How much time has elapsed between Letter 1 and Letter 2? Where is Walton now? What has he managed to do and what does he desire? What does he tell us about himself?

One month has lapsed. His ship is trapped in ice and fog. Walton is searching for a Northern passage to the Pacific. Walton is an explorer and romantic at heart. Walton, above all, craves the company of a like-minded soul. He is determined to accomplish "some great purpose." Like Victor, Walton has ambition, drive, and the desire for glory.