The Sun.
London, England, 1839-05-22 00:00:00

ARCTIC DISCOVERY.

FROM THE INVERNESS COURIER.)
We have been favoured with the following private
letter, addressed by Mr. Thomas Simpson, one of the
leaders of the expedition for the discovery of the North-
West passage, to a friend in this neighbourhood. Our
distinguished young countryman writes in high spirits,
and with that enthusiasm and devotion to his cause,
without which no great enterprise was ever accom-
plished : _ _ _

" Fort Confidence, 19th December, 1838.
" Our old enemy the ice has stepped cruelly in between
us and the fulfilment of our hopes. I had a party of five
men and two Indians on foot, and set out from this place
on the 7th of June. We successfully crossed the height
of land with our boats, a portion of our undertaking long
deemed particularly difficult and doubtful. But my re-
peated and fatiguing journeys of last winter had so tho-
roughly explored every route, that we were quite pre-
pared for each obstacle that occurred. On the 30th
we reached the Coppermine, and found it still fast ! It
gave way a few days afterwards, and we descended all

its terrific rapids, then swollen to their utmost height,
along with the driving ice ; grand, but perilous
running. I assure you. Often had we to pull for
life or death, to avoid the suction of the precipitous
cliffs, along whose base the waters raged with overwhelm-
ing fury. The descent of Escape Rapid was the finest
thing of the kind I ever witnessed. Below, the breakers
make a clean breach over our little vessels ; white
above we were involved in a cloud of spray that dashed
from an overhanging rock a hundred and fifty feet
in height, and formed a magnificent rainbow around us
in the bright sunshine. It was a gorgeous shower-bath,
however, that few would relish. On the Ist of July
we encamped at the Northern Sea, which still glis-
tened with ice as firm and impenetrable as adamant. It
kept us imprisoned in the mouth of the Coppermine
till the 17th ; and our subsequent progress to Frank-
lin's Point Turnagain (which was attained on the 9th of
August) was one incessant struggle with the same re-
lentless fee, in which our poor boats got several planks
more than half cut through. At Point Turnagain ehey
were finally arrested and. remained beset for 22 days ;
so different was the season of 1838 from that of.lBl/4,
when Franklin found a perfectly clear sea on the 16th
•of August. The mild weather we experienced in July,
though very agreeable at the time, was, in fact, our bane ;
the gales which then would have cleared the ocean for
us, reserved themselves till the following month, read
brought down the ice from far and near upon the
very part of the coast where we were so unfor-
tunately confined. It was during ten days of that tedious
interval (from the 20th to the 29th August), that I per-
formed the pedestrian journey to the eastward ; its re-
sults are the tracing of 100 miles of the coast, the sav-
ing of thirty miles further, the discovery of an exten-
sive snow covered land to the north (distant about
thirty miles from the main), which I have had the
honour of' naming " Victoria Land," besides many
islands, and of an open sea to the eastward. At my
furthest point we erected a lofty stone pillar, with a
letter for the information of " whoever might find it."
The march altogether was a most fatiguing one, and the
weather on our return to the boats very inclement. Five
days carried us to the " Bloody Fall" of Hearne as it
is celled ; five more up the Coppermine to our boat-
deposit ; and in a third space of five days we crossed the
mountains on foot to this place, where we found every
thing in good order on the 14th inst. Some dry venison
was stored up dining our absence. We have now two
dozen of nets set in the lake, and want no longer
stares us in the face, as it did for several months after
our arrival here last year. Luxuries we have none,
our only beverage being an infusion of the artic tea
plant (a rather bitter but wholesome herb), without
sugar.
" My hopes of final success, instead of being de-
pressed are elevated by the check this year received, and
the knowledge thus painfully acquired. The existence
of an open sea to the eastward is no more doubtful, and
should the main shore be again encircled by ice in Au-
gust, the southern coast of the great northern land be-
fore alluded to, will afford an earlier passage into that
eastern sea. Besides, I now regard September as the
best month of the year for artic navigation, and krona
the mouth of the Coppermine to this place is merely
a hop, step, and a jump ; an eight day's journey on foul.
I traversed that ground over and over last winter, and
again this autumn. By the way, that is the country for
princely hunting ; not a day but I had several chase
after the rein-deer. A full grown buck, with his tower-
ing
antlers is a noble animal ; in fact I now despise all
meaner game. I have three tamed white wolves, too,
of my own taking."

- On the occasion of the Queen's recent visit to
Gloucester Howe, her Majesty's attention was devoted for
a considerable time to a particular painting representing
hsr Royal relative, the Duchess of Gloucester, when en
infant of fifteen months old, fondling a little shock dog.
It7was executed by command of her Majesty's venerated
grandfather, George 111., by Sir Joshua Reynolds, and,
in addition to its merit as a portrait, is considered to be an
extraordinary production, with reference to the animated
style in which the little favourite pct dog is represented.
Her Majesty. we understand, expressed her wzrutest.ad-
m:ration of this picture.
THE SEASON.—We hare a very indifrocent
accotint to give cf the state of vegetation in the neighbour.
hood. On Tuesday morning, the 14th of May I the hAlls
around were cow.red with snow, and the night of Tuesdav
ani morning e WeJnesday were accompanied by sech
intense frost as to hive done irreparable and extensive in-
jury to a great variety of table vegetables and flowers—tlie
potatoes, kidney beans, peas, &c., have suffered, wee feu,
irretrievably ; the fruit blossom has also sustainer' extensive
injury ; dahlias and other flowers that have been planted
out have also been killed in immense numbers.—Zath
Herald.

The Orangemen of Norwich we see arc so sadly.
mortified at the discomfiture of their pet Peel, that they
met together on Tuesday, and after a great deal of vapour-
ing, manufactured, at the Maid's Ileadllnn, an addrtas to
the Queen 1 Tt:e address of the Purple and' Orange
Conservative Club !

LONGEVITY.—Peter Martyn, sexton of liel. I
his wife, number between them ton, Cornwall, and
h w ;
I li:
years. Each enjoys good health.
FAIR ROSAMOND.—Those who recollect Mr. -
will
new one, of
Miller's romance of " Royston Gower,"
(Hight that he is on the point of publishisngl3l.l,
a similar description, on the charming lea of " Asir
Rosamond." We venture to say that thereu
romance writer, and
a subject oore happily chosen by the r bas never boon
we doubt if any one among our lining writers, possesses
higher qualifications for the treatment of it, than t he author •
of " Royston Gower ;"certainly there is no ono among:
tha followers of Scott, who has eau
that great writer's spirit, both as regards conception ifa
caught so large a share tte
execution,iniiasrtyanccla
instance
imt
shaen
on
popular
d resultthe rew
illcanfur..abvbeo a fiction, ePo ct
doubt that, in the pr ts• a i
ction, possessing eXtrAGE :di-

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