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(29.) Old Sailor. London: ROUTLBOOI, WARNES, & ROUTLBDOI. I to riBgdoa Stitet. Eta St. Claib. O. P. R. JAMES. Price I«. each, boards. I Maroarbt Orahak. Price Is. 6i. each, boards. aoincodrt. Arabella Stvart. Aarah NbIIi. Attila. BSAUCHAJtfP. Castklnkait. Castle or EHsmaTUir. Charlks Tyrrell. Delaware. De L'Orme, Falsi Heir. . < Forest Days. Forgery. Gentleman OF THR 0l9 Sorool. Hridclberc. Jacquerie. Kino's HioenrAT. Man-at~Arms. Mary op Burqunot. My Aunt Pontypool. One in a Thousand. Robber. Rose D'Aldrrt. Russell. Sir Thbodorr Brooohtow. Stepmother. Whim and its Consbqdrncrb. Dark Scenes or History. Price 2s. eadi* boards ; or, in cloth gilt, 23. 6d. Brigand. Convict. Darnley. Gipsy. GOWRIE. Morlrv Ernstrin. RlCHI-i 1F.V. LEONo: A D'OBCO. Henry Masterton. Henry of Guisb. Huguenot. John Marston Hall. Philip Auuustus. Smuggler. Woodman. The Old Dominion. 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Many bits of his writings strongly remind us of Dicliens. He is an in- corrigible joker, and frequently relates such strange anecdotes and adventures, that the gloomiest hypochondriac could not read them without involuntarily indulging in the unwoRtea luxury of a hearty cachinnation."— DiiWjn UtUversi^ Maga^u. RIGHT HON. B. DZSRABIsZ. Price 1«. 6d. each, boards. Thb Vouno Dokk. Tancrbd. Vbnktia. CONTARINI FLBMINA. CoNiiroaBV. Sybil. Alroy. IZION. Price 2». each, boards ; or, in cloth, 2». 6i. Hbnribtta Tbmplb. I Vivian Orbt. BY J. F. COOPER. In fcap. 8vo, price Eighteenpence each, boards; or, io cloth, St. Last op thb Mohicans (TheW Spy (The). Lionel Lincoln. Pilot (The). Pionbbrs (The). Sea Lions (The). BoRDBRBRs, oT Heathcotcs (The). BnAvo (The). Homeward Bovnd. Afloat and Ashorb. Satanstob. wvandottb. Mark's Rkbf. Dbbrslaybr (The). Oak Openings (The). Pathfinder (The). Headsman (The). Watbr Witch (The). Two Admirals (The). MiLBS Wallinoforo. Prairib (The). Red Rover (The). 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I Expressed. )F Etkry-day towisa. AND Tenant. IVANTS. PB. CBCUTORS* AND : • ' ,-7 ■*■. fe.: :*i t .■ ■ »*.v^ si,^A .iSi^^.' *^-" .V- ' 1 1 ithless suspense, lor flushea with ^hat we must per* Ithrilling dinoue- 4*" «. ^H.It^lU-kri^. 1 * ■;'^' (igdon Street. T II K A SIIKWIIfO THK COASTS SKAHI |{A( Fop Uir Shi| .V. II; 'I'lu- |>ai'( coloi'i-d fed shews w o(° (hr Kratiklin Kxpedit ion wer T H K A U r T I (' S K A SIIKWINO THK COASTS SKAHOHKD TO THK NOHTU AND WKHT OK HAFFIN HAY For tlip Ships of Hir.l. IVnnkliii. • |iHi'i coloi'cd ccd shews where remains the Franklin Kxpedilion were discovered. WalbV » Son::. I.ith THE ARCTIC REGIONS, AKD |0lar §isc0bm^s DURING THE NINETEENTH CENTURY: WITH TEX DISCOVERIES MADE BY CAPTAIN McCLINTOCK AS TO THE FATE OF THE FBANKLIN EXPEDITION. BY P. L. SIMMONDS, F.R.G.S. LONDON: ROUTLEDGE, WARNE, AND ROUTLEDGE, 2, FABBINGDON STREET. NEW YORE: 66, WALEBR STREET. 1860. \1iiS'^UC ! exec's Loirsoir SATZLIt Alts SSWiiBDa, rBIlTXlB8« OHHrSOS-SIMlft COTINX OABSUTt PEEFACE TO THE 2;iNTH EDITION. Of the many gallant exploits and daring adventures by land and by sea, which have added to the reputation and noble deeds of Englishmen, there is none of which wo have greater reason to be proud than those perilous explorations m the Arctic Regions, which will ever render the nine- teenth century a marked era in the history of Nations. Dangers and hardships seem rather to attract than to appal the adventurous Englishman, and private and public explorations have followed each other in such quick succession, during the past ten years, that it has oeen somewhat difficult to keep pace with the record of them. Every succeeding voyager and traveller seems to have striven to outdo his predecessors in acquiring fame, and in the boldness and daring with which he has pro- secuted his researches. If we have had little opportunity for the display of heroism in the competitive war struggle on the ocean of late years, our naval officers have at least sought and gained reputation in the icy fields of the Arctic [Regions, in the extended search for our lost countrymen imder Sir John Franklin. The Chart of the Polar Regions will ever be a striking memorial of what can be done by brave hearts and willing hands. The highly wrought pictures of fiction fade before the simple and stern truths of reality, and the narratives of Arctic Discovery have an exciting interest and thrilling pathos, which will ever render them deeply attractive to both old and young in all ages. Even when the melancholy personal interest which is now felt by those who mourn for relatives and friends lost in Arctic voyages shall have subsided, the stirring history recorded m uiese pages will have an interest for future generations when all who have taken part in them shall have passed away. The love of adventure is inherent in the breast of the Englishman, and shows itself in a hundred varied shapes* but in none more prominently than in the desire to ex- plore unknown countries and distant regions. Maritime discovery has been the peculiar field of Sritish enterprise and British glory, and in no quarter has it found a more PEIFACE TO THE NINTH EDITION. extended field of operation tban in the channels around the North Pole. To restrain this energy and spirit of adventure within prudent limki i» impossible. It will find scope for hazard in some quarter, whether it be in ascending Mont Blanc, penetrating the unknown rivers of Africa, Asia, or America, or exploring the interior of Australia. There are some restless spirits that shine out brightest in danger and daring, and the result of much of this research in distant quarters has certainly been bene- ficial. Many men have attained to distinguished eminence by their courage, perseverance, and enterprise in accom- plishing journeys and voyages of great peril, and attended with immense difficulties. None can read the accounts of the various journeys and vcnrages by land and sea to determine the question of a North West Passage, and the fate of the expedition under Sir John Frankhn, without being impressed with admiration for the spirit of heroism which sustained the explorers through so many perils and privations. In the following pages I have sought merely to furnish a simple digest of the different voyages and travels in the Arctic Regions, ending with that nnal but satisfactory ex- pedition of Capt. M'Clintock, which informed us of the late of Sir John Franklin and his ships, an inquiry that had previously baffled all investigation. That this little work has reached a ninth edition, and met with so large and extended a sale, is to be attributed more to the general, nay universal, interest which has been felt on the subject itself, than to any credit I can assume for the narrative. Long, however, may the story of Arctic discovery be read and pondered over, whether at the fireside of our quiet English homes, at the mess table of our sailors and soldiers, in the shepherd's hut of Australia, or in the log cabin of America j wherever it may be that England's sons read over the detailed record of those bpld deeds and adventurous discoverers, they will participate in the noble spirit of those who have lived and died in their country's service, and have just reason to be proud that they too are Englishmen, and participators in the glory, honour, and renown which have been thus achievea by many through great peril and suffering for the " land that bears a world-wide name." P. L. SiMMONDS. 8, Winchester Street, Pimlico. November 2i, 1853. U: CONTENTS PAGE Introductory Remarks ....... 1 ... . 1 Little known of the Arctic Ke^ona.— Notice of Captain Phipps' ▼oyage. — Parry's and Franklin's opinions on a North-west passage. — Abstract of Sir John Barrow's works on Arctic Discovery. — ^England's neglect of her nautical heroes. Captain John Koss*s voyage in the ItdbeUa and AltMnnder to Hudson's Bay in 1818 11 Names of officers and men.— Ships visited by the natives of Greenland. — Abundance of birds on this coast. — Gale of wind. —Red snow. — Lancaster Sound.'^The fabulous Croker moun- tains. — Agnes monument.— Large bear shot.- Setum home. Voyage of Buohan and Franklin in the Dorothea and Trent to Spitzbergen, Sec, 1818 17 Names of officers and complement, &c. — FanciM appearance of icebergs. — Ships arrive at Spitzbergen. — ^Anchor in Magdalene bay. — Hanging icebergs.— Immense flocks of birds. — Danger- ous ascent of Botge H^U.— Attack of walruses.- Surprised by vnlooked-for visitors. — ^Devout feeling of recluses.- Expedition puts to sea again. — Party lose themselves on the ice. — Ships damaged by pressure of the floes.— Dangerous position of the ships. — They take refbge in the main pack of icebergs.— Yessels put into Fair Haven to stop leaks and refit.— Betum home. Franklin's First Land Expedition, 1819-21 ••••.. 31 Party leave England in the Prince tf TFoItf.— Beach Hudson's Bay factory by the end of August.— Proceed by the rivers and lakes to Cumberland House. — ^Arrive at Fort Chipewyan after a winter journey of 857 miles. — Engage voyageurs and guides. —Make the acquaintance of Akaitcho.the Indian chief.— Push on for Fort Enterprise, which is made their winter residence after a voyage of 563 miles.— Exploring excursions carried on during the winter.—" Qreen Stockings," the Indian beauty. —Stores and Esquimaux intarpreters anivc^-Seveiity of thA , I ▼i CONTENTS. PAGE winter. — SufTeringof the Indians. — Party set out for the Polar Sea. — Examine the coast westward to Point Tumagain. — Dreadful hardships and sufferings endured on their return journey from famine and fatigue. — Death of several of the party. — Mr. Hood is murdered by Michel the Iroquois, who for their mutual safety is Idlled. by Dr. Richardson. — Hunger and famine endured by the party. — Their ultimate relief. Parry's First Voyage in the Hecla and GripeVf 1819-20 . . Names of officers serving, &c. — Enter Lancaster Sound. — The Croker mountains proved to be fallacious. — Parry discovers and enters Regent Inlet. — Also discovers and names various islands, capes and channels. — Reaches Melville Island. — Expe- dition cross the meridian of 110 deg. W., and become entitled to the Parliamentary reward of £5000. — Drop anchor for the first time.— Land on the island. — ^Abundance of animals found. — ^An exploring party lose themselves for three days. — But are recovered and brought back. — Tessels get into winter quarters.-— A MS. newspaper published.— Amateur plftys per- formed. — Observatory destroyed by fire. — Scurvy makes its appearance. — Crews put on short allowance. — An excursion of a fortnight made to examine the island. — Ships get dear of the ice.— But are unable to make further progress to the westward, and their return to Engl and. is determined on. 50 Party's Second Voyage in the Furif and Se(^ 1821>23 . . His opinion as to a North-west passage. — Names of officers, &c., of the expedition. — Make Resolution Island at the entrance of Hudson Strait. — ^Dangers of Hho ice. — Fali in with Hudson's Bay Company's ships, and emigrant vessel, with Dutch colo- nists proceeding to Red River. — Two immense bears killed.—- Description of the Esquimaux. — Surveys made of all. the in- dentations and coasts of this locality. — Ships driven back by the current and drift-ice. — Take up their winter quarters.— And resort to theatrical amusements again.— Schools estab* Kshed.— Great severity of the winter. — Surveying operations resumed. — Intelligent Esquimaux female affords valuable hydrographical information. — Perilous position of the Hecla. — Her miraculous release. — Ships pass their second winter aarty retrace their steps. — Find Richardson and Kendal had returned before them, after reaching and exploring Dolphin and Union Strait. — ^Another winter spent at Fort Franklin. — Intensity of the cold. — Large collection of objects of natural history made by Mr. Drum- mond. — Franklin's struggle between affection and duty. — Party return to England. Captain Beechey's Voyage to Behring Strait in the Blossom, 1826-28 95 Anchors off Petropanlowski. — ^Receives intelligence of Parry'b safe return. — Interview with the natives. — Correct hydro- graphical descriptions given by the Esquimaux. — Ship's boat pushes on to the eastward as far as Point Barrow, to commu- nicate with Franklin. — Crew in danger from the natives. — Oblicred to return to their ships. — The Blossom proceeds to the Pacific to replenish her provisions. — Returns to Kotzebue Sound in the summer. — Ship grounds on a sandbank, but is got off. — Boat sent out to learn tidings of Franklin is wrecked. —Crew come into collision with hostile natives, and are wounded : picked .up by the ship. — Despatches left for Frank- lin, and the sliip returns to England. TIU CONTENTS. Fflrry*B Fourth or Polar Voyage in the ffecla, 1827 PAGE . 98 Flans and suggestions of Scoresby. Beaufoy, and Franklin for travelling in sledges over the ice.-* Names of officers employed. —Ship embarks reindeer on the Norway coast. — Experiences 9, tremendous gale. — Beset by ice for a month. — Anchors at Spitzbergen. — Sledge-boats prepared tot the ice journey. — Description of them. — Night tamed into day.— -Slow progress. —Occupations of the party. — Lose ground by the southward drift of the ice. — Bear shot. — Notices of animals seen. — Beach northernmost kno^vn land. — The islet named after Boss. — Return to the ship. — Parry's subsequent suggestions on this mode of travelling. — Sir John Barrow's comments thereon. — Opinions of this perilous ice Journey. — ^Beview of Parry's Arctic services. li ,1 i ' hi Captain Jolin Boss's Second Voyage in the Victory, 1829-33 107 Boss seeks official employment f)rom the Admiralty on another Arctic voyage. — Is refused. — Funds are fiimished by Mr. Felix Booth. — The Victory steamerpurchased. — Engages his nephew, Ciommander James Boss, as his second in command. — List of other officers. — Ship encounters a gale, and is obliged to put into Holsteinborg to refit. — Proceed on their voyage. — Enter Lancaster Sound and Begent Inlet. — Reach Fury Beach.— Find abundance of stores there and preserved provisions in excellent condition. — Beplenish their stock.— Proceed down the inlet. — Perils of the ice. — Vessel secured in Felix Harbour for the winter. — Esquimaux visit the ship. — ^Furnish very correct sketches of the coast. — Ck>mmander James Boss makes many excursions inland and along the bays and inlets. — Ex- plores Boss's Strait, and pushes on to King William's Land. —Difficulty of distinguishing land from sea. — Beaches Point Victory, and turns back. — Ship gets clear of the ice, after eleven months* imprisonment, but in a week is again frozen in, and the party are detained during another severe winter.-— Farther discoveries made, and Ciommander Boss plants the British Flag on the North magnetic pole. — In August, 1831, the ship is warped out, and makes sail, but after beating about for a month, is again frozen in, and rather than spend a fourth winter, there being no prospect of releasing the ship, she is abandoned, and the crew make for Fury Beach. — Provisions and boats taken on with great labour. — Party erect a canvas hut, which they name Somerset House. — In a month, the boats being prepared for the voyage, the party embark and reach the mouth of the inlet. — Barrow's Strait is found one compact mass of ice. — They are obliged to fall back on the stores at Fury Beach to spend their fourth winter.— Placed on short allowance. — In the spring they again embark in their boats, and succeed in reaching Lancaster Sound. — Fall in with whalers. — ^Are received on board the Isabella, Captain Ross's old ship.— Arrive home. — Public rejoicings for their safety. — Bcwarda granted.— Besumi of Captain John Ross's services. CONTiOITS. Captain Back's Land Journey in search of Bom, 1833-35 PAOB . 118 Attention called to the missing expedition by Dr. Richardson. — Flans of relief suggested. — Public meeting held to consider on best measu res. — Ample Ainds raised. — Captain Back volun- teers. — Leaves England in company with Dr. King. — Yoy* ageurs and guides, &c., engaged in Canada. — Party push through the north-west country. — Dreadfyil sufferings from insect pests. — Reach Fort Resolution, on Great Slave Lake. —Motley description of the travellers and their en«. ^mpment. — Arrangements are completed, and the journey in search of the Great Fish River is commenced. — Frightful nature of the precipices, rapids, falls, ravines, &c. — Meet with old acquaint- ances. — Obliged to return to their winter quarters. — Dreadful sufferings of the Indians. — Famine and intense cold. — Noble conduct of Akaitcho, the Indian chief. — News received of Captain Ross's safe return to England. — Franklin's faithful Esquimaux interpreter, Augustus, endeavouring to join Back, is frozen to death. — A fresh journey towards the sea resolved on. — Provisions for three months taken. — Indian encamp- ment. — Green Stockings, the beauty. — Interview with the chief, Akaitcho. — Arduous and perilous progress towards the sea. — Pilfering propensities of the Indians. — Meet with a large friendly tribe of Esquimaux. — Reach the sea, and proceed along the coast to the eastward, unable to arrive at the Point Tnrnagain of Franklin. — Privations of the party on their return journey. — Difficulties encountered in reascending the river. — Reach Fort Reliance after four months' absence.-^ Pass the winter there. — Captain Back arrives in England in September, after two years' and a half absence. — ^Dr. King follows him in the Hudson's Bay spring ships. iBack's Voyage in the Terror up Hudson's Strait, 1836 . . 132 Ship arrives at Salisbury Island. — Proceeds up Frozen Strait. — Is blocked up in the ice^ and driven about powerless for more than six months. — Cast on her beam ends for three days. — From the crippled state of the ship and the insurmountable ditficulties of the navigation, the return to England is determined on.— Summary of Captain Back's Arctic services. 3Iessrs. Dease and Simpson's Discoveries on the Coast of Arctic America, 1836-39 133 Descend the Mackenzie to the sea Survey the western part of the shores of Northern America firom Return Reef to Cape Barrow. — Discover two new rivers, the Garry and Colville.— After reaching Elson Bay, return to winter at Fort Confidence, on Great Bear Lake. — Survey resumed in the ensuing spring. — Dangerous rapids on the Coppermine River. — Encamp at its mouth. — Copper ore found here. — Victoria Land discovered, and 140 miles of new coast traced. — Reascent of the Copper- mine commenced. — Boats abandoned, and the Barren Grounds traver? idon foot.-^Spend another winter at FortContidcnce. — CONTENTS. TAGS The following season a third voyage commsnoed.— Richard- son's River examined.— -Coronation Gulf found clear of ice. — Coast survey to the eastward prosecuted. — Simpson's Strait discovered. — Back's estuary reached. — Deposit of provisions made by Back five years previous found. — Aberdeen Island, the extreme point reached. — Parts of the coasts of Boothia and Victoria Land traced. — One of the boats abandoned. — Descent of the Coppermine, and safe arrival at Fort Con- fidence. luT. John Bae's Land Expedition, 1846-47 137 Hudson's Bay Company despatch Rae and a party of thirteen men to complete the sur>'ey between Dease and Simpson's furthest, and the Fury and Hecla Strait.— -Expedition leaves Fort Churchill. — Reaches Wager River. — Boats taken across Rae's Isthmus. — Winter residence constructed. — Short com- mons. — West shore of Melville Peninsula, &c., examined. — Party return to their encampment, and proceed to Fort Churchill.— Gratuity of £100 awarded to Dr. Rae. He ] C:!ptain Sir John Franklin's Last Expedition in the Erebus and Terror, .1845-54 140 Probability of the safety of the Expedition. — Montgomery's lines on ice-imprisoned vessels. — Lady Franklin's devotion and enthusiasm. — Verses. — Her appeal to the North. — Sir E. Parry's opinion. — Outfit and despatch of Franklin's expe- dition.— Names of the officers employed. — Outline of Frank- lin's services. — Notices of the services of other of the officers.— Searching Expeditions sent out in 1848. — DiflTerent volunteers offer. — Absence of intelligence of Franklin. — His latest de- spatches and letters. — Copper cylinders. — Franklin's views and intentions. — Letters of Captain Fitzjames.— General opinions of the most experienced Arctic officers as to Franklin's safety. — Offer of services and suggestions by Dr. King.— Opinions of Captains Parry and James Ross thereon. — Con- sultation of officers at the Admiralty. — Report of the Hydro- grapher. — ^Advice tendered by those consulted. — Views ol Mr. Snow and Mr. McLean. — Public and private rewards offered for discovery and assistance to be rendered. — Second Report of Admiral Beaufort to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. — ^Various private and official letters and despatches, pointing out, or commenting on, plans and modes of relief. — Abundance of animal food found in the Arctic Regions. — A ballad of Sir John Franklin. i lie Government and Private Searching Expeditions . . . List of the vessels and commanders, &c., employed on the search in the Arctic Regions. — ^Notices of those returned home. — EnterpHze and Investigator having returned unsuc- cessful from Barrow's Strait, are refitted and sent out under the command of Captain Collinson to Behring's Strait. — Captain Austin, with six ships, sent out to Wellington 211 CONTENTS. JACE tit )tt8 id, [lia on- . 137 een on's ives rose om- fl— Fort r\GE »5ms . 140 lines and • E. ;xpe- •ank- Cbannel. — Lady Franklin despatches the PriTice Albert under Captain Forsyth. — Two vessels sent by private enterprise from the United States. — Reports of their several proceedings and discoveries. — Kemarkable drift in the ice of the American vessels. — Dr. Ilao employed by the Hudson's Hay Company to examine the shores of Arctic America. — Plover dcpdt ship in Bchring's Strait, shifted 500 miles farther north. — Her preserved provisions, to the extent of 10,570 lbs., condemned as unfit for food. — Captain Inglefield's voyage in the Isabel to Baffin's Bay, and important geographical discoveries. — Keasons for discrediting the opinions that Sir John Frank- lin's two vessels can be utterly lost. Hopes and Fears— And theOourse of Operations for conclud- ing the Search 22'J Lady Franklin's enduring faith. — Her letter to the American rrcsident. — New American expedition under Lieutenant Kane, sent out by Mr. Grinnell. — Heartless fabrications and imfounded reports promulgated. — Deserted ships alleged to have been seen on an iceberg off Newfoundland. — Contradic- tory opinions thereon. — Franklin's expressed intentions. — Last letters from his ships. — List of provisions supplied to the expedition. — Provident care of Sir John to provision his ships. — Incentives to perseverance. — Franklin's observations on Parry applicable to his own case. — Mr. Hilton suggests a new plan of search by Spitzbergen. — Mr. Petermann sub- sequently advises a similar plan of operation. — Exploration over the ices by sledges, &c., found the most effective.— Beasonings as to their probable safety. — Dr. Kae's personal experience of supporting a large party. — Important geo- graphical discoveries of the past three, years.— Indigenous re- sources of the Polar Begions. Discovery of the North-west Passage , . 241 Captain M'Clure reaches Melville Island from the westward. — Meeting of the officers of the two expeditions. — Another Ameri- can expedition. — The mystery of the North Pole. — Dr. John Bae arrives in England with information and relics of Frank- lin's party. — His report to the Secretary of the Admiralty. — Letter to the J^mes. — Discussions at the Royal Geographical Society. — Connecting links of information. — Probable truth of some former disbelieved reports.-— Safety of the Enterprise. — Further precise information of the death of Sir John Frank- lin and his party, with records and relics brought home' in September, 1859, by Captain M'Clintock, of the Fox.— Win report to the Admiralty. — The Resolute found and presented to the Queen. Hii 4 THE ARCTIC EEGIONS If we examine a map of Nortliern, or Arctic, America, showing what was known of the countries around the North Pole in the commencement of the present century, we shall find that all within the Arctic circle was a complete blank. Mr. Hearne had, indeed, seen the Arctic Sea in the year 1771 ; and Mr. Mackenzie had traced the river whicn now bears his name to its junction with the sea ; but not a single line of the coast from Icy Cape to Baffin's Bay was known. The eastern and western shores of Greenland, to about 75° latitude, were tolerably well defined, from the visits of whaling vessels ; Hudson's Bay and Strait were partially known ; but Baffin's Bay, according to the statement of Mr. Baffin, in 1616, was % bounded by land on the west, running parallel with the 90th meridian of longitude, or across what is now known to us as Barrow's Strait, and probably this relation led to the subsequently formed hasty opinion of Captain Sir John Ross, as to his visionary Croker Mountains, of which I shall have occasion to speak hereafter. As early as the year 1527, the idea of a passage to the East Indies by the North Pole was suggested by a Bristol merchant to Henry VIII., but no voyage seems to have been undertaken for the purpose of navigating the Polar seas, till the commencement of the following century, when an expedition was fitted out at the expense of certain merchants of London. To tliis attempt several others succeeded at different periods, and all of them were pro- jected and carried into execution by private individuals. The adventurers did not indeed accomplish the object they exclusively sought, that of reaching India by a nearer route than doubling the Cape of Good Hope, but though they failed in that respect, the fortitude, perseverauce, B 2 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. and sTvill wliich they manifested, exhibited the mo.^t irrc- frajjablo proofs of the early existence of that suneriority in naval afTairs, which has elevated this country to lier present eminence amongf the nations of Europe. At Icnjufth, after the lapse of above a century and a half, this interesting question became an object of Ivoyalpatron- ajje, and tho expedition which Avas commanded by Captain Pliijips (afterwards Lord Mulpfrave), in 1773, Mas fitted out at tho charge of Government. Tho first proposer of this voyage Avas the Hon. Daines Barrington, F.R.S., who, with indefatigable ai^siduity, began to collect every fact tending to establish the practicability of circumnavigating the Polo, and as he accumulated his materials he read them to tho Poyal Society, who, in consequence of these repre- sentations, made that application to Lord Sandwich, then Pirst Lord of the Admiralty, which led to the appointment of this first official voyage. Captain Phipps, however, found it impossible to penetrate the wall of ico which extended for many degrees between the latitude of 80° and 81°, to the north of Spitzbergen. His vessels were the Racehorse and Carcass; Captain Lutwidge being his second in command, in the latter vessel, and having with liim, then a mere boy, Nelson, the future hero of England. From the year 1648, when the famous Russian navi- gator, Senor Deshnew, penetrated from the river Kolyma through the Polar into the Pacific Ocean, the Eussians have been as arduous in their attempts to discover a north- east passage to the north of Cape Shelatskoi, as the English have been to sail to the north-west of the Ame- rican continent, through Baffin's Bay and Lancaster Sound, On the side of the Pacific many efibrts have, within the last century, been made to further this object. In 1741, the celebrated Captain Behring discovered the straits which bear his name, as we are informed by Midler, the chronicler of Russian discoveries, and several subsequent commanders of that nation seconded his endeavours to penetrate from the American continent to the north-east. Prom the period when Deshnew sailed on his expedition, to the year 1764, when Admiral Tchitschagof, an indefatigable and active officer, endeavoured to force a passage round Bpitzbergen, (which, although he attempted with a resolu- tion and skill which fall to the lot of few, he was unable to effect,) and thence to the present times, including the arduous efforts of Captains Billings and Vancouver, and the more recent one of M. Von Wrangell, the Russians have been untiring in their attempts to discover a passage eastwards, \q tho north of Cape Taimur and Cape Shelat- INTRODUCTION. 10.4 irrc- riority in ,'r present nd a balf, 111 patron- y Captain ^vas fitted roposer of R.S., wlio, Dvcry fact navijj;atiiig read lUem lese rcprc- wicli, then )pointxnent , kowcver, ice "whicli ;ude of 80° easels were e being bis aaTing witb of Engbmd. issian navi- rer IColyma le BussianB ver a nortb- ioi, as tbe ,f tbe Ame- Lster Sound, witbin tbe . In 1741, tbe straits Mliller, tbe subsequent 'eavours to nortb-east. tpedition, to tdefati gable jjsage round [tb a resolu- 8 unable to jluding tbe couTer, and ^e Eussians (r a passage lape Sbelatr m skoi. And certainly, if skill, perseverance, and courage, could have opened this passage, it would have been accomplished. Soon after the general peace of Europe, when war'a alarms had given way to the high pursuits of science, the government recommenced the long-suspended work of prosecuting discoveries within the Arctic circle. Ai* expedition was despatched under the command of Sir tltAn Eoss, in order to explore the scene of the former labours of Frobisher and Baffin. Still haunted with the golden dreams of a north-west passage, which Barrington and Beaufoy had in the last ago so enthusiastically advo- cated, our nautical adventurers by no means relinquished the long-cherished chimera. It must be admitted, however, that the testimony of Parry and Franklin pass for much on the other side of the question. Both these officers, whoso researches in the cause of scientific discovery entitle them to very high respect, have declared it as their opinion that such a pas- satje does still exist to the north of the 75th degree of lati- tude. Captain Parry, in the concluding remarks of his first voyage (vol. ii. p. 241) says, — " Of the existence of a north- west passage to the Pacific, it is now scarcely possible to doubt, and from the success which attended our efforts in 1819, after passing through Sir James Lancaster's Sound, we were not unreasonable in anticipating its complete accomplishment," &c. And Franklm, in the eleventh chapter of his work, is of the same opinion, ss to the practicability of such a passage. But in no subsequent attempt, either by themselves or others, has this long sought desideratum been accomplished; impediments and barriers seem as thickly thrown in its way as ever. iCol. Mag.,\o\. xiii. p. 340.) An expedition was at length undertaken for the sole purpose of reaching the North Pole, with a view to the ascertainment of philosophical questions. It was planned and placed under the command of Sir Edward Parry, and here first the elucidation of phenomena connected with this imaginary axis of our planet formed the primary object of investigation. JVl y space and purposes in this work will not permit me to go into detail, by examining what Barrow justly terms " those brilliant periods of earfy English enterprise, so con- spicuously displayed in every quarter of the globe, but in none, probably, to greater advantage than in those bold b2 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. and persovcrinj; efforts to pierce throupfh frozen seas, in their little slender barks, of the most miserable description, ill provided with the means either of comfort or safety, without charts or instruments, or any previous knowledi;e of the cold and inhospitable rej^ion tliroujjh which they liad to force and to feel their way ; their vessels oft beset amidst endless fields of ico, and threatened to be over- whelmed with instant destruction from the rapid whirling and burstinpf of those huge floatinjif masses, known by th? name of icebergs. Yet so powerfully infused into the minds of Britons was the spirit of enterprise, that some of the ablest, the most learned, and most respectable men of the times, not only lent their countenance and support to expeditions fitted out for the discovery of new lands, but strove eagerly, in their own persons, to share in the glory and the danger of every daring adventure." To the late Sir Jolin Barrow, F.R.S., for so long a period secretary of the Admiralty, and who, in early life, himself visited the Spitzbergen seas, as high as the 80tli parallel, we are mainly indebted for the advocacy and pro- motion of the several expeditions, and the investigations and inquiries set on foot in the present century, and to the voyages which have been hitherto so successfully car- ried out as regards the interests of science and of our knowlodge of the Polar regions. Although it is absurd to impute the direct responsibility for these expeditions to any other quarter than the several administrations during which they were undertaken, there can bo no question but that these enterprises originated in Sir John Barrow's able and zealous exhibition, to our naval authorities, of the several facts and arguments upon which they might best bo justified and prosecuted as national objects. The sad fate of Sir John Franklin and his gallant companions has thrown a gloom on the subject, but it ought to be remembered that, up to the present period, our successive Polar voyages have, without exception, given occupation to the energies and gallantry of British seamen, and have extended the realms of magnetic and general science, at an expense of lives and money quite insignificant, compared with the ordinary dangers and casualties of such expeditions, and that it must be a very narrow spirit and view of the subject which can raise the cry of " Cui bono,'* and counsel us to relin- quish the honour and peril of such enterprises to Eussia and the United States of America ! It can scarcely be deemed out of place to give here a i IN'TRODUCTIOX. ti seap, in script ion, 3r stttety, nowUMjijo lich tlioy oft beset be over- I whirling xn by th9 into the it some of blc men of support to lands, but I the glory 80 Ions a early life, ,8 the SOth y and pro- estigations iry, and to ssfully car- md of our jponsibility ithc several ,ken, there ginated in [on, to our ents upon Isecuted as lis gallant ibject, but le present without gallantry I realms of lives and ordinary id that it Iject which Ts to relin- Ito Eussia kye here a sliort notice of the literary labours of this excellent and talented man, as I am not aware that such an outline has appeared before. Sir John Barrow was one of the chief writers for the Qti'irferli/ Review, and his articles in tliat journal amount to nearly 200 in number, forming, when bound up, twelve separate volumes. All those relating to tho Arctic Expeditions, &c., which create < I tho greatest interest at tho period they were published, were from his pen, and consist chietly of tho following paners, cominenciui^ from the 18th volume: — On Polar Ice ; On Belirinir's Straits and the Polar Basin ; On lloss's Voyui,' ^ to Balliii's Bay ; On Parry's First Voyage; Kotzebue's Voyage; Franklin's First Expedition ; Parry's Second and" Third Voyages, and Attempt to Reach the Pole ; Frankhn's Second Expe- dition ; Lyon's Voyage to Repulse Bay ; Back's Arctic Laud Expedition, and his Voyage of the Terror. Besides these he published " A Chronological History of Voyages to the Arctic Seas," and afterwards a second volume, " On the Voyages of Discovery and Research within tho Arctic Reijions." ., He also wrote Hves of Lord Macartney, 2 vols. f 4to ; of Lord Anson and Howe, each 1 vol. 8vo ; of Peter the Great ; and an Account of the Mutiny of tho Bounty, (in tho " Family Library ;") " Travels in ^.tuthern Africa," 2 vols. 4to ; and " Travels in China and Cochin China," each 1 vol. 4to. In the " Encyclopfcdia Britannica " are ten or twelve of Iiis articles, and he wrote one in the Edinhurgh Review by special request. In addition to these Sir John Barrow prepared for tho pre?3 innumerable MSS. of travellers in all parts of the I globe, the study of geography being his great delight, as ■ is evidenced by his having founded the Royal Geographical % Society of London, which now holds so hi^h and influen- tial a position in the learned and scientific world, and has advanced so materially the progress of discovery and research in all parts of the globe. Lastly, Sir John Barrow, not long before his death, published his own autobiography, in which he records the labours, the toil, and adventure, of a long and honourable public life. Sir John Barrow has described, with voluminous care and minute research, the arduous services of all the chief Arctic voyagers by sea and land, and to his volume I must refer those who wish to obtain more extensive details and particulars of the voyages of preceding centuries. He has also graphically set forth, to use hie own words, " their i ! I ! I ! 6 PROGRESS OP ARCirC DISCOVERY. several characters and conduct, so uniformly displayed in their unflinching perseverance in difficulties of no ordinary description, their patient endurance of extreme suffering, borne without murmuring, and with an equanimity and fortitude of mind under the most appalling distress, rarely, if ever, equalled, and such as could only be supported by a superior degree of moral courage and resignation to the Divine will — displaying virtues like those of no ordinary caste, and such as will not fail to excite the sympathy, and challenge the admiration, of every right-feeUng reader." Hakluyt, in his " Chronicle of Voyages," justly ob- serves, that we should use much care in preserving the ipemories of the worthy acts of our nation. The different sea voyages and land journeys of the pre- sent century towards the !N'orth Pole have redounded to the honour of our country, as well as reflected credit on the characters and reputation of the officers engaged in them ; and it is to these I confine my observations. The progress of discovery in the Arctic regions has been slow but progressive, and much still within the limits of practical navigation remains yet unexplored. As Englishmen, we must naturally wish that discoveries which were first attempted by the adventurous spirit and maritime skill of our countrymen, should be finally achieved by the same means. " Wil it not," says the worthy " preacher," Hakluyt, " in all posteritie be as great a renown vnto our Enghsh natione, to have beene the first discouerers of a sea beyond the !N"orth Cape, (neuer certainely knowen before,) and of a conuenient passage into the huge empire of Russia, by the Baie of St. Nicholas and of the Eiuer of Duma, as for the Portugales, to have found a sea beyond the Cape of Buona Esperanza, and so consequently a passage by sea into the East Indies ?" I cordially agree with the Quarterly Review, that "neither the country nor the naval service will ever beheve they have any cause to regret voyages which, in the eyes of foreigners and posterity, must confer lasting honour upon both." The cost of these voyages has not been great, while the consequences will be permanent ; for it has been well re- marked, by a late writer, that " the record of enterprising hardihood, physical endurance, and steady perseverance, displayed in overcoming elements the most adverse, will „ong remain among the worthiest memorials of human enterprise." "How shall I admire." says Purchas, "your heroic .j^ displayed in no ordinary Lie suffering, animity and :res3, rarely, upported by lation to the no ordinary mpathy, and g reader." ' justly ob- Bserving the ^softbepre- edounded to ed credit on engaged in itions. regions has lin the limits plored. As t discoveries us spirit and I be finally r, ., Hakluyt, ) our EngUsh a sea beyond 'ore,) and of )f Russia, by Duma, as for the Cape of Lssage by sea Eeview, that ever beheve , in the eyes sting honour at, while the 5een well re- enterprising )erseverance, adverse, will ,1s of human your heroic INTRODUCTION. 7 couraije, ye marine worthies, beyond all names of wor- thiness ! tliat ncytlier dread so long eyther the presence oc absence of the sunne ; nor those foggy mysts, tempes- tuous winds, cold blasts, snowe and hayle in the ayre ; nor the unequall seas, which might amaze the hearer, and amate the beholder, when the Tritons and Neptune's solfe would quake with chilling feare to behold such mon- strous icie ilands, renting themselves with terrour of their own massiues, and disdayning otherwise both the sea'a sovercigntie and the sunne's hottest violence, mustering themselves in those watery plaines where they hold a con- tinual civill warre, and rusning one upon another, make windes and waves give backe ; seeming to rent the eares of others, whUe thev rent tliemselves with crashing and splitting their congealed armours." So thickly are the polar seas of the northern hemisphere clustered with lands, that the long winter months serve to accumulate Held ice to a prodigious extent, so as to form an almost impenetrable barrier of hyperborean frost — •* A crystal pavement by the breath of Ileavcu Cemented linn." Although there are now no new continents left to dis- cover, our intrepid British adventurers are but too eager to achieve the bubble reputation, to hand down thoir names to future ages for patient endurance, zeal, and en- terprise, by explorations of the hidden mysteries of — " tlie frigid zone, AVhere, for relentless months, continual niglit Holds o'er the glittering waste her starry light ;* by undergoing perils, and enduring privations and dangerSs which the mind in its reflective moments shudders to contemplate. It is fair to conjecture that, so intense is the cold, and so limited the summer, and consequently so short the time allowed for a transit within the Arctic chcle, from Baffin's Bay to Behring's Straits, that a passage, even if discovered, will never be of any use as a channel. It is not likely that these expeditions would ever have been persevered in Avith so much obstinacy, had the prospects now opening on the world of more practicable con- nexions with the East been known forty years ago. Now that the sacred demands of humanity have been answered, very little more will be heard about the north- west passage to Asia; which, if ever found, must be always hazardous and protracted, when a short and quick V \h 1 I I 8 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. one can be accomplished by raiboads through America, or canals across the Isthmus. A thorough knowledge of the relative boundaries of land and ocean on this our globe has in all ages, and by all countries, been considered one of the most important desiderata, and one of the chief features of popular infor- mation. But to no country is this knowledge of such practical utility and of such essential importance as to a maritime nation like Great Britain, whose mercantile marine visits every port, whose insular position renders her completely dependent upon distant quarters for half the necessary supplies, whether of food or luxury, which her native population consume, or which the arts and manufactures, of which she is the emporium, require. With a vast and yearly increasing dominion, covering almost every region of the habitable globe, — the chart of our colonies being a chart of the world in outline, for we sweep the globe and touch every shore, — it becomes neces- sary that we should keep pace with the progress of Colonization, by enlarging wherever possible our maritime discoveries, completing and verifying our nautical surveys, improving our meteorological researches, opening up new and speedier periodical pathways over the oceans "which were formerly traversed with so much danger, doubt, and diflSculty, and maintaining our superiority as the greatest of maritime nations, by sustaining that high and distinguished rank for naval eminence which has ever attached to the British name. The arduous achievements, however, of our nautical discoverers have seldom been appreciated or rewarded as they deserved. We load our naval and military heroes— the men who guard our wooden walls and successfully fight our battles— with titles and pensions; we heap upon these, and deservedly so, princely remuneration and all manner of distinctions ; but for the heroes whose patient toil and protracted endurance far surpass the tur- moil of war, who peril then* lives in the cause of science, many of whom fall victims to pestilential climates, famine, and the host of dangers which environ the voyager and traveller in unexplored lands and unknown seas, we have only a place in the niche of Fame. What honours did England as a maritime nation confer on Cook, the foremost of her naval heroes, — a man whose life was sacrificed for his country? His widow had an annuity of 200Z., and his surviving children 2ol. each per annum. And this is the reward paid to the 1 ^■1 1 INTRODUCTION. lerica, or daries of , and by mportant Jar infor- practical maritime •ine visits jmpletely necessary er native ufactures, , covering the chart ne, for we nes neces- ogress of • maritime al surveys, )ening np he oceans h danger, friority as that high has ever nautical rarded as heroes— [ccessfully we heap ration and les whose the tur- [f science, }, famine, rager and we have le nation. L — a man [is widow children dd to the M M most eminent of our naval discoverers, before whom Cabot, Drake, Frobisher, Magellan, Anson, and the arctic adventurers, Hudson and Batlin, — although all eminent for their discoveries and the important services they rendered to the cause of nautical science, — sink into insignificance ! If we glance at the results of Cook's voyages we fi.nd that to him we are indebted for the innumerable discoveries of islands and colonies planted in the Pacific ; that he deter- mined the conformation, and surveyed the numerous bays and inlets, of New Holland; established the geogra- phical position of the north-western shores of America ; ascertained the trending of the ice and frozen shores to the north of Behring's Straits; approached nearer the South Pole, and made more discoveries in the Australian regions, than all the navigators who had preceded him. On the very shores of their vast empire, at the ex- tremity of Xamtschatka, his active genius first taught the Russians to examine the devious trendin^s of the lands which border the Frozen Ocean, in the neigh- bourhood of the Arctic circle. He explored both the eastern and western coasts above Behring's Straits to so high a latitude as to decide beyond doubt the question as to the existence of a passage round the two continents. He showed the Russians how to navigate the dangerous seas between the old and the new world ; for, as Coxe has remarked, "before his time, everything was uncertain and confused, and though they had imdoubtedly reached the continent of America, yet they had not ascertained the line of coast, nor the separation or vicinity of the two continents of Asia and America." Coxe, certainly, does no more than justice to his illustrious countryman when, he adds, " the solution of this important problem was re- served for our great navigator, and every Englishman must exult that the discoveries of Cook were extended further in a single expedition, and at the distance of half the globe, than the Russians accomplished in a long series of years, and in a region contiguous to their own empire." Look at Weddell, again, a pnvate trader in seal-skins, AvLo, in a frail bark of 160 tons, made important dis- L'ovories in the Antarctic circle, and a voyage of greater length and peril, through a thousand miles of ice, than had previously been performed by any navigator, paving the \yay for the more expensively fitted expedition under Sir James Ross. Was Weddell remunerated on a scale eommensurate with his important services ? Half a century ago the celebrated Bruce of Kinnaird, 10 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. by a series of soundino;s and observations taken in the "Red Sea, now the great highway of overland eastern traffic, rendered its navigation more secure and punctual. How was he rewarded by the then existing ministry P Take a more recent instance in the indefatigable energy of lieutenant Waghom, R.N., the enterprising pioneer of the overland route to India. What does not the commerce, the character, the reputation, of this countiy owe to his inde- fatigable exertions, in bringing the metropolis into closer connexion with our vast and important Indian empire ? And what was the reward he received for the sacrifices he made of time, money, health, and life ? A paltry annuity to himself of 100/., and a pension to his widow of 25 /.'per annum ! Is it creditable to us, as the first naval power of the world, that we should thus dole out miserable pittances, or entirely overlook the successful patriotic exertions and scientific enterprises and discoveries of private adven- turers, or public commanders ? The attractions of a summer voyage along the bays and seas where the sun shines for four months at a time, ex- ploring the bare rocks and everlasting ice, with no com- panion but the white bear or the Arctic fox, may be all very romantic at a distance ; but the mere thought of a winter residence there, frozen fast in some solid ocean, with snow a dozen feet deep, the thermometer ranging from 40° to 50° below zero, and not a glimpse of the blessed sun from November to February, is enough to give a chill to all adventurous notions. But the oiiicers and men engaged in the searching expeditions after Sir John Franklin calmly weighed ail these difficulties, and boldly went forth to encounter the perils and dangers of those icy seas for the sake of their noble fellow-sailor, whose fate was so long a painful mystery to the world. It has been truly observed, that *' this is a service for which all officers, however brave and intelligert they may be, are not equally qualified ; it requires a peculiar tact, an inquisitive and persevering pursuit after details of fact, not always interesting, a contempt of danger, and an enthusiasm not to be damped by ordinary difficulties." The -records which I shall have to give in these pages of voyages and travels, unparalleled in their perils, their duration, and the protracted sufferings which many of them entailed on the adventurers, will bring out in bold relief the prominent characters who have figured in Arctic Discovery, and whose names will descend to posterity, em- I i FIRST VOYAGE OF CAPTAIN ROSS. u 1 in the eastern )unctual. try? snergy of jer of the lerce, the his inde- ito closer . empire? jritices he mnuity to f 25 Z. per er of the pittances, ptions and ite adven- 3 bays and a time, ex- th no corn- may be all lou^ht of a olid ocean, 3r ranging pse of the enough to the oineers tions after difficulties, ,d dangers lUow-saiior, y to the I service for It they may Iculiar tact, lails of fact. ?r, and an bulties." jse pages of perils, their Eh many of lout in bold led in Arctic Isterity, em- blazoned on the 'scroll of Fame, for their bravery, their patient endurance, their skill, and, above all, their iiwn trust and reliance on that Almighty Being who, although He may- have tried them sorely, has never utterly forsaken them. Capt. John Koss's Votage, 1818. In 1818, His Eoyal Highness the Prince Eegent having signified his pleasure that an attempt should be made to iiud a passage by sea between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty were pleased to fit out four vessels to proceed towards the North Pole, under the command of Captain John !Ross. No former expedition had been fitted out on so extensive a scale, or so completely equipped in every respect as this one. The circumstance which mainly led to the sending out of these vessels, was the open character of the bays and seas in those regions, it having been ob- served for the previous three years that very unusual quantities of the Polar ice had floated down into the Atlantic. In the year 1817, Sir Jolm Barrow relates that the eastern coast of Greenland, which had been shut up with ice for four centuries, was found to be accessible from the 70th to the 80th degree of latitude, and the inter- mediate sea between it and Spitzbergen was so entu'cly open in the latter parallel, that a Hamburgh ship had actually sailed along this track. On the 15th of January, 1818, the four ships were put in. commission — the Isabella, 385 tons, and the Alexander, 252 tons — under Captain Boss, to proceed up the middle of Davis's Strait, to a high northern latitude, and then to stretch across to the westward, in the hope of being able to pass the northern extremity of America, and reach Behring's Strait by that route. Those destined for the Polar sea were, the Dorothea, 382 tons, and the Trent, 24^ tons, which were ordered to proceed between Greenland and Spitzbergen, and seek a passage through an open Polar sea, if such should be found in that direction. I shall take these voyages in the order of their publica- tion, Ross having given to the world the account of his voyage shortly after his return in 1819 ; while the narra- tive of the voyage of the Dorothea and Trent was only published in 1843, by Captain Beechey, who served as Lieutenant of the Trent, during the voyage. The following were the officers &c.*^of the ships under Captain Ross : — Ill 19 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERT. !|:: !iH " ! I' i , Isabella, Captain — John Boss. Lieutenant — W. Kobertson. Purser — W. Thorn. Sur<:!^eon — John Edwards. Assistant Surgeon— C. J, Beverley. Admiralty Midshipmen — A. M. Skene and James Clark Boss. Midshipman and Clerk — J. Bushnan. Greenland Pilots — B. Lewis, master ; T. Wilcox, mate. Captain (now Colonel) Sabine, K-.A. John Saeheuse, an Esquimaux interpreter. 45 petty officers, seamen, and marines. Whole complement, 57. Alexander. Lieutenant and Commander — William Edward Parry, (now Captain Sir Edward.) Lieutenant — -H. H. Hoppner (a first-rate artist.) Purser — W. H. Hooper. Greenland Pilots — J. Allison, master ; J. Philips, mate. Admiralty Midshipmen — P. Bisson and J. !Nius. Assistant Surgeon — A. Fisher. Clerk — J. Halse. 28 petty officers, seamen, &c. Whole complement, 37. On the 2nd of May, the four vessels being reported fit for sea, rendezvoused in Brassa Sound, Shetland, and the two expeditions parted company on the following day ifor their respective destinations. On the 26th, the Isabella fell in with the first iceberg, which appeared to be about forty feet high and a thousand feet long. It is hardly possible to imagine anything more exquisite than the variety of tints which these icebergs display ; by night as well as by day they ghtter with a vividness of colour beyond the power of art to represent. "U'hile the white portions have the brilliancy of silver, their colours are as various and splendid as those of the rainbow ; their ever-changing disposition producing effects as singular as they are new and interesting to those who have not seen them before. On the 17th of June, they reached Waygatt Soimd, beyond Disco Island, where they found forty-five whalers detained by the ice. Waygatt Island, from observations taken on shore, was found to be 5° longitude and S J i FIRST VOYAGE OF CAPTAIN ROSS. 13 es Clark )S, mate. fd Parry, t.) lips, mate, us. eported fit bland, and [owing day ^t iceberg:, thousand Ihing more |e icebergs Iter with a Irepresent. 1 of silver, lose of tlie [ing effects Itliose who Itt So\ind, re whalers Iservations and £'3 miles of latitude from the situation as laid down in the Admiralty Charts. They were not able to get away from here till the 20th, when the ice began to break. By cutting passages through the ice, and by dint of towing and warping, a slow progress was made with the ships until the 17th of July, wnen two ice-floes closing in upon them, threatened inevitable de- struction, and it was only by the greatest exertions that they hove through into open water. The labours of warping, towing, and tracking were subsequently very severe. This tracking, although hard work, afforded great amusement to the men, giving frequent occasion for the exercise of their wit, when some of the men occasion- ally fell in through holes covered with snow or weak parts of the ice. Very high mountains of land and ice were seen to the north side of the bay, which he named Melville's Bay, forming an impassable barrier, the precipices next the sea being from 1000 to 2000 feet high. On the 29th of June, the Esquimaux, John Sacheuse, who had accompanied the expedition from England as interpreter, was sent on shore to communicate with the natives. About a dozen came off to visit the ship, and, after being treated with coffee and biscuit in the cabin, and having their portraits taken, they set to dancing Scotch reels on the deck of the Isabella with the sailors. Captain Eoss gives a pleasant description of this scene — " Sacheuse's mirth and joy exceeded all bounds ; and with a good-humoured oflBciousness, justified by the important distinction which his superior knowledge now gave him, he performed the office of master of the cere- monies. An Esquimaux M.C. to a ball on the deck of one of H.M. ships in the icy seas of Greenland, was an office somewhat new, but IsTash himself could not have performed his functions in a manner more appropriate. It did not belong even to Nash to combine in his own person, hke Jack, the discordant qualifications of seaman, inter- preter, draughtsman, and master of ceremonies to a ball, with those of an active fisher of seals and a hunter of white bears. A daughter of the Danish resident (by an Esquimaux woman), about eighteen years of age, and by far the best-looking of the half-caste group, was the object of Jack's particular attentions ; which being observed by one of our officers, he gave him a lady's shawl, ornamented with spangles, as an offering for her acceptance. He presented it in a most respectful, and not ungraceful, manner to the damsel, who bashfully took a pewter ring u PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERT. ^1 ! I- l:|i ill \'i'- from her finger and gave it to him in return, rewardinfj him, at the same time, with an eloquent smile, which could leave no doubt on our Esquimaux's mind that ho had made an impression on her heart." (Vol. 1, p. 67-8.) On the 5th of August the little auks {Mergulus alle,) were exceedingly abundant, and many were shot for food, as was also a large gull, two feet nve inches in length, which, when killed, disgorged one of these little birds entire. A fortnight later, on two boats being sent from the Isabella to procure as many of these birds as possible, for the purpose of preserving them in ice, they returned at midnight with a boat-load of about 1500, having, on an average, killed fifteen at each shot. The boats of the Alexander were nearly as successful. These birds were afterwards served daily to each man, and, among other ways of dressing them, they were found to make excellent soup — not inferior to hare soup. Not less than two hundred auks were shot on the 6th of August, and served out to the ships' companies, among whose victuals they proved an agreeable variety, not having the fishy flavour that might be eirpected from their food, which consists of Crustacea, small fishes, mollusca, or marine vegetables. On the 7th of August the ships were placed in a most critical situation by a gale of wind. The Isabella was lifted by the pressure of ice floes on each side of her, and it was doubted whether the vessel could long withstand the grips and concussions she sustained ; " every support threatened to give way, the beams in the hold began to bend, and the iron water-tanks settled together. The two vessels were thrown with violent concussion against each other, the ice-anchors and cables broke one after the other, a boat at the stern was smashed in the collision, and the masts were hourly expected to go by the board ; but at this juncture, when certain destruction was momentarily looked for, by the merciful interposition of Providence the fields of ice suddenly opened and formed a clear passage for the ships." A singular physical feature was noticed on the part of the coast near Cape Dudley Digges : — " We have discovered (says Boss) that the snow on the face of the clifis presents an appearance both novel and interesting, being apparently stained or covered by some substance whicli gave it a deep crimson colour This snow was penetrated in many placss to a depth of ten or twelve feet by the colouring matter. ' There is nothing new, however, 4 inJ, do I ob hi. boi in am pie fiur i.i'ii FIRST VOYAGE OF CAPTAIN ROSS. 15 B, wliicU I that Uo p. 67-8.) ,us alle,) for food, in lentil* ttle birds from tlio J possible, J returned ing, on an ats of the birds were long other :e excellent than two and served 3tuals they ,shy flavour consists of retables. ^d in a most sahella was of her, and withstand cry support Id began to r. The two igainst each er the other, ion, and the ard ; but at nomentarily providence !lear passage on the part "We have face of the interesting, le substance is snow was r twelve feet ew, however, according to BaiTow, in the discovery of red snow. Pliny, and other writers of his time, mention it. Saussure found it in various parts of the Alps ; Martin found it in Spitz- ber'T^cn. and no doubt it is to be met with in most alpine regions. in the course of this tedious, and often laborious, pro- gress through the ice, it became necessary to keep the whole of the crew at the most fatiguing work, sometimes for several days and nights without intenuission. When this was the case, an extra meal was served to them at midnight, generally of preserved meat ; and it was found that this nourishment, when the mind and body were both occupied, and the sim continually present, rendered them capable of remaining without sleep, so that they often passed tliree days in this manner without any visible inconveuietice, returning after a meal to theu* labour on the ice or in the boats quite refreshed, and continuing at it without a murmur. After making hasty and very cursory examinations of Smith's and Jones' Sounds, Hoas arrived on the 30th of August oif the extensive inlet, named by Baffin Lancaster Sound. The entrance was perfectly clear, and the sound- ings ranged from 650 to 1000 fathoms. I shall now quote Boss's own observations on this subject, because from his unfortunate report of a range called the Croker moun- tains, stretching across this Strait, has resulted much of the ridicule and discredit which has attached to his accounts, and clouded his early reputation — *' On the 31st (he says) we discovered, for the first time, that the land extended from the south two-thirds across this apparent Strait; but the fog which continually occupied that quarter, obscured its real figure. During the day, much interest was excited on board by the appearance of this Strait. The general opinion, however, was, that it was only an inlet. The land was partiaUy seen extending across ; the yellow sky was perceptible. At a little before 4 o'clock a.m., the land was seen at the bottom of the inlet by the officers of the watch, but before I got on. deck a space of about seven degrees of the compass was obscured by the fog. The land which I then saw was a high ridge of mountains extending chrectly across the bottom of the inlet. This chain appeared extremely high in the centre. Although a passage in this direction appeared hopeless, I was determined to explore it com- pletely. I therefore continued all sail. Mr. Beverley, the surgeon, who was the most sanguine, went up to the crow'i 16 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. ■:i II I lilt. ill 't'!i' !ii:"i: iliii nest, and at twelve reported to me that before it became thick he had seen the laud across the bay, except for n very short space. "At three, I went on deck ; it completely cleared for ton minutes, when I distinctly saw the land round the bottom of the bay, forming a chain of mountains connected with those which extended along the north and south side. This land appeared to be at the distance of eight leagues, and Mr. Lewis, the master, and James Haig, leading man, being sent for, they took its bearings, which were inserted in the log. At this moment, I also saw a continuity of ice at the distance of seven miles, extending from one side of the bay to the other, between the nearest cape to the north, which I named after Sir George Warrender, and that to the south, which was named after Viscount Castl^reagh. The mountains, which occupied the centre, in a north and south direction, were named Croker's Mountains, after the Secretary to the Admiralty." (Vol. 1, p. 241-46, 8vo edit.) They next proceeded to Possession Bay, at the entrance of the Strait, where a great many animals were observed. Deer, fox, ermine, bears, and hares, were either seen, or proved to be, in abundance by their tracks, and the skeleton of a whale was found stranded about 500 yards beyond high water mark. Finding, as Ross supposed, no outlet through Lancaster Strait, the vessels continued their pro^jress to the southward, exploring the western coast of Baffin's Bay to Pond's Bay, and Booth's Inlet, discovering the treudmg of the land, which he named North Galloway, and North Ayr to Cape Adair, and Scott's Bay. On September the 10th, they landed on an hhjid near Cape Ellington, which was named Agnes' Monument. A flag-staff and a bottle, with an account of their proceedings, were set up. The remains of a temporary habitation of some of the Esquimaux were here observed, with a fire- place, part of a human skull, a broken stone vessel, some Dones of a seal, burnt wood, part of a sledge, and tracks of dogs, &c. While the boat was absent, two large bears swam off to the ships, which were at the distance of six miles from the land. They reached the AlexandeVy and were imme- diately attacked by the boats of that ship, and killed. One, which was shot through the head, unfortunately sank ; the other, on being wounded, attacked the boats, and showed considerable play, but was at length secured and towed to the Isabella by the boats of both ships. The VOYAGE OF BUCHAN AND FRANKLIN". 17 it became Dopt tor a •ed for ton lie bottom ?cted with auth side, it lea^fues, .ding man, <^o inserted ntinuity of from one st cape to Varrender, r Viscount he centre, i Croker's r." (Vol. 1, le entrance 3 observed, er seen, or 3, and the 500 yards tpposed, no continued le western ►til's Inlet, mod North nd Scott's ishjid near tment. A roceedings, libitation of rith a fire- ?ssel, some md tracks swam off liles from lere imme- Imd killed. )rtunately Ithe boats, th secured iiips. The i anirnnl wrigliod 1131. Ubs., besides the blood it had lost, wliicli was estimated at 30lbs. more. On the following day, Lieut. Parry was sent on shore to examine an iceberg, which was found to be 4109 yards lonrr, 3869 yards broad, and 51 feet high, being aground in 61 fathoms^ When thev had ascended to the toj), which was perfectly flat, they found a huge white bear in quiet possession of the mass, who, much to their mortification and astonishment, plunged without hesitation into tho sea from the edge of the precipice, which was fifty feet hi^i. From careful observation it was found that there was no such land in the centre of Davis Strait as James's Island, which was laid down in most of tho charts. Nothing deserving of notice occun-ed in the subsequent course of the vessels past Cape Walsingham to Cumber- land Strait. Tho 1st of October having arrived, the lunit to which his instructions permitted him to remain out, Ross shaped his course homewards, and after encountering a severe gale off Cape Farewell, arrived in Grimsby Roads on the 14th of November. As respects the purposes of Arctic iscovery, this voyage may be considered almost a blank, none of the important inlets and sounds of Baffin's Bay having been explored, and aU that was done was to define more clearly the land-bounds of Davis Strait and Baffin's Bay, if we except the valuable magnetic and other obser- vations made by Cant. Sabine. The commander of the expedition was promoted to the rank of captain on paying ofi^the ships in December, 1818. The account of his voyage, published by Capt. Ross, is of the most meagre and uninteresting description, and more than half filled with dry details of the outfit, copies of his instructions, of his routine letters and orders to his officers, &c. BuCHAN AND FbANKLIN. Dorothea and Trent to Pole, 1818. In conjunction with the expedition of Capt. John Ross, jwas that sent out to the coast of Spitzbergen, and of which jCapt. Beechey has pubUshed a most interesting account, fcmbellished with some very elegant illustrations from liis Ipencil. The charge of it was given to Capt. D. Buchan, ■|who had a few years previously conducted a very interest- ing expedition into the interior of Newfoundland. The [first and most important object of this expedition was the 18 PROORESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERT. r lu 11 •wli iiii discovorv of a passapfo over or as near the Poie, as miuht bo possible, and tliroujjh Bolirinf^'s Straits into the Pacific. But it was also hoped that it might at the name time be the means of improving the geography and liydro- graphy of the Arctic regions, of which so little was at that time known, and contribute to the advancement of science and natural knowledge. Tho objects to which attention was specially pointed in the Admiralty instructions, were the variation and inclination of the magnetic needle, the intensity of the magnetic force, and how far it is affected by atmospherical electricity ; the temperature of tho air, the dip of the horizon, reifraction, height of the tides, set and velocity of tho currents, depths and sound- ings of the sea. Collections of specimens to illustrate the animal, mineral, and vegetable kingdoms, were also directed to be made. Tho officers and crew appointed to these vessels were : — Dorothea, 382 tons. Captain— David Buchan. Lieutenant — A. Morell. Surgeon— John Duke. Assistant- Surgeon — W. G. Borland. Purser — John Jermain. Astronomer — George Fisher. Admiralty- Mates — C. Palmer and W. J. Dealy. Greenland Pilots — P. Bruce, master ; G. Crawfurd, mate. 45 Petty Officers, Seamen, &c. Total complement, 55. Trent, 249 tons. Lieutenant and Commander — John Franklin. Lieutenant — Fred. W. Beechey (artist). Purser — W. Barrett. Assistant- Surgeon — A. Gilfillan. Admiralty Mates — A. Eeid and George Back. Greenland Pilots — G. Fife, master, and G. Xirby, mate. 30 Petty Officers and Seamen. Total complement, 38. Having been properly fitted for the service and taken on boarcl two years' provisions, the ships sailed on the 25th of April. The Trent had hardly got clear of the river before she sprang a leajc, and was detained in the port of Lerwick nearly a foKuight undergoing repairs. On the 18th of May, the ships encountered a severe ■^B VOYAGE OF BrCIIAN AND FRANKLIN. 19 io, as mijilit tho rac'ilic. pame time antl hydro- was lit that it of science >h attention ctions, were etic needle, iw far it is iperature of ?iirbt of the i and sound- llustrate the , were also lese vessels [ealy. .wf'ard, mate. tirby, mate, je and taken tiled on the Iclear of the lined in the repairs, led a severe 1 M p.ilo, nnd under even stomi staysails "were buried gunwale (Iccj) in thi^ waves. On I lie 'JUli thev si^lited Clierio Island, situated in lat. Ti"" 33' JV., and lonir. 17^ 40' E., formerly 8o noted for its fishery, IxMnir much frequiMitcd by wairuj^es, and for many years tho Museovy Com|)any earried on a lucrative trade by sendinir ships to the island for oil, as many as a thousand animals beinj; often cap- tured by the crew of a single ship in the course of six or sevj'ii hours. Tlie pr()y;res9 of the discovery ships through the small floes and huge masses of ice which floated in succession past, was slow, and thest from their novelty were regarded with peculiar attention from tho grotesque shapes they assumed. Tho progress of a vessel through such a laby- rinth of frozen masses is one of the most interesting sights that offer in the Arctic seas, and kept the ollicers and crew out of their beds till a late hour watching the scene. Capt. Beechey, the graphic narrator of the vovage, thus describes the general impression created : — " Inhere waa besides, on this occasion, an additional motive for remain- ing up ; very few of us had ever seen the sun at midnight, and tliis night happening to be particularly clear, his broad red disc, curiously distorted by refraction, and sweeping majestically along the northern horizon, was an object of imposing grandeur, which riveted to tho deck some of our crew, who would perhaps have beheld with iudifrerence the less imposing ell'ect of tho icebergs ; or it might have been a combination of both these phenomena ; for it cannot be denied that the novelty, occasioned by the floating masses, was materially heiglitened by the singular efl'ect produced by the very low altitude at which the sun cast his fiery beams over the icy surface of the sea. The rays were too oblique to illuminate more than the inequa- lities of the floes, and falling thus partially on the grotesque shapes, either really assumed by the ice or distorted by the unequal refraction of the atmosphere, so betrayed the imagination that it required no great exertion of fancy to trace in various directions architectural edifices, grottoa and caves here and there glittering as if with precious metals. So generally, indeed, was the deception admitted, that, in directing the roufe of tho vessel from aloft, we for awhile deviated from our nautical phraseology, and shaped our course for a church, a tower, a bridge, or some similar structure, instead of for lumps of ice, which were usually [designated by less elegant appellations," The increasing difficulties of this ice navigation soon, owever, directed their attention from romance to th© c2 ■0 f--*rr I..I !i % H': 20 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. rcaiii}' of their positicn, the perils of which soon became alarmingly apparent. *• The streams of ice, between which we at first pursued our serpentine course with comparative ease, gradually became more narrow, and at length so impeded the navi- gation, that it became necessary to run the ships against some of these imaginary edifices, in order to turn them aside. Even this did not always succeed, as some were so substantial and immovable, that the vessels glanced ofl" to the opposite bank of the channel, and then became for a time embedded in the ice. Thus circumstanced, a vessel has no other resource than that of patiently awaiting the change of position in the ice, of which she must take every advantage, or she will settle bodily to leeward, and become completely entangled." On the 26th the ships sighted the southern promontory of Spitzbergen, and on the 28th, while plying to wind- ward on the western side, were overtaken by a violent gale at south-west, in which they parted company. The weather was very severe. " The snow fell in heavy showers, and several tons weight of ice accumulated about the sides of the brig (the Trent), and formed a complete casing to the planks, which received an additional layer at each plunge of the vessel. So great, indeed, was the ac- cumulation about the bows, that we were obliged to cut it away repeatedly with axes to relieve the bowsprit from the enormous weight that was attached to it ; and the ropes were so thickly covered with ice, that it was necessary to beat them with large sticks to keep them in a state of readiness for any evolution that might be ren- dered necessary, either by the appearance of ice to lee- ward, or by a change of wind." On the gale abating, Lieutenant Franklin found himself surrounded by the main body of ice in lat. 80° N., and had much difficulty in extricating the vessel. Had this formidable body been encountered in thick weather, whilst scudding before a gale of wind, there would have been very little chance of saving either the vessels or the crews. The Trent fortunately fell in with her consort, the Dorothea, previous to entering the appointed rendezvous at Magdalena Bay, on the 3rd of June. This commodious inlet being the first port they had anchored at in the Polar regions, possessed many objects to engage attention. What pai'ticularly struck them was the brilliancy of the atmosphere-, the peaceful novelty of the scene, and the grandeur of the various objects with which Nature has stored these unfrequented regions. The anchorage is 'I II VOYAGE OF EUCIIAN AND FUAXKLIX. 21 )n became 3t pursued gradually the navi- ps against turn tliem some were^ glanced off became for ed, a vessel waiting the must take eward, and promontory ag to wind- )y a violent I company, fell in heavy iJated about I a complete onal layer at „ was the ac- obliged to he bowsprit d to it ; and that it was ;ep them in a ight be ren- )f ice to lee- bund himself lat. 80° N., jressel. Had lick weather, would have essels or the ' consort, the Hd rendezvous commodious in the Polar jc attention, [iiancy of the ene, and the I Nature has [ancborage is formed by rugged mountains, which rise precipitously to the height of about 3000 feet. Deep valleys and glens occur between the ranges, the greater part of which are cither filled with immense beds of snow, or with glaciers, sloping from the summits of the mountainous margin to the verv edge of the sea. The Imy is rendered conspicuous by four huge glaciers, of which the most remarkable, though the smallest in size, is situated 200 feet above the sea^ on the slope of a mountain. From its peculiar appearance thia« glacier has been termed the Hanging Iceberg. Its position is such that it seems as if a very small matter would detach it from the mountain, and precipitate it into the sea. And, indeed, large portions of its front do occasionally break away and fall with headlong impetuosity upon the beach, to the great hazard of any boat that may chance to be near. The largest of these glaciers occupies the headof thebay, and, according^ toCaptain Beechey's account, extends from two to three miles inland. Numerous large rents in its upper surface have caused it to bear a resem- blance to the ruts left by a wagon, hence it was named by the voyagers the " Wagon Way." The frontage of this glacier presents a perpendicular surface of 300 feet in height, by 7000 feet in length. Mountain masses — " Whose blocks of sapphire seem to mortal eye , Hewn from cerulean quarries in the sky, Witli glacier battlements that crowd the spheres, Tlic slow creation of six thousand years. Amidst immensity they tower sublime, "Winter's eternal palace, built by Time." At the head of the bay there is a high pyramidal mountain of granite, termed Eotge Hill, from the' myriads of small birds of that name which frequent its base, . and appear to prefer its environs to every other part of I the harbour. " They are so numerous that we have I frequently seen an uninterrupted line of them extending I fall half way over the bay, or to a distance of more than I three miles, and so close together that thirty have faWen. fat one shot. This living column, on an average, might have bi^en about six yards broad, and as many deep ; so that, allowing sixteen birds to a cubic yard, there must have lieen nearly four millions of birds on the wing at one time. The number I have given certainly seems large ; yet when it is told that the little rotges rise in such nimibers as completely to darken the air, and that their chorus is dis- tinctly audible at a distance of four miles, the estimate will not be thought to bear any reduction." I 22 P];OCH'ESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. II I IT ■ '; /■ ijli Ml ;i iij 5 ! 1 One of their earliest excursions in tliis bay was am attempt to ascend the peak of Ilotnje Hill, " upon which," says Captain Beechey, "may now, perhaps, be seen at tho height of about 2000 feet, a staff that once carried a red flag, which was planted there to mark the greatest height we were able to attain, partly in consequence of the steep- ness of the ascent, but mainly on account of the detached masses of rock which a very slight matter would displace and hurl down the precipitous declivity, to the utter destruction of him who depended upon their support, or who might happen to be in their path below. The latter part of our ascent was, indeed, much against our inclina- tion ; but we found it impossible to descend by the ^\a.y^ we had come up, and were compelled to gain a ledge. which promised tlie only secure resting-place we could find at that height. This we were able to effect by sticking the tomahawks with which we were provided into crevices in the rock, as a support for our feet ; and some of these instruments we were obliged to leave where they were driven, in consequence of the danger that attended their recovery." During the vessel's detention in this harbour, the bay and anchorage were completely sur- veyed. When the first party rowed into this bay, it was in quiet possession of herds of walruses, "o ho Avere so un- accustomed to the sight of a boat that they assembled about her, apparently higlily incensed at the intrusion, and swam towards her as though they would have torn the planks asunder with their tusks. Their hides were so tough that nothing but a bayonet would pierce them. The wounds that were inflicted only served to increase tl.eir rage, and it was ^-ith much difficulty they were kept off with fire-arms. Subsequently the boats went better prepared and more strongly supported, and manj' of these monsters were killed; some were fourteen feet in length and nine feet girth, and of such prodigious weight that the boat's crew could scarcely turn them. The ships had not been many days at their anchorage ■when thej were truly astonished at the sight of a strange boat pulhng towards the ships, which was found to belong ■to some Russian adventurers, who were engaged in the collection of peltry and morfcc' teeth. This is the last re- maining establishment at Spitzbergen still upheld by the merchants of Archangel. Although equally surprised at the sight of the vessels, the boat's crew took courage, and after a careful scrutiny, went on board the Dorothea ; Captain Buchan gave them a VOYAGE OP EUCHAX AND FRANKLIN. 23 was an vrliicli," 1 at tlio ;d a red b height e stccp- .ctaclicd displace le utter port, or le latter • inclina- the way, a ledge.. 70 could ?ffect by ided into nd some icre tbey attended u in this tely sur- L it was re so un- Lssembled isiou, and lave torn s were so [•cc them. 5 increase rt'cre kept nt better s- of these in length .s "weight anchorage a strange to belong Tcd in the e last re- Id by the lie vessels, scrutiny, Ivc them a kind reception, and supplied them with whatever they wanted : in^ return for which they sent on board the following day a side of venison in ex' oUent condition. "Wishing to gain some further information of these people, an officer accompanied them to their dwelling at the head of a small cove, about four miles distant from the bay, where he found a comfortable w- ooden hut, well lined with moss and stored with venison, wild ducks, &c. It is related by Captain Becchey that it was with extreme pleasure they noticed in this retired spot, pro- bably the most northern and most desolate habitation of our globe, a spirit of gratitude and devotion to the Al- mighty rarely exercised in civilized countries. " On land- ing from the boat and approaching their residence, these people knelt upon its threshold, and ojQTered up a prayer with fervour and evident sincerity. The exact nature of the prayer we did not learn, but it was no doubt one of thanksgiving, and we concluded it was a custom which these recluses were in the habit of observing on their safe return to their habitation. It may, at all events, be regarded as an instance of the beneficial effects which seclusion from the busy world, vnd a contemplation of the works of Nature, almost invariably produce upon the hearts of even the most uneducated part of man- kind." On the 7th of June the expedition left the anchorage to renew the examination of the ice, and after steering a few leagues to the northward, fo'ind it precisely in the same state as it had been left on the 2nd. In spite of all their endeavours, by towing and otherwise, the vessels were driven in a calm by the heavy swell into the packed ice, and the increasing peril of their situation may be ima- gined from the following graphic description : — " The pieces at the edge of the pack were at one time wholly immersed in the sea, and at the next raised far above their natural hue of flotation, while those further in, being more extensive, were alternately depressed or elevated at either extremity as the advancing wave forced its way along. "The see-saw motion which was thus produced was alarming, not merely in appearance, but in fact, and must have proved fatal to any vessel that had encountered it ; as floes of ice, several yards in thickness, were continually crashing and breaking in pieces, and the sea for miles was covered with fragments ground so small that they actually formed a thick, pasty substance — in nautical language termed * brash ice' — which extended to the depth of five iiv''. ;i:ii!! 24 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. feet. Amidst this giddy element, our whole attention was occupied in endeavouring to place the bow of the vessel, the strongest part of her frame, in the direction of the most formidable pieces of ice — a manoeuvre which, though likely to be attended with the loss of the bowsprit, was yet preferable to encountering the still greater risk of having the broadside of the vessel in contact with it ; for this would have subjected her to the chance of dipping: her gunwale under the floes as she roUed, an accident which, had it occurred, would either have laid open her si^e, or have overset the vessel at once. In either ease, the event would probably have proved fatal to all on board, as it would have been next to impossible to rescue any person from the confused moving mass of brash ice which covered the sea in every direction." The attention of the seamen was in some degree diverted from the contemplation of this scene of dilHculty by tlic necessity of employing all hands at the pump, the leak having gained upon them. But, fortunately, towards morning, they got quite clear of the ice. Steering to the westward to reconnoitre, they fell in, in longitude 4° 30' E., with several whale ships, and were informed by them that the ice was quite compact to the westward, and that fifteen vessels were beset in it. Pro- ceeding to the northward, the ships passed, on the 11th of June, Cloven Cliff, a remarkable isolated rock, whicL marks the north-western boundary of Spitzbergen, and steered along an intricate channel between the land and ice : but, next morning, their further advance was stopped, and the channel by Avhich the vessels had entered became so completely closed up as to preclude the possibility also of retreating. Lieut. Beechey proceeds to state — " The ice soon began to press heavily upon us, and, to add to our difficulties, we found the water so shallow that the rocks were plainly discovered under the bottoms of the ships. It was impossible, however, by any exertion on our part, to improve the situations of the vessels. They were as fii'mly fixed in the ice as if they had formed part of the pack, and we could only hope that the current would not drift them into still shallower water, and damage theni against the ground." The ships were here hemmed in in almost the sanif position where Baffin, Hudson, Poole, Captain Phipps, an i all the earlj voyagers to this quarter had been stopped. As the tide turned, the pieces of ice immediately around the ships began to separate, and some of them to twisi -€ it abs i It a 1 VOYAGE OF BL'CHAN AND FRANKLIN. 2r» tion was D vessel, a of the , thougli )rit, was risk of liit; for ' dipping: accident Dpen lier lier case, to all on to rescue brash ice 3 diverted ty by till' the leal: , towards 3y fell in, and were act to the I it. Pro- he 11th of ck, whicL ?n, and ad and ice ; )pped, and became so ity also of us, and, to lallow that •oms of the tertion on els. They rmed part rent would mage them the same ?hipps, anl topped, tely around m to twisi V* round with a loud grinding noise, urging the vessels. which were less than a mile from the land, still nearer and nearer to the beach. By great exertions, the ships were hauled in to smril bays in the floe, and secured there by ropes fixed to the ice" by means of large iron hooks, called ice anchors. Shifting the ships from one part of this floe to the other, they remained attached to the ice thirteen days. As this change of position could only be effected by main force, the crew werj so constantly engaged in this harassing duty, that their time was divided almost entirely between the 'windlass and the pump, until the men at length became so fatigued that the sick-list was seriously augmented. During this period, however, the situation o? the leak was fortunately discovered, and the damage repaired. An officer and a party of men who left the Dorothea to ^)ay a visit to the shore, about three or four miles distant, lost themselves in the fog and snow, and wandered about for sixteen hours, until, ^uite overcome with wet, cold, and fatigue, they sat down in a state of despondency upon a 5iece of ice, determined to submit their fate to Providence, 'heir troubles are thus told — *' To travel over ragged pieces of ice, upon which there were two feet of snow, and often more, springing from one slippery piece to the other, or, when the channels between them were too wide for this purpose, ferrying themselves upon detached fragments, was a work which it required no ordinary exertion to execute, *• Some fell into the water, and were with difficulty pre- served from drowning by their companions; -u-hile others, afraid to make any hazardous attempt whatever, were left upon pieces of ice, and drifted about at the mercy of the winds and tides. Foreseeing the probability of a separa- tion, they took the first opportunity of dividing, in equal shares, the small quantity of piovision which they had remaining, as also their stock of powder and ammunition. They also took it in turns to fire musktets, in the hope of being heard from the r;hips." The reports of the fire-arms were heard by their ship- mates, and Messrs. Fife and Kirby, the Greenland ice- masters, ventured out with poles and lines to their assist- ance, and had the good fortune to fall in with the party, and bring them safely on board, after eighteen hours' absence. They determined in future to rest satisfied with the view of the shore which was afforded them from the ship, having not the slightest desire to attempt to approach it agam by means of the ice. •I ijll'il ',1 i Jl,i M I'! i !l ' ill •! ; itjsHI [M •26 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. The pressure of tke ice against the vessels now became very great. " At one time, when the Trent appeared to be so closely wedf?ed up that it did not seem possible for her to bo moved, she was suddenly lifted four feet by an enormous mass of ice {rettinjif under her keel ; at another, the frag- ments of the crumbling floe were piled up under the bows, to the great danger of the bowsprit. " The Dorothea was in no less imminent danger, especially from the point of a floe, which came in contact with her side, where it remained a short time, and then glanced off, and became checked by the field to which she was moored. The enormous pressure to which the ship had been sub- jected was now apparent by the field being rent, and its point broken into iragments, which were speedily heaped up in a pyramid, thirty-five feet in height, upon the very summit of which there appeared a huge mass, bearing the impression of the planks and bolts of the vessel's bottom." Availing themselves of a break in the ice, the ships were moved to an anchorage between the islands contiguous to the Cloven Cliff; and on the 28th of June, anchored in fifteen fiithoms water, near Yogel Sang. On the islands they found plenty of game, and eider ducks. I'he island of Vogel Sang alone supplied the crews with forty rein-deer, which were in such high condition that the fat upon the loins of some measured from four to six inches, and a carcass, ready for being dressed, weighed 285 lbs. Later in the season, the deer were, however, so lean that it was rare to meet with any fat unon them at all. ... On the 6th of July, finding the ice had been driven to the northward, the ships again put to sea, and Captain Buchan determined to prove, by a desperate effort, what advance it was possible to make by dragging the vessels through the ice whenever the smallest opening occurred. This laborious experiment was performed by fixing large ropes to iron hooks driven into the ice, and by heaving upon them with the windlass, a party removing obstructions in the channel with saws. But in spite of all their exertions, the most northerly position attained was 80° 37' N. Although fastened to the ice, the ships were now drifted bodily to the southward by the prevailing current. They were also much injured by the pressure of hummocks and fields of ice. On the 10th of July, Captain Beechey tells us, the Tretit sustained a squeeze which made her rise four feet, and heel over five streaks ; and on the 15th and 16th, both VOYAGE OF EUCIIAN AND FP.ANKLrN. 27 ' became 50 closely ler to loo jnormous Ihe frag- tlie bow 8, especially Tvith her anced oflf, s moored, been sub- nt, and its ily lieaped 1 tlie very fearing the s bottom." ships were itiguons to Dchorcd in the islands crews with dition that four to six weighed owever, so on them at cl, n driven, to ad Captain ffort, what the vessels T occurred, ixing large y heaving Ibstructions exertions, 0° S7' N. ow drifted nt. They hummocks lis us, the four feet, 16th, both vessel.^ siijleivd eonsidevablo damni^c. " On that occasion," he .-ayf, *' "v^ e observed a Held lil'ti-cn feet in thickness break up. and the pieces pile upon each other to a great Iiei,vere occupied, night and day, in endeavouring to extricate the ships, and regain the open sea. ThinkLag he had given, the ice a fair trial here, the commander determined upon examining its condition towards the eastern coast of Green- land, and in the event of finding it equally impenetrable there, to proceed round the south cape of Spitzbergen, and make an attempt between that island and Nova Zembla. On the 30th of July, a sudden gale came on, and brought do^ n the main body of the ice upon them, so that the ships were in such imminent danger that their only means of safety was to take refuge amongst it — a practice which has been resorted to by whalers in extreme cases — as their only chance of escaping destruction. I'he following is a description of the preparation made to withstand the terrible encounter, and the hair-breadth escape from the dangers ; — •' In order to avert the effects of this as much as pos- sible, a cable was cut up into thirty-feet lengths, and these, with plates of iron four feet square, which had been sup- plied to us as fenders, together with some walrus's hides, were hung round the vessels, especially about the bows. The masts, at the same time, were secured with additional ropes, and the hatches were battened and nailed down. By the time these precautions had been taken, our ap« , I I M .i'U i. ii'li; |l: :.;,• T'iS! i '''■'ii ; 28 rnoGHESs ot' arctic discovert. proacli to the brcaLers only left us the alternative of either permittiDg the ships to be drifted broadside ajjainst the ice, and so to take their chance, or of endeavouring to force fairly into it by putting before the wind. At length, the hopeless state of a vessel placed broadside against so formidable a body became apparent to all, and we resolved to attempt the latter expedient." Eagerly, but in vain, was the general line of the pack scanned, to iind one place more open than the other. All parts appeared to be equally impenetrable, and to present one unbroken line of furious breakers, in which immense pieces of ice were heaving and subsiding with the waves, and dashing togejther with a violence which nothing ap- parently but a solid body could withstand, occasioning such a noise that it was with the greatest difficulty the oflicers could make their orders heard by the crew. The fearful aspect of this appalling scene is thus sketched off by Captain Beechey : — " No language, I am convinced, can convey an adequate idea of the terrific grandeur of the effect now produced by the collision of the ice and the tempestuous ocean. The Bea, violently agitated and rolling its mountainous waves? against an opposing body, is at all times a sublime and awfid sight ; but when, in addition, it encounters immense masses, ^vhich it has set in motion with a violence equal to its own, its effect is prodigiously increased. At one mo- ment it bursts upon these icy fragments and buries them many feet beneath its wave, and tlie next, as the buoyancy of the depressed body struggles for reascendancy, the water rushes in foaming cataracts over its edges ; whilst every individual mass, rocking and labouring in its bed, grinds against and contends with its opponent, until one is either split with the shock or upheaved upon the surface of the other. Nor is this collision confined to any par- ticular spot : it is going on as far as the sight can reach; and when from this convulsive scene below, the eye is turned to the extraordinary appearance of the blink in the sky above, where the unnatural clearness of a calm and silvery atmosphere presents itself, bounded by a dark hard line of stormy clouds, such as at this moment lowered over our masts, as if to mark the confines within which the effort^ of man would be of no avail. The reader may imagine the sensation of awe which must accompany that of grandeur in the mind of the beholder." *' If ever," continues the narrator, " the fortitude of seamen was fairly tried, it was assuredly not less so on thie occasion j and I will not conceal the pride I felt in wit- VOYAGE OF BUCIIAN AND FRANKLIN. 20 nessin^ the bold and decisive tone in which the orders Tvere issued by the commander (the late Sir John Franklin) of our little vessel, and the promptitude and steadiness with which they were executed oy the crew." As the labouring vessel flow before the gale, she soon uearcd the scene of danger. " Each person instinctively secured his own hold, and with his eyes fixed upon the masts, awaited in breathless anxiety the moment of concussion. '* It soon arrived, — the brig {Trent) cutting her way through the light ice, came in violent contact with the main body. In an instant we all lost our footing; the masts bent with the impetus, and the cracking timbers from below bespoke a pressure which was calculated to awaken our serious apprehensions. The vessel staggered under the shock, and for a moment seemed to recoil ; but tlie next wave, curling up under her counter, drove her about her own length within the margin of the ice, where she gave one roll, and was immediately thrown broadside to the wind by the succeeding wave, which beat furiously against her stern, and brought her lee-side in contact with, the main body, leaving her weather-side exposed at the same time to a piece of ice about twice her own dimensions. This unfortunate occurrence prevented the vessel pene- trating sufficiently far into the ice to escape the effect of the gale, and placed her in a situation where she was assailed on all sides by battering-rams, if I may use the expression, every one of w^hich contested the small space which she occupied, and dealt such unrelenting blows, that there appeared to be scarcely any possibility of saving her from foundering. Literally tossed from piece to piece, we had nothing left but patiently to abide the issue ; for we could scarcely keep our feet, much less render any assist- ance to the vessel. The motion, indeed, was so great, that the ship's bell, which in the heaviest gale of wind had never struck of itself, now tolled so continually, that it was ordered to be muffled, for the purpose of escaping the unpleasant association it was calculated to produce. " In anticipation of the worst, we determined to attempt placing the launch upon the ice under the lee, and hurried into her such provisions and stores as could at the moment be got at. Serious doubts were reasonably entertained of the boat being able to live amongst the confused mass by which we were encompassed ; yet as this appeared to be our only refuge, we clung to it with aU the eagerness of 4 last resource." 30 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. > ^l \ From tlio injury the vessel rcpeutccUy received, it became very evident tiiat if subjected to tills concussion for any time, she could not hold tojijetlier lontr; tlie only eliance of escape, therefore, appeared to depeud upon gettin<5 before the wind, and penetrating further into the ice. To effect this with any probability of success, it became necessary to set more head-sail, though at the risk of tlie masts, already tottering with the pressure of that whieli was spread. By the expertness of the seamen, more sail was spread, and under this additional pressure of can- vass, the ship came into the desired position, and with the aid of an enormous mass under the stern, she split a small field of ice, fourteen feet in thickness, which had hitherto impeded her progress, and effected a passage for herself between the pieces. In this improved position, by carefully placing the pro- tecting fenders between the ice and the ship's sides, the strokes were much diminished, and she managed to weather out the gale, but lost sight of her consort in the clouds of spray which were tossed about, and the huge intervening masses of ice among which they were embayed. On the gale moderating, the ships were fortunately got once more into an open sea, although both disabled, and une at least, the Dorothea, which had sustained the heavy shocks, in a foimderuag condition. For the main object of the expedi- tion they were now useless, and, both being in a leaky state, they bore up for Fair Haven, in Spitzbergen. In approach- ing the anchorage in South Gat, the IWnt bounded over a sunken rock, and struck hard, but this, after their recent danger, was thought comparatively light of. On examining the hulls of the vessels, it was found they had sustamed frightful injuries. The intermedia'^g lining of felt between the timbers and planks seems to have aided greatly in enabling the vessels to sustain the repeated powerful shocks they had encountered. Upon consulting with his officers, Captain Buchan came to the opinion that the most prudent course was to patch up the vessels for their return voyage. Lieutenant Franklin preferred an urgent request that he might be allowed to proceed in his own vessel upon the interesting service still unexecuted; but this could not be complied with, in consequence of the hazard to the crew of proceeding home singly in a vessel so shattered and unsafe as the Dorothea. After refitting, they put to sea at the end of August, and reached England by the middle of October. 31 'ivcd, it iicussioii n>T ; the ud upon iuto the became k of the at which lorc sail of cau- with the t a small hitherto r herself the pro- ides, the weather ilouds of srvening On the ice more at least, •ks, in a ! expedi- ky state, jproaeh.- d over a J recent md they lining to have tpeated nsulting ion that ssel3 for rred an d in hia Lecuted ; e of the a vessel efitting, England Fkanklin's First Land Expedition, 1819-21. In 1819, on the recommendation of the Lords of tho Admiralty, Capt. Franklin -vvas appointed to command an overhmd expedition from Hudson's Hay to the nortliera shores of America, for tho purpose of determining tho latitudes and lon;,Mtudes, ana exploring tho coast of tho continent eastward from the Coppermine Kiver. Dr. John Kichardson, ll.!X., and two Admiralty midshipmen, Mr. George Back, (who had been out on tho Polar expedition in the previous year in H. M. S. Trent,) and Mr. liobert Hood, were placed under his orders. Previous to his de- parture from London, Capt. Franklin obtained all the informatiea and advice possible from Sir Alex. Mackenzie, one of the only two persons who had yet explored those shores. On the 23rd of May, the party embarked at Gravesend, in the Prince of IFales, belonging to tho Hud- son's Bay Company, which immediatelv got under weigh, in company with her consorts, the Edchjstone and Wear. Mr. Back, who was loft on shore by accident in Yarmouth, succeeded in catching the ship at Stromness. On the 4tli of August, ill hit. 59° 58' N., and long. 59^ 53' W., they first fell in with large icebergs. On the following day, th© height of one was ascertained to be 149 feet. After a stormy and perilous \oj'age they reached the anchorage at York Flats on the 30th oif August. On the 9th of Sept'^mber, Capt. Franklin and his party left York Factory in a boat by the way of the rivers and lakes for Cumberland House, another of the Company's posts, which they reached on the 22nd of October. On the 19th of January, Franklin set out in company with Mr. Back, and a seaman named Hepburn, with pro- visions for fifteen days stowed in two sledges, on tlieir journey to Fort Chipewyan. Dr. Eichardson, Mr. Hood, and Mr Connolly, accompanied them a short distance. After touching at diflerent posts of the Company, they reached their destination safely on the 26th of March, after a winter's journey of 857 mUes. The greatest diificulty experienced by the travellers was the labour of walking in snow shoes, a weight of between two and three pounds being constantly attached to galled feet and swelled ankles. On the 13th of July, they were joined by Dr. Eichardsou and Mr. Hood, who had made a very expeditious journey from Cumberland House ; they had only one day's pro- Tiflions left, the pemmican they had received at the posts . I '>0 rriooiiESs OF arctic discovery. '•I n : II 't\ im \m bi'in^ so moiiKly lh:it tlioy wito (.»MiL,^Hl to leave it biliind. Arrnugeini'iits amto now iimdo tor thoir journey north- ward. Sixtoc'U Canadian voyajift'urs were en^atjed, and a Chinewyan woman and two interpreters were to be taken on troni (treat Slave Lake. The whole stock of provision they could obtain before start in<>f was only siillieient for one day's supply, exclusive of two barrels of lloiu', tliree eases of preserved meats, some ehoeolate, arrow-root, and portable soup, which had been brought from England, and were kept as a reserve for the journey to the coast in the following: season ; seventy pounds of* deer's flesh and a little barley were all that the Company's olBcers could f making establish- exclusive ose names Belanger, PeiTaiUt, it, Adam s, Esqui- days* con- two casks led moose all extra J for the August, (laced on into open ic rebellion, rcnisinir to proceed further. However, they w^Ti' ;if last calnu'il, and arrived on the 2()th of AuLiust at Fort Knti'Pprise on Winter Lake, which, by the advice of tlu'ir Indian y^uides, they detennined on makinu: tlu-ir winlfr quarters. The total leni^tli of the voyajje from Chip'Mvvan was 553 miles; and after leavin;^ iun't Provi- (liiicc they had 'Jl.V mih's of porta'jfc to pass over. As tl»e ni 'U had to traverse each porlauff four times with a load of 180 lbs., and return three times li»;ht, they walked in the whole upwards of 150 miles. In consequence of tlu* refusal of Akaitcho and his party of Indians to guide and accompany them to the sea, because, as they alleged, of the ap})roach of winter, and the imminent danger, Capt. Franklin was obliged to abandon ])roceeding that season down tho river, and contented himself Avith despatching, on tho 2yth, Mr. Pack and Mr. Hood, in a light canoe, m ith St. Germain as interpreter, eight Canadians, and one Indian, furnished with eight days' provisions — all that could be spared. They return(Hl on the 10th of September, after liaving reached and coasted Point Lake. In the jneantime, Franklin andliichardson, accompanied by J. Hepburn and • two Indians, also maile a pedestrian excursion towards the same quarter, leaving on the i)th of September, and re- turning on the 14th. The whole party spent a long winter of ten montiis at Fort Enterprise, depending upon the iish they could catch, and tho success of their Indian hunters, for food. On the nth of October, the officers quitted their tents for a good log house which had been built. The clay with which the walls and roof were plastered had to be tem- - pcred before the fire with water, and froze as it was ,t- daul)ed on ; but afterwards cracked in such a manner as to i admit the wind from every quarter. Still the new abode, I with a good fire of fagots in the capacious clay-built |cliimney, was considered quite comfortable when compared 1 with the chilly tents. 1 Tho rein-deer arc found on the banks of the Coppermine [Eiver early in May, as they then go to the sea coast to ibring forth their young. They usually retire from the ?oast in July and August, rut in October, and shelter themselves in the woods during winter. Before the middU'' )f October, the carcases of 100 deer had been secured in their store-house, together with 1000 lbs, of suet, and som<.? Iried meat ; and eighty deer were stowed away at various listances from their house, en cache. This placing provi- lious " en cache,'' is merely burying and protecting it from pw , t ! I . ji I , i l!! if 34 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. wolves and other depredators by luavy loads of wood or stone. On the 18th of October, Mr. Back and Mr. Wcntzel, accompanied by two Canadian voya<^eurs, two Indians and their wives, set out for Fort Providence to make the neces- sary arran<;ements for transporting the stores they expected from Cumberland House, and to see if some further supplies might not be obtained from the establishments on Slave Lake. Despatches for England were also forwarded by them, detaihng the progress of the expedition up to this date. By the end of tlie month the men had also com- pleted a house for themselves, 34 feet by 18. On the 26th of October, Akaitcho, and his Indian part}- of hunters, amounting with women and children to forty souls, came in, owing to the deer having migrated southwards. This added to the daily number to be provided for, and by this time their ammunition was nearly expended. The fishing failed as the weatlier became more severe, and was given up on the 5th of ^November. About 1200 white fish, of from two to three lbs., had been procured during the season. The fish froze as they were taken from the nets, becoming in a short time a solid mass of ice, so that a blow or two of the hatchet would easily split them open, when the intestines might be removed in one lump. If thawed before the fire, even after being frozen for nearly two days, the fish would recover their animation. On the 23rd of November, they were gratified by the appearance of one of the Canadian voyageurs who had set out with Mr. Back. His locks were matted with snow, and he was so incrusted with ice from head to foot, that they could scarcely recognise him. He reported that they had had a tedious and fatiguing journey to Fort Provi- dence, and for some days were destitute of provisions. Letters were brought from England to the preceding April, and quickly was the packet thawed to get at the contents. The newspapers conveyed the intelligence of the death of George III. The advices as to the ex- pected stores were disheartening ; of ten bales of 90 lbs. each, five had been left by some mismanagement at the Grand Bapid on the Sattkatchawan. On the 28th of J^'^ovember, St. Germain the interpreter, with eight Cmti- dian voyageurs, and four Indian hunters, were sent ofl' to bring up the stores from Fort Providence. On the 10th of December, Franklin managed to get rid of Akaitcho and his Indian party, by representing to them the impcssibiiitj' Oi maintaiiii.':g them. Thi.^ leader, however, FRANKLIN 3 FIRST LAND EXPEDITION. 35 wood or ^'cntzel, lians and Lie ncces- expected ! furtlier ments on brwardcd up to tliis ilso com- On tlie f hunters, )ul?, came •ds. This lid by this )re severe, .bout 1200 1 procured [akon from 3 of ice, so spUt them [ one lump, ibr nearly 1. od by the ho had set ivith snow, foot, that that they ort Provi- pro visions, preceding; jrc-t at the Jiirenco of to the ex- of 90 lbs. .ent at the le 28th of iivht C'aiki- sent off to [o^et ridof Lo them the however, left them his asrcd mother and two female attendants ; and old Keskarrah, the ffuide, with his wife and daughter, remained behind. This dauj^hter, who was desij^nated *' Green Stockings" from her dress, was considered a great beauty by her tribe, and, although but sixteen, had belonged successively to two husbands, and would pro- bably have been the wife of many more, if her mother had not recjuired her services as a nurse. Mr. Hood took a good likeness of the young lady, but lier mother was somewhat averse to her sitting ibr it, fearing that "her dauijhter's likeness would induce the Great Chief who resided in England to send for tbo original I" The diet of the party in their winter abode consisted almost entirely of rein-deer meat, varied twice a week by iish, and occasionally l\v a little flour, but they had no vegetables of any kind. On Sunday morning they had a cup of chocolate ; but their greatest luxury was tea, which they regularly had twice a day, although A^nthout sugar. Candles were formed of rein-deer fat and strips of cotton shirts ; and Hepburn acquired considerable skill in the manufacture of soap from the wood-ashes, fat, and salt. The stores were anxiously looked for, and it was hoped thev would have arrived by Incw Year's Daj'- (1821), so as to Lave kept the tostival. As it was, they could only receive a little flour and fat, both of which were considered grout luxuries. On the loth, seven of the men arrived with two kegs ot rum, one barrel of powder, sixty pounds of ball, two rolls of tobacco, and some clothing, ' They had been twenty-one days on their march from Slave Lake, and the labour they uuderwent was sufliciently e^-iuced by their sledge collars having worn out the [shoulders of their coats. Their loads weighed from sixty I to ninety pounds each, exclusive of their bedding and [provisions, which at starting must have been at least as much more. We were much rejoiced at their arrival, and [proceeded forthwith to pierce the spirit cask, and issue to leach of the household the portion of nim which had hcen Ipromised on the flrst day of the year. The spirits, which were proof, were frozen ; but aft(;r standing at the fire for some time they flowed out, of the consistence of honey. The temperature of the liquid, even in this state, was so low as instantly to convert into ice tlie nioihture which jondensed on tlie surfaeo of the dran, glass. Theflngers also dhcred to the glass, and v^•ould doubtless have been spccdil/ d2 fi' 1. 1 3G PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. frozen had they been kept in contact with it ; yet each of the voyat^ers swallowed his dram without experiencinif the sHj^htest inconvenience, or complaininjor of tooth-ache." It appeared that the Canadians had tapped the rum- cask on their journey, and helped themselves rather freely. On the 27th, Mr Wontzel and St. Germain arrived, with two Esquimaux interpreters who had been engaged, possessed of euphonious names, representing the belly and the ear, but which had been Anglicised into Augustus and Jimius, being the months they had respectively arrived at Fort Churchill. The former spoke English. They brought four dogs with them, which proved of great use durmg the season m drawing in wood for fuel. Mr. Back, at this time, the 24th of December, had gone on to Chipewyan to procure stores. On the 12th of February, another party of six men was sent to Fort Providence to bring up the remaining supplies, and these returned on the 5th of March. Many of the caches of meat \\hich had been buried early in the winter were found destroyed by the wolves, and some of these animals prowled nightly about the dwellings, even venturing upon the roof of their kitchen. The rations were reduced from eight to the short allowance of five ounces of animal food per day. On the 17th of March, Mr. Back returned from Fort Chipewyan, after an absence of nearly five months, during which he had performed a journey on foot of more than eleven hundred miles on snow shoes, with only the slight shelter at night of a blanket and deer skin, with the thermometer frequently at 40° and once at 57°, and very often passing several days without food. Some very interesting traits of generosity on the part of the Indians are recorded by Mr. Back. Often they gave up and would not taste of fish or birds which thev caught with the touching remark, *' We are accustomed to starvation, and you are not." Such passages as the following often occur in his nar- rative — '• One of our men caught a fish, which, with the assistance of some weed scraped from the rocks {tripe ch roche) which forms a glutinous substance, made us a tole- rable supper ; it was not of the most choice kind, yet ^ood enough for hungry men. While we were eating it, I perceived one of the women busily employed scraping an old skin, the contents of which her husband presented ub with. They consisted of poimded meat, fat^ and a greater proportion of Indian's and deer's hair than either, and* i I FilANKLINS FIRST LAND EXPEDITION. 37 thouffli sucli a mixture may not appear very allurln;^ to an Eiiijlish stomach, it was thought a great luxury after three cl'ivs' privation in these cheerless regions of America." To return to the proceedings at Fort Enterprise. Oa. the 23rcl of March, tiie last of the winter's stock of deer's meat was expended, and the party were compelled to consume a little pounded meat, which had been saved for making pemmican. The nets scarcely produced any fish, and their meals, which liad hitherto been scanty enough, were now restricted to one in the day. The poor Indian families about the house, consisting principally of sick and infirm women and children, suffered even more privation. They cleared away the snow on the site of the Autumn encampments to look for bones, deer's feet, bits of hide, and other offal. " When (savs Frank- lin) we beheld them gnawing the pieces of hide, and pounding the bones for the purpose of extracting some nourishment from them by boiling, we regretted our inability to relieve them, but little thought that we should ourselves be afterwards driven to the necessity of eagerly collecting these same bones a second time from the dung- hill." On the 4th of June, 1821, a first party set off" from the winter quarters fz-i. T*oint Lake and the Coppermine Kiv^er, under the charge > Dr. Eichardson, consisting, in all, voyageurs and L h.n., of twenty -three, exclusive of children. Each of me men carried about 80 lbs., besides his own personal baggage, weighing nearly as much more. Some of the party dragged their loads on sledges, others preferred carrying their burden on their backs. On the 13th, Dr. Eichardson sent back most of the men ; and on I he 14th Franklin despatched Mr. Wentzel and a party with the canoes, which had been repaired. Following the water-course as fiir as practicable to Winter Lake, Frank- lin followed himself with Hepburn, three Canadians, two Indian hunters, and the two Esquimaux, and joined Dr. Kicliardson on the 22nd. On the 25th they all resumed their journey, and, as they proceeded down the river, were fortunate in killing occasionally several musk oxen. On the 15th they got a distinct view of the sea from the summit of a hill ; it appeared clioked with ice and full of islands. About this tune they fell in with small parties of Esquimaux. ^ Ou the 19th Mr. Wentzel departed on his return for Slave Lake, taking with him four Canadians, who had boon discharged for the purpose of reducing the expendi- ture of provision as much as possible, and despatches to ''; !■ I V * 38 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. be forwarded to Enfjl^md. Ho was also instructed to cause the Indians to deposit a relay of provisions at Fori Enterprise, ready for the party should they returii that way. The remainder of the party, including officers, amounted to twenty persons. The distance that had been traverstid from Eort Enterprise to the mouth of the river •was about 334 miles, and the canoes had to be dragged nearly 120 miles of this. Two conspicuous capes were named by FrankUn after Hearne and Mackenzie ; and a river wluch falls into the sea, to the westward of the Coppermine, he called after his companion, Hichardson. On the 21st of July, Franklin and his party embarked in their two canoes to navigate the Polar Sea to the east- ward, having with them provisions for fifteen days. On the 25th they doubled a bluff cape, which was named after Mr. Barrow, of the Admiralty. An opening on its eastern side received the appellation of Inman Harbour, and a group of islands were called after Professor Jameson. Within the next fortnight, additions were made to their stock of food by a few deer and one or two bears, which were shot. Being less fortunate afterwards, and with no prospect of increasing their supply of provision, the daily allowance to each man was limited to a handful of pem- mican and a small portion of portable soup. On the morning of the 5th of August they came to the mouth of a river blocked up with shoals, which Franklin named after his friend and companion Back. The time spent in exploring Arctic and Melville Sounds and Bathurst Inlet, and the failure of meeting with Esqui- maux from whom provisioiis could be obtained, precluded any possibility of reachmg Eepuise Bay, and therefore hav- ing but a day or two's provision left, Franklin considered it prudent to turn back after reaching Point Turnagain, having sailed nearly 600 geographical miles in traciuij the deeply indented coast of Coronation Gulf from the Coppermine Hiver. On the 22d Aug. the return voyage was commenced, the boats making for Hood's Kiver by the way of the Arctic Sound, and being taken as far up the stream as possible. On the 31st it was found impossible to proceed with them farther, and smrdler canoes were made, suitable for crossing any of the rivers that might obstruct their progress. The weight carried by each man was about 90 lbs., and with this they progressed at the rate of a mile an hour, including rests. On the 5th of September, having nothing to eat, the last piece of pcmmicau and a little arrow-root having k fp-Anxlin's fiust land exphditiox. zo istructed to ions at Pen returii tliat ing officers, lat had becu of the river be dragged ankliu after falls into the called after y embarked to the east- days. ti was named ening ou its ill Harbour, or Jameson, ade to their jears, which and with no D, the daily Iful of pem- came to the h Pranklin '^ille Sounds with Esqui- precluded srefore hav- considered Turnagaiu, in tracing from the troyage was ver by the far up the impossible inoes were that might each man ied at the eat, the >ot having formed a scanty supper, and being without the fire, thi d in bed all day. men A sever of remamec Bnow-storm lasted two days, and the snow even drifted into their tents, covering their blankets seTeral inches. " Our siiiTering (says Franklin) from cold, in a comfort- less canvass tent in such weather, with the temperature at 20', and without fire, will easily be imagined; it was, however, less than that which we felt from liunger." Weak from fasting and their gannonts stiffened ^nth the fros^, after packing their frozen tents and bedclothes the poor travellers again set out on the 7th. After feeding almost exclusively on several species of Gyro])hora, a lichen known as tn'^e de roche, which scarcely allayed the pangs of hunger, on the 10th '* they got a uood meal by killing a musk ox. To skin and cut up the animal was the work of a few minutes. The contents of its stomach were devoured upon the spot, and the raw intestines, which were next attacked, were pro- nounced by the most delicate amongst us to be excellent." AVearied and worn out with toil and suffering, many of the party got careless and indifferent. One of the canoes was broken and abandoned. With an improvidence scarcely to be credited, three of the fishing-nets were also thrown away, and the floats burnt. On the l/thtliey managed to allay the pangs of hunger by eating pieces of singed hide, and a little tripe de rucJie. This and some mosses, with an occasional soli- tary partridge, formed their invariable food ; on very many days even this scanty supply could not be obtained, and their appetites became ravenous. Occasionally they picked up pieces of skin, and a iiivr bones of deer which had been devoured by the wolves in the previous spring. The bones were rendered friable by burninir, and now and then tlieir old shoes were added to the repnsl. ( ';i the 2Gth they reached a bend of the Coppermine, whieli terminated in Point Lake. The second canoe had been demolished and abandoned by the bearers on the 23rd. and they were thus left ^sa ithout any means of water transport across the lakes and river. On this day the carcass of a deer was discovered in the cleft of a rock, into which it had fallen in the spring. It was putrid, but little less acceptable to the poor starving travellers on that account ; and a tire being kindled a large portion was devoured on the spot, affording an unexpected breakfast. On tho Ist of October one of the party, who had been 40 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. ! I out hunting, brought in the antlers and backbone of another deer, which had been killed in the summer. The wolves and birds of prey had picked them clean, but there still remained a quantity of the spinal marrow, which they had not been able to extract. This, although putrid, was esteemed a valuable prize, and the spine being viivided into portions was distributed equally. " After eating the marrow (says Franklin), which was so acrid as to excoriate the lips, we rendered the bones friable by burning, and ate them also." The strength of the whole party now began to fail, from the privation and fatigue which they endured. ITranklin was in a dreadfully debilitated state. Mr. Hood was also reduced to a perfect shadow, from the severe bowel-complaints which the tripe de roche never failed to give him. Back was so feeble as to require the support of a stick in walking, and Dr. E-ichardson had lameness superadded to weakness. A rude canoe was constructed of willows, covered with canvass, in which the party, one by one, managed to reach in safety the southern bank of the river on the 4th of October, and went supperless to bed. On the follow- ing morning, previous to setting out, the whole party ate the remains of their old shoes, and whatever scraps of leather they had, to strengthen their stomachs for the fatigue of the day's journey. Mr. Hood now broke down, as did two or three more of the party, and Dr. llichardson kindly volunteered to remain with them, while the rest pushed on to Fort Enterprise for succour. Not being able to find any iripe de roche, they drank an infusion of the Labrador tea- plant {Lcdrum palustre, var. decumbens), and ate a few morsels of burnt leather for supper. This continued to be a frequent occurrence. Others of the party continued to drop down with fatigue and weakness, until tliey were reduced to five per- sons, besides Franklin. When they had no food or nourishment of any kind, they crept under their blankets, to drown, if possible, the gnawing pangs of hunger and fatigue by Sieep. At length they reached Fort Enter- prise, and to their disappointment and grief found it a perfectly desolate habitation. Tliere was no deposit of provision, no trace of the Indians, no letter from Mr. Wentzel to point out where the Indians might be found. " It would be impossible (says Franklin) to describe our sensations after entering this miserable abode, and dis- covering how we had been neglected: the whole party '%' FRANKLINS FIRST LAND EXPEDITION. 41 ;kbone of ncr. The clean, but marrow, , althou- immediate relief from this place." A note, how- ever, was found here from Mr. Back, statinij tliat In* had readied the house by another route two days before, and was jToin? in search of the Indians. If he was unsuccess. ful in findinnj them, he purposed walking to Fort Provi- dence, and sending succour from thence, but he doubted whether either he or his party could perform the Journey to til at place in their present debilitated state. Franklin and his small party now looked round for some means of present subsistence, and fortunately discovered several deer skins, which had been thrown away during tlieir foi'mer residence here. The bones were gathered from the heap of ashes ; these, with the skins and tlie addition of in'jye de roche, they considered would support life toler'»^-'^ ^ well for a short time. The bones were quite acrid, L^x the soup extracted from them, quite putrid, excoriated tue mouth if taken alone, but it was somewhat milder when boiled with the lichen, and the mixture was even deemed palatable with a little salt, of which a cask had been left here in the spring. They procured fuel by pulling up the llooring of the rooms, and water for cooking by melting tho snow. Augustus arrived safe after them, just a-< tliey wero sitting round the fire eating their supper of singed skin. Late on the I3th, Belanger also reached the house, with a note from Mr. Back, stating that he had yet found no trace of the Indians. The poor messenger was almost speechless, being covered with ice and nearly frozen to death, having f:illen into a rapid, and for the third time since the party left the coast narrowly escaped drowning. After being well rubbed, having had his dress changed, and some warm soup given him, he recovered suiBciently to answer the questions put to him. Under the impression that the Indians must be on their way to Fort Providence, and that it would be possible to overtake them, as they usually travelled slowly with ?heir tamilies, and there being likewise a prospect of killing doer about Reindeer Lake, where they had been usually found abundant, Franklin determined to take the route for that post, and sent word to i\Ir. Back by Belanger to that elfect on the 18th. On tli(f'20th Oct. Franklin set out in company with Beiioijy and Augustus to seek rehef, having patched three pair.^ of *now shoes, and taken some singed skin for their support. Peltier and Samandrc had volunteered to remain r.L the t : ' 42 PROC.nESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVEUY. house witli Adam, uho was too ill to proceed. They vrcvo 80 feeble as seaveely to bo able to movp Au2^u.stu3, the Esquimaux, tried for fish, without success, so that their onl}- fare was skin and tea. At night, composing then?- Bolves to rest, they lav close to eacli other for warmth, but found the night bitterly cold, and the wind pierced through their famished frames. On resuming the journey next morning. FrankUn had the misfortune to break his snow-shoes, by falling between two rooks. This accident preyented him from keeping pace with the others, and in the attempt he became quite exhausted ; unwilling to delay their progress, as the safety of all behind depended on their obtaining early assistance and immediate supplies, Franklin resolved to turn back, while the others pushed on to meet Mr. Back, or, missing him, they were directed to proceed to Fort Pro- vidence. Franklin found the two Canadians he had left at the house dreadfully weak and reduced, and so low-spirited that he had great difficulty in rallying them to any exertion. As the insides of their mouths had become sore from eating the bone-soup, they now relinquished the use of it, and boiled the skin, which mode of dressing was found more palatable than frying it. They had pulled down nearly all their dwclhng for fuel, to wann themselves and cook their scanty meals. The trijoe de roche, on which they had depended, now became entirely frozen ; and what was more tantalizing to their perishing frames, was the sight of food within reach, whicn they could not pro- cure. " We saw (says Franklin) a herd of rein-deer sporting on the river, about half a mile from the house ; they remained there a long time, but none of the party felt themselves strong enough to go after them, nor was there one of us who could have fired a gun without rest- ing it." Whilst they were seated round the fire this evening, discoursing about the anticipated relief, the sound of voices was heard, which was thought with joy to be that of the Indians, but, to their bitter disappointment, the debilitated frames and emaciated countenances of Dr. Richardson and Hepburn presented themselves at the door. They -were of course gladly received, although each marked the ravages which famine, care, and fatigue had made on the other. The Doctor particularly remarked the sepulchral tone of the voices of his friends, which he requeued them to make more cheerfid if possible, unconscious that his own partook of the same key. Hepburn having shot a partridge, which was brought tc % J niAXKLiNS FinsT LA^'r) expedition 'hoy vrovo Listus, the that their mg thew- rmth, but d through nklin had gf between 1 keepinjT ame quite s, as the ling early esolved to Mr. Back. Fort Pro- had left at )w-8pirited y exertion, sore from 3 use of it, was found illed down iselvcs and , on which Dzen ; and rames, was d not pro- rein-deer he house ; the party n, nor was ;hout rest- eveninf^. of voices lat of the iebilitated Irdson and ?hey were pked the ide on the sepulchral l^ed them that his Irought to I tlic house. Dr. liichardson tore out tlio foatliors, and IiaviniT liL'ld it to the iire a few minutes, divided it into six portions. Franklin and his three companions ravenously devoured their shares, as it was the first morsel of llesh any of them had tasted for thirtjr-one days, unless, indeed, tlie small gristly particles which they found adherinji? to the pounded bones may be termed flesh. Their spirits were revived by this small supply, and the Doctor endea- voured to raise them still higher by the prospect of Hep- burn's l)eing able to kill a deer next day, as they had seen, and even fired at, several near the house. Ho endeavoured. too, to rouse them into some attention to the comfort of tlieir a]iartment. Having brought his Prayer-book and TejJtanieiit, some prayers, psalms, and portions of scrip- ture, appropriate to tlieir situation, were read out by Dr. liicliardson, and they retired to their blankets. Early next morning, the Doctor and Hepburn went out in search of game ; but though they saw several herds of deer, and fired some shots, they were not so for- tunate as to kill any, being too weak to hold their guns steadily. The cold compelled the former to return soon, but Hepburn perseveringly persisted until lato in the evening. " My occupation (continues Franklin) was to search for skins under the snow, it being now our object immediately to get all that we could ; but I had not strength to drag in more than two of those which were within twenty yards of the house, until the Doctor came and assisted me. Wo made up our stock to twenty-six; but several of them wore putrid, and scarcely eatable, even by men suffering the extremity of famine. Peltier and Samandre continued very weak and dispirited, and they were unable to cut firewood. Hepburn had, in consequence, that laborious task to perform after he came back late from hunting." To the exertions, honesty, kindness, and consideration of this worthy man, the safety of most of the party is to bo attributed. And I may here mention that Sir John Franklin, when he became governor of Van Diemen*s Laud, obtained for him a good civil appointment. This deserv- ing man, I am informed by Mr. Barrow, is now in Eng- land, having lost his oflicje, which, I believe, has been abolished. It is to be hoped something wLQ he done for him by the government. After their usual supper of singed skin and bone soup. Dr. Eichardson acquainted Franklin with the events that had transpired since their parting, particularly with the afflicting circiunstances attending the death of Mr. Hood, 44 pr»o(;uF,ss of arctic ptscoveuy. and ]\[iclicl, the Iroiiuois; the paniciihir.s of ^vhi('h I shall nou' proceed to condense irom liis narrative. After Captain Franklin liad bidden them farewell, having no tripe dc roche they drank an infusion of the country- tea plant, which was grateful from its warmth, although it aliorded no sut«tenance. The}- then retired to bed, and kept to their blankets all next day, as the snow drift was so heavy as to prevent their lightin^: a fire with the green and frozen willows, which were their only fuel. Through the extreme kindness and forethought of a lady, the party, previous to leaving Loudon, had been furnished with a small collection of religious books, of which (says Richardson) we still retained two or three of the most portable, and they proved of incalculable benefit to us. " Wo read portions of them to each other as we lay in bed, in addition to the morning and evening service, and found that they inspired us on each perusal with so strong a sense of the Omnipresence of a beneficent God, that our situation, even in these wilds, appeared no longer destitute; and we conversed not only with calmness, but with cheer- fulness, detailing with unrestrained confidence the past events of our lives, and dwelling with hope on our future prospects." How beautiful a picture have we here repre- sented, of true piety and resignation to the Divine Will inducing patience and submission under an unexampled load of misery and privation. Michel the Iroquois joined them on the 9th Oct., having, there is strong reason to believe, murdered two of the Canadians who were with him, Jean Eaptiste Belangcr and Perriuilt, as thev were never seen afterwards, and he gave so many ramblmg and contradictory statements of his proceedings, that no credit could be attached to his story. The travellers proceeded on their tedious journey by slow stages. Mr. Hood was much afiected with dimness of sight, giddiness, and other symptoms of extreme debi- lity, which caused them to move slowly and to make fre- quent halts. Michel absented himself all day of the lOth, an- straiiiht the buliiUo and boiled el alarmed constantly ess to ff,o go south- maintain equenee of tenance, I |id to go to led his ill- einir him- verheard he openly o also, for * riority in us to be everal ex- some of d two of ce of his sion that iportunity cm doing ,t that he ftith him. t even au open attack, nor i-ould we by any tlevice eseapi- I'lMni liini our united strength was far inferior to his; ami. b'sido his gun. he was armed with two pistols, an Indian bayi>uet, and a kiiil'e. *• In tlie afternoon, coming to a rock on which there was s-mu' (rijje de roclw, he halted, and said lie would gatiier it whilst we went on, and that he would soon overtake us. '• ll('|)burn and I were now left together for the first time since Mr. llood'j* death, and h»' aetjuaintedmo witii several ■material circumstances, which lu' had observed of Michel's Uehnviour, and which eonlinned me in the o|)inion that I'lere was no safety for us except in his death, and he • Uercd to be the instrument of it. I determined, how- ever, as I was thoroughly convinced of the necessity of such a dreadful act, t;) take the whole responsihilit}' upon myself; and immediately upon Michel's coming uj), I put mi end to his life by shooting him through the head with V. pistol. Had my own life alone been threatened (observes b'ii'hardson, in conclusion), I would not have purchaset it by such a measure, but 1 considered myself as entnusicd riso with the protec tion of Hepburn's, a man who, by his liumane attentions juul devotednesa, had so endeared iiimself to me, that I felt more anxiety for his safety thau for my own. " Michel had gatiiered no trij^' da roche, and it was evi- dent to us that he had halted for the purpose of putting his cun in order with the intention of attacking us — perhaps u liil>t we were in the act of encamping." Persevering onward in their journey as well as the snow- storms and their feeble limbs would permit, they saw several herds of deer, but Hepburn, who used to be a good marks- man, was now unable to hold the gun straight. Following the track of a wolverine which had been dragging something, iie however found the spine of a deer which it had dropped. It was clean picked, and at least one season old, but they extracted the spinal marrow from it. A species oi cornicularia, a kind of lichen, was also met with, that was found good to eat when moisteneJ r^md toasted over the lire. They had still some piecj of shiged bulFalo-hide remaining, and Hepburn, on one occasion, killed a partridge, after firing several times at a liock. About dusk of the 2l)tli they reached tlie i'ort. " Upon entering the desolate dwelling, we h-xd the satis- faction of embracing Captain Franklin, but no v. ords can convey an idea of the filth and wretcl'edness that met our eyes on looking around. Our own misery had stoL'niipoif HB hj degrees, and we were accustomed to the contempla- 4S PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. •maciatcd figures ; l)ut eye-balls, and sepulcLrr ghastly countenances, dilated eye-balls, and sepulchral voices of Captain Franklin and tliose with him were more than we could at first bear." Thus ends the narrative of llichardson's journey. To resume the detail of proceedings at the Fort. On the 1st of November two of the Canadians, Peltier and Samandre, died from sheer exhaustion. On the 7th of November they were relieved from their privations and suflferings by the arrival of three Indians, bringing a supply of dried meat, some fat, and a few tongues, which had been sent off by Back witli all haste from Akaitcho's encampment on the 5th. These Indians nursed and attended them with the greatest care, cleansed the house, collected fire-wood, and studied everv means for their general comfort. Their sufferings were now at an end. On the 26th of November they arrived at the encampment of the Indian chief, Akaitcho. On the Gtli of December, Belanger and another Canadian arrived, bringing further supplies, and letters from England, from Mr. Back, and their former companion, Mr. Wentzel. The despatches from England announced the successful termination of Captain Parry's voyage, and the promotion of Captain Franklin, Mr. Back, and of poor Mr. Hood. On the 18th they reached the Hudson's Bay Company's establishment at jMoose Deer Island, where they joined their friend Mr. Back. They remained at Fort Chipewyan until June of the following year. It is now necessarv to relate the story of IVEr. Back's journey, which, like the rest, is a sad tale of suflering and privation. Having been directed on the 4th of October, 1S21, to proceed with St. Germain, Belanger, and Beauparlant to Fort Enterprise, in the hopes of obtaining relief for the party, he set out. Up to the 7th they met with a little tripe (h- )'u(-Ji(\ but this fiiiling them they were compelled to satisfy, or rather allay, the cravings of hunger, by eating a gun-cover and a pair of old shoes. The grievous dis- appointment experienced on arriving at the ]i->use, and finding it a deserted ruin, cannot be told. '•Without the assistance of the Indians, bereft of every resource, we felt ourselves (says Mr. Back) reduced to the most miserable state, which was rendered still worse from the recollection that our friends in the rear were as miserable as ourselves. For the moment, however, hunger ]irevailed, and each began to gnaw the scraps of putrid and frozen meat and skin that were lying anout, without waiting to prepare them," A fii'e was, however, FRANKLIN S FIRST LAND EXPEDITION. ghastly voices of : thrill wc ley. ^)rt. On [?ltier ari.l rom their 3 Indiaus, lid a few 1 all haste Indians , t'loansed n'v means now at an ^d at the 1 the Gth I arrived, and. from ntzel. suceessfiil promotion i. Hood. ompany's n' ioined lipowyau [r. Dack's ering and 1S21, to •arlant to f for the ]i a little ompelk'd by eatini; vous dis- »use, and 4d deer I I afterTvnrds made, and the neck and bones of a found in the house were boiled and devoured. After resting a day at the house. Mr. Back pushed on with his companions in search of the Indians, leaving a note for Captain Franklin, informing him if he failed in meeting with the Indians, he intended to push on for the first trading establishment — distant about 130 miles — and send us succour from thence. On the 11th he set out on the journey, a fovr old skins having been first collected to serve as food. On the 13th and 14th of October they had nothing what- ever to eat. Belanger was sent ofi' with a note to Franklin. On the 15t]i they were fortunate enough to fall in with a partridge, the bones of which were eaten, and the remain- der reserved for bait to fish with. Enough in'pe de roehc was. however, gatliered to make a meal. Bi'auparlant y\r\\\ lingered behind, worn out by extreme ^^eakness. On the 17th a number of crows, perched on some high pines, led them to believe that some carrion was near ; and on searching, several heads of deer, half buried in the snow and ice, MJthout eyes or tongues, were found. An expression of '* Oh, merciful God, mc are saved," broke from them both, and with feelings m.ore easily imagined than described, they shook hands, not knowing what to say for joy. St. Cxermain was sent back to bring up Beauparlant, for whose safety Back became very anxious, but he found the poor fellow frozen to death. Tlie night of the 17th was cold and clear, but they could get no sleep. " From the pains of having eaten, we suffered (observes Back) the most excruciating tor- ments, though I in particular did not eat a quarter of what would have satisfied me ; it might have been from having eaten a quantity of raw or frozen sinews of the legs of deer, which neither of us could avoid doing, so great was our hunger." On the following day Belanger returned famishing with hunger, and told of the pitiable state of Franklin and his reduced party. Back, both this day and the next, tried to urge on his companions towarcls the object of their journey, but he could not conquer their stubborn deter- minations. They said they were unable to proceed from weakness; knew not the way; that Back wanted to expose them again to death, and in fact loitered gi'eedily aoout the remnants of the deer till the end of th" month. '* It was not without the greatest difliculty that I coidd restrain the men from eatini?, every scrap they found : though they 50 PIIOGRESS OF AKCTIC DISCOVERY. were vroll awaro of the necessity there was of heing eco- nomical iu our present situation, and to save whatever they could for our journey, yet they could not resist the temptation; and whenever my back was turned they seldom failed to snatch at the nearest piece to them, whether cooked or raw. Havinjy collected with great care, and by self- denial, two small packets of dried meat or sinews sufficient (for men who knew what it was to fast) to last for eijj^ht days, at the rate of one indifferent meal per day, they set out on the 30th. On the 3rd of ^November they came on the track of Indians, and soon reached the tents of Akaitcho and his followers, when food was obtained, and assistance sent off to Franklin. In July they reached York Factory, from whence they had startedthree years before, and thus terminated a journey of 5550 miles, durinjr a\ hich human courage and patience were exposed to trials such as few can bear with fortitude, unless, as is seen in Franklin's interesting narrative, arising out of reliance on the ever-sustaining care of an Almightv Providence. Parry's First Voyage, ISIO— 1820. The Admiralty having determined to continue the pro- gress of discovery in the Arctic seas, Lieut. AV. E. Parry, who had been second in command under Capt. Eoss, in the voyage of the previous year, was selected to takr charge of a new expedition, consisting of the JI(rJ(f ;uvJ G-rijjer. The chief object of this voyage was to pursue tlie survey of Lancaster Sound, and decide on tlie proba- bility of a north-west passage in tliat direction; failing in which. Smith's and Jones's Sounds were to be explored, "with the same purpose in view. The respective officers appointed to the ships, were— Ilccla, 375 tons : Lieut, and Commander — "\Y. E. Parry. Lieutenant — Fred. W. Beechey. Captain — 1*]. Sabine, R.A., Astronomer. Purser — W. H. Hooper. Surgeon — John Edwards. Assistant-Surgeon — Alexander Fisher. Midshipmen — James CI rke Ross, J. JN'ias, W. J. Dcaly, Charles Palmer, John Bushnan. Greenland Pilots — J. Allison, master ; G. Crawfiu'd, mate. 41 Petty Officers, Seamen, kc. Total complement, 58, . being eco- whatever b resist the liey seldom her cooked id by self- rs sufficient jt for ei be pretty clear; but on reaching Leopold Island, the ice extended in a compact body to the north, through which it was impossible to penetrate. Eather than remain inactive, waiting for the dissolution of the ice. Parry det^enuined to try what could be done by shaping his course lo the southward, through the magnificent inle*. now named Eegent Lilct. About the 0th of August, in £2 52 rnOGKEJS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. :i ,1 ' Wi I!! consequence of the local attraction, the ordinarv com- passes became useless from their great variation, and tlio binnacles were removed from the deck to the carpenter's store-room as useless lumber, the azimuth compassos alone remaininpf ; and these became so slufj^frish in their motions, that they required to bo very nicely IcvclUvl, and frequently tapped before the card traversed. The local attraction was very great, and a mass of iron-sioiie found on shore attracted the magnet powerfully. The ships proceeded 120 miles from the entrance. On the 8th of August, in lat. 12P 13' N., and lonnr. 00° 29' W., (his extreme point of view Parry named Capo Kater), the Hccla came to a compact barrier of ice extend- ing across the inlet, which rendered one of two alternatives necessary, either to remain here until an opening took place, or to return again to the northward. The latter course was determined on. Making, therefore, for the northern shore of Barrow's Strait, on the 20th a narrow channel was discovered between the ice and the land. On the 22nd, proceeding due west, after passing several bays and headlands, they noticed two large openings or passages, the first of which, more than eight leagues in width, he named Wellington Channel. To various capes, inlets, and groups of islands passed. Parry assigned the names (A Hotham. Barlow, Cornwallis, Bowen, Byara Martin, Griflith, Lowther, Bathurst, &c. On the 28th a boat w:is sent on shore at Byam Martin Island with Capt. Sabine, Mr. J. C. Ross, and the surgeons, to make obsen'ation?, and collect specimens of natural history. The vegetation was rather luxuriant for these regions; moss in particular grew in abundance in the moist valleys and along the banks of the streams that flowed from the hills. The ruins of six Esquimaux huts were observed. Tracks of rein-deer, bears, and musk oxen were noticed, and the skeletons, skulls, and horns of some of these animals were found. On the Ist of September, they discovered the large anJ fine island, to whicli Parry has given the name of ^Melville Island after the First Lord of the Admiralty of that day. On the following day, two boats with a party of oillcers were despatched to examine its shores. Some rein-deor and musk oxen were seen on landing, but being startleJ by the sight of a dog, it was found impossible to get near them. There seemed here to be a great quantity of tlie animal tribe, for the tracks of bears, oxen, and deer were numerous, and the horns, skin, and skulls were also Ibuud. I i parry's first voyage. o3 also louud. ^ TUo burrows of foxes and fiokl-mico wore obsorrod : eovoral ptnrniifjaii wore shot, and Hocks of snow-buntitii;, pooso. and ducks, were roticcd, probably comnuMuiiiir thf^ir migration to a milder climate. AIodjl^ the boacli tli(>ro was an ininK use number of small shrimps, and rar ous kinds of slit-ils. On thf 4th of Septombor, Parry had the satisfaction of rro^sini^ the meridian of 110^ A\ . in the latitude of 71^ 41 20', by whirli the expedition became entitled to tlio rewai'd of oOOr>A. jjranted by an order in Council upon the Act .3"^ Geo. III., cap. 20,"^ entitled "An Act for more offectually discovering^ the lonj^itude at sea, and encou- rijiuir attempts to iind a northern passajirc between the A*. i?ific and Vacific Oceans, and to approach the North Pole." This fact was not announced to the crews until tlie foUowmg day; to celebrate the event they pave to r bold cape of the island then in siirht the name of Pounty Cape ; and so anxious were they now to ])ress i'or- ward.tiuit they bepan to calculate the time when they shr-uld reach the longitude of 130^ \V., the second place specilied hr tlie order in Coiuicil for reward. On the afternoon of t'le oth, the compactness of the ice stt>pped them, and tlierttbre, for the lirst time since leaving: Ens:land, the anchor was let po. and that in 110" AV. longitude. A lioat was sent on shore on the Oth to procure turf or ]>eat ff tlie carcase of one was discovered on one occasii.m. Ihe skulls of two carnivorous animals, a wolf and a lynx, 5i rUOGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. vrerc aLso picked up hero. A party sent to gather coals Lrouj^lit on board about half a bushel — all they eould obtain. On the morning of the 10th, Mr. George Fyfe, the master pilot, with a party of six men belonging to the Griper, landed with a view of making an exploring trip of soma fifteen or twenty miles into the interior. They only took provisions for a day with them. Great uneasiness was ielt that they did not return ; and when two days elapsed, fears began to be entertained for their safety, and it waa thought they must have lost their way. Messrs. Eeid (midshipman), Beverley (assistant-sur- geon), and Wakeham (clerk), volunteered to go in search of their missing messmates, but themselves lost their jray; guided by the rockets, fires, and lights exhibiiod, they returned by ten at night, almost exhausted with cold and fatigue, but without intelligence of their friends. Four relief parties were therefore organized, and sent out on the morning of the 13th to prosecute the search, and one of them fell in with and brought back four of the w?\n- derers, and another the remaining three before nightfall. The feet of most of them were much frost-bitten, and they were all wearied and worn out with their wanderings. It appears they had lost their way the evening of the day they went out. With regard to food, they were by no means badly off, for they managed to kill as many grouse as they could eat. They found fertile valleys and level plains in the interior, abounding with grass and moss ; also a lake of fresh water, about two miles long by one broad, in which were several species of trout, -.'hey saw several herds of rein-deer on the plains, and two elk ; also many hares, but no musk oxen. kSome of those, however, who had been in search of the stray party, noticed herds of these cattle. The winter now began to set in, and the packed ice waa 80 thick, that fears were entertained of being locked up iu an exposed position on the coast ; it was, therefore, thought most prudent to put back, and endeavour to rewjh the harbour which had been passed some days before. The vessels now got seriously buffeted among the fioes and hummocks of ice. The Griper was forced ajjround on the beach, and for some time was in a very critical position. Lieutenant Liddon having been confined to his cabin by a rheumatic complaint, was pressed at this juncture by Commander Parry to allow himself to be removed to the Mecla, but he nobly refused, stating that he should be the % atlier coals they eoulJ. , tlio master the Griper^ rip of 8omo y only took asiues3 was lya ehipscd, , and it waa 3si3taiit-sur- To in search J lost their :3 exhibiied, ad with cold Lcir friends, and sent out search, and p of the Tvan- )re ni<;"hti'all. it-bitten, and wanderings. |T of the day were by no many grouse he interior, "resh water, were several ein-deer on ut no musk m in search e. iked ice was ocked up in ore, thouiiiht o rcwjh the fore. The Hoes and ound on the "A posiliou. liis cabin )iy uncture by ived to the iGuld be the PAKRYS FIRST VOYAGE. 55 e I last to leave the ship, and continued giving orders. Tho Ijcadi being sand, the Griper was got ofFwitliout injury. On the 2:3rd of September they anchored off the mouth of the harbour, and the thermometer now fell to 1°. The crew were set to work to cut a channel through the ice to the shore, and in the course of three days, a canal, two and a half miles in length, was completed, through which the vessel was tracked. The ice was eight or nine inches thick. An. extra allowance of preserved meat was served out to the men, hi consideration of their hard labour. The vessels were unrigged, and everything made snug and secure for passing the winter. Captain Parry gave the name of the North Georgian Islands to this group, after his Majesty, King George III., but this has since been changed to the Parry Islands. Two reindeer were killed on tho 1st of October, and several white bears were seen. On the 6th a deer was killed, which weighed 170 pounds. Seven were seen on the lOlh, one of which was killed, and another severely- wounded. Following after this animal, night overtook ^several of the sportsmen, and the usual signals of rockets, lights, &c. were exhibited, to guide them back. One, John Pearson, a marine, had his hands so frost-bitten that he was obliged, on the 2nd of November, to have the four lingers of his left hand amputated. A wolf and four rein- deer were seen on the 14th. A herd of fifteen deer were seen on the 15th ; but those who saw them could not bring down any, as their fowling-pieces missed fire, from the moistiu'e freezing on the locks. On the 17th and 18th herds of eleven and twenty respectively, were seen, and a small one was shot. A fox was caught on the 29th, which is described as equally cunning with his brethren of the temperate regions. To make the long winter pass as cheerfidly ac possible, plays were acted, a school established, and a newspaper set on foot, certainly the first periodical publication that had ever issued from the Arctic regions. The title of this joui'nal, the editorial duties of which were undertaken by Captain Sabine, was " The Winter Chronicle, or New Georgia Gazette." The first number appeared on the 1st of November. On the evening of the 5th of November the farce of *' Miss in her Teens" was brought out, to the great amusement of the ships' companies, and, considering tho local dilhculties and disadvantages under which the per- formers laboured, their first essay, according to the officers' rjCj rnoGUESs of auctic discoveuy. ■ ! report, did tliem infinite credit. Two liotir.^ were speiit very happily iu their theatre on the quarter-deck, notwith- staudinj; tlie thermometer outside the ship stood at zero, and Avitliin as low as the tVeezinj; point, except close to the stoves, where it was a little hi;;her. Another play wa.« performed on the 24th, and so on every fortnight. The men were employed during the day in banking up the Bhips with snow. On the 'S.'vd of December, the officers performed " The Mayor of Garratt," which was followed bv an after-piece, written by Captain Parry, entitled tlie " ]Sorth-West Pas- Bage, or the Voyage Finished." The sun having long since departed, the twilijrht at noon was so clear that books in the smallest print could be distinctly read. On the Gth of January, the farce of " Bon Ton" was perfoniied, with the thermometer at 27^ below zero. The cold became more and more intense. On the 12th it was 51° below zero, in the open air; brandy froze to the consistency of honey ; when tasted in this state it left a smarting on tlie tongue. The greatest cold expc'rienced was on the 14tli January, when the thermometer fell to 54° below zero. On the 3rd of February, the sun Avas first visible above the horizon, after eighty-four days' absence. It was seen from the maintop of the ships, a height of about fifty-one feet above the sea. On the forenoon of the 21.th a fire broke out at the storehouse, which was used as an observatory. All hands proceeded to the spot to endeavour to subdue the flames, but having only snow to throw on it, and the mats with which the interior was lined being very dry, it was found impossil)le to extinguish it. The snow, however, covered the astronomical instruments and secured them from the fire, and when the roof had been pulled down the fire had burned itself out. Considerable as the fire was, its influence or heat extended but a very short distance, for several of the officers and men were frost-bitten, and confined from their efforts for several weeks. John Smith, of the Artillery, who was Captain. Sabine's servant, and who, together with Sergeant Martin, happened to be in the house at the time the fire broke out, suflered much more severely. In their anxiety to save the dipping needle, which was standing close to the stove, and of which they knew the value, they imme- diately ran out with it ; and Smith not having time to put on his gloves, had his fingers in half an hoursobenimibed, and the animation so completely suspended, that on hi^^ being taken on board ]-j Mr. Edward?*, and having his PAmiYS FIRST VOYAGE. hanclri plunjTcd into n l)asiu of cold xvatcr, tlie surface of till- water was immediately frozen by the iutense cold tlius sudderdy communicated to it ; and notwith.stnndini> tlie most humane and unremittiu"^ attention paid him by the medical gentlemen, it was found necessary, some time after, to resort to the amputation of a part of four fiuirors on one hand, and three on the other. Piirry adds, " the appearance which oui* faces presented at the m'c was a curious one ; almost every nose and cheek havinjj: become quite white with frost bites, in five minutes afiev beinjT exposed to the weather, so that it Avas deemed necessary for the medical «:fentlemen, together with some others appointed to assist thera, to go constantly round while the men were working at the fire, and to rub witli fcnow the parts aflected, in order to restore animation." Tlio weather got considerably milder in March ; on the Cth the thermometer got up to zero for the first time since Ihe 17th of December. The observatory house on shore was now rebuilt. The vapour, which had been in a solid state on the ship's sides, now thawed below, and the crew, scraping ofl' the coating of ice, removed on the 8th of March above a hundred bucVetsfuU each, containing from live to six gallons, which had accumulated in less than a month, occasioned principallj' from the men's breath, and the steam of victuals at meals. The scurvy now broke out among ihe crew, and prompt measures were taken to remedy it. Captain Parry took great pains to raise mustard and cress in his cabin for the men's use. On the 30th of April the thermometer stood at the freezing point, which it had not done since the 12th of September last. On the 1st of May the sun was seen at miJni<;ht for the lirst time that season. A survey was now taken of the provisions, fuel, and stores ; much of the lemon juice was found destroyed from the bursting of the bottles by the frost. Having been only victualled for two years, and half that period having expired, Captain Parry, as a matter of prudence, reduced all hands to two-tliirds allowance of all sorts of provisions, except meat and sugar. The crew were now set to work in cutting away the ice round the ships : the average thickness was found to be seven feet. Many of the men who had been out on excursions began to sufler much from snow lilindness. The sonsation when first experienced, is described as like that felt/ wlieu dust or sand gets into the e\es. They 38 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVEUY. were, however, cured iu the course of two or three clays by keepin«if the ov('3 covered, and bathiuij them oocasion- ailv with suj^ar of k'ad, or some other eooiiiii^ lotion. To prevent the recurrence of the complaint, the men were ordered to wear a piece of crape or some substituto for it over the eyes. Tiie channel round the ships was completed bv tho 17th of May, and they rose nearly two feet, ha\ inpf been kept down by tho pressure of tho ice round them, although lightened during; tho winter by the consumption of food and fuel. On tho 2tth they were astonislied by two showers of rain, a most extraordinary phenomenon in these rcfjions. Symptoms of scurvy ajjain appeared amonpr the crew ; one of tlio seamen who had been recently cured, having imprudently been in the habit of eatinjj the fat 8kimrain<;3, or " slush," in which salt meat had been boiled, and which was served out for their lamps. As the hills in many places now became exposed and vesfctation commenced, two or three pieces of ground were dupf up and sown with seeds of radishes, onions, and other vegetables. Captain Parry determined before leaving to make an excursion across the island for tho purpose of examining its size, boundaries, productions, &c. Accordingly on the 1st of June an expedition was organized, consisting of the commander. Captain Sabine, -Mr. Fisher, the assistant-surgeon, Mr. John Nias, mid- shipman of tho Hecla, and Mr. Ileid, midshipman of tho Griper, with two sergeants, and live seamen and marines. Three weeks' provisions were taken, which together with two tents, wood for fuel, and other articles, weighing in all about 800 lbs., was drawn on a cart prepared for tho purpose bv the men. Each ot the officers carried a knapsack with his own private baggage, weighing from 18 to 24 lbs., also his gun and ammunition. The party started in h\^\\ glee, under three hearty cheers from their comrades, sixteen of whom accompanied them for five miles, carrying their knapsacks and drawing the cart for them. They travelled by night, taking rest by day, as it was found to be warmer for sleep, and they hacf only a covering of a single blanket each, besides the clothes they had on. On the 2nd they came to a small lake, about half a mile long, and met with eider ducks and ptarmigan ; seven, of tlie latter were shot. From the top of a range of hills at M-hieh they now arrived, they could see the masts of the ships in "Winter Harbour with the naked eye, at about PAIIUY's FinST VOYAGE. 50 liroo clays oc'cusion- ioti. tlio men iuljstituto ' tiio irth locu kopt althouijli n of food by two mcnou in appeared lad been the luibifc liich salt fur their exposed >f ground i, ouions, [?d before cl for tlio >ductiong, tioii was Sabine, ias, mid- in of tlio marines. her with ;hing in for tke Ill's own also his ?b slee, xtcen of ig tlicir IS it was joveriiii^ lad on. f a mile seven of hills tsof the it about ton or eleven miliM distant. A vast plain was also seen CxtendiiiLT t«» the iinrtliwMrd and westward. The p.irty breakfasted en biseuit a:ul a pint of :;ruel caoli, made <>f salep |)"wd» r, whieh was found to be a very palatable diet. l{e:ndeer ^\ith their fawuH were mot with. They derived fjreat assistanee in drairf^in^ their eart by riiiirinl' iijxm it one of the tent blankets as a sail, a truly nautieal eiintrivjinee, and the winil ravourini; them, they made irreat pr<>\\(>ver, Inul sumo UjLdv ravines to pass, the erossinirs of whieh were very teilious and troublesome. On the 7th the party eamo to a hw'j^v bay, which was named after their hhi[)S. lleela and Griper i3ay. The blue iee was cut throuj^h by hard work with l)<>ardin{]^ pikes, the only instruments they had, and a 11 erdi^tjintf fourteen anda half feet the water rushed up ; it was not very salt, but sullieient to satisi'y them that it was the oeean. An island seen in the distauee was named after Captain Sabine : some of the various points and eaixs were also named after others of the parly, Althou;,di tliis shore was found blocked up with such heavy ice, there appear to be times when there is oi>en water here, for a ])ieco of fir wood seven and a half feet long, and about the thickness of a man's arm, was fomid about eighty yards inland from the hummocks of the beach, and about tliirty feet above the level of the sea. Before leaving the shore, a monument of stones tv.-elve feet high was erected, in which were deposited, in a tin cylinder, an account of their proceedings, a few coins, and several naval buttons. The expedition now turned back, shaping its course in a more westerly direction, towards some high blue hills, which had long been in sight. On many days several ptarmigans were shot. The horns and tracks of deer were very immerous. On the 11th they came in sight of a deep gulf, to which. Lieutenant Liddon's name was given; the two capes Jit its entrance being called after Beechey and Iloppncr. In the centre was an island about three-quarters of a mile in length, rising abruptly to the height of 700 feet. Tho shores of the gulf were very rugged and pre(i[)itaiit, and in descending a steep hill, the axle-tree of their cart broke, and they had to leave it behind, taking tho body with them, however, for fuel. The wheels, which wero left on the spot, may astonish gome future adventurer I! CO pnor.nF.ss of arctic discovery. I' P ■who (lisL'Ovors thoni. The stores, &i'., wero divided an;on;^ the ollicors nnd men. .M.'ikini; their way on the ire in the firiilf, tlie i.^laud in the centre was explored, and named after Mr. Hooper, the purser of the llccla. It was found to be of sandstone, uiu^ vory barren, risin«f perpendieularly from the sea on th*.- "West side. Four fat jjeese were killed here, and a ureal many animals were seen around the jjulf ; some attention beiniif paid to examininj; its shores. Sic, ix line open valley was discovered, and the tracks of oxen ami deer ■were very numerous ; the ])astura*;o appeared to be' ex- eellent. On the ll{th, a few ptarmiujan and a golden plover were killed. No less than thirteen deer in one here! were seen, and a musk ox for the first time this season. The remains of six Esmiimaux Iiuts were discovered about 3<)0 yards from the beach. Vegetation now boira:'. to nourish, the sorrel was found far advanced, and a species of saxifrajje was met viitli in blossom. They reached the ships on the eveninij of the 15th, af.or a journc}' of about 180 miles. The ships' crews, during their absence, had been occu- pied in jufctting ballast in and re-stowiniif the hold. Shooting parties were now sent out in various direction? to procure game. Dr. Fisher gives an interesting ace nmt of his ten days' excursion with a couple of men. The deci- wore not so numerous as they expected to Huil ihcm. About thirty were seen, of which his party killed l)i:t two, which were very lean, weighing only, when skinue.l and cleaned, 50 to 60 lbs. A couple of wolves were seen, an 1 some foxes, with a great many hares, four of which were killed, weighing from 7 to 8 lbs. The aquatic bird:? seen were — brent geese, king ducks, long-tailed ducks, and arctic and glaucous gulls. The land birds were ptarmigans, plovers, sanderlings, and snow buntings. The geese were pretty numerous for the first few days, but got wild and wary on being disturbed, keeping in the middle of lakes out of gun-shot. About a dozen were, however, killed, and lif- teen ptannigans. These birds are represented to he so stupid that all seen may be shot. Dr. Fislier was surprised on his return on the 29th of June, after his ten days' absence, to find how much vegetation had advan,»ed ; the land being now completely clear of snow, was covered with the purple-coloured saxifrage in blossom, with mosses, and witli sorrel, and the grass was two to three inches ionii. The men were sent out twice a week to collect the sorrel, and in a few minutes enough could be procured to make a PARUY •< FIKST VOYAliE. 61 aihl In 10 r. the 10, Ui)J on tliv ;culion ' OUL'U il Joor by.' ex- »r won? e seen, covered ,- l)oi:a!"'. and a Tlioy a ft or u ■u oceu- iiocnmt 10 deor ihom. >d but KimioJ en. and were Is soen I arotio iiijiaus, e were ild and :e> out I tif- bo so Ipr ISOi days' ineod ; hvored tosses. iouii. sorrol, lake a salad for dinner. After bein^ mixed with vine^Mr ii was remilarly served out to the men. The Knj^lish jjrarden .«('t'('> that had l)een sown ijot on but slowly, and did not yield any })roduee in time to be used. On the 31st c>f June AVni. Scott, a boatswain's mate, w!io had been atHicteil with seurvy, diarrhcva. &e.. died, ami was l)urieil on the 'Jnd ot July — a slab of sandstone licnriui; an inseriptiou, carved by Dr. Fisher, beinp^ erected over his i^rave. From ((bservations made on the tide (hiring two months, it nppears that the fjreatcst rise and fall here is four feet four inches. A larije pile of stones was erected ou the 1 1th of Jidy. upon the most conspicuous hill, containintr the usunl ui'iices. coins, t<:c.. and on a lar^je stone an inscription was left notifying the wintering of the ships here. On the 1st of August the ships, which luid been pre- viously waqied out, got clear of the harbour, and found a channel, both eastward and westward, clear of ice, about tliree or tour miles in breadth along the land. On the fith they landed on the island, and in the course of the night killed tourtecn hares and a number of glau- cous gidls, which were found with their young on the top of a precipitous insulated rock. Ou the 9th the voyagers had an opportunity of observ- ing an instance of the violent pressure that takes place occasionallv by the collision of Leavy ice. *' Two pieces (says Dr. iFisher) that happened to come in contact close to us pressed so forcibly against one another that one of them, although forty-two feet thick, and at least three times that in length and breadth, was forced up on its edge on the top of another piece of ice. But even this is nothing wnen compared with the pressure that must have existed to produce the effects that we see along the shore, for, not only heaps of earth and stones several tons weight are forced up, but hummocks of ice, from fifty to sixty feet thick, are piled up on the beach. It is unnecessary to remark that a ship, although fortified as well as wood and iron could make her, would have but little chance of with- standing such overwhelming force." This day a musk ox was shot, which weighed more than 700 lbs. ; the carcass, when skinned and cleaned, yielding 421 lbs. of meat. The flesh did not taste so very strong of musk as had been represented. The ships made but slow progress, being still thickly beset with floes of ice, 40 or 50 feet thick, and had to make fast for security to hummocks of ice on the beach. Oi\ the 15tn and 16th they were off the south-west 62 rKOGRi:>S OF AllCTIC DiscovnuY, point of tlio isliuul, ]mt a siirvov of the lociliiy from the precipitous clifl" of Capo ]>uii(las, prc.^oiitod llio saiuc intcrininahlo barrier of ice as far ns the ovf could rcacli. A boM hiiih roast was siirlited to (lio soutli-Nvest, to which the name of Jiaiik's Land was fxiven. Captain Parry states tbat on tiie 2Hrd the ships received by far the lieaviest shocks they had experienced (birini;f the Toyainir up on the *J(Uh opened a ])assaire aloiii; shore, and the ships made sail to the eastward, ami in the evening were off their old quarters in Winter M:\v- bour. On the followinix evcniuix, ai'ter a iiue run, they were off the east end of Melville island. Jjieut. Parry, this day, atmoujiced to the oilieers and crew that afur due consideration and consultation, it had been found useless to prosecute their n's<'arches farther w<.stwa;d, and tlu'iv- fore endeavours would be made in a more south rly dir'.-c- tlon, failinix in which, the expedition would return to ll^nath of Georu'e the Third and the Duke of Kent, and that eleven vessels havini; been lost in the ice last year, fears were entertained for their snfctv. The Fricndshi}), another Hull whaler, inforiued tluMU that in com])any with the Ti'nclove she had locked into Smith's Sound that sunnner. The Aff\v<(./'/rr, of Aberdeen, ono of the ships employed on the tbrtu'^t' voyaire of discovery to these seas, had also entered liancasier Sound. After touchint; at Clyde's Piver, where they met a <;ood-natured tribe of Esijuimaux, the bhips made the best of their way PAr.r.YS SKCOM) VOYACIC. r.5 afTos.'? iho All.'Uitic. mid riftcr n .inion tliat v, c»>niniMnieatioi\ mi;;lit be found l)et^veen ]re(1 t'liMniiel called ^'ir Thouias Koe's Welcome, «. • throuuh lit-j)ulse 13av, which lias not yet been sati.'^facloriiy cxtniiined. It is also probi'.])le that a channel will be iV'Und to exist between the western land and tiie northern coast of America." AL'Jjin. in another plac(>, he says, " Of the existence of a ^north-West Passa;j[e to the Pacific it is now Bcarcely possible to doubt, and from the success whirli jUit'nded onr eljbrts in iSl'.f, aft<'r passing; throuijh Sir Jam.'s r.Miicaster's Sound, Me were not unreasonal ie in rniici)>atinractir'able to navii:ate the Polar Seas does not exceed seven ^^('el that coast may be l\)und. the movr favourable will it ])r(»ve f m' the piirpise; hence Ciinibt rland Strait, Sir Thomas Koe's A\ Clconu^, aiul 1'(>]mi1.-i' j!ay appear to be the points mo.-t "Worthy of attention. I cannot then'fore but consider that liny expedition (upupped by (ireat Hritain wilii liiis view ouiiht to employ its ix'st enemies in attemptin*^ to ])ene- trate from the east* rn coast of America al-MiiX its northern Miore. In consequence of the partial success uhich has liitherto attended our att(>mpt8, the whalers have already exteiuled their views, and u new iield has bi'eii opened for oiK' of the }uo<{ lu'rativ(» branches of our commerce, and what ia scarcely of less importance, one of the most Taluable nurseries for seamen which Great Britain pos- Bes^'cs." — Parn/s f'irst I'oi/ar/c, vol. ii. ]). 2 iO. Pleased witli his f>rmer zeal and enterprise, and in ').rdor to i;ive him an 0[tpurlULiity of te.-ting the truth of u rnOGKF.SS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. Ill 1? •^1 5{ his observaLioiis, a few montlis after lie returned home, the Admiralty i?ave Parry the command of another expe- dition, with instructions to proceed to Hudson's Strait, and penetrate to the westward until in Repulse Ba}', or on some other part of the shores of Hudson's Ba}- to the north of Waj^er Eiver, he should reach the western eo:i>t of tlie cc»ntinent. Failing in these quarters, he was to keep alouix the coast, carefully examiniuii^ every bend or inlet, which should appear likely to afford a practicable passajje to the westward. The vessels commissioned, with their officers and crews, were the followinsj. Several of the olBcers of the former expedition were promoted, those who had been on the lust voyage with Parry I have marked with an asterisk : — Commander — *W. E. Parry. Chaplaui and Astronomer — Eev. Geo. Fisher (was in the Dorothea, under Capt. Buchan, in 1818.) Lieutenants — *J. Nias and *A. Reid. Surgeon — *.J. Edwards. Purser — *W. H. Hooper. Assistant-Surgeon — J. Skeoch. Midshipmen — *J. C. Ross, *J. Bushnau, J. Henderson, F. R. M. Crozier. Greenland Pilots — *J. Allison, master ; *G. Crawfurd, mate. 47 Petty Olllcers. Seamen, &c. Total complement, 60. Hecla. Commander — G. F. Lyon. Lieutenants — *H. P. lloppner and *C. Palmer. Surgeon — *A. Fisher. Purser — J. Germain. Assistant-Surgeon — A. M'Laren. Midshipmen — *W. N. Griffiths, J. Sherer, C. Richards, E. J. Bird. Greenland Pilots — *G. Fife, master ; *A. Elder, mate. 46 Petty Officers. Seamen, &c. Total complement, 58, Lieutenant Lyon, the second in command, had obtained some reputation from his travels in Tripoli, Mourzouk, and other parts of Northern Africa, and was raised to the rank of Commander on his appointment to the Heola^ and PARRY S SECOXD VOYAGE. 65 home, expe- it, and 01* on to the .1 fo:i*t o keep inlet, lassai^e crews. former the hist (was in L8.) ulerson, awfurd, chards, mate. )tained irzouk, to the \la, and received his promotion as Captaiu, when tlic expedition returned. Tlio sliips were aecompaniod a.«( far as the ice by the N^autth'.s transport, freiy:hted with provisions and stores, which wore to oe transhipped as soon as room was icjund for them. The vessels got away from the little Nore early on the 8th of ^fay, 1821, hut meeting!; with stronu: jLjales oil' the Greenland coast, and a boisterous passa«je, did not lall in with tlie ice until the middle of June. On the 17th of June, in a heavy {^ale from the south- ward, the sea stove and carried away one of the quarter boats of the Hccla. On the following day, in lat. 60'^ 53' N., long. 61° 39' \V., they made the pack or main body of ice, having many large bergs in and near it. On the 10th. Kesolution Island, at the entrance of Hudson Strait, was seen distant sixty-four miles. Capt. Lyon states, that during one of the watches, a large fragment was observed to fall from an iceberg near the llecla, which threw up the water to a great height, sending forth at the same time a noise like the report of a great gun. From this period to the 1st of July, the shipa were occupied in clearing the Nautilus of her stores pre- paratory to her return home, occasionally made fast to a berg, or driven out to sea by gales. On the 2nd, after runnin.'r through heavy ice, they again made llesolution Island, and shaping their course for the Strait, were soon introduced to the company of some unusually large ice- bergs. The altitude of one was 258 feet above the surface of the sea; its total height, therefore, allowing one-seventh only to be visible, must have been about 1806 feet ! This however is supposing the base under water not to spiead bevond the mass above water. The vessels had seartrSy drifted past tliis floating mountain, when the ediiv ido* carried them with great rapidity amongst a clu?i -r of cloven bergs of huge size, and having a l^Tift'^'ul diversity of form. The largest of these was ./M^ feet above the water. The floe ice was running wildly a' tU'.^ rate of three miles an hour, sweeping the vessels p" the bergs, against any one of which tliey might have received incalculable injury. An endeavour was made to i.\.iko the ships fast to one of them, (for all of them were aground), in order to ride out the tide, but it proved unsuccessful, and the Furi/ had much difficulty in sending a boat for some men who were on a small berg, making holes for her ice anchors. They were therefore swept past and G6 rnooREsg op arctic discovery. soon beset. Fifty-four iceber;;s wei'e couutcd froin the mast-lu'.'ul. On the 3rd tliey made some proj^ress t]irout;!i very heavy lloes ; but on tlie tiik^ turniii;;, the louse ie»' llrw loLjetlier with riueh rapidity and noise, that thijre was barely tinio to secure tlie ships in a natural doc'lc, IjcIoiv' llic two streams met, aiul even then they received some lieavy shocks. "Water was procured for use from tlio ])ools in tiie Hoc to which (lie 8liips were made fast; and tliia bcinu; tlie lir.sfc time of doinj? so, alforded j^rcat amusement to the novices, who, even wheu it was their ])eriod of rest, ]>referred pelt- Ing each other with 8nowd)alls, to t;oiny the Swiss peasants. As we were surrounded by ice, and tlie thermometer was at the freezinj,' point, it may bo supposed that this ball, al vcro fresf", allorded ua much jimusenu'nt." The Hudson's IJa}^ ships had iel't England twenty days after the expedition. The emi;j;rant sliip had been hampered nineteen d;iys amonijst the ice, before she j»)ined the others ; and as liiisi naviiTjition was new to her captain and crew, they almo.-'fc despaired of ever jretlintj to tlicir journey's en*!, yo varied and constant luul been thei»* impediments. The nuteii- men had, however, In'haved very ))hilosoi)hieiilly durint^ this period, and seemed determined on l)ein^ merry, in spite of the weatlicr and the (lan<;ers. Several man ia;jfes had taken ]il..ee. (the sur^^eon, who was nccomp;iny:!i<; them to the coJuuy, ollieiatin^ as c!','!'L'yii\an,) and many PARRY .S SECOND VOYAGE. m tlie heavy (t^i'ther y limo tiviuns shocks. Hoc to lie iirst iovici'3, lmI ])clt- ullctinsf rs, tlicy wcclv or ,t' b.'inj; wtis so carried rcnuhetl nk. with if a ton, tcy wcro aw tlireo d, uhich fast to a >u'ri liay \o}tc. wiili iifives ot Selkirk's ,0 vessels leek, for jackets, lioso used by ieo, may l)0 ki.- Hiuck ll'hi^laiid I'cn (l:iy3 d as ihiti ,' almot't o varied DtiU'h- h'lry, ill liari'lui^es ^|Kmyin}( id lujuiy more were in nijitation : each hnppy couple always (l(i'ciT;ni( th<» ceremony until a line dav allowed of an cvenin;: hall, "whicli \vaa only terminated l)y a Iresli hreezc. ov a fall of snow. {T/f/o)i's Prirafc Join'nal, \>. \\,\ On the }.7th the ships were separated by the ice, anil they saw no nK>re of their visitors. On the 21st they were only off the J/Ower SavH'j^e Islands. Jn tlie eveninii they saw a very h^^n^ bear lyin«j; on a piece of ice, and two boats were instantly sent off in chnse. They approached ' tv elose before ho took to tho water, when he sAAam rapidly, and nuido Jon:,^ snrinixs, turnin«jj boldly to face his pursuers. It was with dilliculty lie was captured. As these animals, althouirh very fat and bulky, sink the instant they die, he was Inslied to a boat, and broufjht alon<;side the ship. ( )n hoist injjf him in, they wcro astonished to find that his ueiirht exceeded sixteen liundred ])ounds, bein<; one of the larijest ever killed. Two instances, only, of larger bears beinjj shot are recorded, and these were by Uarentz's crew, in his third voyage, at Clierio Island, to whicii they f^ave the name of iJear Island. The two bears killed then measured twelve and thirteen feet, while this one only Tnea.sured eight feet eijjht inches, from the snout to the insertion of tho tail. The seamen ate the Hesh without experiencing any of tliose baneful ellects which old navi- ^'alors attribute to it, and which are stated to have made three of Harentz's people " so sick that we expected they would have died, and their skins peeled olF from head to foot." Bruin was very fat, aid having procured a tub of blubber from the carcass, it was thrown overboard, and the 8niell soon attracted a couple of walruses, the first that had been yet seen. They here fell in with a niunerous body of the Esqui- maux, who visited them from the shoro. In less than an hour the ships were beset witli thirty *' kavrtks," or men's canoes, and live of the women's large boa*>s, or • oomiaks." Some of the latter held iipward:^* of twoity wornt.n. A most noisy but nu ; »y barter instantly took place, the crew being as anxious to purehas** Escpiimaux curiosities, as tho natives were to procure iron and Etiropean toys. *• it is ipiite out of my power (observes Captain Lyon) to describe the .shouts, yells, and latighter of the savages, or the confusion which existed for two or tliree hours. The females were at first very shy, and unwilling to come on th'» ice. but bartered everything from their boats. This liinidit >', however, soon wore off, and they, in the end, became as noisy and boisterous as the men." "It ii ecarcely possible (ho adds) to conceive anything more r 2 68 PROO.IESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVEUV. II i\ ufjly or (lisj;iistin«; tlmn llic countonanccs of the old women, wlio liad inilamod oycs, Mrinlclccl skin, hlack teeth, and, in fact, such a forbiddni most extraordinary iighis i ever w!;nes8ed. One of our seamen, of a frojiu, ruddy complexion, ex(jited the admiration of all the young females, who patted his face, auvl danced around him wherever he went. " The exertion of dancing so ^exhilarated the Esquimaux, that they had the appeai'ance of being boisterously drunk, and played many extraordinary prauks. Amongst others, it was a favourite joke to I'lia slily behind the seamen, and saury's 8EC0XD VOYAGE «o soundly,, a, to ob%^t.^tr^«"« boxed C.!S at Lim ([„,'■ y'- althon^'h everl^„ '""'',»'"' "o -I rJo.i4''„r„tr:f^ -J the n,ourjLSL;r I 70 niOOUKSS OP ARCTIC DISCOVEUT. ■'If III i1 siilocks, OP youii«; coul-fisli, to servo for two meals for tho whole Hliip's coinptmy. Burinj^ tho ni«^lit white wlinlei were seen Ivin