Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1853-11-24
...... From the Boston Post
The Northwest Passage-Progress of
Discovery,


Discovery.
The desire to discover north west pas
sage TO India, and the wealth of furs, oils,
and other merchandise, drawn from the fro
zen regions, have produced a race of navi-
gators whose intrepidity, hardships, dangers
and discoveries, for three centuries, form
one of the most interesting chapters in his
tory. At ichgth, the great problem has been
solved; north west passage TO fabulous In
dia, though bet an impracticable highway
for commerce, is fixed fact in geography.
The pioneer visitors to the frozen seas Of
the North Pole were the Scandinavian. AS
early as 1875 they explored Baffin's Bay,
Lancaster Sound, and Barrows Straits.
Three centuries later, in 1880, the two
Venetians, the Zeni voyaged into these lat
itudes and astonished their countrymen with
the relation Of their wonders. In AGO the
three Portuguese Cotoreales made their dis
coveries-the father returning home, but
his two sons perishing. In 1897 Cabot
landed at Labrador, projected voyage to
the North Pole, and sailed as far as 81 1-2
deg, north latitude. In 1888 occurred the
tragic fate of Wiloughby and the great sue
cess OF Chancellor. Both, sent out by the
Muscovy company, sailed from Greenwich
amid the greetings Of the British court,
bound for the unknown of "Kathay and In
dia." Sir Hugh Willoughby, with twov YES
rets, pushed along the shores of Russian
Lapland and put in at Azina. Here parties
went out to explore the country but re-
turned-the last words in Willoughby's
journal, "without finding any people or sim
ilitude of habration." Two years later
Willoughby and his crew, seventy in num-
Der, were found frozen 10 death and his
journal was found by his side. Chancellor
parted company with Wlloughby in gale
off the North Cape, navigated in the White
Sea, and first made known to civilized Eu-
rope the great empire of Russia.
The next voyages were those of Frobisher,
in 1876, who discovered the entrance TO
Hudson's Straits, explored Frobisher's
Strait, and brought home Jumps of yellow
glistening ore. Gilbert's voyage to colonize
Newfoundland; and in 1858, DAVIS three
voyages, when Davis Straits were explored,
and the way opened TO Baffin's Bay and the
Polar Sea. Among the daring voyagers Of
this period was Barentz, who suffered in
credible hardships in wintering in these
frozen latitudes. 1t was in 1907 that Hen
ry Hudson, the Columbus Of the North
Seas, entered on his renowned career OF
discovery, with a crew Of only two men
and boy. In his last voyage he entered
the great sea known as Hudson's Bay, win
'tering there, with the intention of resuming
his course in the spring; but his crew mu-
tinted, and the intrepid navigator and his
son were turned adrift in small boat and
were never heard of afterwards. In 1916
Baffin made his celebrated discoveries, in
which he saw Lancaster Sound, and only
q needed to have explored it TO have antic-
pated Parry's discoveries two hundred
years. He stated the immense length of
Bafin's Bay, eight hundred miles, bat his
Statements were then disbelieved. For
years the route to ''Kathay and India" was
sought, not through Lancaster Sound, but
TO the point west of Hudson's Bay; and
among the disastrous voyages are those OF
Munk, in 1919, who escaped with only
two out OF sixty four of his crew. But the
most incredible OF all relating to these early
voyages is the fact that the pendid discov-
cries were made in vessels of from ten to
fifty tons. To these voyages must be added
that of Behring, Dane, employed by Gar
Peter, who, in l74l, sailed through the
ed, and persisted.
Passing other attempts made at this pc
riod, with the thrilling narrative and adj
venture end the painful detail of suffering,
we come to the period between l74S and
1900. Parliament i'll 174S offered reward
Of 100000 TO any one who should he a6le
10 effect northwest passage by way Of
Hudson's Straits; and it was declared that
such would be of great benefit and advan-
tage to the kingdom. Subsequently this act
was altered so as to include ''any northern
passage for ships" In addition $4,000 was
voted to any British subject who should
get within one degree of the pole. This
stimulated new expeditions. One in l749
by a company of 10000 capital, proved
unsuccessful. In 1853 the Philadelphia
merchants fitted out the schooner Argo &c
seek out a northwest passage, and, on being
unsuccessful, they sent her again in 1854
She did not get farther than Resolution Is.
land, and the Captain got more credit for his
bravery than fame for his discoveries. In
1772 the VIrginians equipped a vessel, the
Diligence, under Captain Wilder, to discov,
er northwest passage. He entered a large
unknown bay, and reported that, from the
course of the tides, there was passage; bu
on account of the ice it would be of no prac
teal value. At this period discovery il
these seas was pushed vigorously. In l77z
ieaine made his celebrated journey by lant
to the frozen ocean, going down the Cop
permine River. In l776 Cook made hi.
northwest voyage-his fatal expedition--tt
attempt the same thing which Captain Nc
Clure has at length accomplished pas
sage of the Icy Sea from Behring's Strait
TO Bafin's Bay. He got as far as ley Cape
while vessel was sent to Baffn's Bay tc
wait sfor him. In 1889 Mckenzie mad
his inland journey, during which he descen
ded the Mckenzie River. These land ex
petitions were made chiefly to determin
the northern coast line to America Thes
results were so discouraging that Arctic ad