intelligence in the two commanders or officers; on the contrary, the two ships were supplied with some of those who in future voyages so greatly distinguished themselves, as to obtain the highest steps of promotion, and to receive honorary rewards-need the names of Franklin and Back be mentioned?

The Instructions directed that they were to make the best of their way into the Spitzbergen seas, where they should endeavour to pass to the northward, between Spitzbergen and Greenland, without stopping on either of their coasts, and use their best endeavours to reach the North Pole-with a suggestion, that where the sea is deepest and least connected with land, it will be found most clear of ice. Their instructions on objects of scientific inquiry on the voyage, and particularly on those to be noticed on and about the Pole, are carefully drawn up and in great detail, the latter part of which were unfortunately not called into practice. The other portions of a general nature appear to have been carefully attended to, and well described by Lieutenant Beechey, who introduces his reader into the Greenland sea in noticing the interest taken by those who, for the first time, witnessed the ship working its way among floating masses of ice; and who viewed the bright sun darting its oblique rays among them at midnight; conveying to the eye, assisted by the imagination, and by the lights

and shadows, the appearance of "architectural edifices, grottos, and caves, here and there glittering as if with precious metals;" so that, he says, "it was usual to deviate from nautical phraseology and shape a course for a church, a tower, or bridge, or some similar structure in the lumps of ice."

So early as the 24th of May the expedition had reached Cherie Island, in latitude 74° 33', so called by Stephen Bennet in 1603, on or near which the walruses were so numerous, that not fewer than nine hundred or a thousand of those large animals were captured, in the short space of seven hours, by the crew of a single vessel. Of the habits and character of the walrus, Lieutenant Beechey gives, after frequent intercourse with them, a very interesting account. Their affection for their young, and their unflinching courage in defending them, are remarkable; not more so their compassionate conduct towards a wounded companion, whom they will never leave till carried off to a place of safety; and even the young ones on such occasions will turn fiercely against the boats of the pursuers. Although one of these animals was brought alive to England in 1608, as we learn from Purchas, yet it was but the other day that the British Museum could boast even of a stuffed specimen. Why should not the Zoological Society offer a price for a living one to keep the white bear

company? They could easily get one. A single instance will suffice to show the care and affection

bestowed on their young.

"We were greatly amused by the singular and affectionate conduct of a walrus towards its young. In the vast sheet of ice that surrounded the ships, there were occasionally many pools; and when the weather was clear and warm, animals of various kinds would frequently rise and sport about in them, or crawl from thence upon the ice to bask in the warmth of the sun. A walrus rose in one of these pools close to the ship, and finding every thing quiet, dived down and brought up its young, which it held by its breast by pressing it with its flipper. In this manner it moved about the pool, keeping in an erect posture, and always directing the face of the young toward the vessel. On the slightest movement on board, the mother released her flipper, and pushed the young one under water; but when every thing was again quiet, brought it up as before, and for a length of time continued to play about in the pool, to the great amusement of the seamen, who gave her credit for abilities in tuition, which, though possessed of considerable sagacity, she hardly merited."—pp. 80, 81.

On the 28th of May the weather being foggy and severe, with heavy falls of snow, the ships separated; and the Trent stood to the northward towards Magdalena Bay, the place of rendezvous, along the edge of the main body of ice; they met here, and seeing it impossible to penetrate the marginal line of the ice, and the season being very early, the commander determined on passing a few days in that bay, in which they anchored on the 3rd of June. The ice was in the cove and upper

F

part of the harbour, but was in a rapidly decaying state; and on revisiting their anchorage here in the beginning of August, it had entirely disappeared. Magdalena Bay is rendered conspicuous by four glaciers, the smallest two hundred feet above the sea, on the slope of a mountain. It is called the Hanging Iceberg, and seems, so Beechey says, as if a very slight matter would detach it from the mountain and precipitate it into the sea. The largest of the four extends two to three miles inland: owing to the great rents in the surface, it has been named the Waggon-way, from the resemblance of the fissures to ruts made by wheels. Several glaciers similar to those were observed near Dane's Gut, the largest about ten thousand feet in length, by two or three hundred feet in perpendicular height. In the vicinity of these icebergs a strict observance of silence is necessary; the explosion of a gun scarcely ever fails to bring down one of these masses. Mr. Beechey says that on two occasions they witnessed avalanches on the most magnificent scale.

"The first was occasioned by the discharge of a musket at about half a mile distance from the glacier. Immediately after the report of the gun, a noise resembling thunder was heard in the direction of the iceberg (glacier), and in a few seconds more an immense piece broke away, and fell headlong into the sea. The crew of the launch, supposing themselves beyond the reach of its influence, quietly looked upon the scene, when presently a sea arose

and rolled towards the shore with such rapidity, that the crew had not time to take any precautions, and the boat was in consequence washed upon the beach, and completely filled by the succeeding wave. As soon as their astonishment had subsided, they examined the boat, and found her so badly stove, that it became necessary to repair her in order to return to the ship. They had also the curiosity to measure the distance the boat had been carried by the wave, and found it to be ninety-six feet."- pp. 155, 156.

In viewing the same glacier from a boat at a distance, a second avalanche took place, which afforded them the gratification of witnessing the creation, as it were, of a sea iceberg, an opportunity which has occurred to few, though it is generally understood that such monsters can only be generated on shore.

"This occurred on a remarkably fine day, when the quietness of the bay was first interrupted by the noise of the falling body. Lieutenant Franklin and myself had approached one of these stupendous walls of ice, and were endeavouring to search into the innermost recess of a deep cavern that was near the foot of the glacier, when we heard a report, as if of a cannon, and turning to the quarter whence it proceeded, we perceived an immense piece of the front of the berg sliding down from the height of two hundred feet at least into the sea, and dispersing the water in every direction, accompanied by a loud grinding noise, and followed by a quantity of water, which being previously lodged in the fissures, now made its escape in numberless small cataracts over the front of the glacier."-pp. 156, 157.

After describing the disturbance occasioned by the plunge of this enormous fragment, and the