Page:Journal of a Voyage to Greenland, in the Year 1821.djvu/206

154 line, or whether it is an island or an archipelago of islands; and lastly, whether considerable national advantage would not be derived from its productions, in promoting the interests of commerce;–I yet consider it my bounden duty to submit it, as worthy the attention of those who direct the affairs of state, to promote such an undertaking, in prosecuting which great national benefit might also be derived in the improvement of the whale fishery. An expedition of two ships, I have ascertained, might be sent out fully equipped for 8,000l. or 10,000l., capable of performing a voyage of six or eight months; but if it were permitted that the fishing might be conducted in such intervals as could not be appropriated to discovery, the expense would possibly be reduced to 6,000l. In the success of such an expedition, I am most sanguine, and, were I blessed with fortune, I would not wish to increase the burdens of my country with the expense, but gladly bear the charge of the undertaking, in the confident expectation that much valuable information would be derived, beneficial to mankind, and honourable to the fame of England.

A brighter sun never illumined the earth, than was attendant on the icy regions all this day, and Captain Scoresby observing the appearance of the moon, devoted his time to taking lunar observations to correct his chronometer, to discover the longitude of this unknown land, and to make other experiments and scientific observations. Among them, I must not omit the use of