Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1840-06-23
I-.un lAa Lonrnal Of Cnmmerco.


From The Journal Of Commerce.
GREAT AL2UTgC PROBLEM SOLVED.
The long mootcd geographical problem
or North western passage 10 the Pacific
Ocean from the Atlantic, is at length solv-
cd; there is such n passage. The honor
Of this discovery belongs to Messrs Dcasc
s. Simpson, Of the Iludson's Bay Compa-
ny. In 1897, and again in 1888, they at
tempted to complete The exploration Of the
Nolhorn shore of this continent, by de-
sccnding C0ppermine river, which empties
into the Arctic Occan-in longitude about
10 West and from its mouth proceeding
Eastward until they should arrive at the
Ncstcrnmost point reached by explorers
from the Atlantic. Ia both years they
>kirted along great extent of coast, though
much impcdcd by ice, but failed TO accom-
plsh the grand object Of their pursuit.
Now at length their perseverance has been
rewarded. They have asccrtaincd that
Boothia is an Island, and that it is scpara-
ted from the mainland by a strait from 3
10 10 miles wide, which connects the gulf
Of Boothia, (partiaiy explored by the Flu
ry and UccIa,) with the Arctic Ocean, in
about Int. G5 83. and longitude 90. 10.
The entire passage from the mouth of Cop
porm;uo River to the Atlantic (cXlcnding
near 80 degrees Of longitude, lies to the
southwark Of lat. G0.-But VIC will not de-
tain oar rcaGcrs from their narrative. At
ter descending CopPcrminc river with their
party, they reached Cape FRANKLIN on the
night of beth JuIy last, and rounded Cape
Ii, - 4 ~
they encountered great peril from violent
head wind and drifting ice. The narra-
tive proceeds as follows:
From Cape Alexander situate in lat. G8
deg. So min. North lon. 100 deg. 40 min.
w, to Quother remarkable pointin lat 6S
deg. 33 min. NJ, long. 50 deg. 10 min. w.
the arctic coast may be comprised in one
spacious bay, stretching as far south as
Tat. 81 deg. 40 min, before it turns off alb
ruptY norlhWard to the last mentioned p0-
ailjou.-This vast sweep, of which but an
nconsiIgabla portion was seen by Mr..
Simpson last year, is indent"d by an end
less succession Of minor bays, separated
from one another by long, narrow, pro-
iactng points Of land, enclosing an meal
cua5ie number Of islands.
From this description it will be evident
that our route was an extremely intricate
one, and the duties Of the survey most ha-
rassinc; but willis: pcrplcXcd beyond mca-
sure in finding our way through these la
byriQths, we derived great advantage from
the protection afforded by the islands from
the crushing force OF The scaward ice, and
the weather was generally clear. In fact
tAn most serious detention caused by ice on
This part OF tic voyage, was from ;he first
10 the fifth Of August on Il poin: that jut-
ted out beyond thn iasular chain. White
Bear Poiat, as it was called, lies in lat. 6S
deg, min. - sec. n. long. 1913 deg. SO
MIA - sec. W., variation 81 deg. 45 min.
L. These bays and masses Of islands pre-
sent a distinct Succession Of geological fea-
lures which can be best Illustrated by the
series of the rocks that compose this wild
and barren coast. Ncstiges of Esqumaux
mostly Old, were met wherever we landed
They appear to subsist in single families,
o.. very small parties, and to travel inland
for the deer hunt in the month Of June not
returning to their scaling islands till the
ice Sets fast i'm October a river twice the
s;za Of the Coppcrmine, which falls into
the latitude 90 deg. , min. ~, lon. lO4
deg ; min. W., is much resortcd to by
rein deer aud musk oxen in the summer
season.
Finding the coast, rs already remarked
tending uotherly from the bottom Of the
great bay, we expected nothing less than
10 be carried round Cape Felix of Captain
James Ross, contrary TO the conjecture
hazorded by MIR. Simpson in his narrative
OF last years journey. On the evening of
the l0th August however, (at the point al
ready giyen,) We suddenly opened strait
running in to the southwark Of east, where
the rapid rush Of the tide scarcely left a
doubt of the existence of an open sea lead
ing 10 the mouth Of Blacks Great Fish
River. The strait is ten miles wide at Ell
Their extremity, but contracts to three in
the centre. Even that narrow channel is
much oncroachcd upon by high shinge is
lands, bat there IS deep water in the mid
die throughout.
The 18th OF August was signalised by
the most terrific thunder storm VIC have
ever Witnessed in these regions. Next day
}; blew roughly from the westward, with a
n9r cold fog, bat We ran rapidly south