o offer a few
remarks on the subject of a _North-West Passage_, which, though it has
not been the immediate object of the enterprises in which I have been
engaged, is yet so intimately connected with them, as to have naturally
excited in my mind, a strong and permanent interest. It is scarcely
necessary to remark, that the opinion I ventured to express in my former
work, as to the practicability of the passage[18], has been considerably
strengthened by the information obtained during the present Expedition.
The Northern Coast of America has now been actually surveyed from the
meridian of 109 degrees to 149-1/2 degrees west; and again by the
exertions of Captain Beechey, in His Majesty's ship the Blossom, from
Icy Cape eastward to about 156 degrees west, leaving not more than fifty
leagues of unsurveyed coast, between Point Turnagain and Icy Cape.
Further, the delineation of the west side of Melville Peninsula, in the
chart of Captain Parry's Second Voyage, conjoined with information which
we obtained from the Northern Indians, fairly warrants the conclusion,
that the coast preserves an easterly direction from Point Turnagain
towards Repulse Bay; and that, in all probability, there are no
insurmountable obstacles between this part of the Polar Sea and the
extensive openings into the Atlantic, through Prince Regent Inlet and
the Strait of the Fury and Hecla.

Whenever it may be considered desirable to complete the delineation of
the coast of the American Continent, I conceive that another attempt
should be made to connect Point Turnagain with the important discoveries
of Captain Parry, by renewing the Expedition which was undertaken by
Captain Lyon, and which, but for the boisterous weather that disabled
the Griper, must have long since repaid his well known zeal and
enterprize with discoveries of very great interest.

In considering the best means of effecting the North-West Passage in a
ship, it has hitherto been impossible not to assent to the opinion so
judiciously formed, and so convincingly stated, by Captain Parry, that
the attempt should be made from the Atlantic rather than by Behring's
Straits, because the enterprise is then commenced after a voyage of
short duration, subject to comparatively few vicissitudes of climate,
and with the equipments thoroughly effective. But important as these
advantages are, they may, perhaps, be more than balanced by some
circumstances which have been brought to light by our Exped