or troubling their heads about the improvement of geographical know ledge, never mention these circumstances on their return, because they conceive that no one is more interested about these matters than they are themselves. Many of the Greenland Mas ters are likewise directed to return after the * These particulars I received from Captain Robinson, whom I shall hare hereafter occasion to mention. B early fishery is over, provided they have tolerable success ; so that they have no opportunity of making discoveries to the North ward. To these reasons it may be added, that no ships were perhaps ever sent before last summer with express instructions to reach the Pole, if possible, as most other attempts have been to discover a North East or North West Passage, which were soon defeated by falling in with land, or other accident.

Having thus endeavoured to show that the instances of ships reaching high Northern Lati tudes must necessarily be rare, I shall now pro ceed to lay before the Society such as I have been able to hear of since the voyage towards the North Pole was undertaken during last summer. When this was determined upon, and men tioned in the Newspapers, it became matter of conversation amongst the crews of the guard ships ; and Andrew Leekie, an intelligent sea man on board the Albion (then stationed at Plymouth), informed some of the officers that he had been as far North as &4%°. When he was asked farther on this head, he said, that he was on board the Reading, Cap tain Thomas Robinson, in 1766, and that, whilst he was shaving the Captain, Mr. Robin son told him, that he had probably never been so far to the Northward before, as they had now reached the above-mentioned degree of latitude.

Having happened to hear this account of Leekie's, on my return to London this winter, I found out Captain Robinson, who remembered his having had this conversation with Leekie ; but said, that he was mistaken in supposing that they had reached 84^° North Latitude, as they were only in 82|°. Captain Robinson then explained himself, that he had at this time computed his latitude by the run back to Hakluyt's Headland in twenty-four hours ; from which, and other circumstances mentioned in my presence before two sea officers, they told me afterwards, that they had little or no doubt of the accuracy of his reckoning. Mr. Robinson likewise re members that the sea was then open, so that he hath no doubt of being able to reach 83°, but how much farther he will not pretend to say. This same Captain, in the ship St. George, was, on the 15th of June, 1773> i° North Lati tude 81° \6', by a very accurate observation with an approved Hadley's quadrant, in which he also made the proper allowance for the refraction in high Northern Latitudes ; at which time seeing some whales spouting to the North ward he pursued them for five hours, so that he must have reached 81^, when the sea was open to the Westward alid East North East as far as he could distinguish from the mast-head.

His longitude was then 8° East from the meridian of London. Captain Robinson is a very intelligent sea man, and hath navigated the Greenland Seas these twenty years, except during the interval that he was employed by the Hudson's Bay Company*. I could add some other, perhaps interesting, particulars, which I have received from Captain Robinson, with regard to Spitzbergen and the Polar Seas ; I will only mention, however, that he thinks he could spend a winter, not uncom fortably in the most Northern parts we are ac quainted with -J-, as there are three or four small settlements of Russians in this country, for the sake of the skins of quadrupeds, which * He lived daring this winter in Queen Street, near Greenland Dock, Rotherhii he : he hath sailed, probably, by this time on the Greenland Fishery.

With regard to his having been in North Latitude 81° 3C, in June, 1773, he can prove it by his Journal, if that evidence should be required. f See the Narrative of eight sailors, who wintered in Greenland A. D. 1630, and who all returned in health to England the ensuing summer. — Churchill's Voyage, vol. iv, p. 811. They did not see the sun from the 14th of October till the 3d of February. By the last day of January, however, they had day-light of eight hours. They wintered in North Latitude 77— 4°.— Ibid. are then more valuable than if the animal is taken in summer. The next instance I shall mention of a navigator, who hath proceeded far Northward, is that of Captain Cheyne, who gave answers to certain queries drawn up by Mr. Dalrymple, F.R.S. in relation to the Polar Seas, and which Avere communicated last year to the Society.

Captain Cheyne states, in this paper, that he hath been as far as North Latitude 82°; but does not specify whether by observation or his reckoning, though from many other answers to the interrogatories proposed, it should seem that he speaks of the latitude by observation. Unfortunately Captain Cheyne is at present on the Coast of Africa, so that farther information on this head cannot be now pro cured from him. Whilst the ships destined for the North Pole were preparing, a most ingenious and able Sea officer, Lieutenant John Cartwright, told me, that twelve years ago he had been informed of a very remarkable voyage made by Captain Mac-Callam as far nearly as 84° North Latitude. This account Mr. Cartvvright had received from a brother officer, Mr. James Watt, now a Master and Commander in the Royal Navy, who was on board Captain Mac-Callam's ship.

I thought it my duty to acquaint the Ad miralty with this intelligence, who w7ould have sent for Mr. Watt, but he was then employed on the coast of America. On his return from thence, within the last month, Mr. Cartvvright introduced a conversation with regard to Captain Mac-Callam's voyage, when Mr. Watt repeated all the cir cumstances which he had mentioned to him twelve years ago; after which Mr. Cartvvright, thinking that I should be glad to hear the particulars from Mr. Watt himself, was so good as to bring him to my chamber-s, when I received from him the following imformation. In the year 1751 Mr. Watt, then not quite V seventeen years of age, went on board the Campbeltown of Campbeltown, Captain Mac- Callam, which ship was at that time employed in the Greenland Fishery. It seems, that, during the time the whales are supposed to copulate, the crews ef the Greenland vessels commonly amuse themselves on shore.

Captain Mac-Callam, however (who was a very able and scientific seaman), thought that a voyage to the North Pole would be more interesting ; and that, the season being a fine one, he had a chance of penetrating far to the Northward, as well as returning before the later fishery took place. He accordingly proceeded without the least obstruction to 83^°, when the sea was not only open to the Northward, but they had not seen a speck of ice for the last three degrees, and the weather at the same time was temperate ; in, short, Mr. Watt hath never experienced a more pleasant navigation. It need be scarcely observed, that the latitude of 83^° was determined by observation, as the great object of the voyage was to reach the Pole ; the Captain therefore, the Mate, and young Mr. Watt, determined the latitude from time to time, both by Davis and Hadley's quadrants : to this I may add, that their de parture and return were from and to Hakluyt's Headland.

When they were advancing into these high Northern Latitudes, the Mate complained that the compass was not steady, on which Captain Mac-Callam desisted from his attempt, though with reluctance ; knowing that if any accident happened, he should be blamed by his owners, who would be reminded certainly by the Mate of the protests he had made against the ship's proceeding farther Northward. Several of the crew, however, were for prosecuting their discoveries, and Mr. Watt particularly remembers the chagrin which was expressed by a very intelligent seaman, whose name was John Kelly; Captain Mac-Callam, also, after his return from that voyage, hath frequently said, in the presence of Mr. Watt and others, that, if the Mate had not been faint hearted, the ship possibly might have reached the Pole. Both Captain Mac-Callam and the Mate are now dead, and it is rather doubtful whether the Ship's Journal can be procured.

It remains therefore to be considered what may be objected to the credibility of this very interesting account. I have stated, that Mr. Watt was not, at the time this voyage took place, quite seventeen years of age ; but I have also stated, that he observed himself (as well as the Master and Mate) from time to time. Is it therefore more extraordinary he should remember with accuracy, that, two and twenty years ago, he had been in North Latitude 83§°, than that, at the same distance of time, he might recollect that he had been at a friend's house, which was situate eighty-three miles and a half from London ? Or rather indeed is not his memory, with regard to this high latitude, much more to be depended upon, as the circumstance is so much more interesting, especially as Mr. Watt was even then of a scientific turn ?

To this I may add, that it being his first voyage, and so remarkable a one, Mr. Watt now declares that he remembers more particulars relative to it, than perhaps in any other since that time : other sea officers have likewise told me, that the circumstances of their first voyages are most fresh in their memory, the reason for which is too obvious to be dwelt upon. If Mr. Watt's recollection however is dis trusted, this objection extends equally to Cap tain Mac-Callam's frequent declarations, that, if the apprehensions of the Mate had not prevented, he might possibly have reached the North Pole : and how could he have con ceived this, unless he had imagined himself to have been in a very high Northern Latitude ? But it may be possibly said, that this voyage took place above twenty years since, and that therefore, at such a distance of time, no one's memory can be relied upon.

It is true indeed, that Mac-Callam made this, attempt in 1751 ; but Mr. Watt continued his services the following year in a Greenland Ship, and therefore, traversing nearly the same seas, must have renewed the recollection of what he had experienced in the preceding voyage, though he did not then proceed farther than North Latitude 80°. This however brings it only to 1752; but I have already stated, that within these twelve years he mentioned all the particulars above related to his brother officer, Lieutenaut Cart wright. Mr. Watt also frequently conversed with Captain Mac-Callam about this voyage after both of them had quitted the Greenland Ships ; Mr. Watt rising regularly to be a Master and Commander in His Majesty's service, and Cap tain Mac-Callam becoming Purser of the Tweed Man of War.

It so happened, that in the year of the expedition against Bellisle, Mr. Watt, Captain Mac-Callam, and Mr. Walker (commonly called Commodore Walker, from his having comtnanded the Royal Family privateers in the late war), met together at Portsmouth, when they talked over the circumstances of this Green land voyage, which Mr. Walker was interested in, by having been the principal owner of the Campbeltown. Mr. Watt and Captain Mac-Callam met also eleven years ago in London, when they as usual conversed about the having reached so high a Northern Latitude. I now come to my last proof, which I received from the late Dr. Campbell, the able contiuuator and reviser of Harris's Collection of Voyages. In that very valuable compilation, Commo dore Roggewein's circumnavigation makes a most material addition, some of the most interesting particulars of which were communicated by Dr. Dallie, who was a native of Holland*, and lived in Racquet Court, Fleet Street, about the year 1745, where he practised physic. * He was a grandson of Dallie, who was author of a book, much esteemed by the Divines, entitled " De Um Patrum."