The evidence that has been so fully and judiciously stated in the introduction, amounts to the highest degree of probability that a N.W. passage from the Atlantic into the Pacific Ocean, cannot exist to the southward of 65 deg. of latitude.  If then there exist a passage, it must be either through Baffin’s Bay, or round by the north of Greenland, in the western hemisphere, or else through the Frozen Ocean, to the northward of Siberia, in the eastern; and on whichever side it lies, the navigator must necessarily pass through Beering’s Strait.  The impracticability of penetrating into the Atlantic on either side, through the strait, is therefore all that remains to be submitted to the consideration of the public.

As far as our experience went, it appears, that the sea to the north of Beering’s Strait is clearer of ice in August than in July, and perhaps in a part of September it may be still more free.  But after the equinox the days shorten so fast, that no farther thaw can be expected; and we cannot rationally allow so great an effect to the warm weather in the first half of September, as to imagine it capable of dispersing the ice from the most northern parts of the American coast.  But admitting this to be possible, it must at least be granted, that it would be madness to attempt to run from the Icy Cape to the known parts of Baffin’s Bay, (a distance of four hundred and twenty leagues), in so short a time as that passage can be supposed to continue open.[30]

Upon the Asiatic side, there appears still less probability of success, both from what came to our own knowledge, with respect to the state of the sea to the southward of Cape North, and also from what we learn from the experience of the[31] lieutenants under Beering’s direction, and the journal of Shalauroff, in regard to that on the north of Siberia.

The voyage of Deshneff, if its truth be admitted, proves undoubtedly the possibility of passing round the N.E. point of Asia; but when the reader reflects that near a century and a half has elapsed since the time of that navigator, during which, in an age of great curiosity and enterprize, no man has yet been able to follow him, he will not entertain very sanguine expectations of the public advantages that can be derived from it.  But let us even suppose, that in some singularly favourable season a ship has found a clear passage round the coast of Siberia, and is safely arrived at the mouth of the Lena, still there remains the Cape of Taimura, stretching to the 78 deg. of latitude, which the good fortune of no single voyager has hitherto doubled.