hannel to
the North Foreland.

It was thus that this young seaman, by being continually engaged in the
successful navigation of difficult passages, or dangerous coasts,
habitually acquired that experimental reliance on his own skill, and
that internal self-possession, which so essentially contribute to
establish the dauntless intrepidity of a truly heroic mind. He felt a
conviction of his growing powers, and panted for opportunities of
bringing them to the proof. His present sphere of action, confined to a
comparatively small spot, for the Triumph never once went out to sea
while he remained on board, made him languish for some new situation,
better suited to his enterprising spirit; and it was not long before an
occurrence took place, which seemed to promise the gratification of his
most sanguine wish.

About the beginning of February 1773, the Earl of Sandwich, then First
Lord of the Admiralty, in consequence of an application which had been
made to him by the Royal Society, laid before the King a proposal for an
expedition to try how far navigation might be practicable towards the
North Pole; which his Majesty was pleased to direct should be
immediately undertaken, with every encouragement that could countenance
such an enterprise, and every assistance that could contribute to it's
success. The Racehorse and Carcass bombs, being selected as the
strongest, and therefore the properest, vessels to be employed in this
voyage, were taken into dock, and fitted in the most complete manner for
the service. The command of the former was given to Captain Constantine
John Phipps, afterwards Lord Mulgrave; and that of the latter, to
Captain Skeffington Lutwidge, now Admiral of the White. The complement
for each was fixed at ninety men; and the ordinary establishment
departed from, by appointing an additional number of officers, the whole
recommended by their respective captains, and entering effective men
instead of the usual number of boys Two masters of Greenlandmen were
employed as pilots for each ship; the Racehorse was furnished with new
chain-pumps on Captain Bentinck's improved plan; Dr. Irving's apparatus
for distilling fresh water from the sea was adopted; Mr. Israel Lyons
was engaged, by the Board of Longitude, to embark in this voyage, for
the purpose of making astronomical observations; the board also sent two
watch machines for keeping the longitude by difference of time, one on
Mr. Harrison's principles, the othe