Greenland, the Adjacent Seas, and the North-west Passage to the Pacific Ocean: Illustrated in a Voyage to Davis's Strait, During the Summer of 1817 : with Charts and Numerous Plates, from Drawings of the Author Taken on the Spot

Front Cover
Baldwin, Craddock and Joy, 1818 - Arctic regions - 293 pages
 

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

Popular passages

Page 11 - Greek writers,' turns out to be neither more nor less than the ' famed Ultima Thule of the ancients' ! ' and as whole valleys of dreadful soundings, and peaks of tremendous and destructive contact, buried in the ocean water, forbid an exact inquiry regarding its actual position.' (p. 12.) But if Mr. O'Reilly has perplexed us a little with this multinominal country, in return, he has set us at ease with regard to Spitzbergen, which we had supposed to be a cluster of islands, but which he has ascertained,...
Page 43 - ... famous missionary Egede. Some thousands of the natives formerly dwelt in this vicinity ; but in 1733 the ravages of the smallpox thinned their numbers, and their population has been on the decline ever since. Passing the colonies of Sukkertoppen and Holsteinburg, we come to Disko Island.
Page 152 - I master of the ship .... make oath, that it is really and truly my firm purpose, and determined resolution, that the said ship shall, as soon as license shall be granted, forthwith proceed so manned, furnished, and accoutred, on a voyage to the Greenland seas, or Davis's...
Page 236 - ... that there is a spacious sea betwixt Groinland and Spitzbergen, although much pestered with ice;' and, with perseverance, he believed a passage might be attained. In the year 1773, the Royal Society made application, through the Earl of Sandwich, to his Majesty King George the Third, for an expedition to try how far navigation was practicable towards the North Pole, and which his Majesty was pleased to direct should be undertaken. Captain CJ Phipps, afterwards Earl of Mulgrave, had the honour...
Page 15 - Succanuk — the Sun. Succanunga — Greenland. Grian — Apollo, or the Sun. Grianland — Land of the Sun. ' The Land of the Sun, or Sunny-land, as familiarly may be said, corresponds with the simple appellation which the natives give their country. The adventurers who came in aftertimes to seek the same shores, not probably understanding the meaning of the term, yet spelling the word as they could from hearing it often repeated, were inclined to write Grianland in their mode Greenland, which sounds...
Page 203 - In this ellipsis the iridescent colours were not distinguishable. The inner edge was pearly white, with the faintest tinge of blue; the middle, yellowish, deepening into brown and purple ; the outer edge a blackish blue ; beyond that, a brighter line ; outside of which again lay the cirrostratus mist in its peculiar brown.
Page 212 - ... thank Heaven, I know, I feel — I feel my innocence, my friend ; and I would not part with that feeling for the world ; for as long as I know I have never done, nor even designed, an injury to any being whatever, "
Page 80 - pussee" (seal) along the surface of the water to the nearest of his companions, who telegraphs the signal until all the boats are engaged in the chase, and it is seldom possible for their prey to escape. The seal is impetuous in disposition, and, having once observed his pursuers, he dives repeatedly, and in different directions, to confound them; but becomes at length so...
Page 12 - of late note' is equally certain ; and that it is now named the Sunken Land of Buss cannot be called in question : — yet in the very next page he says : ' Quaere ? May not this land of Buss, so sunken, bear some probable reference to the Old or Lost Greenland, or the Atlantis of the Greek writers ? It would not be easy to disprove this.
Page 81 - ... in his rear, using the paddle with one hand, while with the other he is getting his tackle in order; and having advanced near enough, for he is sure to measure the distance with accuracy, he flings the dart, and never fails to strike. The seal, terrified and wounded, dives in the greatest terror; but a float being attached to the dart by a leathern line, he is soon forced up again and despatched.

Bibliographic information