A voyage of discovery made under the orders of the Admiralty...

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John Ross. A voyage of discovery made under the orders of the Admiralty in His Majesty’s ships Isabella and Alexander for the purpose of exploring Baffin’s Bay, and enquiring into the probability of a North-West Passage.... London, 1819.

The expeditions of the 18th century proved that there was no passage to the west from Hudson Bay. Ross’s voyage in 1818 was the first of a renewed effort by Britain to find a passage, this time from Baffin Bay. Ross reported that both Jones and Lancaster Sounds were closed bays, a mistake for which he was severely criticized.

Ross’s account is illustrated with 24 plates, the finest series of Arctic views published to that time. The picture displayed on the fifth page above, was drawn by John Sacheuse, an Inuk of Greenland, who accompanied the expedition as interpreter.

The party consisted of eight natives, with all their sledges, and about fifty dogs, two sailors, Sacheuse, Lieutenant Parry, and myself.... The noise and clamour may easily be conceived.... We advanced towards them while they halted, and presented the foremost with a looking-glass and a knife, repeating the same presents to the whole, as they came up in succession. On seeing their faces in the glasses, their astonishment appeared extreme, and they looked round in silence for a moment... immediately afterwards they set up a general shout, succeeded by a loud laugh, expressive of extreme delight....

[p. 86-87]