are at opposite points of the circumference.
In connection with this district there
is a remarkable fact; that by the agency of
subterranean forces, a large portion of
Norway and Sweden is being slowly upheaved.
While Greenland, on the west coast, as
gradually sinks into the sea, Norway rises at
the rate of about four feet in a century. In
Greenland, the sinking is so well known that
the natives never build close to the water's
edge, and the Moravian missionaries more
than once have had to move farther inland
the poles on which their boats are rested.

Our Phantom Ship stands fairly now along
the western coast of Greenland into Davis
Straits. We observe that upon this western
coast there is, by a great deal, less ice than on
the eastern. That is a rule generally. Not
only the configuration of the straits and bays,
but also the earth's rotation from west to
east, causes the currents here to set towards
the west, and wash the western coasts, while
they act very little on the eastern. We steer
across Davis Strait, among " an infinite number
of great countreys and islands of yce;"
there, near the entrance, we find Hudson
Strait, which does not now concern us. Islands
probably separate this well-known channel
from Frobisher Strait to the north of it, yet
unexplored. Here let us recal to mind the
fleet of fifteen sail, under Sir Martin Frobisher,
in 1578, tossing about and parting company
among the ice. Let us remember how the
crew of the "Anne Frances," in that
expedition, built a pinnace when their vessel
struck upon a rock, although they wanted
main timber and nails. How they made a
mimic forge, and " for the easier making of
nails, were forced to break their tongs,
gridiron, and fire-shovel, in pieces." How Master
Captain Best, in this frail bark, with its
imperfect timbers held together by the
metamorphosed gridiron and fire-shovel, continued
in his duty, and did " depart up the straights
as before was pretended." How a terrific
storm arose, and the fleet parted, and the
intrepid captain was towed " in his small
pinnesse, at the stern of the ' Michael,' thorow
the raging seas; for the bark was not able to
receive, or relieve half his company." The
"tongs, gridyron and fire-shovell," performed
their work only for as many minutes as were
absolutely necessary, for "the pinnesse came no
sooner aboord the ship, and the men entred,
but she presently shivered and fell in pieces,
and sunke at the ship's stern with all the poor
men's furniture."

Now, too, as we sail up the strait, explored
a few years after these events by Master John
Davis, how proudly we remember him as a right
worthy forerunner of those countrymen of his
and ours who since have sailed over his track.
Nor ought we to pass on without calling to
mind the melancholy fate, in 1606, of Master
John Knight, driven, in the "Hopewell,"
among huge masses of ice with a tremendous
surf, his rudder knocked away, his ship half
full of water, at the entrance to these straits.
Hoping to find a harbour, he set forth to
explore a large island, and landed, leaving
two men to watch the boat, while he, with
three men and the mate, set forth and
disappeared over a hill. For thirteen hours the
watchers kept their post; one had his
trumpet with him, for he was a trumpeter,
the other had a gun. They trumpeted often
and loudly, they fired, but no answer came.
They watched ashore all night for the return
of their captain and his party, " but they
came not at all."

The season is advanced. As we sail on, the
sea steams like a lime-kiln, " frost-smoke"
covers it. The water, cooled less rapidly, is
warmer now than the surrounding air, and
yields this vapour in consequence. By the
time our vessel has reached Baffin's Bay, still
coasting along Greenland, in addition to old
floes and bergs, the water is beset with
"pancake ice." That is the young ice when it first
begins to cake upon the surface. Innocent
enough it seems, but it is sadly clogging to the
ships. It sticks about their sides like treacle on
a fly's wing; collecting unequally, it destroys
all equilibrium, and impedes the efforts of the
steersman. Rocks split on the Greenland
coast with loud explosions, and more icebergs
fall. Icebergs we soon shall take our leave of;
they are only found where there is a coast on
which glaciers can form; they are good for
nothing but to yield fresh water to the
vessels; it will be all field, pack, and salt-water
ice presently.

Now we are in Baffin's Bay, explored in
the voyages of Bylot and Baffin, 1615-16.
When, in 1817, a great movement in the
Greenland ice caused many to believe that
the northern passages would be found
comparatively clear; and when, in consequence of
this impression, Sir John Barrow succeeded
in setting a-foot that course of modern Arctic
exploration, which has been continued to the
present day, Sir John Ross was the first man
sent to find the north-west passage. Buchan
and Parry were commissioned at the same
time to attempt the North Sea route. Sir
John Ross did little more on that occasion
than effect a survey of Baffin's Bay, and
prove the accuracy of the ancient pilot. In
the extreme north of the bay there is an inlet
or a channel, called by Baffin, Smith's Sound;
this Sir John saw, but did not enter. It
never yet has been explored. It may be an
inlet only; but it is also very possible that by
this channel ships might get into the polar
sea and sail by the north shore of Greenland
to Spitzbergen. Turning that corner, and
descending along the western coast of Baffin's
Bay, there is another inlet called Jones' Sound
by Baffin, also unexplored. These two inlets,
with their very British titles, Smith and
Jones, are of exceeding interest. Jones'
Sound may lead by a back way to Melville
Island. South of Jones' Sound there is a
wide break in the shore, a great sound, named