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2 Letters written during the late Voyage of Discovery spect, however, to the time when, and the place where such and such incidents or operations occurred, I shall be careful to give you correct notices. For you must know that, although continually, in some sense, the sport of waves and winds, no human being leads a life so regular and methodical as the mariner. The ships appointed for this expedition, to search for a north west passage from the Atlantic ocean to the Pacific, are the Hecla, so named after the famous burning mountain in Iceland, in allu sion to her destination as a bomb-vessel, to discharge inflamed substances on an enemy. She was built, I hear, in 1815 ; and by her peculiar shape and capaciousness, (nearly four hundred tons,) is well adapted to receive the large stock of necessaries of all kinds, for the ship’s company, during a voyage of probably long duration. The other ship, the Griper, is a gun-brig, but materially improved by raising her, to enlarge her stowage. Still she has not enough of accommodation for all the stores, &c. requisite for the people on board ; but must depend for some supplies on the Hecla. The whole ship’s company of the Hecla consists of fifty-eight persons, officers, seamen, and marines ; that of the Griper of thirty-six. Both vessels have received every additional strengthening which wood and iron can give them, particularly on the bows, to resist the shock in making their way through the ice. In the inside they are fitted up in the most comfortable manner, for all on board ; and every article of cloth ing, food, medicines, &c., which can be foreseen to be requisite, has been plentifully supplied. Nor have such things been omitted as may serve to conciliate the natives of the countries we may visit. Nothing omitted, nothing in fact has been refused by the Lords of the Admiralty which was supposed, or suggested to be useful in promoting the safety, the health, and the comfort of all persons employed in the expedition. With the view of im proving the nautical and geographical knowledge of those quar ters of the globe through which we may pass, a very complete assortment of instruments of the best construction are put on board, together with every implement requisite for the accurate construction of charts and maps. Both ships were ready to fall down the river from Deptford early in April; but they were detained by contrary winds till the beginning of this month, when the season seemed to be suffi ciently advanced for our setting off. On Tuesday morning, therefore, the 4th inst., the Hecla was towed by a steam-vessel down to Northfleet, a little above Gravesend, and the Griper followed at night. Thus it has happened that the present expedi tion sails just a month later than the former, of 1818, in the ships Isabella and Alexander. The commander of the Hecla,