The Eventful Voyage of H. M. Discovery Ship Resolute to the Arctic Regions in Search of Sir John Franklin and the Missing Crews of H. M. Discovery Shi Paperback - 2012

From the publisher

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1857 Excerpt: ...ships, have in all probability been placed. Whilst fitting out, I overheard a very amusing discourse between an eccentric but talented Scotch gentleman (connected with one of the most important of our public institutions) and a young officer about to make his first trip to the Northern seas. I have said a discourse, but a lecture would have been more correct, for the officer answered not a word, but silently acquiesced in all advanced by the enthusiastic theorist. " Now," said he, " I see no reason for supposing, that Nature has entirely excluded the northern regions, from participating in the gifts so lavishly displayed, in the more favoured regions of the south. Not that I would have you expect an English landscape, with its meadow lands and picturesque groups of trees; but I venture to predict, that during the summer and autumnal months, you will find the shores of North Devon abounding in rich vegetation, which forms the food on which the numerous animals in that locality exist. There, interspersed with gay mosses, you will find brilliant lichen, and luxuriant saxifrage, with the arctic poppy; the whole forming a delightful picture and instructive study to the inquiring mind." THEORY OF ARCTIC VEGETATION. 283 I leave the sojourners at Beechey Island, on board the " North Star," to confirm or refute the above statement. The numerous animals have dwindled down to an occasional solitary bear, whose flesh, even to hungry men, is anything but palatable; and the above description is far too glowing and imaginative, for the scanty portions of the floral world found at Beechey, or in its neighbourhood; although it is true that gay mosses and brilliant lichens are to be found there, specimens of which, obtained by Dr. McCormick, may...