The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-07-28 00:00:00

PRICE SEVEN PENCE.

DISCOVERY SHIPS.
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EMPLOTID •!1

SITRACTS Of LETTIII.II FROM
TIM NORTHIRIRS
" His Majesty's ship Fury, Hudson's Say, the
Coast of America. June 96, MI.
" I take the opportunity of writing to you by. the re-
turn of the Nautilus transport, which accompanied us to
carry our heavy stores. We have bad an excellent pas-
sage from the Orkneys to this part of the world; the
weather, however, since we have been here, has not been
so favourable.
" We have made two attempts to unload the transport.
having made fast to icebergs for that purpose, but have
Men blown off successively by heavy gales. with the loss
amuse of our boats from the deck, and no small Aar,:
of tribulation for the transport, which has not been pro.
perly fortified for the ice. She has come off, however,
very well, considering every thing, having only lost the
copper from her bows. We are now taking advantage
of a line day, and hope to get rid of her in a day Sr two,
and to proceed op.oo our destination.
" We made an Woad about a week ago, called Reso-
lution Island, where we expected to tier some Indians,
but there was so much ice between the shipi and the
land, that we could not•get in.
" I can hardly give you an idea of our Intended route.
or, more properly, of our ideal route; first, becausenur
coarse must, in a great measure, depend upon the state
of the ice; secondly, for want of a chart ; for those In
common use are so incorrect in the general outline of
the coast, as to be perfectly useless. If, however, rot
should full in with a good map of the country, I will tell
you the track we shall endeavour to take.
"After making Cape Fareirel, the southern extremity
of Greenland, in lat. 59. N. and long. 44. W. we proceed-
ed nearly due west between Cape Chidley, on the Libra-
,tor Coast, and Resolution Island, in lat. 61.40. N. and
long. 63. IV. where we now are ; from hence we intend
to steer, if wind and ice will permit, about a North-west
course, and entlenvour to explore au inlet to the East of
Repulse Bay, which has never yet been entered by any
.me but Fox, about VA) years ago ; thence we shall pro-
ceed to Ifearoe's Sea, where we shall winter (if we get
there): then to Mackenxie's Sea, Illehrings' Straits, &c.
" All the officers ere exceedingly agreeable, and I
have but little doubt we shall spent' the winter verreom-
fortaide together. We are all preparing our rues for
shooting deer, with which these islands abound. We
are, however, exceedingly well off in the eating way—
plenty of fresh beef, mutton, pork. eggs, fish, and pont-
try on board, besides sheep, pigs, and 22 fine bullocks.
on board the transport, and potted meats and strips of
all kinds for more than three years, sal that our salt pro-
visions we scarcely need taste the whole voyage, moles,
we choose.
" The tn..an temperature where we now are, is about
:rid grew Falit...nliett, the sun just slimming below the
horizon at this time at midesight, so that we have con•
stant day, which you may conceive is a great comfort in
navigation amongst ice. An apparatus was yesterday
letdown to the depth of UM fathoms, for bringing up
water ; its temperature by a registering thermometer
was .101 degrees Filirenheit; that at the surface being
:5; degrees. The specific gravity at the same depth, was
1,11.27r5, and at the surface, 1,0260. Oar position, as de-
termined astronomically, is always to the north-west of
our demi reckoning; from which it appears, that there
a constant current setting from the north-west to south-
east."

" His Nla;esty'i ship Fury. Hudson's Straits, north
coast of America, June 2tl, 1921.
"We had a %cry line passage to this part of the
world, and thrr. fore I am able to tell you but littl
:iews. We reac:mil the ice about a week ago,
.shsrh tine ‘‘e have malls two attempts to tal,e Olt
wave stores out of the Nautilus transport, which
ac-
anted us ; but. from the wind blowing. upon Os:,
...e, w, were obliged to stand off, as the transport I
!wen strengthened so as to resist the ice; we ar.s,
now, however, mil:in; a third attempt, and we h.11),T
1.• grt rid of her in about a couple of days or so. We
.r A pretty long stay at the Orkney% (about a fort-
ilutilig %%ilkh tune we amused ourselves b 1
snootiug grumw, plover, tv:.. or any thing that came
.tt the way, tor ne were not very nice about the shoot-

:sat -easels.
.i'e have got a famous supply of live and fres%
• r•Wsion •an board, that will la A ns till Christmas.--
T..ere is a good deal of ice about us, hut not enough to
obit( act our passaace forwards. if it was not *for the
,:sosport ; but, however, we loupe to get her off in
about a day or two, if it is fine weather. We made au
land about a week ago, called Resolution Island,
where we expected to see some Indians; but there was
so much ice between the ships and the land, that wo
were disappointed. I can hardly give you an idea ~f
our intended route without a chart, for two reasoac:—
first, because those in common use are so inaccurate
as to be of little use, and because oar future eoltrso
mill in a great measure depend upon the state of th.?
ice : but, however, if yon should ever fall in with 4
:end c'a'rt, I will tell you our most probable coarse.
From the Orkneys we first made Cape Farewell, ele
southern extremity of Greenland, in lat. 60 deg. north ;
fn thence to Hudson's Straits, between Cape CI idle:-
anal Resolution Island, which is about due west •.t
Cape Farewell, and here we are at present : and fro:o
Ihence we intend to steer about nwthirest(if the win 1
and ice will permit) to try to get northwards through
some of the inlets on the north side of Hudson's Ray ;
from thence northwards to the sea, as seen by Herne,
near Coppermine river, where we shall probably
winter ; front thence to the sea, as seen by SliKenzie ;
and from this place to !lel:ring's Straits, round Cape
Horn to eni land.
" We are all of us preparing our riles for shootin„;
deer, which we most probably emit see upon the next
len•I we f II in wa•h, as the islands here almond with
them. We are, lawvever, exceedingly ►cell off in the
rating way ; plenty of flesh beef, mutton, parl:,
poultry. eigraa, fish, Sic., on board, besides 14 or 15
sheep, •I 2 bullocks, and as many pigs on board the trans-
port : we have besides preserved potted fresh meats of
all kiwis, so that salt provisions we scarcely need
taste all the time we are ont, unless we choose. All
the officers are very agreeable, and Captain Parry I
hike eery much indeed ; and I have no doubt but that
we small sped the winter very comfortably together."

Extract of a letter from St. Jago de Chili, datrd
April l :--1. Tile Andromache frigate is expected
from Lima the beginning of Mat, and will proceed
immediately fir Rio 3 melt...) and England. We hare
no news from Ptiu."

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