The Portland gazette., 1818-07-14
&oftCal16:
Tuesday, July IA, 1919.


BY passenger in the brig Abeona, Capt
A. LEWIS, jun. arrived at this port on Wednes-
day last, in 49 days from Liverpool, we have
been politely favoured with English papers TO
May IA. Although their contents, as it res
poets the article of neU,s, has been anticipated
by later arrivals at the westward, yet we
trus, the following notice of the Arctic Expe-
diiions and The account of discoveries hereto
fore made, will be not only instructive but a
musing to readers on this side the Atlantic.
LoEpoN, MAY 2.
THE ARCTIC EXPEDITIONS.
At this stage Of the inquiry in which we have
indulged ourselves respecting the Expeditions to
the Pole, and the view we have taken of the
most recent information relative to the circum-
polar seas, it may be instructive, and we are
sure viii be amusing, to throw glance back
upon the old naWgators who adventured into
these regions Of eternal frost. For this purpose
we shall chiefly avail ourselves Of the curious
system Of Geography by Herman -noH, publish
ed about hundred and twenty years ago, with
" maps Of every country, fairly engraven on cop
per, according TO the latest discoveries and cor
rections."
" 1t may not be improper (says Mr. Moil. to
give brief account Of the several navigations
and discoveries made toward the NE. and NV.
viz. Nora ZemblG, NE. Greenland or Spitsberg,
and NV. Grecnlqnd, commonly called Groer-
land and Engroenland. The first discovery of
these countries is owing TO an accident for in
1880, Nicholas and Antony Zani, two brothers
and rich citizens of Venice, having set sail from
the streight of Gibraltar for Flanders and Eng
land, were accidentally driven Northwards by
violent storms, even far as Friestdnd, Iceland,
and Greentand. But in 1897, John Cabot and
Sebastian has son, of the same nation, received a
commission, from our King Henry VII, to under
take the like voyage, who made Draught and
Description Of some Northwest parts of America,
and brought along with them four of the ma
tves"
Hence sprung the project of discovering a
Northeast passage +" into the Indies - which the
Dutch absurdly pretended TO have made out in
90 N lat. The hrst adventure was that in 1852,
consisting OF three vessels commanded by Sir
Hugh Wiiioughby, Of whose voyage we have no
memoirs,
Except certain short and imperfect notes
wnch were taken off from the Table after his
death wherein it is expressed, That the fleet
unoer ms command parted from Seynan, which
lies IN 70 deg, North lat. on the cd day Of Au-
gust; that on the 1Ath they were about 100
leagues from the same place to the Northeast.
ana continued sailing until September IA. when
they came ashore on high, rocky, and desart
country, from whence the cold and ice forced
them to return more Southerly, which thew did
TIL they reached river in Lapland, called Ar
zina, where by the continuance ffoul we ather
they were shut up IN the harbour, and the next
spring were all found frozen to death in their
ship"
few years after this unfortunate attempt. in
1853, Capt. Stephen Burroughs, g sometime
Comptroller OF the Navy to Queen Elizabeth. y
u voyage OF the same time discovered in Wav
gat.s Straits, that ran between the South part
OF Hora zenaold and the country of the Samo-
lsus s',-lne highest latitude he reached is laid
GOWN so II, and 1t is probable be cruised on the