The Portland gazette., 1819-01-26
From the London Courier, of Nov. .l9.


We are enabled to lay before our rea-
ders to-day the following additional par
tlculars relative to that mott interefting
topic. the recent attempt to difcoyer a
Northweif PaiIase. The account of the
newly found people, in thoie dreary re-
gions, is extremely curious
The Jane, Captain Young, of Mon,
trofe, failed in company with the label
Ia, and Alexander, from Lerwick, and
learnt from Capt Rofs the following in
seteltng particulars - After the lalt ac-
counts from the expedition, up 70 the
Is July, when they had reached lar TX,
IL, and long. 90, 80 the weather cleared
and the variation Of the compass increaf
ed 70 fa(t,. that il became difficult 10 find
out exactly how the fhip was fteerine =
| he fea, with the exception of fome ice
bergs, being completely clear of other ice
they reached Lar. IS II, when they
were unexpectedly oppofed in their nor
shern progrets, BY tern .t5ma Here
they met with new race of Efquimaux.
who, by their altoniihment, appeared
never 20 have feen fhip before. AT
first they were much afraid, and made
Ggns for the veaetto ay away, thinking
they were huge birds of prey that had de.
lcended from the moon to deltroy them
A few of the natives, however, were foon
noticed on boatd, when they exprened
their awe and wonder by hugging the
mats, and other extravagant manifeita-
tions of impioration, as il to fuperior be-
ings at other times, on attentivcly fur
veying the lhips, they laughed immoder.
a,ely. They were entirely unintellieibe
to the Esquimaux whom Capt. Rois took
cut with him, although they ieem TO BE
of the fame origin, their phyGognomy be.
ing limilar, but of rather darker com.
plexion-in their general appearance
language, and manners. approaching near
er to the natives of Kamtichatka, or the
north ealtern extremity of nGa. Their
mode of travelling 10 on lcdges, drawn
by dogs, and fome of them were feen in
this way going northward. They were
in poaeiIion of knives, which may, Der.
haps at fome future period, become an
Object of commerce with the natives of
thete hitherto unknown regions. The
weapons they ufed for killing the fmaler
fpecies of whales were the horns of the
fea unicorn. Here, then, at the termi.
nation of this immenfe bay,s which, till
now, has been iuppofed to communicate
with the Polar BaGn, an entire new race
of human beings has been discovered !
and the idea of reaching the Pole, or
penetrating into the North Pacific Ocean
by Behring's Straits, through this fuppoi. |
ed padage, is forever at ref. The La |
bella and Alexlexander traverfed the
whole cay, having failed up The eaHern,
and returned by the wettern ihore-thus
proving that the whole of that vait and
unknown ceuntry, from Cape Farewell
togthe Cape WalGngham of Davis, is at |
tached to the continent of america. Az |
ter all. the sraditionary ftory, handed
down among the fouthen Esquimaux.
that there is rapid and narrow river to |
northward, which may communicate with
Inc Polar BaGn, is perhaps founded on
reality Our navigators, in their prog
7efs round this dreary bay, faw numerous
and due advantage will no
doubt be taken of this valuable discovery
by the hihers next sealon.'