IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // ^ J'i^. 1.0 I.I 11.25 ■50 "^" ■■■ ^ us. 12.0 u \}± 116 Photographic ^Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) S72-4S03 ^>^ ^ 4^ srl^ niE Ali(;T[C KEGIONS: ■r.f.T.'i-j BY P L. SIMMOFDS, }OM.m' :f" ,': VC t ■^v-' ■ t» ■ mm-frv.i.i. :MiiL m..- ,r: ill '<■.' '\^- iC v SIR JOHN FRANKLIN AND THE ARCTIC REGIONS: A NARRATIVE, SHOWING €i)f 9tosctii of lUtitiii iEnterpnste FOR THE DISCOVERY OF THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE DURING THE NINETEENTH CENTURY: WITH DETAILED NOTICES OP THE EXPEDITIONS IN SEARCH OF THE MISSING VESSELS UNDER CAPTAIN SIR JOHN FRANKLIN. BY P. L. SIMMONDS, MANY TEAKS EDITOB OF THE COLONIAL KAUAZINEi ETC. ETC. SECOND EDITION, COMBINING THE MOST BECENT INTELLIGENCE. " Miserable they Who here entangled in the Rathcring ice. Take their last look of the descending sun." CoWFER. LONDON: GEORGE ROUTLEDGE & CO., SOHO SQUARE. MDCCCLI. v> ( c c I /■>• TO t CAPT. SIR W. E. PAERY, E.N., LL.D., F.R.S., &c. CAPT. SIR JAMES C. ROSS, R.N., D.C.L., F.R.S. CAPT. SIR GEORGE BACK, R.N., F.R.S. DR. SIR J. RICHARDSON, R.N., C.B., F.R.S. AND THE OTHER BRAVE ARCTIC NAVIGATORS AND TRAVELLERS WHOSE ARDUOUS EXPLORING SERVICES ARE HEREIN RECORDED, THIS VOLUME IS; IN ADMIRATION OP THEIR OALLANTRT; HEROIC ENDURANCE, AND PERSEVERANCE OVER OBSTACLES OP NO ORDINARY CHARACTER, RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, BT THEIR VERT OBEDIENT HUMBLE SERVANT, THE AUTHOR. \ t PREFACE. The desire for information felt all over this country, and, in- deed, I may almost say throughout the ciyilized world, re- specting the fate of the missing expedition under Capt. Sir John Franklin, is very great, and continues to become more and more intense, as the lapse of time lessens the probability of their return in safety. The large number of individuals now engaged in prosecuting the search for them in the Arctic regions, and the deep anxiety manifested by the friends and relatives whom these fresh explorers have left behind, has turned the attention of thousands to this in- hospitable and comparatively little known quarter of the globe, serving to lend an added interest to every book descriptive of the Polar seas and shores. Among the publications which have from time to time appeared, there seems to have been no popular narra- tive, especially treating of the voyages and journeys of discovery and research prosecuted in the nineteenth cen- tury towards the North Pole, embracing accoimts of all the recent public and private searching expeditions after the lost ships, and adapted in price to the bulk of the community who so eagerly seek information. To meet this want I have been induced, at the solicita- tion of my publishers, to undertake the compilation of the following work, in which I have brought into one view all that is really important to be known by those who »' VI PREFACE. dosirc to form a correct opinion of tlio present state of the case, and to make themselves acquainted with what has really been done in the progress of discovery for a north- west passage, and what measures have been adopted for the relief of our imprisoned seamen. Much of the material thus condensed is to be found scattered through a variety of publications, huge and expensive quarto volumes of voyages, now scarce or out of print, parliamentary papers and returns, foreign journals, &c., but the largest portion of this information is entirely new. In condensing from the voluminous Blue books on this subject that have been published during the last few years, my chief object has been, avoiding rash and speculative opinion, to direct the reader's attention as much as possible to matters of fact ; to place before him all that is really practical, important, and interesting, and especially to put him in possession of what is known of the result of the recent voyages, and the latest position and intended plan of operations of the numerous vessels at present out on the search for the JErehus and Terror. In putting myself in communication with all those best informed on the subject of which this volume treats, I have to acknowledge myself deeply indebted for much polite attention and valuable information to Lady Franklin and her niece Miss Cracroft, to John Barrow, Esq., of the Admiralty, to Capt. Becher, E.N., the talented editor of the Nautical Magazine, to Commander C. C. Forsyth, K.N., and to Dr. Shaw, the Secretary of the Eoyal Geographical Society of London. In conclusion, I may state, that as the son and grand- son of very old Lieutenants in the Royal Navy, having been originally in the service myself, having five brothers afloat, and a large number of other relatives holding Her Majesty's commission, I feel a deep professional, as well as philanthropic interest, in hearing tidings of the safety of PREFACE. irtt I Sir John Franklin and his gallant comrades, and am but too happy to aid in satisfying tho public desire for informa- tion, by contributing my mite in the publication of tho following narrative of voyages and travels in tho Arctic Begions, with the appended sugsrestions and opinions of experienced ofBcers and competent parties. To the intrepid veteran and navigator, whose name figures so frequently and so honourably in these pages, I hope we may yet be able to apply, with the few slight verbal alterations I have made, the following lines, which were originally addressed to Dr. Leichardt, who after two years' absence on a journey through the unexplored regions of Australia, returned to Sydney, when all hopes of his safety had been given up, and his dirge had been sung by his friends. That bold traveller is again absent on a second journey in the interior of that vast continent, and has not been heard of for more than two years. May Heaven grant to each and aU of our care-worn travel- lers by sea and land a speedy deliverance from the perils which environ them, and a safe return to their friends and native country, — a wish to which all my readers will, I am sore, most heartily respond " So mote it be !" *' Thy footsteps have returned again, thou wanderer of the wild, Where Nature flrom her Northern throne in silent beauty smiled, Pilgrim of mighty wastes, untrod by human foot before. Triumphant o'er Frost's wilderness, thy weary journey's o'er. " Thou hast battled with the dangers of the iceberg and the flood, And amid the crystal desert a conqueror hast stood ; Thou hast triumphed o'er the perils of the glacier and the main, And a nation's smiling welcome is thy greeting home again. " Long had we moum'd with sorrowing, and plaintive dirges sung. For fate a wild mysterious veil around thy name had flung ; And hope's declining energies with feeble effort strove Against the boding voice of fear that haunts the heart of love. ■ ■ j-;n«» VIU PREFACE. " And Bumonr, with her hundred tongues, her vague and blighting breath. Had whispered tidings sad and drear, dark tales of blood and death; Till tortured fancy ceased to hope, and all despairing gave ThjT name a hallowed memory— rthy bones a Polar grave. " But, no ! that proud intrepid heart still held its purpose high. Like Afric's martyr traveller, resolved to do or die ; Like him, to find a lonely grave, in desert lands of flame, Or win a bright eternity of high and glorious fame I '* Oft amid famine, danger, death, when meaner spirits quaii'd. Have thy unfailing energies to cheer and soothe prevail'd ; lor well thy hope-inspiring voice could speak of perils past, Ai'd bid each coming one appear less painful than the last. " And oft e'en that brave heart of thine has sadden'd to despair. When o'er some wild and ice-clad scene, the sunlight shining fair. Hath bid thy softened spirit feel, how lonely were thy lot. To die, thy mission unfulflll'd, unknown, unwept, forgoc. " Proud man! in after ages the story shall be told, Of that advent'rous voyager, the generous, the bold, Who scorning hope of selfish gain, disdaining soft repose. Went forth to trace a pathway through unyielding ice and snows." P. L. SiMMONDS. 5, Barge-yardy City^ MarcJii 1851. CONTENTS. IMONDS. PAGE Introductory Remarks 1 Little known of the Arctic Regions.— Notice of Capttdn Phipps' Toyi^e. — 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 hernautical heroes. Captain John Ross's Voyage in the Isabella and Alexander to Hudson's Bay in 1818 11 Names of ofScers 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. — Return home. Voyage of Buchan and Franklin in the Dorothea and Trent to Spitzbergen, &c., 1818 17 Names of officers, and complement, &c. — Fanciful appearance of icebergs.— Ships arrive at Spitsbergen.- Anchor in Magdalene bay.— Hanging icebergs. — Immense flocks of birds. — Dangerous ascent of Rotge Hill. — Attack of walruses. — Surprised by tmlooked-for visitors.— Devout feeling of recluses. — Expedition puts to sea ag^n.— Party lose themselves on the ice. — Ships damaged by pressure of the floes. — Dangerous position of the ships. — They take refuge in the main pack of icebergs. — Vessels put into Fair Haven to stop leaks and refit. — Return home. Franklin's First Land Expedition, 1819-21 Party leave England in the Prince of Wales. — Reach 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 resi- dence after a voyage of 553 miles. — Exploring excursions carried on during the winter.—" Green Stockings," the Indian beauty. — Stores and Esquimaux interpreters arrive. — Severity of the winter.— Suffering of 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 fh>m famine and fatigue. — Death of several of the party. — Mr. Hood is murdered by Michel the Iroquois, who for their mutual safety is killed by Or. Richardson.— Hunger ajid fiunine endured by the party.— Their ultimate relief. 31 CONTENTS. PAGE 60 Parry's First Voyage in the Hecla and Griper, 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 1 10 deg. W., and become entitled to the Parliamentary reward of 5000/. — Drop anchor for the first time. — Land on the island. — Abundance of animids found. — An exploring party lose themselves for three days. — But are recovered and brought back. — Vessels get into winter quarters. — A MS. newspaper published. — Amateur plays performed.— Observatory destroyed by fire. — Scurvy makes its appearance.— Crews put on short allowance. — An excur> sion of a fortnight made to examine the island. — Ships get clear of the ice. — But are unable to make further progress to the westward, and their return to England is determined on. Parry's Second Voyage in the Fv/ry and Hecla, 1821-23 . . 63 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 the ice. — Fall in with Hudson's Bay Company's ships, and emigrant vessel, with Dutch colonists proceeding to Red River.— Two immense bears killed. — Descrip- tion of the Esquimaux. — Surveys made of all the indentations and coasts of this locality.— Ships driven back by the current and drift-ice. — Take up their winter quaiters. — And resort to theatrical amusements again.— Schools established. — Great severity of the winter. — Surveying operations resumed. — Intelligent Esquimaux female affords valuable hydrogra- phical information. — Perilous position of the Hecla,- -Her miraculous release. — Ships pass their second winter at Igioolik. —The Fury and Hecla Strait examined. — Ice bireaks up. — Ships driven about by the current for thirty-five days. — At last gain the Atlantic, and make for England. Clavering's Voyage to Spitzbergen and Greenland in the Griper, 1823 84 Conveys out Captain Sabine to make observations. — Reach Spitz- bergen. — Proceed thence to Pendulum Islands. —North-eastern coast of Greenland surveyed. — Captain Clavering and a party of nineteen men carry on an exploring expedition for a fort- night.— Meet with a tribe of Esquimaux.— Ship puts to sea.— • Make for the coast of Norway. — Anchor in Drontheim Fiord. — Observations being completed, ship returns to England. Lyon's Voyage in the Griper, 1824 85 Is sent to survey and examine the straits and shores of Arctic America. — Arrives in the Channel known as Roe's Welcome. — Encounters a terrific gale. — Is in imminent danger in the Bay of God's Mercy. — Suffers from another fearful storm. — The ship being quite crippled, and having lost all her anchors, &c., is obliged to return home. CONTENTS. id PAGE 20 . . 50 63 in the . . . 84 [h Spitz- l-eastem a party a fort' to sea.— iFiord.— . . 85 Arctic come. — J in the Itorm. — achors, PAOB Parry's Third Voyage in the JSecla and Fury, 1824-25 . . 87 Names and number of officers, Sui.—Hecla laid on her broadside by the ice.— Ships reach Lancaster Sound.— Enter Regent Inlet, and winter at Port Bowen.— Dreary character of the Arctic Winter. — Former amusements worn threadbare.— Polar Bat Masqud got up. — Exploring parties sent out inland and along the coasts.— Ships are released, but beset by the ice, and carried by the pack down the inlet. — Fury driven on shore and abandoned. — Return voyage necessarily determined on.— Scarcity of animal food in this locality.— //iec/a arrives at Peterhead,— Parry's opinions of the North-west passage. Franklin's Second Land Expedition, 1825-26 93 Names of officers accompanying him. — Arrive in New York and proceed through the Hudson's Bay Company's territories. — Winter at Fort Franklin on Great Bear Lake.— A pioneer party proceeds to examine the state of the Polar Sea. — Return and pass the long winter. — Descend the Mackenzie in the spring. — Party divide ; Franklin and Back proceeding to the westward, whilst Dr. Richardson and Mr. Kendal, &c., follow the Copper- mine River. — Franklin encounters a fierce tribe of Esquimaux at tlie sea.— After a month's survey to the eastward, Franklin and his party 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. Drummond. — Franklin's struggle between affection and duty. — Party return to Eng- land. Captain Beechey's Voyage to Behring Strait in the Blossom, 1826-28 95 Anchors off Petropaulowski. — Receives intelligence of Parry's safe return. — Interview with the natives. — Correct hydrographical descriptions given by the Esquimaux. — Ship's boat pushes on to the eastward as far as Point Barrow, to communicate with Franklin. — Crew in danger from the natives. — Obliged 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.— Des- patches left for Franklin, and the ship returns to England. Parry's Fourth or Polar Voyage in the Hecla, 1827 . . . Plans and suggestions of Scoresby, Beaufoy, and Franklin for tra- velling in sledges over the ice.— Names of officers employed. — Ship embarks reindeer on the Norway coast — Experiences a tre- mendous gale.— Beset by ice for a month.— Anchors at Spitz- bergen. — Sledge-boats prepared for the ice journey. — Description _^fthem. — Night turned into day. — Slow progress. — Occupations ^"^f the party.— Lose ground by the southward drift of the ice.— Bear shot. — Notices of animals seen. — Reach northernmost known land.— The islet named after Ross.— 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.— Review of Parry's Arctic services. ^Z Xll CONTENTS. PAOB Captain John Ross's Second Voyage in the Victory, 1829-83 107 Ross seeks official emplojrment flrom the Admiralty on another Arctic voyage.— Is refused.— Funds are furnished by Mr. Felix Booth.— The Victory steamer purchased.— Engages his nephew, Commander James Ross, as his second in command.— List of other ofScers.— Ship encounters a gale, and is obliged to put in to Hoi* steinborg to refit.- Proceed on their voyage.— Enter Lancaster Sound and Regent Inlet.— Reach Fury Beach.— Find abundance of stores there and preserved provisions in excellent condition. — Replenish their stock.- Proceed down the inlet.— Perils of the ice. — Vessel secured in Felix Harbour for the winter. — Esqui- maux visit the ship.— Furnish very correct sketches of the coast. —Commander James Ross makes many excursions inland and along the bays and inlets.— Explores Ross's Strait, and pushes on to King William's Land.— Difficulty of distinguishing land from sea. — Reaches 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. — Further discoveries made, and Commander Ross 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 agidn flrozen 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. — Rewards granted.— Resume of Cap- tain John Ross's services. : I Captain Back's Land Journey in search of Iloss^ 1833-35 . 118 Attention called to the missing expedition by Dr. Richardson. — Pla^s of relief suggested.— Public meeting held to consider on best measures.— Ample ftindsraised.— Captain Back volunteers. — Leaves England In company with Dr. King.— Voyageurs and guides, &c. engaged in Canada.— Party push through the north- west country.— Dreadfiil sufferings from insect pests. — Reach Fort Resolution, on Great SlaveLuce.-Motley description of the travellers and their encampment. — Arrangements are completed, and the Journey in search of the Great Fish River is com- menced.— Frightftil nature of the precipices, rapids, falls, ravines, &c. — Meet with old acquaintances. — 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.— Frank- lin's falthftil Esquimaux interpreter, Augustus, endeavouring to Join Back, is frozen to death.— A Aresh Journey towards the sea resolved on. — Provisions for three months taken. — Indian en- campment.— 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 ^ong CONTENTS. Xlll PAGE tl.c coast to the eastward, unable to arrive at the Point Turn- again of Franklin.— Privations of the party on their return Jour- ney. — 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 Hud- son's Bay spring ships. Back'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 difficulties of the navigation, the return to England is determined on.— Sum- mary of Captain Back's Arctic services. Messrs. 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 from Return Reef to Cape Barrow. — Discover two new rivers, the Garry and Colville.— After reach- ing 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 Coppermine commenced.— Boats abandoned, and the Barren grounds traversed on foot.— Spend another winter at Fort Confidence.— The following season a third voyage commenced.- Richardson's River examined.— Coronation Gulf found clear of ice.— Coast survey to the eastward prose- cuted. — 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 aban- doned.— Descent of the Coppermine, and st^e arrival at Fort Confidence. Dr. John Rae's Land Expedition, 1846-47 137 Hudson's Bay Company despatch Rae and a party of thirteen men to complete the survey 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 commons.— West shore of Melville Peninsula, &c., examined.— Party return to their en> campment, and proceed to Fort Churchill.- Gratuity of 400/. awarded to Dr. Rae. Captfun Sir John Franklin's Last Expedition in the Erebus and Terror, 1845-51 140 Probability of the safety of the Expedition. — Montgomery's lines on ice-imprisoned vessels.— Lady Franklin's devotion and enthu- siasm.- Verses. — Her appeal to the North.— Sir E. Parry's opinion. — Outfit and despatch of Franklin's expedition. — Names ofthe officers employed. — Outline of Franklin's services. — Notices of the services of other of the officers. — Searching Expeditions sent out in 1848.— Different volunteers offer.- Absence of intelli- gence of Franklin. — His latest despatches and letters. — Copper cylinders.— Franklin's views and intentions.— Letters of Captain XIV CONTENTS. PAOB Fitjjames.— 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. — Consultation of officers at the Admiralty. — Report of the Hydrographer.— Advice tendered by those consulted.— Views of 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. The Govermnent and Private Searching Expeditions . . .211 List of the vessels and commanders, &c., now employed on the search In the Arctic regions.- Notices of those returned home. Voyage of the Enterprise and Investigator under Captains Sir J. C. Ross and E. J. Bird, 1848-49 211 Names of officers employed in this expedition.— Ships arrive at Uppemavick. — Proceed on their voyage, force a passage through the Ice. — Enter Barrow Strait. — After being driven about in the pack take shelter for the winter in the harbour of Port Leopold. — Surveying trips carried on down the inlet, and round the nor- thern and western shores of Boothia. — Foxes trapped and libe« rated with copper collars on. — Fury Beach visited. — Many of the old packages of provisions found in good condition. — A house built, and a steam launch with provisions left for the relief of Franklin's party, should they visit Leopold island.— Channel cut through the ice, and the ships get into open water. — Beset by the loose pack, and the temperature falling, the whole body of ice is formed into one solid mass, and the ships are drifted with the field into Baffin Bay. — The return to England deter- mined on. — Outline of Sir James Ross's arduous services in the Polar Regions. Voyage of the transport, iVorf A ^Stor, 1849 219 Names of officers of the ship. — Official despatch from the Com- mander. — Ship beset in an ice-field in the northern part of Baffin Bay.— Drifted with it for sixty-two days.— Winters in Wolstenholme Sound.— Dearth of animals there. —Ship gets clear of ice, makes for Lancaster Sound. — The Lady Franklin and FeUx are spoken with. — Being prevented by the ice from reaching Port Bowen or Port Neill. the provisions taken out by the NorUi Star are lauded at Navy Board Inlet. — Speaks the Prince Albert. — Receives despatches for England. — Returns home. — Commander Saunders appointed to Malta Dockyard. Second Voyage of the Enterprise and Investigator under Captain CoUinson and Commander M'Clure, 1850 . . 222 Names of officers attached to the ships. — Esquimaux interpreter ap- pointed to the Enterprise. — Vessels arrive at the Sandwich Islands. — Expressed Intentions of the commanders of the vessels. —Ships reach Behring Strait.— Communicate with the Herald and Pfover.— Latest despatches of Captain CoUinson and Com- mander McClure.— Position of their ships. Ai Be PAGB 233 CONTENTS. XV Voyage of the Plover, and Boat Expeditions under Commander PuUen, 1848-61 Purport of instructions issued from the Admiralty. — Sliip arrives in Behring Strait. — Discovers new land and islands to tiie nortli of the Strait. — Winters in Kotzebue Sound.— Lieut. Pullen and party proceed in boats along the coast to the Mackenzie River. — No tidings gleaned of Franklin's ships.— Letter from Lieutenant Hooper.— Latest official despatch from Commander PuUen.— His intentions.— Sir John Richardson's advice. Voyage of the Lady Franklin and Sophia, purchased govern- ment ships^ under the command of Mr. Penny . . . 237 Nature of instructions given. — Printing press supplied.— Ships sidl and reach Wolstenholme Sound. — Prevented by the ice from examining Jones' Sound. — Reach Wellington Channel, and are left there by the Prince Albert. Voyage of the Resolute and Assistance, under command of Captain Austin, with their steam tenders. Pioneer and Intrepid, 1850-51 238 Ships purchased and re-named by the Government.— Officers em- ployed.— Instructions given to search Wellington Channel, and push on to Melville Island. — Official despatch from Captain Om- maney. — MS. newspaper started on board the Assistance. — Extracts therefrom. Voyage of Captain Sir John Boss in the Felix private schooner, 1850-61 242 Is fitted out by the Hudson's Bay Company and private subscrip- tion. — Arrives at Whalefish Islands, and overtakes the Assistance and Resolute.— Proceeds in company.— Esquimaux reports of the destruction of Franklin's ships, and murderof the crew.— I^ved by investigation to be devoid of foundation.— Letter of Sir John Ross to the Secretary of the Admiralty. American Government Searching Expedition in the U.S. ships Advance and Rescv£, under the command of Lieutenant de Haven, 1850-61 247 Lady Franklin's appeal to the American nation.— Mr. Clayton's reply.— Second letter of Lady Franklin to the President.- Sug- gestions of Lieut. S. Osborn, R.N.— Debate in Congress.- Reso- lutions agreed to.— Munificence of Mr. H. Grinnell.— Ships fitted out and despatched.— Names of officers employed. — Despatches fh)m the Commander. Remarkable Voyage of the private ship Prince Albert, under the command of Captain Forsyth, R.N., to Regent Inlet and back, 1850 266 Fitted out by Lady Franklin and by public subscription.— Reasons for the expedition.— Officers and crew. — Discover traces of Franklin.— Fall in with other ships. — Visits Regent Inlet.— Is forced to return home.— Remarks on this voyage.— Position of the vessels of the squadron.— Lines to the Expeditions in search of Sir John Franklin. xvi CONTENTS. APPENDIX. PAOK (A.) The Polar Sea 279 (6.) National Cost of Arctic Discovery in the Nineteenth Century 280 (C.) Second Expedition of the PnnceilZ&er< 281 (D.) Intelligence received during the Autumn of 1851 . . 282 ILLUSTRATIONS. WINTER SCENE IN THE ARCTIC REGIONS . . (facing Title-page.) MAP OF THE COUNTRIES ROUND tub NORTH POLE . (facing page l.) CHART OF BARROW STRAIT, REGENT INLET, &c., showing the TRACK OF THE " PRINCE ALBERT** . . . {facing page 266.) PAQK • t • • ^7v Nineteenth .... 280 .... 281 851 . . 282 icing Title-page.) {facing page I.) .( SHOWING THS facing page 266.) ''/ J. f THE PROGRESS m ARCTIC DISCOVERY IK THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. Ip we examine a map of Northern, or Arctic, A norica, showing what was known of the countries around the North Pole in the commencement of the present centuiy, we shall find that all within the Arctic circle was a coi iplete blank. Mr. Heame had, indeed, seen the Arctic ^ ea in the year 1771; and Mr. Mackenzie had traced the river which now bears his name to its junction with the sea; but not a single lino of the coast from Icy Cape to Ba (Bn's Bay was known. The eastern and western shores of Greenland, to about 76° latitude, were tolerably ;rell defined, from the visits of whaling vessels ; Huds jn's Bay and Strait were partially known ; but Baffin's ^Jay, 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 Boss, as to his visionary Croker Mountains, of which I shall have occasion to speak hereafter. As early as the year 1627, 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 certam merchants of London. To this attempt several others succeeded at difierent 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, perseverance, 2 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. and skill wliicli they manifested, exhibited the most irre- fragable proofs of the early existence of that superiority in naval affairs, which has elevated this country to her present eminence among the nations of Europe. At length, after the lapse of above a century and a half, this interesting question became an object of Eoyal patron- age, and the expedition which was commanded by Captain Phipps (afterwards Lord Mulgrave), in 1773, was fitted out at the charge of Government. The first proposer of this voyage was the Hon. Daines Barrington, F.R.S., who, with indefatigable assiduity, began to collect every fact tending to establish the practicability of circumnavigating the Pole, and as he accumulated his materials he read tlicm to the Royal Society, who, in consequence of these repre- sentations, made that application to Lord Sandwich, tlien First 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 ice 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 him, then a mere boy, Nelson, the future hero of England. From the year 1648, when the famous Russian navi- gator, Scnor Deshnew, penetrated from the river Kolyma through the Polar into the Pacific Ocean, the Russians 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 efforts 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 Miiller, 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. From 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 Spitzbergen, (which, although he attempted with a resolu- tion and skill which fall to tlie 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 imtiring in their attempts to discover a passage eastwards, to the north of Cape Taimur and Cape Shelat- J most irre- iperiority in ner present 7 and a half, oval patron- [ by Captain \, was ntted proposer of F.K.S., who, b every fact mnavi gating le read tlicm these rcpre- idwich, then appointment )8, however, Df ice which itude of 80° vessels were ge being his having with » of England. Russian navi- iver Kolyma the Eussians over a north- skoi, as the of the Ame- ;aster Sound. I, within the . In 1741, the straits Miiller, the subsequent ideavours to e north-east, xpedition, to indefatigable issage round ith a resolu- ras unable to icluding the ncouver, and ;he Eussians rer a passage Cape Shelat- INTRODUCTION. 9 iskoi. And certainly, if skill, perseverance, and courage, could have openecf this passage, it would have been accomplished. Soon after the general peace of Europe, when war's alarms had given way to the high pursuits of science, tho government recommenced the long-suspended work of (prosecuting discoveries within the Arctic circle. I Ai* expedition was despatched under the command of jSir tltAn Eoss, in order to explore the scene of the former (labours of Frobisher and Baffin. Still haunted with tho Igoldon dreams of a north-west passage, which BarringN)a land Beaufoy had in the last ago so enthusiastically advo- [cated, our nautical adventurers by no means relinquished Ithe long-cherished chimera. It must be admitted, however, that the testimony of iParry and Franklin pass for much on the other side of the ^question. Both these officers, whose researches in the pause of scientific discovery entitle them to very high respect, have declared it as their opinion that such a pas- iage 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 eftorts |in 1819, after passing through Sir James Lancaster's tSound, we were not unreasonable in anticipating its ||complete accomplishment," «&c. And Franklin, in the [eleventh chapter of his work, is of the same opinion, las to the practicability of such a passage. (See Appen- [dix A.) But in no subsequent attempt, either by themselves or [others, has this long sought desideratum been accomplished; [impediments and Ijarriers seem as thickly thrown in its [way as ever. {Col. 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. My space and purposes in this work wiU not permit me to go into detail, hy 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 DISCOVERT. ""ill Fj and perseverinff efforts to pierce through 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 knowledge of the cold and inhospitable region tnrough which they had to force and to feel their way ; their vessels oft beset amidst endless fields of ice, and threatened to be over- whelmed with instant destruction from the rapid whirling and bursting of those huge floating masses, known by the 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 John Barrow, F.E.S., for so long a period secretary of the Admiralty, and who, in early life, himself visited the Spitzbergen seas, as high as the 80th 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 knowledge 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 be 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 be justified and prosecuted as national objects. The general anxiety now prevailing respecting the fate of Sir John Franklin and his gallant companions, throws at this moment somewhat of a gloom on tlie 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 ** Cut bono" and counsel us to relin- quish the honour and peril of such enterprises to Bussia and the United States of America ! (See Appendix B.) It can scarcely be deemed out of place to give here a I !£ /* INTRODUCTION, 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 (Quarterly Beview, and his articles in that journal amount to nearly 200 in number, forming, when bound up, twelve separate volumes. All those relating to the Arctic Expeditions, &c., which created the greatest interest at the period they were published, were from his pen, and consist chiefly of the following papers, commencing from the 18th volume : — On Polar Ice ; On Behring's Straits and the Polar Basin ; On Ross's Voyage to Baffin'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 ; Franklin's Second Expe- dition ; Lyon's Voyage to Repulse Bay ; Back's Arctic Land 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 the Arctic Regions." He also wrote lives of Lord Macartney, 2 vols. 4to; of Lord Anson and Howe, each 1 vol. 8vo; of Peter thg Great ; and an Account of the Mutiny of the Bounty, (in the " Family Library ;") ** Travels in Southern Africa," 2 vols. 4to ; and " Travels in China and Cochin China," each 1 vol. 4to. In the " Encyclopredia Britannica " are ten or twelve of his articles, ana he wrote one in the Edinburgh Review by special request. In addition to these Sir John Barrow prepared for the press innumerable MSS. of travellers in aU parts of the 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 high 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 his own words, " their 6 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. several characters and conduct, so uniformly displayed in their unflinching perseverance in difficulties of no ordinary description, their patient endurance of extreme sufFerinnj, borne without murmuring, and with an equanimity and fortitude of mind under the most ^'y'j; ailing distress, rarely, if ever, equalled, and such as could only be supported by a superior degree of moral couraj^e 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-feeling reader." Hakluyt, in his " Chronicle of Voyages," justly ob- serves, that we should use much care in preserving the memories of the worthy acts of our nation. The different sea voyages and land journeys of the pre- sent century towards the North 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 English natione, to have beene the first discouerers of a sea beyond the North Cape, (neuer ccrtainely knowen before,) and of a conuenient passage into the huge empire of Russia, by the Baie of St. Nicholas and of the Riuer 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 P" I cordially agree with the Quarterly Review^ that " neither the country nor the naval service will ever believe 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 long remain among the worthiest memorials of human enterprise." " How shall I admire," says Purchas, "your heroic :lf- INTRODUCTION. 7 courage, ye marine worthies, beyond all names of wor- thiness ! that ney ther dread so long eyther the presence or absence of the sunne ; nor those foggy mysts, tempes- tuous winds, cold blasts, snowe and nayle in the ayre; nor the unequall seas, which might amaze the hearer, and amate the beholder, when the Tritons and Neptune's selfe would quake with chilling feare to behold such mon- strous icie Hands, renting themselves with terrour of their own massines, and disdayning otherwise both the sea's sovereigntie 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, while they rent themselves with crashing and splitting their congealed armours." So tmckly 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 Heaven Cemented firm." 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 their names to future ages for patient endurance, zeal, and en- terprise, by explorations of the hidden mysteries of — " the frigid zone, Where, for relentless months, continual night Holds o'er the glittering waste her starry light ;** by undergoing perils, and enduring privations and dangers, 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 circle, 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 with so much obstinacy, had the prospects now opening on the world of more practicable connexions with the East been known forty years ago. Hereafter, when 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, wL 3n a short and quick 8 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERT. one can be accomplished by railroads 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 aits 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 bemg 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 their 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 lauds and unknown seas, we have onlya place in the niche of Fame. "What honours did England as a maritirsf* 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 25Z. each per annum. And this is the reward paid to the :« INTRODUCTION. America, or >undaries of ges, and by t important >pular infor- ich practical a maritime aarino visits ' completely e necessary her native onufactures, m, covering —the chart bline, for we omes neces- pro^ess of iir maritime ical surveys, )pening up the oceans ch danger, periority as that nigh 1 has ever or nautical Bwarded as y heroes— uccessfuUy we heap ration and 368 whose !S the tur- of science, 3S, famine, T^ager and , we have "f nation 3, — a man [is widow children aid to the most eminent of our naval discoverers, before whom Cabot, Drake, Frobisher, Magellan, Anson, and the arctic [adventurers, Hudson and Balhn, — although all eminent for j 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 find that to him we are indebted for the innumerable discoveries of islands and colonies planted in the Pacific ; that ho deter- mined the conformation, and surveyed the numerous bays and inlets, of New Holland ; established the geoffca.' 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 Kamtschatka, his active genius first taught the Russians to examine the devious trend ings 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 higli a latitude as to decide beyond doubt the question as }: to the existence of a passage round the two continents. I 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 I and confused, and though they had undoubtedly reached ^ the continent of America, yet they had not ascertained I the line of coast, nor the separation or vicinity of the two j continents of Asia and America." Coxe, certainly, does jno more than justice to his iUustrious countryman when [he adds, " the solution of this important problem was re- i served for our gr-^at navigator, and every Englishman must exult that the discoveries of Cook were extended Jfurther in a single expedition, and at the distance of f half the globe, than the Russians accomplished in a long feeries of years, and in a region contiguous to their own iempire." Look at "Weddell, again, a private trader in seal-skins, who, in a frail bark of 160 tons, made important dis- . coveries in the Antarctic circle, and a voyage of greater i^length and peril, through a thousand miles of ice, than had |: previously been performed by anv navigator, paving the I way for the more expensively fitted expedition under i Sir James Ross. Was Weddell remunerated on a scale I commensurate with his important services P Half a century ago the celebrated Bruce of Kinnaird, 10 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. I ]yy a series of soundings and observations taken in tlie 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 Waghorn, R.N., the enterprising pioneer of the overland route to India. What does not the commerce, the character, the reputation, of this country 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 P A paltry annuity to himself of lOOZ., and a pension to his widow of 25/. per annum ! Is it creditable to ua, as the first naval power of the world, that we should thus dole out miseraole pittances, or entirely overlook the successful patriotic exertions and scientific enterprises and discoveries of private adven- turers, or public commanders P 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 chiU to all adventurous notions. But the officers and men engaged in the searching expeditions after Sir John Franklin have calmly weighed all these difficulties, and boldly gone forth to encounter the perils and dangers of these icy seas for the sake of their noble fellow-sailor, whose fate has been so long a painful mystery to the world. It has been truly observed, that " this is a service for which aU officers, however brave and intelligent 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 m 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- FIRST VOYAGE OP CAPTAIN ROSS. 11 blazoned on the scroll of Famo, for their bravery, their patient endurance, their skill, and, above all, their firm trust and reliance on that Almij^hty Bein<( who, altliou'^h He may have tried them sorely, has never utterly forsaken them. Capt. John Ross's Voyage, 1818. In 1818, Ilis Royal Highness the Prince Recent having signified his pleasure that an attempt should oe made lo find 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 John 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 entirely open in the latter parallel, that a Hamburgh ship had actuallv 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 Ross, 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, 249 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 ol the Trent, during the voyage. The following were the officers &c. of the ships under Captain Ross : — 12 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERT. Isabella* Captain — John Ross. Lieutenant — W. Eobertson. Purser — W. Thom. Surgeon — John Edwards. Assistant Sur{»eon— C. J Beverley. Admiralty Midshipmen — A. M. Skene and James Clark Koss. Midshipman and Clerk — J. Bushnan. Greenland Pilots — B. Lewis, master ; T. Wilcox, mate. Captain (now Colonel) Sabine, R.A. John Sacheuso, an Esquimaux interpreter, 45 petty officers, seamen, and marines. Whole complement, 67. 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 '?.:)und, Shetland, and the two expeditions parted company on the following day for 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 glitter with a vividness of colour beyond the power of art to represent. While the white portions have the brilliancy of silver, their colours are as various and splendid as those of the rainbow ; their ever-changing disposition prctducing 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 Sound, 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 30 FIRST VOYAGE OP CAPTAIN ROSS. James Clark Wilcox, mate. 'hilips, mate. Sfius. reported fit Lctland, and )llowmg day irst iceberg, a thousand ^tiling more ?se icebergs itter with a o represent. J of silver, those of the icing effects ) those who ratt Sound, five whalers >bservation3 ide and 30 liles of latitude from the situation as laid down ii the idmiralty Charts. They were not able to get away from hero till the "2 rh, rhen the ico began to break. By cutting passages thr« li iho ice, and by dint of towing and warping, a hIow nrogress ras made with the ships until the 17th of July, wlien 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 rarping, towing, and tracking were subsequently very iBcvere. This tracking, although hard work, afforded ^ peat amusement to the men, giving frequent occasion for the exercise of their wit, "when some of the men occasion- ly fell in through holes covered with snow or weak parts )f the ice. Very high mountains of land and ico were seen to the lorth side of the bay, which he named Melville's Bay, [forming an impassable barrier, the precipices next the sea jbeing from 1000 to 2000 feet high. On the 29th of June, the Esquimaux, John Sacheuse, rho 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. I Captain Eoss gives a pleasant description of this scene i— " Sacheuse's mirth ana joy exceeded all bounds ; and Twith a good-humoured officiousness, justified by the important distinction which his superior knowledge now jave him, he performed the office of master of the cere- monies. An Esquimaux M.C. to a ball on the deck of )ne of H.M. ships in the icy seas of Greenland, was an )ffice somewhat new, but Nash himself could not have )erformed his functions in a manner more appropriate. It lid not belong even to Nash to combine in his own person, like Jack, the discordant qualifications of seaman, inter- Jpreter, draughtsman, and master of ceremonies to a ball, -with those of an active fisher of seals and a hunter of Ij^hite 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, omamenteH hnth. 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 PROOUESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. from lior fingor unci «?avo it to hirti in rot urn, rewardini,' Lini, at the samo time, with an eloquent nniilo, wliieh couhl leavo no doubt on our Ksiiuiniaux'H mind that he had mad(5 an impression on her heart." (Vol. 1, p. 07-8.) On the 5th of Au«{ust the little auks {Meraulfits alle,) were cxceedinglv abumlant, and many were snot for food, as was abo a larj^o ^uU, two feet iivo inches in leny;th, which, when killed, disgorged one of these little birds entire. A fortnight later, on two boats bein^ 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 15(X), 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 Gth 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 expected 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 w^ay, 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, tbe 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 nave discovered (says Ross) that the snow on the face of the clifis presents an appearance both novel and interesting, being apparently stamed Or covered by some substance which gave it a deep crimson colour. This snow was penetrated in many places to a depth of ten or twelve feet by the colouring matter." There is nothing new, however, nc nil )e nm SE( .5> r. 'n, rewnrdins^ Minile, which miud that ho 1. 1, p. ()7-8.) '•nulfus alle,) luot for food, ie« in lenjjfth, 3 little birds mt from the as possible, hey returned laving, on an boats of the birds were among other ake excellent 38 than two t, and served i^ictuals they fishy flavour h consists of ?getables. !ed in a most Isabella was of lier, and withstand t^ery support d ])egan to The two gainst each er the other, ion, and the ardj but at nomentarily Providence lear passage )n the part *We have face of the interesting, substance snow was twelve feet , however, FIRST VOYAGE OP CAPTAIN ROSS. 15 ff )r. K'cording to IJarrow, in tlie discovery of red snow. IMiny, md uliitT writerH of his time, mention it. Saussure found (t in various parts of tlie Alps; Martin found it in Spitz- )ergiMi, and no doubt it is to bu met with in most alpino regions. In the course of this tedious, and often laborious, pro- jgrcss through tho ice, it became necessary to keep the IwhoK^ of tiio crew at the most fatiguing work, sometimes [for several days and niglits without intermission. AVhen this was the case, an extra meal was served to them at midniglit, generally of preserved meat; and it was found [that this nouri liment, when the mind and body were both I occupied, and the sun continually present, rendered them Icapaole of renuiining without sleep, so that they often passed throe days in this manner without any visible mconvenience, returning after a meal to their labour on the ice or in the boats quite refreshed, aud continuing at it without a murmur. 1 After making hasty and very cursory examinations of ' Smith's and Jones' Sounds, Koss arrived on the 30th of August off the extensive inlet, named by Baffin Lancaster Sound. The entrance was perfectly clear, and the sound- , ings ranged from G50 to 1000 fathoms. I shall now quote Eoss's own observations on this subject, because from [his unfortunate report of a range called the Croker moun- I tains, stretching across this Strait, has resulted much of jthe ridicule and discredit which has attached to his I accoimts, and clouded his early reputation — " On the 31st (he says) we discovered, for the first time, that the laud 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 laud was partially 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 directly across the bottom of the inlet. This chain appeared extremely high lin the centre. Although a ^passage in this direction [appeared hopeless, I was determined to explore it com- )letely. I therefore continued all sail. Mr. Beverley, the [surgeon, who was the most sanguine, went up to the crow's 16 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. liu nest, and at twelve reported to me that before it became thick he had seen the land across the bay, except for a very short space. " At three, I went on deck ; it completely cleared for ten minutes, when I distinctly saw the land round the bottom of the bay, forming a chain of mountains connected wich those which extended alongj the north and south side. This laud 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 Castlereagh. 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. 241-4(5, 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 then* progress to the southward, exploring the western coast of SaflSn's Bay to Pond's Bay, and Booth's Inlet, discovering ti e trendmg 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 island near Cape Eglington, 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 bones 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 Alexander, 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 tne boats of both ships. The VOYAGE OF BUCHAN AND FRANKLIN. 17 it became ;ept for a ed for ten le bottom cted v'icli )uth side. t leagues, ding man, e inserted itinuity of from one it cape to ''arrender, ' Viscount ae centre, . Croker's ." (Vol. 1, ? entrance observed, r seen, or , and the 500 yards jposed, no continued B western ;h's Inlet, ned North id Scott's jland near ;ment. A oceedings, Ditation of ith a fire- ssel, some nd tracks swam off niles from jre imme- nd killed. )rtunately the boats, h secured ips. The animal weighed llSl^lbs., besides the blood it had lost, which was estimated at SOlbs. more. On the following day, Lieut. Parry was sent on shore to examine an iceberg, which was found to be 4169 yards long, 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 the sea from the edge of the precipice, which was fifty feet hi^. 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 the charts. Nothing deserving of notice occurred in the subsequent M course of the vessels past Cape "Walsingham to Cumber- v| land Strait. ^ The 1st of October having arrived, the limit to which his instructions permitted him to remain out, Eoss shaped his course homewards, and after encountering a severe gale off Cape Farewell, arrived in Grimsby Roads on the 1 14th of November. As respects the purposes of Arctic * discovery, this voyage may be considered almost a blank, |i none of the important inlets and sounds of Baffin's Bay I having been explored, and all that was done was to define I more clearly the land-bounds of Davis Strait and BaflBn's 1 Bay, if we except the valuable magnetic and other obser- vations made by Capt. Sabine. The commander of the expedition was promoted to the rank of captain on paying off 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 me outnt, 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, was that sent out to the coast of Spitzbergen, and of which Capt. Beechey has published a most interesting account, embellished with some very elegant illustrations from liis pencil. The charge of it was given to Capt. D. Buchan, who had a few years previously conducted a very interest- ing expedition mto the interior of Newfoundland. The first and most important object of this expedition was the c U ■} ■ I. » ; f I . I . r 1] ft 'i'l 18 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. discovery of a passaj^e over or as near the Pole, as mijjht be possible, and throupfh Behring's Straits into the Pacific. But it was also hoped that it might at the same time be the means of improving the geography and hydro- graphy of the Arctic regions, of which so little was at that time known, and contribute to the advancement of science and natural knowledge. The 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 the air, the dip of the horizon, refraction, height of the tides, set and velocity of the 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. The 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. Crawfard, 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. E.eid and George Back. Greenland Pilots — G. Fife, master, and G. Kirby, mate. 30 Petty Officers and Seamen. Total complement, 38. Having been properly fitted for the service and taken on board two years provisions, the ships sailed on the 25th of April. The Trent had hardly got clear of the river before she sprang a leak, and was detained in the port of Lerwick nearly a fortnight undergoing repairs. On the 18 th of May, the ships encountered a severe VOYAGE OF BUCHAN AND FRANKLIN. 19 gale, and under even storm staysails were buried gunwale deep in the waves. On the "iltli they sighted Cherie Island, situated in lat. 74° 3a' N., and long. 17° 40' E., formerly so noted for its fishery, being much frequented by walruses, and for many years the Muscovy Company carried on a lucrative trade by sending ships to the island for oil, as many as a thousand animals being often cap- tured by the crew of a single ship in the course of six or seven hours. The progress of the discovery ships through the small floes and huge masses of ice which floated in succession past, was slow, and these from their novelty were regarded with peculiar attention from the grotesque sliapes they assumed. The progress of a vessel through such a laby- rinth of frozen masses is one of the most interesting sights that ofier in the Arctic seas, and kept the ofiicers and crew out of their beds tiU a late hour watching the scene. Capt. Beechey, the graphic narrator of the voyage, thus describes the general impression created : — *' There was besides, on this occasion, an additional motive for remain- ing up ; very fesv of us had ever seen the sun at midnight, and this 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 the deck some of our crew, who would perhaps have beheld with indifference the less imposing effect of the 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 heightened by the singular effect 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, grottos and caves here and there glittering as if with precious metals. So generally, indeed, was the deception admitted, that, in directing the route of the 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, dilhculties of this ice navigation soon, however, directed their attention from romance to tho c2 I !, 20 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERT. reality of their position, 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 off 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 -mth 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 abatmg, 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 Ih^ent 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 particularly 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 un&equented regions. The anchorage is Q became b pursued p'adually the navi- i against im them me were anced off came for [, ayessel iting the lUst take ard, and )montory to wind- a violent lem m a "he ren- ! to lee- VOYAOE OP BUCHAN AND FRANKLIN. 21 formed by rugged mountams, which rise precipitously to the height of about 3000 feet. Deep valleys and glens occur between the ranges, the greater part of which are either filled with immense beds of snow, or with glaciers, sloping from the summits of the mountainous margin to the very edge of the sea. The bay 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 thit« glacier has been termed the Haugmg 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 gi'eat 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 mUes 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. With glacier battlements that crowd the spheres. The 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 the harbour. "They are so numerous that we have frequently seen an uninterrupted line of them extending full half way over the bay, or to a distance of more than three miles, and so close together that thirty have fallen at one shot. This living column, on an average, might have been about six yards broad, and as many deep ; so that, allowing sixteen birds to a cubic yard, there must have been nearly four millions of birds on the wing at one time. The number I have ^ven certainly seems large ; yet when it is told that the little rotges rise in such numbers 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." 4 m. '. a mm OTi 22 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. One of their earliest excursions in this bay was an attempt to ascend the peak of Kotgo Hill, " upon which," Bays Captain Beechey, "may now, perhaps, be seen at the height of about 2000 feet, a staff that once carried a red flag, which was planted there to mark the greatest height we were ablo 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 way we had come up, and were compelled to gain a ledge, which promised the 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. VVhen the first party rowed into this bay, it was in quiet possession of herds of walruses, who were so im- accustomed to the sight of a boat that they assembled about her, apparently highly 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 their rage, and it was with much diflBculty they were kept off with fire-arms. Subsequently the boats went better prepared and more strongly supported, and many 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 they were truly astonished at the sight of a strange boat puUing towards the ships, which was found to belong to some Kussian adventurers, who were engaged in the collection of peltry and morse* teeth. This is the last re- maining estaolishment 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 OF BUCIIAN AND FRANKLIN. 53 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 excellent 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 wooden hut, well lined with moss and stored with venison, wild ducks, &c. It is related by Captain Beechey that it was with extreme pleasure they noticed in tms 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 offered 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, and 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, found 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 line 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 covereawith 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 I ■:, m- ilS 24 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERT. feet. Amidst this giddj clement, 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 manoouvre 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 rolled, an accident which, had it occurred, would either have laid open her Bide, or have overset the vessel at once. In either case, the event would probably have proved fatal to all on board, as it would nave been next to impossible to rescue an^ 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 contemnlation of this scene of difficulty by the 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 whaJe 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, whicli 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 which 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 firmly 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 them against the ground." The ships were here hemmed in in almost the same position where Baffin, Hudson, Poole, Captain Phipps, and all the early 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 twist VOYAGE OF BUCIIAN AND FRANKLIN. 25 round with a loud grindinj^ noise, ur^iuj; 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 small 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 efiected by main force, the crew were so constantljr engaged in this harassing duty, tliat 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 of tlic 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 snore, about three or four miles distant, ost themselves in the fog and snow, and wandered about for sixteen hours, until, ^uite overcome with wet, cold, and fatigue, they sat down m a state of despondency upon a piece of ice, determined to submit their fate to Providence. Their 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 shppery 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 ; while 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 eaual shares, the small quantity of provision which they nad remaining, as also their stock of powder and ammunition. They also took it in turns to fire muskets, in the hope of being heard from the ships." 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 again by means of the ice. 't-'. 26 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. The pressure of the ice against the vessels now became very great. " At one time, when the Trent appeared to be so closely wedged up that it did not seem possible for her to bo moved, she was suddenly lifted four feet by an enormous mass of ice getting 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 fragments, 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 fathoms water, near Yogel Sang. On the islands they found plenty of game, and eider ducks. The island of V o^el Sang alone supplied the crews with forty rein-deer, wliich were in such nigh 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 upon 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 '\ desperate effort, what advance it was possible to make by dragging the vessels through the ice whenever the smallest opeumg occurred. This laborious experiment was performed by fixing large ropes to iron hooks driven into the ice, ana by heaving upon them with tliewindla8s,aparty removing obstructions in the channel with saws. But m 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 oy the pressure of hummocks and fields of ice. On the 10th of July, Captain Beechey tells us, the Trent sustained a squeeze which made her rise four feet, and heel over five streaks ; and on the 15th and 16th, both VOYAGE OF nL'CHAX AND FRANKLIN. 27 vessels sufTorod considcrablo damafjo. ** On tliat oeeasion," he says, " >vo observed a Held lil'tecn feet in thiekness break up, and the pieees pile upon each other to a j^reat height, until they upset, when they rolled over with a tremendous crash. Ihe ice near the ships was piled up above their bulwarks. Fortunately, the vessels rose to the pressure, or they must have had their sides forced in. The Trent received her j^reatest damaj'e upon the (quarters, and was so tw isted that the doors of all the cabins flew open, and the panels of some started in the frames, while her false stempost was moved three inches, and her tim- bers cracked to a most serious extent. The Dorothea sufl'ered still more : some of her beams were sprunfif, and two planks on the lower deck were split fore and aft, and doubled up, and she otherwise sustained serious injury in her hull. It was in vain that we attempted any relief; our puny efforts were not even felt, though continued for eight hours with unabated zeal ; and it was not until the tide changed that the smallest effect was produced. When, however, that occurred, the vessels righted and settled in the water to their proper draught." From the 12th to the 19th, they were closely beset with ice. For nine successive days following this the crews were occupied, night and day, in endeavouring to extricate the ships, and regain the open sea. Thinking lie had given the ice a fair trial here, tne commander determined upon examining its condition towards the eastern coast of Green- land, a.\d 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 down 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. The 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, weye 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- \ ^\ r- 28 rnoouEss of arctic discovert. proacli to the breakers only left us the nltcM'iiative of cither uenuitting the nhip8 to bo drifted broadside against 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 hi oadsidc against so formidable a body became apparent to all, and we resolved to attempt the latter expedient." Eagerly, but in vain, was the general lino of the pack scanned, to find one place more open than the other. All parts appeared to be equally impenetrable, and to present one unbroken line of furious breakei'p!, in which immense pieces of ice were heavin^j and subsiding with the waves, and dashing together 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 officers could make their orders heard by the crew The fearful aspect of this appalhng scene is thus sketched off by Captain Beechey : — " Jno language, I am convinced, can convey an adequate idea of the terrific grandeur of the efl'cct now produced by the collision of the ice and the tempestuous ocean. The sea, violently agitated and rolling its mountainous waves against an opposing body, is at all times a sublime and awful sight ; out when, in addition, it encounters immense masses, which 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 manv feet beneath its wave, and the next, as the buoyancy of tne depressed body struggles for reascendancy, the water rusnes in foaming cataracts over its ed^^es ; whilst every individual mass, rocking and labouring m 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 efforts 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 this occasion j and I will not conceal the pride I felt in wit- ness! wefci .lohi uud erevvl Asl nearc with auxic t< ] throi VOYAGE OF DUCIIAN AND FR.VN'KLIN. 29 nrssuig the bold and decisive tone in wliii'li the ordoM were i88uud by the commundcr (the present Captain Sir .lolm Franklin) of our little vessel, and the promntitudo and steadiness with which they were executed oy tho crew." As tho labouring vessel flew before tho galo, she soon neared tho scene of danger. " Each person instinctively Becured his own hold, and with his eyes fixed upon the masts, awaited in breathless anxiety the moment of concussion. " It soon arrived, — tho brig {Trent) cutting her way through tho light ice, came m violent contact with tho main oody. In an instant wo all lost our footing; tho 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 tor a moment seemed to recoil ; but the next wave, curling up under her counter, drove her about her own length within the margin of the ice, whero 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 tho same time to a piece of ice about twice her own dimensions. This unfortunate occurrence prevented the vessel pene- trating sulBciently 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 tho exj)ression, every one of which contested the small space which she occupied, and dealt such unrelenting blows, that there appeared to be scarcely any possibility of saving her from founderinar. 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 all the eagerness of a last resource." 'ill 11 ] i if i I 30 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. From the injury tlie vessel repeatedly received, it beeume very evident that if subjected to this concussion for any time, she could not hold together long; the only cliance of escape, therefore, appeared to depend upon getting 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 the masts, already tottering with the pressure of that which was spread. By the expertness of the seamen, more sail was spread, and under this additional pressure of can- vass, tne 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 one at least, the Dorothea, which had sustained the heavy shocks, in a foimdering condition. For the main object of the expedi- tion they were now useless, and, both being in a leaky stute, they bore up for Fair Haven, in Spitzbergen. In approach- ing the anchorage in South Gat, the Trent 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 sustained frightful injuries. The intermediate 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 80 shattered and unsafe as the Dorothea. Alter refitting, they put to sea at the end of August, and reached England by the middle of October. 31 Franklin's First Land Expedition, 1819-21. In 1819, on the recommendation of the Lords of the Admiralty, Capt. Franklin was appointed to command an overland expedition from Hudson's Bay to the northern shores of America, for the purpose of determining the latitudes and longitudes, ana exploring the coast of the continent eastward from the Coppermine Eivcr. Dr. John Kichardson, E..N., and two Admiralty midshipmen, Mr. George Back, (who had been out on the Polar expedition in the previous year in H. M. S. Trent,) and Mr. Robert Hood, were placed under his orders. Previous to his de- parture from London, Capt. Franklin obtained all the information 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 Wales, belonging to the Hud- son's Bay Company, which immediately got under weigh in company with her consorts, the Eddy stone and Wear. Mr. Back, who was left on shore by accident in Yarmouth, succeeded in catching the ship at Stromness. On the 4th of August, in lat. 59° 58' N., and long. 50 ' 53' W., they first fell in with large icebergs. On the following day, the height of one was ascertained to be 149 feet. After a stormy and perilous voyage they reached the anchorage at York Flats on the 30th of August. On the 9th of September, 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 ou the 22nd of October. On xue 19th of January, Fr-inklin set out in company with Mr. Back, and a seaman na.ned Hepburn, with pro- visions for fifteen days stowed in two sledges, on tlieir journey to Fort Chipewyan. Dr. Richardson, 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 2Gth of March, after a winter's journey of 857 miles. The greatest dilC'ulty 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 Jul -, they were joined by Dr. Richardson and Mr. Hood, who had made a very expeditious journey from Cumberland House ; they had onl}^ one day's pro- visions left, the pemmican they had received at tlie posts ..;; 1 m\ 32 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. being 80 moui Jy that they were obliged to leave it behind, Arrangements were now made for their journey north- ward. Sixteen Canadian voyageurs were engaged, and a Chipewyan woman and two interpreters were to be taken on from Great Slave Lake. The whole stock of provision they could obtain before starting was only sufficient for one day's supply, exclusive of two barrels of flour, three cases of preserved meats, some chocolate, 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 foUowing season; seventy pounds of deer's flesh and a little barley were all that the Company's officers could give them. The provisions were distributed, among three canoes, and the party set ofi" in good spirits on the 18th of July. They had to make an inroad very soon on their preserved meats, for they were unfortunate in their fishing. On the 24th of July, nowever, they were successful in shooting a buffiEilo in the Salt River, after giving him fourteen balls. At Moose Deer Island they got supplies from the Hud- son's Bay and North West Companies' officers, and on the 27th set out again on their journey, reaching Fort Provi- dence bv the 29th. Shortly after they had an interview with a celebrated and influential Indian chief, named Akaitcho, who was to furnish them with guides. Another Canadian voyageur was here engaged, and the party now consisted of the officers already named, Mr. Fred. Wentzel, clerk of the N. W. Fur Company, who joined them here, John Hepburn the English seaman, seventeen Canadian voyageurs, (one of whom, named Michel, was an Iroquois,) and three Indian interpreters, besides the wives of three of the voyageurs who nad been brought on for the purpose of making clothes and shoes for the men at the winter establish- ment. The whole number were twenty-nine, exclusive of three children. I give the list of those whose names occur most frequently in the narrative : J. B. Belanger, Peltier, Solomon Belanger, Samandre, Benoit, Perrault, Antonio Fontano, Beauparlant, Vaillant, Credit, Adam St. Germain, interpreter ; Augustus, and Junius, Esqui- maux interpreters. They had provisions for ten days' con- sumption, besides a little chocolate and tea, viz., two casks of flour, 200 dried rein-deer tongues, some dried moose meat, portable soup, and a little arrow-root. A small extra canoe was provided for the women, and the journey for the Coppermine River was commenced on the 2nd of August. The party met with many hardships — were placed on short die^-— and some of the Canadians broke out into open PRANKLIXS FIRST LAND EXPEDITION. 33 robcllion, refusing to proceed further. Ilowcver, they were at last calmed, ana aiTived on the 20th of Aufjfust at Fort Enterprise on Winter Lake, which, by the advice of their Indian guides, they determined on making their winter quarters. The total length of the voyage from Cliipewvan was 553 miles ; and after leaving ^ori Provi- dence they had 21-^ miles of portage to pass over. As the men had to traverse each portage four times with a load of 180 lbs., and return three times light, they walked in the whole upwards of 150 miles. In consequence of the refusal of Akaitcho and his party of Indians to guide and accompany them to the sea, because, as they alleged, of the approach of winter, and the imminent danger, Capt. Franklin was obliged to abandon proceeding that season down the river, and contented himself witn despatching, on the 29th, Mr. Back and Mr. Hood, in a light canoe, with St. Germain as interpreter, eight Canadians, and one Indian, furnished with eight days' provisions — all that could be spared. They returned on the 10th of September, after having reached and coasted Point Lake. In the meantime, Franklin and Richardson, accompanied by J. Hepburn and two Indians, also made a pedestrian excursion towards the same quarter, leaving on the 9th of September, and re- turning on the 14th. The whole party spent a long wintf " ' ^ ' ten months at Fort Enterprise, depending upon, the fisi. could catch, and the success of their Inoian hunten . . food. On the 6th of October, the oiEcers 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- pered before the fire with water, and froze as it was daubed on ; but afterwards cracked in such a manner as to adiuit the wind from every quarter. StUl the new abode, with a good fire of fagots in the capacious clay-built chimney, was considered quite comfortable when compared with the chilly tents. The rein-deer are found on the banks of the Coppermine Eiver early in May, as they then go to the sea coast to bring forth their young. They usually retire from the coast in July and August, rut in October, and shelter themselves in the woods during winter. Before the middle of October, the carcases of 100 deer had been secured in their store-house, together with 1000 lbs. of suet, and some dried meat ; and eighty deer were stowed away at various distances from their house, en cache. This placing provi- sions '• en cache," is merely burying and protecting it from >]ii^ 34 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. wolves and other depredators by heavy loads of wood or stone. On the 18th of October, Mr. Back and Mr. Wentzcl, accompanied by two Canadian vovageurs, two Indians and their wives, set out for Fort Providence to make the neces- sary arranf^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 the month the men had also com- pleted a house for themselves, 34 feet by 18. On the 26th of October, Akaitcho, and his Indian party 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 weather 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 m one lump. If thawed before the fire, even after being frozen for nearly two days, the fish would i*ecover 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 n*om 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 Kapid on the Sattkatchawan. On the 28th of November, St. Germain the interpreter, with eight Cana- dian voyageurs, and four Indian hunters, were sent off to bring up the stores from Fort Providence. On the 10th of December, FrankHn managed to get rid of Akaitcho and his Indian party, by representing to them the impossibility of maintaining them. The leader, however, FRANKLINS FIRST LAND EXPEDITION. 35 left them his aged mother and two female attendants ; and old Keskarrah, the guide, with his wife and daughter, remained beliind. This daughter, who was designated " 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 liad not required her services as a nurse. Mr. Hood took a good likeness of the young lady, but her mother was somewhat averse to her sitting for it, fearing that "her daughter's likeness would induce the Great Chief who resided in England to send for the original !" The diet of the party in their winter abode consisted almost entirc.'ly of rein-deer meat, varied twice a week by fish, and occasionally by 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 without 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 they would have arrived by New Year's Day (1821), so as to have kept the festival. As it was, they could only receive a little flour and fat, both of which were considered great luxuries. On the loth, seven of the men arrived with two kegs of 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 underwent was sufficient! v evinced by their sledge collars having worn out tho shoulders of their coats. Their loads weighed from sixty 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 each of the household the portion of rum which had been promised on the first day of the year. The spirits, which were proof, were frozen ; but after 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 the moisture which condensed on the surface of the dram -glass. The fingers also adhered to the glass, and would doubtless have been speedily d2 se PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. frozen had they been kept in contact with it ; yet each of the voyagers swallowed his dram without experioucin^ the slif^htest inconvenience., or complaining of tooth-ache." It appeared that the Canadians had tapped the riim- eask on their journey, and helped themselves rather freely. On the 27th, Mr. Wentzel and St. Germain arrived, with two Esquimaux interpreters who had been en^a<;ed, 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 during the season in drawing in wooa 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 ot the caches of meat which 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 uiey pave up and would not taste of fish or birds which they 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 de roche) which forms a glutinous substance, made us a tole- rable supper ; it was not of the most choice kind, yet ^ood enough tor 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 us with. They consisted of pounded meat, fat, and a greater proportion of Indian's and deer's hair than either, and, Hn) FRAXKLIX S FIRST LAND EXPEDITION. 37 tlioujjh such a mixture may not appear very alluring to an Enjjlish stomach, it was thought a great luxury after tlirco days' privation in these clieerless regions of America." To return to the proceedings at Fort Enterprise. Ou the 23rd of March, the last of the winter's stocK of deer'a meat was expended, and the party wore compelled to consume a little pounded meat, which had been saved for making pemmican. The nets scarcely produced any fish, and their meals, which had hitherto been scanty enough, were now restricted to one in the day. The poor Indian families about the house, consistin;^ principally of sick and infirm women and children, sullerea 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 ofTal. " When (says Frank- lin) we beheld them gnawing the pieces oi hide, and pounding the bones for the purpose of extracting somo nourishment from them by boiling, wo 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- hUl." On the 4th of Juno, 1821, a first party set off from the winter quarters for Point Lake and the Coppermine lliver, under the charge of Dr. Eichardson, consisting, in all, voyageurs and Indians, of twenty-three, exclusive of children. Each of the 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. llichardson sent back most of the men ; and on the 14th Franklin despatched Mr. Wentzel and a party with the canoes, which had been repaired. Following the water-course as far as practicable to Winter Lake, Frank- lin followed himself with Hepburn, three Canadians, two Indian hunters, and the two Esquimaux, and joined Dr. Eichardson pn 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 yiew of the sea from the summit of a hill ; it appeared choked with ice and full of islands. About this time they fell in with small parties of Esquimaux. On the 19th Mr. Wentzel departed on his return for Slave Lake, taking with him four Canadians, who had been discharged for the purpose of reducing the expoudi- ture of provision as much as possible, and despatches to I , ) '■' ? n-: I , 38 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. be forwarded to England. Ho was also instructed to cause the Indians to deposit a relay of provisions at Fort Enterprise, ready for the party should they return that way. The remainder of the party, including officers, amounted to twenty persons. The distance that had been traversed from Fort 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 Franklin after Hearne and Mackenzie ; and a river which falls into the sea, to the westward of the Coppermine, he called after his companion, Richardson. 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 25 th 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 olocked up with shoals, which Franklin named after his friend and companion Back. The time spent in exploring Arctic and Melville Sounds and Bathurst Inlet, ana the milure of meeting with Esqui- maux from whom provisions could be obtained, precluded any possibility of reaching Eepulse Bay, and therefore hav- ing but a day or two's provision left, Franklin considered it prudent to turn bacK after reaching Point Tumagain, having sailed nearly 600 geographical miles in tracing the deeply indented coast of Coronation Gulf from the Coppennine River. On the 22d Aug. the return voyage was commenced, the boats making for Hood's River 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 smaller 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 pemmican and a little arrow-root having snow- into "Our less c 20°, howe W( frost. FRANKLINS FIIIST LAND EXPEDITION. 30 formed a scanty supper, and he'mfr without the means of making a fire, they remained in bed all day. A severe snow-storm lasted two days, and the snow even drifted into their tents, coverinj^ their blankets several inches. " Our suffering (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 hunger." Weak from fasting and their garments stiffened with the frost, after packing their frozen tents and bedclothes the poor travellers again set out on the 7th. After feeding almost exclusively on several species of Gyrophora, a lichen known as tripe de roche, which scarcely allayed the pangs of hunger, on the 10th " they got a good 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 deUcate amongst us to be excellent." Wearied 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 17th they managed to allay the pangs of hunger by eating pieces of singed hide, and a little tripe de roclie. 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 {qvi: bones of deer which had been devoured by the wolves in the previous spring. The bones were rendered friable by burning, and now and then their old shoes were added to the repast. On the 26th they reached a bend of the Coppermine, which terminated in Point Lake. The second canoe had been demolished and abandoned by the bearers on the 23rd, and they were thus left without 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 fire being kindled a large portion was devoured on the spot, affording an unexpected oreakfast. On the 1st of October one of the party, who had been it » I ; ) * S i i 40 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. 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, whieh they had not been able to extract. This, although putrid, was esteemed a valuable prize, and the spine being divided 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. Franklin 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. Kichardson 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 Dank 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 tho fatigue of the day's journey. Mr. Hood now broke down, as did two or three more of the party, and Dr. Eichardson kindly volunteered to remam with them, while the rest pushed on to Fort Enterprise for succour. Not being able to find any tripe de roche, they drank an infusion of the Labrador tea- plant (Ledrum 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 they 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 sleep. At len^h they reached Fort Enter- prise, and to their disappointment and grief found it a perfectly desolate habitation. There 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 shcdl frienl send] ever,l rcacl| was franklin's first land expedition. 41 gliod tears, not so murh for our own fate as for that of our friends in the roar, wlioso lives depended entirely on our sendinpf immediate relief from this place." A note, how- ever, was found here from Mr. Back, stating that he had reached the house by another route two days before, and was goin«j in search of the Indians. If he was unsuccess- ful in findin{]f them, he purposed walking to Fort Provi- dence, and sendinj^ succour from thence, t)ut he doubted whether either he or his party could perform the journey to that 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 durinff their former residence here. The bones were gathered from the heap of ashes ; these, with the skins and the addition of tripe (le 7'oche, they considered would support life tolerably well for a short time. The bones were quite acrid, and the soup extracted from them, quite putria, excoriated the mouth if taken alone, but it was somewhat milder when boiled with the lichen, and the mixture was even deemed Ealatable with a little salt, of which a cask had been left ere iu the spring. They procured fuel by pulling up the flooring of the rooms, ana water for cooking by melting the snow. Augustus arrived safe after them, just as they were sitting round the fire eating their supper of singed skin. Late on the 13th, 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 fallen 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, lie recovered sufficiently 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 families, and there being likewise a prospect of killing deer about Reindeer Lake, where they had been usually found abundant, Frankhn determined, to take the route for that post, and sent word to Mr. Back by Belanger to that effect on the 18th. On the 20th Oct. Franklin set out in company with Benoit and Augustus to seek relief, having patched three pairs of snow shoes, and taken some singed skin for their support. Peltier and Samandre had volunteered to remain at the . t I 42 PROG HESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVEUT. house with Adam, who was too ill to proceed. They wore po feeble as scarcely to bo able to move. Augustus, the Esquimaux, tried tor fish, without success, so that their only fare was skin and tea. At night, composing them- selves to rest, they lav close to each 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 ♦he misfortune to break his snow-shoes, by falling between two rocks. This accident prevented him from keeping pace with the others, and in the attempt ho 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 difRculty 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 tho skin, which mode of dressing was found more palatable than frying it. They had pulled down nearly all their dwelling for fuel, to warm themselves and cook tlieir scanty meals. The tripe de roche, on which they had depended, now became entirely frozen ; and what was more tantalizing to their perishmg frames, was the sight of food within reach, which they could not pro- cure. '• We saw (says Franklin) a herd of rein-deer Pjporting on tho 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 requested them to make more cheerful if possible, unconscious that his own partook of the same key. Hepburn having shot a partridge, which was brought to tho h havinj portio dovou of the the 81 the p( were FRANKLINS FIRST LAND EXPEDITION 43 the houso, Dr. Ilifluirdson tore out the foathcra, and havinj? ht'ld it to the fire a few minutes, divided it into six portions. Franklin and his three companions ravenously devoured their shares, as it was the first morsel of lleah any of them hud tasted for thirty-one days, unless, indeed, the small (gristly particles which they found adherinjjf 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 hi«,'her by the pros{)ect of Hep- burn's bein*:^ able to kill a deer next day, ns they had seen, and even fired at, several near the house. lie endeavoured, too, to rouse them into some attention to the comfort of their apartment. Having brouji^ht his Prayer-book and Testament, some prayers, psalms, and portions of scrip- ture, appropriate to their situation, were read out by Dr. Richardson, and they retired to their blankets. Early next morninjL^, the Doctor and Hepburn went out in search of (rame ; but thou<;h they saw several herds of deer, and fired some shots, th y were not so for- tunate as to kill any, beiuf' too weak ' o hold their ^una steadily. The cold compel led the formor to return soon, but Hepburn perseveringly persisted until late in the evening. " My occupation (continues Franklin) was to search t skins under the snow, it being now our object immed." *.r)y to get all that we could ; but I had not strength to drag in more than two of those which were within tweisv y&rda of the house, until the Doctor came and assisted me. We made up our stock to twenty-six; but several of them were putrid, and scarcely eatable, even by men suffering the extremity of famine. Peltier and Samandre continued very weak and dispirited, and the}'^ 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 be attributed. And I may here mention that Sir .lohn Franklin, when he became governor '^ Van Diemen's Land, obtained for him a good civil apptJ" kent. This deserv- ing man, I am informed by Mr. IBarrow, is now in Eng- land, having lost his oflice, which, I believe, has been abolished, it is to be hoped s >mething will be done for him by the government. After their usual supper of singed skin and bone soup, Dr. Richardson acq^^ainted Franklin with the events that had transpired since their parting, particularly with tho aifiicting circumstances attending the death of Mr. Hood, ' f T i; ^: 11 44 PKOGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVEUY. i' and Michel, the Iroquois ; the particulars of which I shall now proceed to condense from liis narrative. After Captain Franklin had bidden them farewell, havinj^ no tripe de roc/ie they drank an infusion of the country tea plant, which was grateful from its warmth, altlumgh it afforded no sustenance. They then retired to bed, and kept to their blankets all next day, as the snow drift was so heavy as to prevent their lighting 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 London, had been furnished witli a small collection of religious books, of which (says llichardson) we still retained two or three of the most portable, and they proved of incalculable benefit to us. " We read portions of them to each other as we lay in bed, in addition to the morning and evening serA'ice, and found that they inspired us on each perusal with so strong a sense of the Omnipresence of a benelicent God, that our situation, even in these wilds, appeared no longer destitute; and we conversed not only witli 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 Baptiste Belanger and Perrault, as they were never seen afterwards, and he gave 80 many rambling and contradictory statements of his proceedings, that no credit could be attached to his story. The travellers proceeded on their tedious journey oy slow stages. Mr. Hood was much affected 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 himsself all day of the 10th, and only arrived at their encampment near the pines late on the llt'i. He reported that he had been in chase of some deer which passed near his sleeping plat'e in the morning, and although he did not come up witn them, yet that he found a wolf which had been killed by the stroke of a deer's horn, and had brought a part of it. Kichardson adds — "We impHcitly believed this stoiy then, but afterwards became aware — from circumstances, the do been a qucstic he act whcthe Frank! from k suggest been Belange order t( Altlu and is proper of the n a deed, tive for turned 1 leave hi when h makes indicate thing tl Mich son's 01 He won On the by thei set out, a short his con excited fused c manner with bi it was n better 1 "At as muc^ our siti versatii that w and we the hoi resigne were p Being. U 5- FRANKLINS FIRST LAND EXPEDITION. 45 the details of which be cl— that h s-«areci — mat it must nave been a portion of the body of Kolanfjor or Porrault. A question of moment here presents itself — namely, whether he actually murdered these men, or either of them, or whether he found the bodies in the sno'.r. Captain Franklin, who ia the best able to judt;e of this matter, from knowing^ their situation when he parted from them, suggested the former idea, and that both these men had been sacrificed; that Michel, having already destroyed Ik-langer, completed his crime by Perrault's death, in order to screen himself froui detection." Although this opinion is founded only on circumstances, and is unsupported b}- direct evidence, it has been judged proper to mention it, especially as the subsequent conduct; of tlie man showed that he was capable of committing such a deed. It is not easy to assign any other adequate mo- tive for his concealing from liichardson that Perrault had turned back ; while his request, over night, that thev would leave him the hatchet, and his cumbering himself with it wiien he went out in the morning, unlike a hunter, who makes use only of his knife when he kills a deer, seem to indicate that betook it for the purpose of cutting up some- thing that he knew to be frozen. Michel left them early next day, refusing Dr. Eichard- son's offer to accompany him, and remained out all day. He would not sleep in tlie tent with the other two at night. On the 13fh, there bein^ a heavy gale, they passed the day by their fire, without food. Next day, at noon, Michel set out, as he said, to hunt, but returned unexpectedly in a short time. This conduct surprised his companions, and his contradictory and evasive answers to their questions excited their suspicions still further. He subsequently re- fused either to liunt or cut wood, spoke in a very surly manner, and threatened to leave them. When reasoned with by Mr. Hood, his anger was excited, and he replied it was no use huntinj^ — there were no animals, and they had better kill and eat him. " At this period," observes Dr. Bichardson, " we avoided as much as possible conversing upon the hopelessness of our situation, and generally endeavoured to lead the con- versation towards our future prospects in life. The factis, that with the decay of our strength, our minds decayed, and we were no longer able to bear the contemplation of the horrors that surrounded us. Yet we were calm and resigned to our fate; not a murmur escaped us, and we were punctual and fervent in our addresses to the Supreme Being." 4G PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. On the morning of the 20tb, tlicy ai^ain urpjed Michel to go a-hunting, that he might, if possible, leave them gome provision, as he intended quittmg them next day, but he showed great unwillingness to go out, and lingered about the fire under the pretence of cleaning his gun. After the morning service had been read, Dr. llichardson went out to gather some tripe de roche, leaving ISIr. Hood sitting before the tent at the fireside, arguing with 31ichel ; Hepburn was employed cutting fire-wood. While they were thus engaged, the treacherous Iroquois took the opportunity to place his gun close to Mr. Hood, and shoot him through the head. He represented to his companions thrt the deceased had killed himself. On examination of the body, it was found that the shot had entered the back part of the head and passed out at the forehead, and that the muzzle of the gun had been applied so close as to set fire to the nightcap behind. Michel protested his inno- cence of the crime, and Hepburn and Dr. llichardson dared not openly to evince their suspicion of his guilt. Next day. Dr. Richardson determmed on going straight to the Fort. They singed the hair off a part of the buffalo robe that belonged to their ill-fated companion, and boiled and ate it. In the course of their march, Michel alarmed them much by his gestures and conduct, was constantly muttering to himself, expreijt,ed an unwillingness to go to the Fort, and tried to persuade them to go south- ward to the woods, where ne said he could maintain himself all the winter by killing deer. " In consequence of this behaviour, and the expression of his countenance, I requested him (says Kichardson) to leave us, and to go to the southward by himself. This proposal increased his ill- nature ; he threw out some obscure hints of freeing him- self from all restraint on the morrow ; and I overheard him muttering threats against Hepburn, whom lie openly accused of having told stories against him. He also, for the first time, assumed such a tone of superiority in addressing me, as evinced that ho considered us to bo completely in his power ; and he gave vent to several ex- pressions of hatred towards the white people, some of whom, he said, had killed and eaten his uncle and two of his relations. In short, taking eveiy circumstance of his conduct into consideration, I came to the conclusion that he would attempt to destroy us on the first opportunity that offered, and that he had hitherto abstained from doing BO from his ignorance of his way to the Fort, but tliat ho would never suffer us to go thither in company with him. Hepburn and I were not in a condition to resist even an open a^ — our his gui and a "lu some t)\ whilst "Hei since materiii behavi( there ofl'ercd ever, asl such a c myself; an end a pistol. l?icliard by such also wit humane himself for my ( " Micl dent to liis gun i whilst w Person storms a herds of man, wa the tracli lie howe It was c extracts A spe with, thi toasted singed occasion flock. J "Upo faction convey i eyes on UB by d( franklin's first land expedition. 47 ira- ird Ifor in Ibc iff LO open attack, nor could wo by any device escape from him — our united strength was far inferior to his; and, beside his ^nn, he was armed with two pistols, an Indian bayonet, and a knife. " In the afternoon, cominpf to a rock on which there was some trij}e de roche, he halted, and said he would gather it whilst we went on, and that he would soon overtake us. "Hepburn an J, J >vere now left together for the first time since Mr. Hood .* death, and he acquainted me with several material circumstances, which he had observed of Michel's behaviour, and which confirmed me in the opinion that there was no safety for us except in his death, and ho ofl'ered to be the instrument of it. I determined, how- ever, as I was thoroughly convinced of the necessity of such a dreadful act, to take the whole responsibility upon myself; and immediately upon Michel's coming up, I put an end to his life by shooting him through the head with a pistol. Had my own life alone been threatened (observes l?ichardson, in conclusion), I would not have purchased it by such a measure, but I considered myself as entrusted also with the protection of Hepburn's, a man who, by his humane attentions and devotedness, had so endeared himself to me, that I felt more anxiety for his safety than for my own. " Michel had gathered no trijic de rocJie, and it was evi- dent to us that Le had ludted for the purpose of putting liis gun in order with the intention of attacking us — perhaps whilst we were in the act of encamping." Persevering onward in their journey as well as the snow- storms and their feeble limbs would permit.theysaw 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, lie however found the spine of a deer which it had dropped. It was clean picked, and at least one season old, but they extracted tlie spinal marrow from it. A specicrf oi cornicularia, a kind of lichen, was also met with, that was found good to eat when moistened and toasted over the lire. They had still some pieces of singed buffalo-hide remaining, and Hepburn, on one occasion, killed a partridge, after firing several times at a flock. About dusk of the 29th they reached tlie Fort. *' Upon entering the desolate dwelling, we had the satis- faction of embracing Captain Franklin, but no words can convey an idea of the filth and wretchedness that met our eyes on looking around. Our own misery had stolen upon us by degrees, and we were accustomed to the contempla- 1 I! 1 i \' « !i 48 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. I tion of eacli other's emaciated figures ; hut the ghastly countenances, dilated eye-balls, and sepulchral voices of Captain Franklin and those 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 Samandro, died from sheer exhaustion. On the 7th of November they were relieved from their rlvations and sufferings by the arrival of three Indians, ringing a supply of dried meat, some fat, and a few tongues, which had been sent off by Back with all haste from Akaitcho's encampment on the 5th. These Indians nursed and attended them with the greatest care, cleansed the house, collecteil fire-wood, and studied every means for their general comfort. Their sufferings were now at an end. On the 20th of November they arrived at the encampment of the Indian chief, Akaitcho. On the 6th 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, ami of poor Mr. Hood. On the 18th they reached the Hudson's Bay Company's establishment at Moose Deer Island, where they joined their friend Mr. Back. They remained at Fort Chipewyan until June of the following year. It is now necessary to relate the story of Mr. Back's journey, which, like the rest, is a sad tale of suffering and privation. Having been directed on the 4th of October, 1821, 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 trij)e de roche, but this failing 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 house, 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, whicn was rendered still worse from the recollection that our friends in the rear were as miserable as ourselves. For the moment, however, hunger prevailed, and each began to gnaw the scraps of putrid and frozen meat and skin that were lying aoout, without waiting to prepare them." A fire was, however, FRANKLINS FIRST LAND EXPEDITION. 49 afterwards made, and the neck and bones of a deer 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 lailed m 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 few old skins having been first collected to gerve as food. On the 13th and 14th of October they had nothing what- ever to eat. Belanger was sent off" with a note to Franklin. On the 15th they were fortunate enough to fall in with a Sartridgc, the bones of which were eaten, and the remain- er reserved for bait to fish with. Enough tripe de roche was, however, gathered to make a me^. I3eauparlant now lingered behind, worn out by extreme weakness. 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, without eyes or tongues, were found. An expression of " Oh, merciful God, we are saved," broke from them both, and with feelings more easily imagined than described, they shook hands, not knowing what to say for joy. St. Germain was sent back to bring up Beauparlant, for whose safety Back became very anxious, but he found thepoor fellow frozen to death. The 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 aguantitv 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 ret iced party. Back, both this day and the next, tried to urge on his companions towardis the object of their journey, but he could not conquer their stubborn deter- minations. They said they were imable to proceed from weakness; knew not the way; that Back wanted to expose them again to death, and in fact loitered greedily aoout the remnants of the deer till the end of the month. ** It was not without the greatest difficulty that I could restrain the men from eating every scrap they found : though they ! 1 1 i \ 1 1 •! \ k 50 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. i wcro well awaro of the necessity there was of bein^ eco- nomical in 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. Having 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 eight 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 started three years Itefore, and thus terminated a journey of 5550 miles, during which 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 Almighty Providence. Paeey's First Voyage, 1819—1820. The Admiralty having determined to continue the pro- gress of discovery in the Arctic seas, Lieut. W. E. Parry, who had been second in command under Capt. Eoss, m the voyage of the previous year, was selected to take charge of a new expedition, consisting of the Hecla and Grriper. The chief object of this voyage was to pursue the survey of Lancaster Sound, and decide on the proba- bility of a north-west passage in that 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— Hecla^ 375 tons : Lieut, and Commander — W. E. Parry. Lieutenant — Fred. W. Beechey. Captain — E. Sabine, II.A., Astronomer. Purser — W. H. Hooper. Surgeon — John Edwards. Assistant-Surgeon — Alexander Fisher. Midshipmen — James Clarke Eoss, J. Nias, W. J. Dealy, Charles Palmer, John Bushnan. Greenland Pilots— J. Allison, master; G. Crawfurd, mate. 44 Petty Officers, Seamen, &c. Total complement, 58. LicutJ Licutj Assist Midsll Greei 28 Pel Tlic found II 11th of after a fj ice in th it consist skirts of tedious p heaving the morn than the^ whales w landing, footprint! the snow the interi buntings inferred i regions, sidering tufts an( abundant Procec the opin many of existence long. 86° land had The stra found to the ice e which it inactive, determin course i( now nan PARRY S FIRST VOYAGE. 51 k Griper, 180 tons : Lieut, and Commander — Matthew Liddon. Lieutenant — H. P. Hoppner. Assistant-Surgeon — C. J. Beverley. Midsliipmen— A. Eeid, A. M. Skene, W. N. Griffiths. Greenland Pilots — George Fyfe, master; A. Elder, mate. 28 Petty Officers, Seamen, &c. Total complement, 36. The ships were raised upon, strengthened, and well found in stores and provisions for two years. On the 11th of May, 1819, they got away from the Thames, and after a fair passage fell in with a considerable Quantity of ice in the middle of Davis Straits about the 20th of June ; it consisted chiefly of fragments of icebergs, on the out- skirts of the glaciers that form along the shore. After a tedious passage through the floes of ice, effected chiefly by heaving and warping, they arrived at Possession Bay on the morning of the 31st of July, being just a month earlier than they were here on the previous year. As many as flfty whales were seen here in the course of a few hours. On landing, thev were not a little astonished to find their own footprints oi the previous year still distinctly visible in the snow. During an excursion of three or four miles into the interior, a fox, a raven, several ring-plovers and snow- buntings, were seen, as also a bee, from which it may bo inferred that honey is to be procured even in these wild regions. Vegetation flourishes remarkably well here, con- sidering the high latitude, for wherever there was moisture tufts and various ground plants grew in considerable abundance. Proceeding on from hence into the Sound, they verified the opinion which had previously been entertained by many of the officers, that the CroTcer Mountains had no existence, for on the 4th of August the ships were in long. 86° 56' W., three degrees to the westward of where lana had been laid down by Ross in the previous year. The strait was named after Sir John Barrow, and was found to 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. Bather than remain inactive, waiting for the dissolution of the ice, Parry determined to try what could be done by shaping His course to the southward, through the magnificent inlet now named Begent Inlet. About the 6th of August, in e2 s ! t 11 ■' \ J 52 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. consequence of the local attraction, the ordinary com- passes became useless from their great variation, and the oinnacles were removed from the deck to the carpenter's store-room as useless lumber, the azimuth compasses alone remaining ; and these became so sluggish in their motions, that they required to bo very nicely levelled, and frequently tapped before the card traversed. The local attraction was very great, and a mass of iron-stone found on shore attracted the magnet powerfuUy. The ships proceeded 120 miles from the entrance. On the 8th of August, in lat. 72° 13' N., and long. 90° 29' W., (his extreme point of view Parry named Cape Kater), the Ifecla 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 rprrow 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 Soups of islands passed. Parry assigned the names of otham. Barlow, Cornwallis, Bowen, Byam Martin, Griffith, Lowther, Bathurst, &c. On the 28th a boat was sent on shore at Byam Martin Island with Capt. Sabine, Mr. J. C. Eoss, and the surgeons, to make observations, 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 1st of September, they discovered the large and fine island, to which 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 officers were despatched to examine its shores. Some rein-deer and musk oxen were seen on landing, but being startled by the sight of a dog, it was found impossible to get near them. There seemed here to be a great quantity of the animal tribe, for the tracks of bears, oxen, and deer were numerous, and the horns, skin, and skulls were also found. The several geese, their there various Ont] crossinJ 44' 20'1 reward! Act 581 etfectuc raging AtlantK Pole." the foil a bold Bounty ward.tn reach tli by the < the 5th, therefor anchor \ A boa peat for tolerabl; over th( on the white hi snowy c small fl< glaucoui Asth of musk three-qi listed o had als( The pounds, journal island I musk c are four ?art of 'he ski PABRTS FIRST VOYAGE. 58 The burrows of foxes and field-mice were observed; several ptarmigan were shot, and flocks of snow-bunting, geese, and ducks, were noticed, probably commencing their migration to a milder climate. Along the beacn there was an immense nxmiber of small smimps, and various kinds of shells. On the 4th of September, Parry had the satisfaction of crossing the meridian of 110° W. in the latitude of 74° 44' 20", by which the expedition became entitled to the reward of 5000^., granted oy an order in Council upon the Act 58 Geo. III., cap. 20, entitled ** An Act for more effectually discovering the longitude at sea, and encou- raging attempts to find a northern passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and to approach the North Pole." This fact was not announced to the crews until the following day ; to celebrate the event they gave to a bold cape of the island then in sight the name of Bounty Cape ; and so anxious were they now to press for- ward,tnat tney began to calculate the time when they should reach the longitude of 130° W., the second place specified by the order m Council for reward. On the afternoon of the 5th, the compactness of the ice stopped them, and therefore, for the first time since leaving England, the anchor was let go, and that in 110° W. longitude. A boat was sent on shore on the 6th to procure turf or peat for fuel, and, strangely enough, some small pieces of tolerably good coal were found in various places scattered over the surface. A party of officers that went on shore on the 8th killed several grouse on the island, and a white hare ; a fox, some field mice, several snow-bunting, a snowy owl, and four musk oxen were seen. Ducks, in small flocks, were seen along the shore, as well as several glaucous gulls and tern ; and a solitary seal was observed. As the ships were coasting along on the 7th, two herds of musk oxen were seen grazing, at the distance of about three-quarters of a mile from the beach : one herd con- sisted of nine, and the other of five of these cattle. They had also a distant view of two rein-deer. The average weight of the hares here is about eight pounds. Mr. Fisher the 8ur{2;eon, from whose interesting journal I quote, states that it is very evident that this island must be frequented, if not constantly inhabited, by musk oxen in great numbers, for their bones and horns are found scattered about in all directions, and the greatest part of the carcase of one was discovered on one occasion. The skiJls of two carnivorous animals, a wolf and a lynx, f 1 ■ ■ :i. > 54 PROORESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. I wore also picked up here. A party aont to gather coals brought on board about half a bushel — all they could obtain. On the morning of the 10th, Mr. George Fyfe, the master I)ilot, with a party of six men bolongiiifr to the Griper^ andcd with a view of making an explormg trip of some fifteen or twenty miles into the interior. Thoy only took provisions for a day with thom. Great uneasiness was felt that they did not rt'lurn ; and when two days elapsed, fears began to be entertained for thtir safety, and it was thought they must have lost their way. Messrs. Keid (midshipman), Beverley (assistant-sur- geon), and Wakeham (clerk), volunteered to go in search of their missing messmates, but themselves lost their way; guided by the rockets, fires, and lights exhibited, 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 wan- 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. Thev paw several herds of rein-deer on the plains, and two elk; also many hares, but no musk oxen. Some 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 was 80 thick, that fears were entertained of being locked up in an exposed position on the coast ; it was, therefore, thought most prudent to put back, and endeavour to reach the harbour which had been passed some days before. The vessels now got seriously buffeted among the floes and hummocks of ice. The Griper was forced aground 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 Hecla, but he nobly refused, stating that he should be the last to I bench On of the crew the 8h( hnlfmil was in extra ii men, ii were ui PARRY 8 FIRST VOYAGE. 05 last to leave the ship, nnd continued ^'ivinp orders. The bench bcinfj sand, the Griper wns got ofl' without injury. Ou tlie 23rd of Septemner they nncliored ofV tlie mouth of the harbour, and the thormometer 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 nnd a half miles in lengtl>, 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, in consideration of their hard labour. Tlie vessels were unrigged, and everytliing made snug and secure for uassing 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 oeen changed to tho Parry Islands. T\No reindeer were killed on tho Ist of October, and several white bears were seen. On the Cth a deer was killed, which weighed 170 pounds. Seven were seen on the 10th, 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 nands so frost-bitten that he was obliged, on the 2nd of November, to have tho four fingers of his left hand amputated. A wolf and four rein- deer were seen on tho 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 tho moisture 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 tho temperate regions. To make the long winter pass as cheerfully as 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 journal, the editorial duties o^ which were undertaken by Captain Sabine, was " The Winter Chronicle, or New Georgia Gazette." The first number appeared on tho 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 difficulties and aisadvantages under which the per- formers laboured, their first essay, according to the officers' i I i. 11 d6 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. It ■ Ii report, did them infinite credit. Two hour« were spent very happily in their theatre on the quarter-deck, notwith- standing the thermometer outside the ship stood at zero, and witliin as low as the freezing point, except close to the stoves, where it was a little higher. Another play was performed on the 2lth, and so on over3' fortnij^lit. The men were employed during the d.>.v \u banking up the ships with snow. On the 23rd of December, the oflic. ;, performed " The Mayor of Garratt," which was followed bv an ifler-piece, written by Captain Parry, entitled the " North-West Pas- sage, or the Voyage finished." The sun having long since departed, the twilight at noon was so clear that books in the smallest pnnt could be distinctly read. On the 6th of January, the farce of " Bon Ton" was performed, with the thermometer at 27° below zero. Tho cold became more and more intense. On tho 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 the tongue. The greatest cold experienced was on the 14th January, when tho thermometer fell to 54° below zero. On tho 3rd of Februarv, tho sun was first visible above the horizon, after eightv-four days' absence. It was seen from the maintop of tho ships, a height of about fifty-one feet above the sea. On tho forenoon of tho 24th a fire broke out at the storehouse, which was used as an observatory. All hands proceeded to tho 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 imnossible to extinguish it. The snow, however, covered tne astronomical instruments and secured them from the fire, and when the roof had been pidled 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 eflbrts 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, sufiered much more severely. In their anxiety to save the dipping needle, which was standing close to the stove, and or which thev knew the value, they imme- diately ran out with it ; ana Smith not having time to put on his gloves, had his fingers in half an hour so benumbed, and the animation so completely suspended, that on his being taken on board by Mr. Edwards, and having his bands the wa| thus the m( by the time af fingers Parri at the having after bel necessaif others while tt snow th Thev 6th the the 17th was now The ship's si ofl' the above a six gallo occasioni steam of These measurei great pai men's us On tl freezing Septenu midnigh A sui stores ; from th been on having reduced provisio Thee round t seven f excursic The sen that fel PARRY*a FIRST VOYAGE. 57 liandfl plunged into a basin of cold water, tho surface of the water was immediately frozen by the intense cold thus suddenly communicated to it; and notwithstanding the most humane and unremitting attention paid him by the medical gentlemen, it was found necesHnry, some time after, to resort to the amputation of a part of four fingers on one hand, and three on the other. Parry adds, ** the appearance which our faces presented at tho nro was a curious one ; almost every nose and cheek having become quite white with frost bites, in five minutes after being exposed to the weather, so that it was deemed necessary for tho medical gentlemen, together with some others appointed to assist them, to go constantly round while the men were working at the fire, and to rub with snow the parts aflected, in order to restore animation." The weather got considerably milder in March ; on the 6th the thermometer got up to zero for the first time since the 17th of December. Tuo 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 bucketsfull each, containing from five to six gallons, which had accumulated in less than a month, occasioned principally from the men's breath, and the steam of victuals at meals. Tho scurvy now broke out among the 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 midnight for the first time that season. A siurey 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-thirds 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 geven feet. Many of the men wh'o had been out on excursions began to suflfer much from snow blindness. The sensation when first experienced, is described as like that felt when dust or sand gets into the eyes. They ii i > i i ! 58 PROORESg OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. i h were, howovor, cured in the course of two or three dayg by kcopii!<5 tlio eyes covered, and bathing them occasion- ally with suj^ar of lead, or some other coolin{T lotion. To prevent the recurrence of the complaint, the men were ordered to wear a piece of crape or some substitute for it over the eyes. The channel round the ships was completed by the 17th of May, and they rose nearly two feet, having been kept down by t!ie pressure of the ice round them, althouj^h liglitened during the winter by the consumption of food and fuel. On the 2lth they were aatonisned by two showers of rain, a moat extraordinary phenomenon in these regions. Symptoms of scurvy again appeared among the crew ; one of the seamen who had been recently cured, having imprudently been in the habit of eating the fat skimmings, 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 ve«^etation commenced, two or three piec^s of ground were ciug up and sown with seeds of radishes, onions, and other vegetables. Captain Parry determined before leaving to make an excursion across the island for the purpose of examining its size, boundaries, productions, &c. Accordingly on the 1st of June an expedition was organized, coneisting of the commander, Captain Sabine, Mr. Fisher, the assistant-surgeon, Mr. John Nias, mid- shipman of the Ileola, and Mr. Reid, midshipman of the Griper, with two sergeants, and five seamen and marines. Three weeks' provisions were taken, whicli together with two tents, wood for fuel, and other articles, weighing in all about 800 lbs., was drawn on a cart prepared for the purpose by the men. Each or 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 high 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. Tliey travelled by night, taking rest by day, as it was found to be warmer for sleep, and they had 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 the latter were shot. From the top of a range of hills at which they now arrived, they could see the masts of the ships in Winter Harbour with the naked eye, at about PARIIY S FIRST VOYAGE. 59 ten or eleven miles distant. A vast plain was also seen extendinj? to the northward and westward. The party breakfasted on biseuit and a pint of gruel each, made of salen powder, whieh was found to be a very palatable diet. Reindeer with their fawns were mot with. They derived great assistance in dragging their eart by rigging upon it one of the tent blankets as a sail, a truly nautical contrivance, and the wind favouring them, they made great progress in this way. Captain Sabine being taken ill with a bowel complaint, had to be conveyed on this novel sail carriage. They, however, had some ugly ravines to pass, the crossings of which were very tedious and troublesome. On the 7th the party came to a lar^e bay, which was named after their ships, Hecla and Griper fiay. The blue ice was cut through by hard work with boarding pikes, the only instruments they had, and after digging fourteen and a halt feet the water rushed up; it was not very salt, but sufficient to satisfy them that it was the ocean. An island seen in the distance was named after Captain Sabine ; some of the various points and capes were also named after others of the party. Although tnis shore was found blocked up with such heavy ice, there appear to be times when tliere is open water here, for a piece of fir wood seven and a half feet long, and about the thickness of a man's arm, was found about eighty yards inland from the hummocks of the beach, and about thirty feet above the level of the sea. Before leaving the shore, a monument of stones twelve 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 numerous. On the 11th they came in sight of a deep gulf, to which Lieutenant Liddon's name was gi»'en; the two capes at its entrance being called after Beechey and Iloppner. In the centre was an island about three-cjuarters ot a mile in length, rising abruptly to the height of 7()0 feet. The shores of the gulf were verv rugged and precipitant, and in descending a steep hiU, the axle-tree of Iheir cart broke, and they had to leave it behind, taking the body with them, however, for fuel. The wheeLi, whieh were Icfl on the spot, may astonish some future adventurer \ M eo PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. W'. who discovers them. The stores, &c., were divided among the oflicers and men. Making their way on the ice in the gulf, the island in the centre was explored, and named after Mr. Hooper, the purser of the Hecla. It was found to be of sandstone, and very barren, rising? perpendicularly from the sea on the west side. Four fat ^eese were killed here, and a j^eat many animals were seen around the gulf; some attention being paid to examining its shores, &o., a fine open valley was discovered, and the tracks of oxen and deer were very numerous j the pasturage appeared to be ex- cellent. On the 13th, a few ptarmigan and a golden plover were killed. No less than thirteen deer in one herci were seen, and a musk ox for the first time this season. The remains of six Esauimaux huts were discovered about 300 yards from the ueach. Vegetation now began to flourish, the sorrel was found far advanced, and a species of saxifrage was met with in blossom. They reacht;d the ships on the evening of the 15th, after a journey of about 180 miles. The ships' crews, during their absence, had been occu- pied in getting ballast in and re-stowing the hold. Shooting parties were now sent out in various directions to procure game. Dr. Fisher gives an interesting account of his ten days' excursion with a couple of men. The deer wore not so numerous as they expected to find them. About thirty were seen, of which his party killed but two, which wore very lean, weighing only, wnen skinned and cleaned, 50 to 60 lbs. A couple of wolves were seen, and some foxes, ^vith a great many hares, four of which were kiUed, weighing from 7 to 8 lbs. The aquatic birds 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 gceae 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 fif- teen ptarmigans. These birds are represented to be so stupid that all seen may bo shot. Dr. Fialier was surprised on his return on the 29th of June, after his ton days' absence, to find how much vegetation had advanced; the land being now completely clear of snow, was covered with the purple-coloured saxifrage in blossom, with mosses, and with sorrel, and the grass was two to three inches long. The men were sent out twice a week to collect the sorrel, und in a few minutes enough could be procured to make a salad rcgula| seeds yield who and wl bearinj over \i\ Froi it appe| inches. July, II notices left not Ont ■vnously a chani three o Ont of the cous g\ of a prt Ontl ing an occasioi (says I to us p them, ) times t] on the nothing existed for, not are for thick, 1 remarl iron CO Btiiidii This 700 Ibj 421 lbs musk 1 The beset y fast fo On a PARRY S FIRST VOYAGE. 61 salad for dinner. After bein^ mixed with vinegrar it was regularly served out to the men. The Enfj^lish garden seeds that had been sown got on but slowly, aud did not yield any produee in time to be used. On the 31st of June \Vm. Seott, a boatswain's mate, who had been afllietid with scurvy, diarrhoea, &.C., died, and was buried on the 2nd of Jidy — a slab of sandstone bearinjL? an inscription, carved by Dr. Fisher, beinjr «'rected over his grave. From observations made on the tide during two months, it appears that the greatest rise and fall here is four feel four inclies. A large pile of stones was erected on the 14th of July, upon the most conspicuous hill, containing the usual notices, coins, &c., and on a large stone an inscription waa left notifying the wintering of the ships here. On the 1st of August the ships, which had been pre- viously warped out, got clear of the harbour, and found a channel, both eastward and westward, clear of ice, about three or four miles in breadth along the land. On the C)th they landed on the island, and in the course of the night killed fourteen hares and a number of glau- cous gidls, which were found with their young on the top of a precipitous insulated rock. On the 9th the voyagers had an opportunity of observ- ing an instance of the violent pressure that takes pli ce occasionallv by the collision of heavy ice. *' Two pieces (says Dr. Fisher) 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 w nen compared with the pressure that must have existed to produce the effects that wg see along the shore, for, not only heaps of earth and stones sev* ral tons weight are forced up, but hummocks of ice, from s'tif y t.. sixty feet thick, are pded up on the beach. It -s sirmeeevsary to remark that a ship, although fortified w well as m -od and iron could make her, would have bu. I'tih chancoof with- stiiiding such overwhelming force.' This day a musk ox was shot, whicli v.; h hed moretaan 700 lbs. ; the carcass, when skinned . uii cleaned, yieldijg 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 be8< ; On the 15th and 16th they were off the south-west I 1 • I f 1 *^ i C2 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. ]\ point of tlio island, but a siirvey of the locality from the prccipitoua clKF of Cape Duntlaa, ])rcseiited the same intorminahle barrier of ice as far as the eye could reach. A bold lii<,di I'oaat was sifrhtcd to the south-west, to which the name of Bank's Land was p^ivcn. Captain Parry states that on the 23rd the ships received by far the heaviest shocks they had experienced during the voyage, and performed six miles of the most dillicult navi- gation he hiul ever known among ice. Two musk bulls were shot on the 21th by parties who landed, out of a herd of seven which were seen. They were lighter than the first one shot — weighing only about 300 lbs. From the number of skulls and skeletons of these animals met with, and their capabilities of enduring the rigour of the climate, it seems probable that they do not migrate southward, but winter on this island. Attempts were still made to work to the eastward, but on the 25tli, from want of wind, and the closeness of the ice. the ships were obliged to make fast again, without having gained above a mile after several hours labour. A fresh breeze springing up on the 2nth opened a passage along shore, and the ships made sail to the eastward, and in the evening were off their old quarters in Winter Har- bour. On the following evening, after a fine run, they were off the east end of Melville Island. Lieut. Parry, this day, announced to the oflicers and erew that after due consideration and consultatioji, it hr.d been found useless to ])ro8ecute their researches farther westward, and there- fore endeavours would be made in a more southerly direc- tion, failing in which, the expedition would return to England Kegeut Inlet and the southern shores generally, were found so blocked up with ice, that tho return to England was on the 30th of August publicly announced. This day, Navy Board and Admiralty Inlets were passed, and on the Ist of September tlie vessels got clear of Bai'- row Strait, and reaclied Ballin's Bay on the 5th. They fell in with a whaler belonging to Hull, from whom they learnt the news of the death of George tho Third and the Duke of Kent, and that eleven vessels having been lost in the ice last year, fears were entertained for their safety. The Friendship, another Hull whaler, informed them that in company with the Truelove she had looked into Smith's Sound that summer. The Alexander, of Aberdeen, ono of the ships employed on the former voyage of discovery to these seas, had also entered Lancaster Sound. After touching at Clyde's Eiver, where they met a good-natured tribe of Esquimaux, the ships made tho best of their way across sag**, of OctI Hoopel Ttte pre viol I commul and Ko| the nor •' On \\i probabli exist 1| son's 1| channel Uepuls^ examine to exist! of Amei existen( Bcarceljj attende James ] anticipa in whie not ex< seems Pacific coast may be purr)os( vVelco] worthy any ex ougb' tral«. f] ehore. hiiherl extend for on and w valual: Besses Plcj order PARRY S SECOND VOYAGE. G3 across the Atlantic, and after a soniowliat boisterous pas- sair*', Commodore Parry landed at iVterhcad on the 'Mnh of October, and, accoiiinanied by Captain Sabine and !Mr. Hooper, posted to London. >i I J. to bd. Parry's Second Voyage, 1821—1823. The oxperienec which Capt. Parry had formed in his previous voyapje, led him to entertain the opinion that a eommunication mijjfht be f und between Ile;j;e>it Inh-i and Hoe's Welcome, or throuuih EepulseBay, and thence to the north-western shores. The following; are liis reiniirks : " On an inspection of the charts I think it will also appear probable that a communication will one day be found to exist between this inlet (Prince Kegent's) and Mud- son's liay, either throuf^h the broad and unex})lored channel called Sir Thomas lioe's Welcome, or throuy[h IJepulse Bay, which !ias not yet been satisfactorily examined. It is also probable that a channel will be fo\uid to exist between the western land and the northern coast of America." A^ain, in another place, he says, " Of the existence of a North-West Passaj^e to the Pacific it is now scarcely possible to doubt, and from the success which attended our eflbrts in 1819, after passing,' throufjh Sir James Lancaster's Sound, we were not unreasonaMe in anticipatinj^f its comi)lete accomplishment. But the season in which it is practicable to navijjate the Polar Si'as does not exceed seven weeks. From all that we observed it seems desirable that ships endeavourinif to reach the Pacilic Ocean by this route should keep if possible on the coast of America, and the lower in latitude that coast may be found, the more favourable will it prove for tlio purnose ; hence Cumberland Strait, Sir Thomas Hoe's Welcome, and Hepulse Bay appear to be the points most worthy of attention. I canuoi. therefore but consider that any expedition eijuipped by Great Britain with this view oupl'" to employ ii.s best eurr^nes in attempting to pene- trau i'rom the eastern coast of America along its northern shore. In consequence of the partial success which has hiiherto attended our attempts, the whalers have already extended their views, and a new field has been opened for one of the most lucrative branches of our commerce, and what is scarcely of less importance, one of the most valuable nurseries for seamen which Great Britain pos- aesses." — Parry's First Voyage, vol. ii. p. 2K). Pleased with his former zeal and enterprise, and in order to give him an opportunity of testing the truth of '\ I r G4 PROORESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. Ilia ohsorvations, a few months after he returned home, the Admiralty p^ave Parry the command of another expe- dition, with instructions to proceed to Hudson's Strait, and penetrate to the westward until in Kepulse Bay, or on some other part of the shores of Hudson's Bay to the north of Waj^er River, he should roach the western coast of the continent. Failing in these quarters, he was to keep alonjf the coast, carefully examinin;i; every bend or inlet, whicii should appear likely to afford a practicable passa^^e to the westward The vessels commissioned, with their officers and crews, were the followin«j. Several of the oHlcers 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. Chaplain and Astronomer — Rev. Geo. Fisher (wns in the Dorothea, under Capt. Buchan, in 1818.) Lieutenants — *J. Nias and *A. Reid. Surgeon — *.T. Edwards. Purser — *W. H. Hooper. Assistant-Surgeon — J. Skeocli. Midshipmen — *J. C. Ross, *J. Bushnan, J. Henderson, F. R. M. Crozier. G'*oenland Pilots — ♦ J. Allison, master ; •G. Crawfurd, mate. 47 Petty Officers, Seamen, &c. Total complement, 60. Hecla. Commander — G. F. Lyon. Lieutenants — *H. P. floppnor and *C. Palmer. Surgeon — *.V. Fisher. Purrtc r — J. Germain. Assistant-Surgeon — ^A. M'Laren. Mid.shipraen — *W. N. Griffiths, J. Sherer, C. Riehardf*, E. J. Bird. Greenland Pilots — *G. Fite, master ; *A. Elder, mate. 46 Petty Officers, Seamen, &c. Total complement, 58. Lieutenra; Ljoa, the second in command, had obtained some reputnrion from b'3 i^ravels in Tripoli, Mourzouk, and other i^>aTts of Northern Africa, and was raised to the rank of Commander on his appointment to the Hecla, and parry's second voyage. C5 to. led ik. the id received his promotion as Captain, when the expedition returned. The ships were accompanied as far as the ice hj the Nitutilns transport, froi{;htcd with provisions and stores, which were to oe transhipped as soon as room was found for them. The vessels got away from the little Nore early on \\\-- 8th Oi May, 1821, but meeting with strong gales off the Greenland coast, and a boisterous passage, did not liall in with the ice until the middle of June. On the 17th of June, in a heavy gale from the south- ward, the sea stove and carried away one of the quarter boats of the Hecla. On the following day, in lat. 0<»^ 5.3' N., long. 61° 39' W., they made the pack or main body of ice, having many large bergs in ana near it. On tlio lyth, Resolution 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 lb da, which threw up tlie 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 Ist of July, the ships were occupied in clearing the Nautilus of her stoves pre- paratory to her return home, occasionally made fast to a Derg, or driven out to sea by gales. On the 2nd, after running through heav3r ice, thev again made Kesolution Island, and shaping their course for the Strait, were soon introduced to tne 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-sevenlii only to be visible, must have been about 18U6 feet ! This however is siip])08ing the base under water not to spread bevr some men who were on a small berg, making holes for her ice anchors. They were therelbre swept pavt and I 1 t r I il PIlOOHESa OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. soon beset. Fifty-four iceberj^s were counted from tlio muHt-lieud. On tlio 3rd they made some proj^reas throuj^li very heavy floes ; but on the tide turning?, tlie loose ice ik;vv toj^etlu-r with sueh rapidity and noise, tliat there was barely time to aeeure the ships in a natural doek, before the two streams met, and even then they received some heavy shocks. Water was procured for use from the pools in the lloe to which the snips were made fast ; and this bein^j the first time of doing so, afforded ^reat amusement to th«! novices, who, even when it was their period of rest, preferred pelt- in;; each other with snow-balls, to t?oin^ to bed. Buffo tin j^ with eddies, strong currents, and dangerous bergs, they were kept in a state of anxiety and danger, for a week or ion days. On one occasion, with the prospect of b.'ing driven on shore, the pressure tliey experienced was so great, that five hawsers, six inches thick, were carried away, and the best bower anchor of the Ifechi was wrenchetl .^rom the bows, and broke off* at the head of the shank, with as much ease as if, instead of weighing upwards of a ton, it had been of crockery ware. For a week they were embayed by the ice, and during this period they saw three strange ships, also beset, under Kesolution Island, which they contrived to join on the IGth of July, making fast to a lloe near them. They proved to bo the Hudson's Bay Company's traders. Prince of Wales and Mddystone, with the Lord Wellington, chartered to convey KJO natives of Holland, who were proceeding to settle on Lord Selkirk's estate, at the lied lliver. " Whilst nearing these vessels (says Lyon), we observed the settlers waltzing on deck, for above two hours, the men in old-fashioned grey jackets, and the women wearing long-eared mob caps, like tliose used by the Swiss peasants. As we were surrounded by ice, and the thermometer was at the freezing point, it may be supposed that this ball, al vero fresco, afforded us much amusement." The Hudson's Bay ships had left England twenty days after the expedition. The emigrant ship had been liampered nineteen days amongst the ice, before she joined the others; and as this navigation was new to Iut captain and crew, they almost deai)aired of ever getting to their jouraey'i end, so varied and constant liad been their impediments. The Dutcli- men had, however, behaved very philosophically duri'jg tins period, and seemed determined oii being merry, in spite of the weather and the dangers. Several marriages had taken place, (the surgeon, who was accompanying them to the colony, officiating as clergyman,) and many fti more the ct which snow. ships their Savagi bear h sent he too long withdi very lashed h'istinj weight largest being s in his t the nai measure measurt insertioi experier gators a tliree of would 1] foot." : blubber the smc] had beei They maux, \v hour the canoes, i Some 01 most noi being as natives ^ " It i to descr or the The fern on the i( timidity became scarcely PAUKY S SKCOM) VOYAGE. m ilVS this nost 'it'd cIi- in in<^ luy more wore in njjitntion; cacli lin)>j)v couple always dcfVri'iiMjf {ho trrcniony until a fine day allowed of an oveniiijx h:[\\, whieh was only terminated by a iVesh breeze, or a fall of snow. {LyonsPnrakfJinirti(il,\\. 11.) On the 17tli the 8hi^)8 were separated by the ice, and they saw no more of their visitors. On the 2lst they were only ofF the Lower kSava<;e Islands. In the eveniiii; they saw a very larjjo bear lyin^ on a pieee of ice, and two boats were instantly sent oft' in chase. They aj)proa('hed very close before ho took to the water, ^^hen he swam rapidly, and made loniif springs, turninj^ boldly to face his pin'suers. It was with dilllculty he was captured. As these animals, although very fat and bulky, snik the instant they die, he was lashed to a boat, and brouijht alont^side the ship. On h' istinj; him in, they were astonished to find that his weitjht exceeded sixteen hundred pounds, beint; one of the largest ever killed. Two instances, only, of lar;;er bears bcinjif shot are recorded, and these were by Barentz's crew, in his third voyatje, at Cherie Island, to which they ^avo the name of l3ear Island. The two bears killeil then measured twelve and thirteen feet, while this one only measured eight feet ei;,dit inches, from the snout to tho insertion of tho tail. The seamen ate the llesh without experiencinijf any of those baneful efl'ects which ohl navi- gators attribute to it, and which are stated to have made three of Barentz's people " so sick that we expected they would have died, and their skins peeled off from head to foot." Bruin was very fat, and having procured a tub of blubber from tho carcass, it was thrown overboard, and the smell soon attracted a couple of walruses, the iirst that had been yet seen. They here fell in with a numerous body of the Esqui- maux, who visited them from the shore. In less than an hour the ships were beset with thirty " kayaks," or men's canoes, and nve of the women's large boats, or " oomiaks." Some of the latter held upwards of twenty women. A most noisy but merry barter instantly took place, the crew being as anxious to purchase Es(piimau:: curiosities, as the natives were to procure iron and European toys. " It is quite out of my power (observes Captain Lyon) to describe the shouts, yelis, and laughter of the savages, or the confusion which existed for two or three hours. The females were at Lrst very shy, and unwilling to come on the ice, but bp.rtered everything from their boats. This timidity, however, soon wore oU', and they, in the end, became as noisy and boisterous as the men." " It is scarcely possible (ho adds) to conctive anything more t2 III i C8 PROORESS OF arctic; niSCOVERY. H m .):y K'ar ciuotiiiij here somo humorous passages lal, wliii-li stand out in relief to the scieutilic uply or flist;ustinir tlian flu- <*ountenancP8 of the old wotncn.wlio h«ves. wrinkled skin, black tooth, and. in fart. hucIi a forhidilins: Hot of foaturofl as soarcrlv oould 1)0 callod human ; to w luicii tnii^ht bo addod t!i»'ir dross, which was such as tjavo thorn the apnoaraneo of ai;o(l onranij-outanjjs. Frobishor'n crew may l)c pardoned for having, in suoh superstitious times as a.d. 157<5 taken one of tlioso ladies for a witoh. of whom it is said, * Th« old wroteh whom our sailors supposed to bo a witoh, had her btiskins pulled off, to see if she was cloven-footed; and beini; very ^>J?ly nnd deformed, wo lot her j^o.' " In bartorini; thoy have a sini;',,i!!r custom of ratifying; the bari^ain, by lickinjj the article all over before it is put away in security. Captain Lyon says ho frocpu'utly siiud- dorod at seeintf the children draw a razor over their ton>;ue, as unoonoernodly as if it had boon au ivory paper-knife, I cannot forbear from his journ? and nautical parts of the narrative. " The atrani^ors were so well pleased in our society, that they showed no wish to leave us, and when the market had c[uit(^ ceased, they be;^an dancinjif and pla} inj; with our people, on the ice alonj^side. This exercise set many of their noses bloedinjr, and discovered to us a most nasty custom, which accounted for their gory faces, and which was, that as fast as the blood ran down, they scraped it with the finijors into their moutlis, appearing to con- sider it as a refreshment, or dainty, if we might judge by the zest with whicli they smacked their lips at each supply." * * * " In order to amuse our new acquaintances as much as possibU*, the fiddler was sent on the ice, where ho instantly found a most delightful set of dancers, of whom some of tlio women kept pretty good time. Their only figure con- sisted in stamping and jumping with all their might. Our musician, who was a lively fellow, soon caught the infec- tion, and began cutting capers also. In a short time every one on the Hoe, officers, men, and savages, were dancing together, and exhibited one of the most extraordinary sights I over witnessed. One of our seamen, of a fresh, niddy complexion, excited the admiration of all the young females, who pal ted his face, and danced around him wherever he went. " The exertion of dancing so exhilarated the Esquimaux, that they had the appearance of being boisterously drunk, and played many extraordinary pranks. Amongst others, it was a favourite joke to run slily behind the seamen, and c shout in a very i sharniy starth' cook, 1 became 80 sour such b sports, great One mj country but tilt very ec at him, same o large pa their to plishmei serving ♦• Tow eck, tu Esquimi which c of seals, great ze and gre mouths.' Many during tl and Noi to beg, ral repoi needles, ceteras, detractiii the 13tl narwhals ships, an one. Tl beautiful horn abo backs, w! England exclusive Captai His ooat PAKRYS SECOND VOYAGE. 69 shouting loudly in one rar, to j;ivo thorn at tlio same time a wry smart «Iaj) on tlu- otlnT. Wliilo looking on, I was sharuly salutod in this mannt-r, and, of courao, was quite startled, to the j^reat amus.'iMcnt of the bystanders : our eook, who was a most active and unwearied jumper, became so ^eat a favourite, that every one boxed his ears 80 soundly, as to oblige the poor man to retire from sueh boisterous marks of approbation. Amongst other sports, some of the Ksquinuiux rather roughly, but with /reat good humour, eliallcn^ed our pet)ple to wrestle. One man, in particular, who had thrown several of his countrymen, attacked an ollicer of a very stronj; make, but the poor savage was instantly thrown, and with no very easv fall ; i^'et, although every one was laughing at him, he bore it with exemplary good humour. The same oflieer aUbrded us much diversion by teaching a large party of women to bow, curtsey, shake hands, turn their toes out, and perform sundry other polite accom- plishments ; the whole party, master and pupils, pre- serving the strictest gravity. "Towards midnight all or icn, except the watch on eck, turned in to their l'«'ds, and the fatigued and hungry Esquimaux returned to their boats to take their supper, which consisted of lumps of raw flesh and blubber of seals, birds, entrails, &c. ; licking their lingers with great zest, and vith knives or fnigers scraping the blood and grease which ran down their chins into their mouths." IMany other parties of the natives were fallen in with during the slow progress of the ships, between Salisbury and Nottingham Islands, who were equally as eager to beg, barter, or thieve ; and the mouth was the gene- ral repository of most of the treasures they received j needles, pins, nails, buttons, beads, and other small et- ceteras, being indiscriminately stowed away there, but detracting in nowise from their volubility of speech. On the 13th of August the weather being calm and fine, narwhals or sea-unicorns were very numerous about the ships, and boats were sent, but without success, to strike one. Tliere were sometimes as nuiuy as twenty of these beautiful fish in a shoal, lifting at times their immense horn above the water, and at others showing their glossy backs, which were spotted in the manner of coach dogs in England. The length of these fish is about fifteen feet, exclusive of the horn, which averages five or six more. Captain Parry landed and slept on Southampton Island. His ooat's cr«^ *. ght in hoiea on the beach sufficient I I IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) & ^/ 4 /. J S$ l!l 1.0 I.I ■io ■^~ n^ lAO IL25 mu 0% ^ ^> Photographic Sciaices Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 iV i f\ k •^ ^\ 6^ \ 70 PROCJRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. silloclts, or young coal-fish, to serve for two meals for the whole ship's company. During the night white whales were seen lying in hundreds close to the rocks, probably feeding on the sillocks. After carefully examining Duke of York Bay, the ships got into the Frozen Strait of Middleton on the morning of the 20th, and an anxious day was closed by passing an opening to the southward, which was found to be Sir Thomas E^e's Welcome, and heaving to for the night off a bay to the north-west. The ships got well in to Eepulse Bay on the 22nd, and a careful examination of its shores was made by the boats. Captains Parry and Lvon, with several officers from each ship, landed and explored the northern shores, while a boat examined the head of the bay. The waters of a long cove are described by Captain Lyon as being abso- lutely hidden by the quantities of young eider ducks, whicn, under the direction of their mothers, were making their first essays in swimming. Captain Lyon with a boat's crew made a trip of a couple of days along some of the indents of the bay, and discovered an inlet, which, however, on being entered subsequently by the ships, proved only to be the dividing channel between an island and the mainland, about six miles in length by one in breadth. Proceeding to the north- ward by Hurd's channel, they experienced a long rolling ground swell setting against them. On the 28th, ascend- ing a steep mountain. Captain I^on discovered a noble bay, subsequently named Gore Bay, in which lay a few islands, and towards this they directed their course. Captain Parry, who had been two days absent with boats exploring the channel and shores of the strait, returned on the 29th, but set off again on the same day with six boats to sound and examine more minutely. When Parry returned at night, Mr. Griffiths, of the Secla, brought on board a large doe, which he had killed while swimming (amongst large masses of ice) from isle to isle ; two others and a fawn were procured on shore by the Fury^s people. The game laws, as they were laid down on the former voyage while wintering at Melville Island, were once more put in force. These "enacted that for the purpose of economizing the ship's provisions, all deer or musk-oxen killed should be served out in lieu of the usual allowance of meat. Hares, ducks, and other birds were not at this time to be included. As an encou- ragement to sportsmen, the head, legs, and offal of the larger animals were to be the perquisites of those who procured the carcases for the general good." "In the n( t( animals that our their pei made so of the had beei would b« Whils this stri ice, whi with lou stream; ice, and great d small stood packed \ also bes( Apre^ of some] of const very spc commen Septeml one of \ the ship of six ki of a lar next da; inlet, w Captain head of retumet the plac full of procure supper the daj small p propenc Anin in this '. one of \ of the eighty- three 1 Two o: PARRY S SECON.D VOYAGE. 71 animals of this day (observes Lyon) we were convinced that our sportsmen had not forp^otten the latitude to which their perquisites might legally extend, for the necks were made so long as to encroach considerably on the vertebrse of the back ; a manner of amputating the heads which had been learnt during the former voyage, and, no doubt, would be strictlv acted up to in the present one." Whilst the ships on the 30th were proceeding through this strait, having to contend with heavy wind and wild ice, which with an impetuous tide ran against the rocks with loud crashes, at the rate of five knots in the centre stream; four boats towing astern were torn away by the ice, and, with the men in them, were for some time in great danger. The vessels anchored for the night in a small nook, and weighing at daylight on the 31st they stood to the eastward, but Gore Bay was found closely packed with ice, and most of the inlets they passed were also beset. A prevalence of fog, northerly wind, and heavy ice in floes of some miles in circumference, now carried the snips, in spite of constant labour and exertions, in three days back to the very spot in Fox's Channel, where a month ago they had commenced their operations. It was not tUT the 5th of September that they could again get forward, and then by one of the usual changes in the navigation of these seas, the ships ran well to the north-east unimpeded, at the rate of six knots an hour, anchoring for the night at the mouth of a large opening, which was named Lyon Inlet. The next day they proceeded about twenty-five miles up thia inlet, which appeared to be about eight miles broad. Captain Parry pushed on with two boats to examine the head of the inlet, taking provisions for a week. He returned on the 14th, having failed in finding any outlet to the place he had been examining, which was very extensive, fiill of fiords and rapid overfalls of the tide. He had procured a sufficiency of game to afford his people a hot supper every evening, which, after the constant labour of the day, was highly acceptable. He fell in also with a small party of natives who displayed the usual thieving propensities. Animal food of all kinds was found to be very plentiful in this locality. A fine salmon trout was brought down by one of the officers from a lake in the mountains. The crew of the Hecla killed in a fortnight four deer, forty hares, eighty-two ptarmigan, fifty ducks, three divers, three foxes, three ravens, four seals, ermines, marmottes, mice, &c. Two of the seals killed were immense animals of the 11^ PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. bearded species {Phoea barbata), very fat, weighing about eight or nine cwt., the others were the common species (P. vitulina.) Captain Parry again left in boats on the 15th to examine more carefully the land that had been passed so rapidly on the 5th and 6th. I^ot finding him return on the 24th, Captain Lyon ran down the coast to meet him, and by burning blue lights fell in with him at ten that night. It appeared he had been frozen up for two days on the second eyening after leaving. When he got clear he ran down to, and sailed round, Gore Bay, at that time per- fectly clear of ice, but by the neict morning it was quite filled with heavy pieces, which much impeded his return. Once more he was frozen up in a small bay, where he was detained three days ; when finding there was no chance of getting out, in consequence of the rapid formation of young ice, by ten hours' severe labour, the boats were carried over a low point of land, a mile and a half wide, and once more launched. On the 6th of October the impediments of ice continuing to increase, being met with in all its formations of sludge or young ice, pancake ice and bay ice, a small open bay within a Uttle cape of land, forming the S.E. extremity of an island off Lyon Inlet, was sounded, and being found to be safe anchorage the ships were brought in, and, from the indications which were setting in, it was finally deter- mined to secure them there for the winter ; by means of a canal half a mile long, which was cut, theywere taken further into the bay. The island was named Winter Isle. I^eparations were now made for occupation and amuse- ment, so as to pass awajr pleasantly the period of detention. A good stock of theatrical dresses and properties having been laid in by the officers before leavmg England* arrangements were made for performing plays fortnightly, as on their last winter residence, as a means of amusing the seamen, and in some degree to break the tedious monotony of their confinement. As there could be no desire, or hope of excelling, every officer's name was readily entered on the list of dramatis personce. Captain Lyon kindly undertaking the difficult office of manager. Tnose ladies (says Lyon) who had cherished the growth of their beards and whiskers, as a defence against the inclemency of the climate, now generously agreed to do away with such unfeminine ornaments, and everything bade fair for a most stylish theatre. As a curiosity, I may here put on record the play-bill for the ev£ belongs The Pi elegal next,! formfl Sir Ant\ Captait Sir Lui FaulTcli Acres Fag David Mrs. M Julia Lydia Ijucy Songs I wi Ontl formed comedy lish fee play. I Foss re< ments, « Old I and gai and th( On ( and sol goria(i the shi night T The forman the evening, belonged. parry's second voyage. 73^ I have added the ship to which each officer THEATEE EOYAL, WINTER ISLE. The Public are respectfully informed that this little, yet elegant, Theatre will open for the season on Friday next, the 9th of November, 1821, when will be per- formed Sheridan's celebrated Comedy of THE RIVALS. Sir Anthony Absolute . Captain Absolute . . Sir Lucius O' Trigger . FaulJcland . . Acres .... Fag .... David .... Mrs. Malaprop . Julia .... Lydia Languish Jjucy .... Captain Parry {Fury). Captain Lyon (Hecla). Mr. Crozier {Fury). Mr. J. Edwards {Fury). Mr. J. Henderson {Fury). Lieut. Hoppner {Hecla). Lieut. Eeid {Fury). Mr. C. Richards {Recla). Mr. W. H. Hooper {Futy). Mr. J. Sherer {Hecla). Mr. W. Mogg (clerk of Hecla). Songs by Messrs. C. Palmer {Hecla) and J. Henderson will be in^duced in the course of the evening. On the 17th of December a shivering set of actors per- formed to a great-coated, yet very cold audience the comedy of the "Poor Gentleman." A burst of true Eng- lish feeling was exhibited during the performance of this play. Li the scene where Lieut. Worthington and Corporal Foss recount in so animated a manner their former achieve- ments, advancing at the same time, and huzzaing for " Old England," the whole audience, with one accord, rose and gave three most hearty cheers. They then sat down, and the play continued uninterrupted. On Christmas Eve, in order to keep the people quiet and sober, two farces were performed, and the phantasma- goria (which had been kindly presented anonymously to the ships before leaving by a lady) exhibited, so that the night passed merrily away. The coldness of tne weather proved no bar to the per- formance of a play at the appointed time. If it amused • ' .it' i iiF 74 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. the soamcn the purpose was answered, but it was a cruel task for the performers. " In our green-room (says Lyon), which was as much warmed as any other part oif the Theatre, the tliermometer stood at 16°, and on a table which was placed over a stove, and about six inches above it, the coffee froze in the cups. For my sins, I was obli«(ed to be dressed in the height of the fashion, as Dick Vow las, in the " Heir at Law," and went through the last scene of the play with two of my fingers frost-bitten ! Let those who have witnessed and admired the performances of a Young, answer if he could possibly have stood so cold a reception." Captain Parry also states in his Journal, " Among the recreations which afforded the highest gratification to several among us, I may mention the musical parties we were enabled to muster, and which assembled on stated evenings throughout the winter, alternately in Commander Lyon's cabin and in ray own. More skilful amateurs in music might well have smiled at these, our humble con- certs, but it will not incline them to think less of the science they admire, to be assured that, in these remote and desolate regions of the globe, it has often furnished us with the most pleasurable sensations which our situation was capable of affording; for, independently of the mere grati- fication afforded to the ear by music, there is, perhaps, scarcely a person in the world really fond of it, in whose mind its sound is not more or less connected with * his far listant home.' There are always some remembrances which render them inseparable, and those associations are not to be despised, which, while we are engaged in the performance of our duty, can still occasionally transport us into the social circle of our friends at home, in spite of the oceans that roll between us." But their attention was not confined to mere amusements. Much to the credit of the seamen, an application was made in each ship for per- mission to open an evening school, which was willingly acceded to. Almost every man could read and some could write a little, but several found that, from long disuse, it was requisite to begin again. Mr. Halse volunteered to superintend the classes in the Fury; while Benjamin White, a seaman, who had been educated at Christ's Hospital, officiated as schoolmaster in the Hecla, and those best qualified to assist aided in the instruction of their shipmates, who made rapid progress under their tuition. On Christmas Day, Captain Lyon states that he received sixteen copies from men, who two mont speci pride mstet An magn Foxej caugl of O killec but parry's second voyage. 75 months before scarcely knew tlicir letters. These little specimens were all well written, and sent with as much pride as if the writers had been good little schoolboys, mstead of stout and excellent seamen. An observatory was erected on shore, for carrying on magnetical, astronomical, and other scientific operations. Foxes were very plentiful about the ships ; fifteen were caught in one trap in four hours on the ni^ht of the 25th of October, and above one hundred were either trapped or killed in the course of three months, and yet there seemed but little diminution in their numbers. Captain Lyon says he found them not bad eating, the flesh much resembling that of kid. A pack of thirteen wolves came occasionally to have a look at the ships, and on one occa- sion broke into a snow-house alongside, and walked off with a couple of Esquimaux dogs confined there. Bears now and then also made their appearance. A very beautiful ermine walked on board the Hecla one day, and was caught in a small trap placed on the deck, certainly the first of these animals which was ever taken alive on board a ship 4^ yards from the land. The ravenous propensities of even some of the smallest members of the animal kingdom are exemplified by the following extract: — " We liad for some time observed that in the fire-hole, which was kept open in the ice alongside, a countless mul- titude of small shrimps were constantly rising near the surface, and we soon found that in twenty-four hours they would clean, in the most beautiful manner, the skeletons." After attending Divine service on Christmas Day, the officers and crews sat down to the luxury of joints of English roast beef, which had been kept untainted by being frozen, and the outside rubbed with salt. Cranberry pies and puddings, of every shape and size, with a full allowance of spirits, followed, and, probably the natural attendance of neadaches succeeded, for the next morning it was deemed expedient to send all the people for a run on the ice, in order to put them to rights ; but thick weather coming on it became necessary to recal them, and, post- poning the dinner hour, they were all danced sober by one o clock, the fiddler being, fortunately, quite as he should be. During this curious ball, a witty fellow attended as an old cake woman, with lumps of frozen snow in a bucket ; and such was the demand for his pies on this occasion, that he was obliged to replenish prettv frequently. The year had now drawn to a close, and afl \ I f I 7G PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERT. enjoyed excellent health, and were blessed with good spirits, and zeal for the renewal of their arduous exertions in the summer. No signs of scurvy, the usual plague of such voyages, had occurred, and by the plans of Captain Parry, as carried out on the former voyage, a suflBciency of mustard and cress was raised between decks to afford all hands a saJad once, and sometimes twice a week. The cold now became intense. Wine froze in the bottles. Port was congealed into thin pink laminee, which lay looselj, and occupied the whole length of the bottle. White wme, on the contrary, froze into a solid and perfectly transparent mass, resembling amber. On the .1st of February the monotony of their life was varied by the arrival of a large party of Esquimaux, and an interchange of visits thenceforward took place with this tribe, which, singularly enough, were proverbial for their honesty. Ultimately, however, they began to display some thievish propensities, for on one evening in March a most shocking theft was committed, which was no less than the last piece of English corned beef from the mid- shipmen's mess. Had it been an 181b. carronade, or even one of the anchors, the thieves would have been welcome to it; but to purloin English beef in such a country was unpardonable. On the 15th of March Captain Lyon, Lieutenant Palmer, and a party of men, left the ship, with provisions, tents, &c., in a large sledge, for an excursion of three or four days, to examine the land in the neighbourhood of the ships. The first night's encampment was anything but com- fortable. Their tent they found so cold, that it was determined to make a cavern in the snow to sleep in ; and digging this afforded so good an opportunity of warming themselves, that the only shovel was lent from one to the other as a particular favour. After digging it of sufficient size to contain them all in a sitting posture, by means of the smoke of a fire they managed to raise the temperature to 20°, and, closing the entrance with blocks of snow, crept into their blanket oags and tried to sleep, with the plei^ sant reflection that their roof might fall m and bury them all, and that their one spade was the only means of liberation after a night's drift of snow. They woke next morning to encounter a heavy gale and drift, and found their sledge so embedded in the snow- that they could not get at it, and in the attempt their faces and e3±remities were most painfully frost-bitten. The mon worsi decic behiil andjj theii the hea^ and PARRY S SECOND VOYAGE. 77 The thermometer was at 32° below zero : they could not, moreover, see a yard of the road ; yet to remain appeared worse than to tjo forward — the last plan was, therefore, decided on. The tent, sledge, ana lugjjage were left behind, and with only a few pounds of bread, a little rum, and a spade, the party again set out ; and in order to depict their sufferings, 1 must take up the narrative as related by the commander himself. " Not knowing where to go, we wandered amongst the heavy hummocks of ice, and suffering from cold, fatigue, and anxiety, were soon completely bewildered. Several of our party now began to exhibit symptoms of that horrid kind of msensibility which is the prelude to sleep. They all professed extreme willingness to do what tney were told in order to keep in exercise, but none obeyed ; on the contrary, they reeled about like drunken men. The faces of several were severely frost-bitten, and some had for a considerable time lost sensation in their fingers and toes ; yet they made not the slightest exertion to rub the parts affected, and even discontinued their general custom of warming each other on observing a discolora- tion of the skin. Mr. Palmer employed the people in building a snow wall, ostensibly as a shelter from the wind, but in fact to give them exercies, when standing still must have proved fatal to men in our circumstances. My attention was exclusively directed to Sergeant Speck- man, who, having been repeatedly warned that his nose was frozen, had paid ho attention to it, owing to the state of stupefaction into which he had fallen. The frost-bite had now extended over one side of his face, which was frozen as hard as a mask ; the eyelids were stiff, and one comer of the upper lip so drawn up as to expose the teeth and gums. My nands being still warm, I had the happi- ness of restoring the circulation, after which I used all my endeavours to keep the poor fellow in motion ; but he complained sadly of giddiness and dimness of si^i-t, and was so weak as to be unable to walk without assistance. His case was so alarming, that I expected every moment lie would lie down, never to rise agam. "Our prospect now became every moment more gloomy, and it was but too probable that four of our party would be unable to survive another hour. Mr. Palmer, however, endeavoured, as well as myself, to cheer the people up, but it was a faint attempt, as we had not a single hope to give them. Every piece of ice, or even of smaU rock or stone, was now supposed to be the ships, and we had great diffi- culty in preventing the men from running to the different t) ^1 ■ 78 PHOGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. objecta which attracted them, and consoquonlly losinn^ themselves in the drift. In this state, while Mr. Palmer was runninjj round us to warm himst'lf, ho suddenly pitched on a now beaten track, and as exorcise was indispensable, wo determined on followinj^ it, wherever it mij^ht lead us. Having taken the sergeant under my coat, he recovered a little, and we moved onwards, when to our infinite joy wo found that the path led to the ships." As the result of this exposure, one man had two of his fingers so badly frost-bitton as to lose a good deal of the flesh of the upper ends, and for many days it was feared that he would be obliged to have them amputated. Quar- ter-master Carr, one of those who had been the most hardy while in the air, fainted twice on getting below, and every one had severe frost-bites in different parts of the body, which recovered after the usual loss of sJtin in these cases. One of the Esquimaux females, by name Igloolik, who plays a conspicuous part in the narrative, was a general favourite, being possessed of a large fund of useful informa- tion, having a good voice and ear for music, being an excellent sempstress, and having such a good idea of the hydrography and bearings of the neighbouring sea-coasts, as to draw charts which guided Parry much in his future operations, for he found her sketches to be in the main cor- rect. She connected the land from their winter-quarters to the north-west sea, rounding and terminating the northern extremity of this part of America, by a large island, and a strait of sufficient magnitude to afford a safe passage for the ships. This little north-west passage, observes Lyon, set us all castle-building, and we already fancied the worst part of our voyage over ; or, at all events, that before half the ensuing summer was past, we should arrive at Akkoolee, the Esquimaux settlement on the western shore. Half- way between that coast and Repulse Bay, Igloolik drew on her chart a lake of considerable size, having small streams running from it to the sea, on each side ; and the correctness of this information was fully proved by Rae in his recent expedition in 1846. On the 13th of April their Esquimaux friends took their departure for other quarters; towards the end of the month the crews completed the cutting of trenches round the vessels, in order that they might rise to their proper bearings previous to working in the holds, and the ships floated like corks on their native element, after their long imprisonment of 191 days. As the season appeared to be improving, another land expedition was determined on, andl a pi witr slei parry's second voyagk. 70 and Captain Lyon aud Lieutenant Palmer, attended by a party of eight men, se^ off on the 8ih of May, tnkini^ with them twenty days' provisions. Each man drew on a, sledge 12() lbs., and tuo oflieera 95 lbs. a-piece. •'Loaded as we were (says the leader), it was with tho greatest dilDculty wo made our way amongst and over tho hummoeks, ourselves and sledges taking some very un- pleasant tumbles. It required two hours and a half to cross tho ice, although the distance was not two miles, and we then landed on a small island, where we passed tho night." Several islands and shoals in the strait were named Bird's Isles. At noon on the 11th, they camped at tho head of a line bay, to which the name of l31akc was given. In spite of all the care w hich had been taken by using crape shades, and other coverings for the eyes, five of the party became severely afflicted with snow blmdneas. Before evening two of the sufi'erers were quite blinded by tho inflammation. Their faces, eyes, and even heads, being much swollen, and very red. Bathing would have afforded relief, but the sun did. not produce a drop of water, and their stock of fuel being limited, they could only spare enough wood to thaw snow for their mid-day draught. As the morning of the 12th brought no change in tho invalids, another day was lost. Towards evening, by breaking pieces of ice, and placing them in the full glare of the sun, sufficient water was obtained, both for drink- ing and for the sick to bathe their faces, which afforded them amazing relief, and on the morrow they were enabled to resume their journey. At noon the sun was sufficiently powerful to afford the travellers a draught of water with- out having to thaw it, as had hitherto been the case. For nearly three days after this, they were imprisoned in their low tent by a snow-storm, but on the morning of the 18th, they were enabled to sally out to stretch their legs, and catch a glimpse of the sun. After examining many bays and indentations of the coast, the party returned to the snips on the evening of the 21st. A canal was now cut through the ice, to get the ships to the open water, in length 2400 feet, and varying in breadth from 60 to 197 feet. The average thickness of the ice was four feet, but in some places it was as much as twelve feet. This truly arduous task had occupied the crews for fifteen days, from six in tho morning to eight in the evening; but they laboured at it witli the greatest spirit and good humour, and it was concluded on me 18th or June, when the officers and men began to take leave of their several haunts and 80 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. promonndos, nnrticularly the *' garden" of each ship, which had hocomo favourite lounges during their nine months' detention. A few ill-fated buntini^ came near enough to bo shot, and were instantly roasted for a farewell supper, and bright visions of active exertions on the water on the morrow were universally entertained. But the night dis- pelled all these airy castles, for with the morning's dawn they found that the whole body of ice astern of the ships had broke adrift, filled up the hard-wrought canal, and imprisoned them as firm as ever. I)eath now for the first time visited the crews. James Pringlo, a seaman of the ITecla, fell from the mast-head to the oeck, and was killed on the 18th of May. Wm. Souter, quarter-master, and John Keid, carpenter s mate, belong- ing to the FurVf died on the 26th and 27th, of natural causes. Towaras the end of Juno, the sea began to clear rapidly to the eastward, and the bay ice soon gave way as far as where the ships were lying, and on the 2nd of July they put to sea with a fresh breeze, after having been frozen in for 267 days. In making their way to the northward, they were fre- quently in much danger. On the 3rd, the ice came down on the Hecla with such force as to carry her on board the Fury, by which the Hecla broke her "best bower anchor, and cut her waist-boat in two. On the 4th, the pressure of the ice was so great as to break the Hecla adrift from three hawsers. Four or five men were each on separate pieces of ice, parted from the ships in the endeavour to run out a hawser. A heavy pressure closing the loose ice, unexpectedly gave them a road on board again, or they must have been carried away by the stream to certain destruction. On the 8th, the Hecla had got her stream- cable out, in addition to the other hawsers, and made fast to the land ice, when a very heavy and extensive floe took the ship on her broadside, and being backed by another large body of ice, gradually lifted her stem as if by the action of a wedge. " The weight every moment increasing, obliged us," says Captain Lyon, " to veer on the hawsers, whose fric- tion was so great as nearly to cut through the bitt-heads, and ultimately to set them on fire, so that it became requi- site for people to attend with buckets of water. The pres- sure was at length too powerful for resistance, and the stream-cable, with two six and one five-inch hawsers, all gave way at the same moment, three others soon follow- ing them. The sea was too full of ice to allow the ship to PARUYS SECOND VOYAGE. 81 ream- fast I took l>ther the us," fric- 3ads, jqui- )re8- the ,all low- Ip to drivo, and the only way in which she could yield to the enormous weight which oppressed her, was by leaning over on the land ice, while ner stem at tlic same time was entirely lifted to above the height of five feet out of the water. The lower deck beams now complained very much, and the whole frame of the ship underwent a trial which would have proved fatal to any less strengthened vessel. At the same moment, the rudder was unhung with a sudden jerk, which broke up the rudder-case, and struck the driver-boom with great force." From this perilous position she was released almost by A miracle, ana the rudaer re-hunf^. The ships at last reached the island which had been so accurately described to them by the Esquimaux lady — Igloolik, where they came upon an encampment of 120 Esquimaux, in tents. Captains Parry and Lyon and other oflBcers made frequent explorin|j excursions along the shores of the Fury and Hecla strait, and inland. On the 26th of August the ships entered this strait, which was found blocked up with flat ice. The season had also now assumed so wintry an aspect that there seemed but little probability of getting much farther west : knowing of no harbour to protect the ships, unless a favourable change took place, they had the gloomy prospect before them of wintering in or near this frozen strait. Boating and land parties were dispatched in several directions, to report upon the dijQTerent localities. On the 4th of September, Captain Lyon landed on an island of slate formation, about six miles to the westward of the ships, which he named Amherst Island. The result of these expeditions proved that it was impracticable, either by boats or water conveyance, to examine any part of the land south-west of Igloolik, in consequence of the ice. Mr. Reid and a boat-narty travelled about sixty miles to the westward of Amlierst Island, and ascertained the termination of the strait. On a consultation with the officers, Captain Parry determined to seek a berth near to Igloolik, in which to secure the ships for the winter. They had now been sixty-five days struggling to get for- ward, but had only in that time reached wrty miles to the westward of Igloolik. The vessels made the best of their way to the natural channel between this island and the land, but were for some time drifted with the ice, losing several anchors, and it was only by hard work in cutting channels that they were brought into safer quaiters near G \y^ A -^ 82 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERT. the land. Some fine teams of dogs were here purchased from the Esquimaux, which were foimd Tery serviceable in making excursions on sledges. Their second Christmas Day in this region had now arrived, and Jjvon informs us — " Captain Farry dined with me, and was treated with a superb display of mustard and cress, with about fifty onions, rivalling a fine needle in size, which I had reared in boxes round my cabin stove. All our messes in either ship were supplied with an extra pound of real English fresh beef, which had been hanging at our quarter for eighteen months. We could not afford to leave it for a farther trial of keeping, but I have no doubt that double the period would not have quite spoiled its flavour." This winter proved much more severe than the former. Additional clothing was formd necessary. The stove-fun- nels collected a quantity of we within them, notwithstand- ing fires were Kept up night and day, so that it was frequently requisite to take them down in order to break and melt the ice out of them. Nothing was seen of the sun for forty-two day?. On the 15th of April, Mr. A. Elder, Greenland mate of the Hecla, died of dropsy : he had been leading man with Parry on Ross's voyage, and for his good conduct was made mate of the Cfftper, on the last expedition. On the 6th of September, 1823, Mr. Geo. Fife, the pilot, also died of scurvy. After taking a review of their provisions, and the proba- bility of having to pass a third winter here. Captain Parrv determined to send the JSecla home, taking from her all the provision that could be spared. Little or no hopes could be entertained of any passage being found to the westward, otherwise than by the strait now so firmly closed with ice; but Parry trusted that some interesting additions might be made to the geography of these dreary regions, by attempting a passage to the northward or east- ward, in hopes of finding an outlet to Lancaster Sound or Prince !Regent's Lilet. On the 21st of April, 1823, they began transshipping the provisions ; the teams of dogs being found most useful for this purpose. Even two anchors of 22 cwt. each, were drawn by these noble animals at a auick trot. Upon admitting daylight at tne stem windows of the Hecla, on me 22nd, the gloomy, sooty cabin showed to no great advantage, no less than ten buckets of ice were taken from the sashes and out of the stem lockers, from which latter some spare flannels and instruments were only liberated by chopping. cl 1^1 parry's second voyage. 83 was ' On the 7tli of June, Captain Lyon, with a party of men, set off across the Melville Peninsula, to endeavour to ^et a sight of the western sea, of which they had received do- scriptive accounts from the natives, but owing to the diffi- culties of travelling, and the ranges of mountams they met with, they returned unsuccessful, after being out twenty days. Another inland trip of a fortnight followed. On the Ist of August, the Hecla was reported ready for sea. Some symptoms of scurvy having again made their appearance in the ships, and the surgeons reporting that it would not be prudent to continue longer. Captain JParry reluctantly determined to proceed home with both ships. After being 319 days in their winter quarters, the ships got away on the 9th of August. A conspicuous landmark, with despatches, was set up on the mainland for the information of Eranklin, should he reach this quarter. On reaching Winter Island, and visiting their last year's garden, radishes, mustard and cress, and onions were brought off, which had survived the winter and were still alive, seventeen months from the time they were planted, a very remarkable proof of their having been preserved by the warm covering of snow. The ships, during the whole of this passage, were driven by the current more than three degrees, entirely at the mercy of the ice, being carried into every bight, and swept over each point, without the power of helping them- selves. On the 1st of September, they were driven up Lyon Inlet, where they were confined high up till the 6th, when a breeze sprung up, which took tnem down to within three miles of Winter Island ; stiU it was not until the 12th that they got thoroughly clear of the indraught. The danger and suspense of these twelve days were horrible, and Lyon justly observes that he would prefer being frozen up during another eleven months' winter, to again passing so anxious a period of time. " Ten of the twelve nights were passed on deck, in expectation, each tide, of some decided change in our affairs, either by being left on the rocks, or grounding in such shoal water, that the whole body of the ice must have slid over us. But, as that good old seaman Baffin expresses himself, ' God, who is greater than either ice or tide, always deUvered us !' " For thirty-five days the shij)s had been beset, and in that period had driven with the ice above 300 mil(M without any exertion on their part, and also without a possibility a2 f 4. iv i d# PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERT. of extricating themselves. On the 23rd of September they once more got into the swell of the Atlantic, and on the 10th of October arrived at Lerwick, in Shetland. Clavebing's Voyage to Spitzbebgen and Green- land, 1823. In 1823, Capt. Sabine, R.A., who had been for some time engaged in magnetic observations, and also in experi- ments to determine the configuration of the earth, by means of pendulum vibrations in different latitudes, having perfected his observations at different points, from the Equator to the Arctic Circle, suggested to the Eoyal Society, through Sir Humphry Davy, the importance of extending similar exneriments into higher latitudes towards the Pole. Accordingly, the Government placed at his disposal H.M.S. Griper^ 120 tons, Commander Clavering, which was to convey him to Spitzbergen, and thence to the east coast of Greenland. The Griper sailed from the Nore on the 11th of May, and proceeded to Hammerfest, or Whale Island, near the Nortn Cape in Norway, which she reached on the 4th of June, and Capt. Sabine having finished his shore observa- tions by the 23rd, the vessel set sail for Spitzbergen. She fell in with ice off Cherry Island, in lat. 75° 6', on the 27th, and on the 30th disembarked the tents and instru- ments on one of the small islands round Hakluyt's Head- land, near the eightieth parallel. Capt. Clavering, mean- while, sailed in the Griper due north, and reached the latitude of 80° 20', where being stopped by close packed ice, he was obliged to return. On the 24th of JuIt^ they again put to sea, directing their course for the highest known point of the eastern coast of Greenland. They met with many fields of ice, and made the land, which had a most miserable desolate appearance, at a point which was named Cape Borlase "Warren. Two islands were discovered, and as Capt. Sabine here landed and carried on his observations, they were called Pendulum Islands. From an island situate in lat. 75° 12', to which he gave the name of Shannon Island, Clavering saw high land, stretching due north as far as lat. 76°. On the 16th of August, Clavering landed with a party of three officers and sixteen men on the mainland, to examine the shores. The temperature did not sink below 23°, and they slept for nearly a fortnight they were on shore with only a boat-cloak and blanket for a covering, without feel- tj ic LTON*S VOYAGE IN THE GRIPER. 85 ing any inconvenience from the cold. A tribe of twelve Esquimaux was met with here. They reached in their journey a magnificent inlet, about fifty miles in circum- ference, which was supposed to be the same which Gale Hamkes discovered in 1654, and which bears his name. The mountains round its sides were 4000 to 5000 feet high. On the 29th of August, they returned on board, and having embarked the tents ana instruments, the ship again set sail on the 31st, keeping the coast in view to Cape Parry, lat. 72^°. The cuffs were observed to be several thousand feet high. On the 13th of September, as the ice in shore began to get very troublesome, the ship stood out to sea, and after encountering a very heavy gale, which drove them with great fury to the southward, and it not being thought prudent to make for Iceland, a station in about the same latitude on the Norway coast was chosen instead by Capt. Sabine. They made the land about the latitude of Christiansound. On the 1st of October the Griper struck hard on a sunken rock, but got off undamaged. On the 6th they anchored in Drontheim Fiord, where they were receivea with much kindness and hospitality, ana after the necessary observations had been completed the ship proceeded homewards, and reached Deptford on the 19th of December, 1823. Lyon's Voyage in the Gbipeb. In 1824 three expeditions were ordered out, to carry on simultaneous operations in Arctic discovery. To Capt. Lyon was committed the task of examining and complet- ing the survey of the Melville Peninsula, the adjoining straits, and the shores of Arctic America, if possible as far as Franklin's turning point. Capt. Lyon was therefore gazetted to the Griper gun-brig, which had taken out Capt. Sabine to Spitzbergen in the previous year. The fol- lowing officers and crew were also appointed to her :— Griper, Captain— G. F. Lyon. Lieutenants — P. Manico and F. Harding. Assistant- Surveyor— E. N. Kendal. Purser — J. Evans. Assistant-Surgeon — ^W. Leyson. Midshipman — J. Tom. 34 Petty officers, seamen, &c. Total complement, 41. ;: 1 }l SQ PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. It was not till the 20th of June that the Griper got away from England, being a full month later than the usual period of departure, and the vessel was at the best but an old tub in ner sailing properties. A small tender, called the Snap, was ordered to accompany her with stores as far as the ice, and having been relieved of her supplies, she was sent home on reaching Hudson's Straits. The Griper made but slow progress in her deeply laden state, her crowded decks being continually swept Iby heavy seas, and it was not until the end of August that she rounded the southern head of Southampton Island, and stood up towards Sir Thomas Boe's Welcome. On reach- ing the entrance of this channel they encountered a terrific gale, which for a long time threatened the destruction of oth ship and crew. Drifting with this, they brought up the ship with four anchors, in a bay with five fathoms and a half water, in the momentary expectation that with the ebb tide the ship would take the ground, as the sea broke fearfully on a low sandy beach just astern, and had the anchors parted nothing could have saved the vessel. Neither commander nor crew had been in bed for three nights, and although little hope was entertained of surviving the gale, and no boat couldtlive in such a sea, the officers and crew performed their several duties with their accustomed coolness. Each man was ordered to put on his warmest clothing, and to take charge of some use- ful instrument. The scene is best described in the words of the gallant commander : — " Each, therefore, brought his bag on deck, and dressed himself; and in the fine athletic forms which stood exposed before me, I did not see one muscle quiver, nor the slightest sign of alarm. Prayers were read, and they then all sat down in groups, sheltered from the wash of the sea by whatever they could find, and some endeavoured to obtain a little sleep. Never perhaps was witnessed a finer scene than on the deck of my little ship, when all hope of life had left us. Noble as the character of the British sailor is always allowed to be in cases of danger, yet I did not believe it to be possible that among forty-one persons not one repining word should have been uttered. Each was at peace with his neighbour and all the world ; and I am firmly persuaded that the resignation which was then shown to the will of the Almighty, was the means of obtaining His mercy. God was merciful to us, and the tide, almost miraculously, fell no lower." The appropriate name of the Bay of God's Mercy has been given to this spot on the charts by Capt. Lyon. abo 12t it •warn fill das offi sta pas the En PARRY S THIRD VOYAGE. 87 ' Proceeding onward up the Welcome, tbey encountered, about a fortnight later, another fearful storm. On the 12th of September, when oflf the entrance of Wager Inlet, it blew so hard for two days, that on the 13th the ship was driven from her anchors, and carried away by the fury of the gale, with every prospect of being momentarily dashed to pieces against any hidden rock ; but the same good Providence which had so recently befriended them, again stood their protector. On consulting with his officers, it was unanimously resolved, that in tne crippled state of the ship, without any anchor, and with her com- passes worse than useless, it would be madness to continue the voyage, and the ship's course was therefore shaped for England. fmay observe, that the old Griper is now laid up as a hulk in Chichester Harbour, furnishing a residence and dep6t for the coast guard station. i Parry's Third Voyage. In the spring of 1824 the Admiralty determined to give Capt. Parry another opportunity of carrying out the great problem which had so long been sought after, of a north- west passage to the Pacmc, and so generally esteemed was this gEulant commander that he had but to hoist his pennant, when fearless of all danger, and in a noble spirit of emulation, his former associates rallied around him. The same two ships were employed as before, but Parry now selected the Mecla for his pennant. The stafi* of officers and men was as follows : — Secla. Captriin — ^W. E. Pa^« Lieutenants — J. L. Wynn, Joseph Sherer, and Heniy Foster. Surgeon — Samuel Neill, M.D. Purser — ^W. H. Hooper. Assistant-Surgeon — W. Eowland. Midshipmen — J. Brunton, F. E. M.Crozier, C.Eichards, and H. N. Head. Greenland Pilots — J. Allison, master; and G. Cham- pion, mate. 49 Petty Officers, Seamen, and Marines. Total complement, 62. v-| PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. Fury, Commander— H. P. Hoppner. Lieutenants — ^H. T. Austm and J. C. Boss. Surgeon — A. M'Laren. Purser— J. Halse. Assistant- Surgeon — T. Bell. Midshipmen — B. Westropp, 0. C. Waller, and E. Bird. Clerk— W. Mogg. Greenland Pilots — G. Crawford, master ; T. Donaldson, mate. 48 Petty Officers, Seamen, and Marines. Total complement, 60. The William Sarris, transport, was commissioned to accompany the ships to the ice with provisions. Among the promotions made, it will be seen, were Lieut. Hoppner to the rank of Commander, and second in command of the expedition. Messrs. J. Sherer and J. C. Boss to be Lieu> tenants, and J. Halse to be Purser. The attempt on this occasion was to be made by Lancaster Souna through Barrow's Strait to Prince Begent Inlet. The ships sailed on the 19th of May, 1824, and a month afterwards fell in with the body of the ice in lat. 60|°. After trans- shipping the stores to the two vessels, and sending home the transport, about the middle of July they were close beset with the ice in Baffin's Bay, and " from this time (says Parry) the obstructions from the quantity, magni- tuae, and closeness of the ice, were sucn as to keep our people almost constantly employed in heaving, warping, or sawing through it ; and yet with so little success that, at the close of July, we had only penetrated seventy miles to the westward." After encountering a severe gale on the 1st of August, by which masses of overlaying ice were driven one upon the other, the Hecla was laid on her broadside by a strain, which Parry says must inevitably have crushed a vessel of ordinary strength ; they got clear of the chief obstructions by the first week in September. During the whole of August they had not one day suffi- ciently free from rain, snow, or sleet, to be able to air the bedding of the ship's company. They entered Lancaster Sound on the 10th of Sep- tember, and with the exception of a solitary berg or two found it clear of ice. A few days after they, however, fell in with the young ice, which increasing daily in thickness, the ships became beset, and by the current which set to the east at the rate of tliree miles an hour^ the^ were soon red 8e( dr( PARRY S THIRD VOYAGE. 89 drifted back to the eastward of Admiralty Inlet, and on the 23rd they found themselves again off Wollaston Island, at the entrance of !N^avv Board Inlet. By perse- verance, however, and the aid of a strong easterly breeze, they once more managed to recover their lost ground, and on the 27th reached the entrance of Port Bowen on the eastern shore of Prince Eegent Inlet, and here Parry resolved upon wintering ; this making the fourth winter this enterprising commander had passed in these inhos- pitable seas. The usual laborious process of cutting canals had to be resorted to, in order to get the ships near to the shore in secure and sheltered situations. Parry thus describes the dreary monotonous character of an Arctic winter : — " It is hard to conceive any one thing more like another than two winters passed in the higher latitudes of the Polar regions, except when variety happens to be afforded by intercourse with some other branch of the whole family of man. Winter after winter, nature here assumes an aspect so much alike, that cursory observation can scarcely detect a single feature of variety. The winter of more temperate climates, and even in some of no slight severity, is occasionally diversified by a thaw, which at once gives variety and comparative cheerfulness to the prospect. But here, when once the earth is covered, all is dreary mono- tonous whiteness, not merely for days or weeks, but for more than half a year together. "Whichever way the eye is turned, it meets a picture calculated to impress upon the mind an idea of inanimate stillness, of that motionless torpor with which our feelings have nothing congenial ; of anything, in short, but life. In the very silence there is a deadness with which a human spectator appears out of keeping. The presence of man seems an intrusion on the dreary solitude of this wintry desert, which even its native animals have for awhile forsaken." During this year Parry tells us the thermometer re- mained below zero 131 days, and did not rise above that point till the 11th of April. The sun, which had been absent from their view 121 days, again blessed the crews with his rays on the 22nd of FeDruary. During this long imprisonment, schools, scientific observations, walk- ing parties, &c., were resorted to, but "our former amusements," says Parry, " being almost worn threadbare, it required some ingenuity to devise any plan that should possess the charm of novelty to recommend it." A happy idea was, however, hit upon by Commander Hoppner, at ^hose suggestion a monthly bal masqui was held, to the ^i ! . 1 i! 90 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. great diversion of both officers and men, to the number of 120. The popular commander entered gaily into their recreations, and thus speaks of these Polar mas- querades : — " It is impossible that any idea could have proved more happy, or more exactly suited to our situation. Admirably dressed characters or various descriptions readily toot their parts, and many of these were supported with a de^ee of spirit and genuine good humour which would not have disgraced a more refined assembly; while the latter might not have been disgraced by copymg the good order, decorum, and inoffensive cheerfulness which our humble masquerades presented. It does especial credit to the disjpositions and good sense of our men, that though all the officers entered mlly into the spirit of these amuse- ments, which took place once a month alternately on board of each ship, no instance occurred of anything that could interfere with the regular discipline, or at all weaken the respect of the men towards their superiors. Ours were masquerades without licentiousness — carnivals without excess." Exploring parties were sent out in several directions. Commander Hoppner and his party went inland, and after a fortnight's fatiguing journey over a mountainous, barren, and desolate country, where precipitous ravines 500 feet deep obstructed their passage, travelled a degree and three- quarters — to the latitude of 73° 19' — but saw no appear- ance of sea from thence. Lieutenant Sherer with four men proceeded to the southward, and made a careful survey of the coast as far as 72^°, but had not provisions sufficient to go round Capo Kater, the southernmost point observed in their former yoyage. Lieutenant J. C. Boss, with a similar party, travelled to the northward, along the coast of the Inlet, and from the hills about Cape York, observed that the sea was perfectly open and free from ice at the distance of twenty-two miles from the ships. After an unprisonment of about ten months, by great exertions the ships were got clear from the iee, and on the 20th of July, 1825, upon the separation of the floe across the harbour, towed out to sea. Parry then made for the western shore of the Inlet, being desirous of examining the coast of I^orth Somerset for any channel that might occur, a probability which later discoveries in that quarter have proved to be without foundation. On the 28th, when weU m with the western shore, the Secla, in spite of every i tl tl parry's third voyage. 91 exertion, was beset by floatinfr ice, and after brealcing two lar^c ice anchors in endeavouring to heave in shore, was r bhp^ed to give up the effort and drift with the ice until ike 30th. On the following day, a heavy gale came on, in which the Hecla carried away three hawsers, while the Fur;y was driven on shore, but was hove off" at high water. Both ships were now drifted by the body of the ice down the Inlet, and took the ground, the JFm;;^ being so nipped and strained that she leaked a great deal, and four pumps kept constantly at work did not keep her clear of water. They were floated off" at high water, but, late on the 2nd of August, the huge masses of ice once more forced the Fury on shore, and the Hecla narrowly escaped. On examining her and getting her off", it was found that she must be nove down and repaired ; a basin was therefore formed for her reception and completed by the 16th, a mile further to the southward, within three icebergs grounded, where there were three or four fathoms of water. Into this basin she was taken on the 18th, and her stores and provisions being removed, she was hove down, but a gale of wind coming on and destroying the masses of ice which sheltered her, it became necessary to re-em- bark the stores, &c., and once more put to sea ; but the unfortunate vessel had hardly got out of her harbour before, on the 21st, she was again driven on shore. After a careful survey and examination, it was found necessary to abandon her : Parry's opinion being thus expressed — " Every endeavour of ours to get her off*, or if got off", to float her to any known place of safety, would be at once utterly hopeless in itself, and productive of extreme risk to our remaining ship." The loss of this ship, and the crowded state of the remaining vessel, made it impossible to think of continuing the voyage for the purposes of discovery. " The incessant labour, the constant state of anxiety, and the frequent and imminent danger into which the sur- viving ship was thrown, in the attempts to save her com- rade, which were continued for twenty-five days, destroyed every reasonable expectation hitherto cherished of the ultimate accomplishment of this objeet." Taking advantage of a northeiiy wind, on the 27tli the Jlecla stretched across the Inlet for the eastern coast, meeting with little obstruction from the ice, and anchored in Neiirs Harbour, a short distance to the southward of their winter quarters, Port Bowen, where the ship was got ready for crossing the Atlantic. The JSecla put to sea on the 31st of August, and enter* 1 I ! ft PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. inff Barrow's Strait on the Ist of September, found it perfectly clear of ice. In Lancaster Sound a very lari;e number of bergs were seen ; but they found an open sea in Baffin's Bay, till, on the 7tli of September, when in lati- tude 72° 30', they came to the margm of the ice, and soon entered a clear channel on its eastern side. From thirty to fortj large icebergs, not less than 200 feet in height, were sighted. On the 12th of October, Captain Parry landed at Peter- head, and the Hecla arrived at Sheerness on the 20th. But one man died during this voyage — John Pa^o, a sea- man of the J^Mry— who (fied of scurvy, in Neill's Harbour, on the 29th of August. This voyage cannot but be considered the most unsuc- cessful of the three made by Parry, whether as regards the information gleaned on the subject of a north-west passage or the extension of our store of geographical or scientific knowledge. The shores of this Inlet were more naked, barren, and desolate than even Melville Island. With the exception of some hundreds of white whales, seen sporting about the most southernmost part of the Inlet that was visited, few other species of animals were seen. " We have scarcely," says Parry, *• ever visited a coast on which so little of animal life occurs. For days to- gether only one or two seals, a single 89a*horse, and now and then a flock of ducks were seen." He still clings to the accomplishment of the gi*ea,t object of a north-west passage. At page 184 of his official narrative, he says — " I feel confluent that the undertaking, if it be deemed advisable at any future time to pursue it, will one day or other be accomplished; for — setting aside the accidents to which, from their very nature, such attempts must be liable, as well as other unfavourable circumstances which human foresight can never guard against, or human power control — ^I cannot but believe it to oe an enterprise well within the reasonable limits of practicability. It may be tried often and fail, for several favourable and fortunate circumstances must be combined for its accomplishment ; but I believe, nevertheless, that it will ultimately be accomplished." " I am much mistaken, indeed,'* he adds, " if the north- west passage ever becomes the business of a single summer; nay, I beueve that nothing but a concurrence of very favourable circumstances is likely ever to make a single winter in the ice sufficient for its accomplishment. But there is no argument against the possibility of flnal success : for^ not N pass and FUANKLIN S SECOND EXPEDITIOy. 93 for wo now know that a winter in the ice may bo passed not only in safety but in health and comfort." Not one winter alone, but two and three have been passed with health and safety in these seas, under a wise and careful commander. Fbanklin's Second Expedition, 1825-26. Undaunted b^ the hardships and suficrin^s he had encountered in his previous travels, with a noble spirit of ardour and enthusiasm, Captain Franklin determined to prosecute the chain of his ibrmer discoveries from the Coppermine river to the most western point of the Arctic regions. A sea expedition, under the command of Captain Beechey, was at the same time sent round Cape Horn to Behring's Straits, to co*operate with Parry and Franklin, so as to furnish provisions to the former, and a conveyance home to the latter. Captain Franklin's offer was therefore accepted by the government, and leaving Liverpool in Februarjr, 1 825, he arrived at New York about the middle of March. The officers under his orders were his old and tried companions and fellow sufferers in the former journey — Dr. Kichard- Bon and Lieutenant Back, with Mr. £. N. EendaJ, a mate in the navy, who had been out in the Griper with Capt. Lyon, and Mr. T. Drummond, a naturalist. Four boats, specially prepared for the purposes of the expedition, were sent out by the Hudson's Bay Company's ship. In July, 1825, the party arrivea at Fort Chipewyan. It is unnecessary to go over the ground and follow them in their northern journey ; suffice it to say, they reached Great Bear Lake in saiety, and erected a winter dwelling on its western shore, to which the name of Fort Franklin was given. To Back and Mr. Dease, an officer in the Hudson's Bay Company's service, were entrusted the arrangements for their winter quarters. From here a small party set out with Franklin down the Mackenzie to examine the state of the Polar Sea. On the 6th of September they got back to their companions, and prepared to pass the long winter of seven or eight months. On the 28th of June, 1826, the season being sufficiently advanced, and all their preparations completed, the whole party got away in four boats to descend the Mackenzie to the Polar Sea. Where the river branches off into several channels, the party separated on the 3rd of July, Captain Franklin and Lieutenant Back, with two boats and fourteen men, haying with them the faithful Esquimaux interpreter. t 1 V t ii. Jl 94 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. Auf![U8tuB, wlio bad been witb tbom on tbo former cxpedi* tion, proceeded to tbo westward, wbilo Dr. Bicbardson and Mr. Kendal in tbo otbcr two boats, baving ten men under tboir command, set out in an easterly direction to Boarcb tbe Coppermine river. Frniiklin arrived at tbe moutb of tbe Mackenzie on tbo 7tb of July, wbere he encountered a large tribe of fierce Esquimaux, wbo pillaged bis boats, and it was only by great caution, prudence, and forbearance, tbat tbe wbolo party were not massacred. After getting tbe boats afloat, and clear of tbeso unpleasant visitors, Franklin pursued bis survey, a most tedious and difficult one, for more tban a montb ; be was only able to reach a point in latitude 70° 24' N. longitude 149° 37' W., to which Back's name was given ; and here prudence obliged him to return, although, strangely enough, a boat from the Blossom was waiting not 1(X) miles west of his position to meet with him. The extent of coast surveyed was 374 miles. Tbe return journey to Fort Franklin was safely accomplished, and they arrived at their house on the 2l8t of September, when they found Hichardson and Kendal had returned on tbe first of tbe montb, having accomplished a voyage of about 600 miles, or 902 by the coast line, between the 4th of July and the 8th of August. Thejr had pushed forward beyond the strait named after their boats the Dolphin and Union. In ascending the Coppermine, they had to abandon their boats and carry their provisions and baggage. Having passed another winter at Fort Franklin, as soon as the season broke up tbe Canadians were dismissed, and the party returned to England. The cold experienced in the last winter was intense, the thermometer standing at one time at 68° below zero, but having now plenty of food, a weather-tight dwelling, and good health, they passed it cheerfully. Dr. Hichardson gave a course of lectures on practical geology, and Mr. Drummond furnished information on natural history. During the winter, in a solitary hut on the Eocky Mountains, be managed to collect 200 specimens of birds, animals, &c., and more tban 1600 of plants. When Captain Franklin left England to proceed on this expedition he had to undergo a severe struggle between the feelings of affection and a sense of duty. His wife (he has been married twice) was then lying at the point of death, and indeed died the day after he left England. But with heroic fortitude she urged his depar- ture at the very day appointed, entreating him, as be BEECIIEYS VOYAGE. 95 valued her peace and liis own glory, not to dolay a moment on her account. Hia feelings, therefore, nmy bo inferred, but not described, when ho had to elevate on Garry Island a silk ila^ wliieh she had made and ^iven him as a parting gift, with the instruction that ho was only to hoist it on retu ^ling the Polar Sea. Beech ky's Voyage.— 182C-28. H.M. 8L00P Bluxsnm, 2G, CnptainF. W. Beechey, sailed from Spithead on the \V\]\ of May , 1825, and her instVuetions directed her, after surveying some of the islands in the Pacific, to bo in Behring's Straits by the summer or autumn of 1826, and contingently in that of 1827. It is foreign to my purpose liere to allude to those parts of her voyage anterior to her arrival in the Straits. On the 28th of June the Blossom came to an anchor off the town of Petropolowski, where she fell in with the Russian ship of war Modeste, under the command of Baron "Wrangel, so well known for his enterprise in the hazardous expedition by sledges over the ice to tho north- ward of Cape Shelatskoi, or Errinos. Captain Beechey here found despatches informing him of the return of Parry's expedition. Being beset by currents and other difficulties, it was not till the 5th of July that the Blossom got clear of tho harbour, and made the best of her way to Kotzebue Sound, reaching tho appointed rendezvous at Chamiso Island on the 25th. After landing and burying a barrel of flour upon PulHn Hock, the most unfrequented spot about the island, the Blossom occui)ied the time in surveying and examining the neighbouring coasts to the north east. On the 30th she took her departure from the island, erecting posts or land-marks, and burying despatches at Cape Krusenstem, near a cape which he named after Franklin, near Icy Cape. The ship returned to the rendezvous on the evening of the 28th of August. The barrel of flour had been dug up, and appropriated by the natives. On the first visit of one of these parties, they con- structed a chart of the coast upon the sand, of which, however, Captain Beechey at first took very little notice. "They, however, renewed their labour, and performed their work upon the sandy beach in a very ingenious and intelligible manner. The coast line was nrst marked out with a stick, and the distances regulated by the day's journey. The hills and ranges of mountains were next shown by elevations of sand or stone, and the islands I <)6 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. represented by licaps of pebbles, their proportions being duly attended to. As the work proceeded some of the bystanders occasionally suggested alterations, and Cap- tain Beechey moved one of the Diomede Islands, which was misplaced. This was at first objected to by the hydrographer, but one of the party recollecting that the islands were seen in one from Cape Prince of Wales, confirmed its new position and made the mistake quite evident to the others, who were much surprised that Captain Beechey should have any knowledge of the subject. When the mountains and islands were erected, the villages and fishing-stations were marked by a number of sticks placed upright, in imitation of those which are put up on the coast wherever these people fix their abode. In time, a complete hydrographical plan was drawn from Cape Derby to Cape Kirusenstern. This ingenuity and accuracy of description on the part of the Esquimaux is worthy of particular remark, and has been verified by almost all the Arctic explorers. The barge which had been despatched to the eastward, under charge of Mr. Elson, reached to lat. 71° 23' 31" N., and long. 156° 21' 30" W., when she was stopped by the ice whicn was attached to the shore. The farthest tongue of land they reached, was named Point Barrow, and is about 126 miles north-east of Icy Cape, being only about 150 or 160 miles from Franklin's discoveries west of the Mackenzie river. The wind suddenly changing to south-west, the compact body of ice began to drift with the current to the north- east at the rate of 3^ miles an hour, and Mr. Elson, finding it difficult to avoid large floating masses of ice, was obliged to come to an anchor to prevent oeing driven back. "It was not long before he was so closely beset in the ice, thatno clear water could be seen in any direction from the hills, and the ice continuing to press against the shore, his vessel was driven upon the beach, and there left upon her broadside in a most helpless condition ; and to add to his cheerless pros- pect, the disposition of the natives, whom he found to increase in numbers as he advanced to the northward, was of a very doubtful character. At Point Barrow, where they were very numerous, their overbearing behaviour, and the thefts tney openly practised, left no doubt of what would be the fate of his little crew, in the event of their falling into their power. They were in this dilemma several days, during which every endeavour was made to extricate tne vessel but without efiect, and Mr. Elson con- templated sinking her secretly in a lake that was near, to BEECHEY S VOYAGE. 97 was prevent her falling into the hands of the Esquimaux, and then making his way along the coast in a baidar, which he had no doubt he snould be able to purchase from the natives. At length, however, a change of wind loosened the ice, and after considerable labour and trial, in which the personal strength of the officers was united to that of the seamen, Mr. Elson, with his shipmates, fortunately succeeded in effecting their escape. Captain Beechey was very anxious to remain in Kotzebue Sound until the end of October, the period named in his instructions, but the rapid approach of winter, the danger of being locked up, having only five weeks' provisions left, and the nearest point at which he could replenish being some 2000 miles distant, induced his officers to concur with him in the necessity of leaving at once. A barrel of flour and other articles were buried on the sandy point of Chamiso, for Franklin, which it was hoped would escape the prying eyes of the natives. After a cruise to California, the Sandwich Islands, Loo- choo, the Benin Islands, &c., the Blossom returned to Chamiso Island on the 5th of July, 1827. They found the flour and despatches they had left the previous year xmmolested. Lieut. Belcher was despatched in the barge to explore the coast to the northward, and the ship fol- lowed her as soon as the wind permitted. On the 9 th of September, when standing in for the northern shore of Xotzebue Sound, the ship drifting with the current took the ground on a sand-bank near Hotham Inlet, but the wind moderating, as the tide rose she went off the shoal apparently without injury. After this narrow escape from shipwreck they beat up to Chamiso Island, which they reached on the 10th of September. Not finding the barge returned as expected, the coast was scanned, and a signal of distress found flying on the south-west point of Choris Peninsula, and two men waving a white cloth to attract notice. On land- ing, it was found that this party were the crew of the barge, which had been wrecked in Kotzebue Sound, and three of the men were also lost. On the 29th a collision took place with the natives, which resulted in three of the seamen and four of the marines being wounded by arrows, and one of the natives killed by the return fire. After leaving advices for Franklin as before, the Blossom finally left Chamiso on the 6th of October. In a haze and strong wind she ran between the land and a shoal, and a passage had to be forced through breakers at the imminent u I 98 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. danger of the ship's striking. The ^Blossom then made the best of her way home, reaching England in the first week of October, 1828. Parry's Fourth, or Polar Voyage, 1827. In 1 826, Capt. Parry, who had only returned from his last voyage in the close of the preceding year, was much struck by the suggestions of Mr. Scoresby, in a paper read before the Wernerian Society, in which he sketched out a plan for reaching the higher latitudes of the Polar Sea, north of Spitzbergen, by means of sledge boats di'awn over the smooth fields of ice which were known to prevail in those regions. Col. Beaufoy, F.R.S., had also suggested this idea some years previously. Comparing these with a similar plan originally proposed by Capt. Franklin, and which was placed in his hands by Mr. Barrow, the Secre- tary of the Admiralty, Capt. Parry laid his modified vie\A s of the feasibility of the project, and his willingness to undertake it, before Lord Melville, the First Lord of the Admiralty, who after consulting with the President and Council of the Eoyal Society, was pleased to sanction the attempt ; accordingly, his old ship, the Hecla, was fitted out for the voyage to Spitzbergen, the following officers (all of whom had been with Parry before,) and crew being appointed to her : — Hecla. Captain — W. E. Parry. Lieutenants — J. C. " Koss, Henry Foster, E. J. Bird, F. E. M. Crozier. Purser — James Halse. Surgeon — C J. Beverley. On the 4th of April, 1827, the outfit and preparations being completed, the Hecla left the Nore for the coast of !Norway, touching at Hammerfest, to embark eight reindeer, and some tq.o^^ {Cenomyce rangiferiha) sufficient for their support, the consumption being about 4 lbs. per day, but they can go without food several days. A tremendous gale of wind, experienced off Hakluyt's Headland, and the quantity of ice with which the ship was in consequence beset, detained the voyagers for nearly a month, but on the 18th of June, a southerly wind dispersing the ice, they dropped anchor in a cove, on the northern coast of Spitzbergen, which appeared to offer a secure haven, and to which the name of the ship was 11 tl PARRY S FOURTH VOYAGE. 99 ladc tlie }t week r. from Lis IS much per read bed out ►lar Sea, 3 drawn ) prevail iggested e with a Jin, and e Secre- ed views rness to i of tlie lent and Btion the as fitted icers (all w being loster, ip was given. On the 20th, the boats, which had been specially prepared in England for this kind of journey, were trot out and made ready, and they left the ship on the 22nd of June. A description of these boats may not here be out of place. They were twenty feet long and seven broad, flat floored, like ferry boats, strengthened and made elastic by sheets of felt between the planking, covered with waterproof canvass. A runner attached to each side of the keel, adapted them for easy draught on the ice after the manner of a sledge. They were also fitted with wheels, to be used if deemed expedient and useful. Two officers and twelve men were attached to each boat, and they were named the Enterprise and the Endeavour. The weight of each boat, including provisions and every requisite, was about 3780 lbs. Lieuts. Crozier and Foster were left on board, and Capt. Parry took with him in his boat Mr. Beverley, Surgeon, while Lieut, (now Capt. Sir James) Ross, and Lieut, (now Commander) Bird, had charge of the other. The reindeer and the wheels were given up as useless, owing to the rough nature of the ice. Provisions for 7 1 da3'^3 were taken — the daily allowance per man on the journey being 10 ozs. biscuit, 9 ozs. pemmican, 1 oz. sweetened cocoa powder (being enough to make a pint), and one gill of rum ; but scanty provision in such a climate for men em- ployed on severe labour ; three ounces of tobacco were also served out to each per week. As fuel was too bulky to transport, spirits of wine were consumed, which answered all the purposes required, a pint twice a day being found sufficient to warm each vessel, when applied to an iron boiler by a shallow lamp with seven wicks. After floating the Doats for about eighty miles, they came to an unpleasant mixed surface of ice and water, here their toilsome journey commenced, the boats having to be laden and unladen several times accord- ing as they came to floes of ice or lanes of water, and they were drifted to the southward by the ice at the rate of four or five miles a day. Parry found it more advantageous to travel by night, the snow being then harder, and the inconvenience of snow blindness being avoided, while the party enjoyed greater warmth during the period of rest, and had better opportunities of drying their clothes by the sun. I cannot do better than quote Parry's graphic descrip- tion of this novel course of proceeding : — •' Travelling by night, and sleeping by day, so completely inverted the natural order of things that it was difficult to persuade ourselves of the reality. Even the officers and myself, h2 t, » i 100 '* PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. who were all furnislied with pocket chronometers, could not always bear in mind at what part of the twenty-four hours we had arrived ; and there were several of the men who declared, and I believe truly, that they never knew night from day during the whole excursion. •• "When ve rose in the evening, we commenced our day by prayers, after which we took off our fur sleeping- dresses and put on clothes fortravell'^'g; the former being made of camlet lined with racoon skin, and the latter of strong blue cloth. We made a point of always putting on the same stockings and boots for travelling in, whether they bad been dried di»ring the day or not, and I believe it was only in five or six mstances at the most that they were not either still wet or hard frozen. This indeed was of no consequence, beyond the discomfort of first patting them on in this state, as they were sure to be thoroughly wet in a quarter of an nour after commencing our lourney; wmle, on the other hand, it was of vital importance to keep dry things for sleeping in. Being • rigged' for travelling, we breakfasted upon warm cocoa and biscuit, and after stowing the things in the boats, and on the sledges, so as to secure them as much as possible from wet, we set off on our day's journey, and usually travelled four, five, or even six hours, according to cir- cumstances." In five days, notwithstanding their perseverance and continued journeys, they found, by observation at noon, on the 30th, that they had only made eight miles of direct northing. At Walden Island, one of the Seven islands, and Little Table Island, reserve supplies of provisions were deposited to fall back upon in case of necessity. In halting early in the morning for the purposes of rest, the boats were hauled up on the largest piece of ice that offered the least chance of breaking through, or of coming in contact with other masaes, the snow or wet was cleaned out and the sails rigged as awnings. " Every man then immediately put on dry stockings and fur boots, after which we set about the necessary repairs of boats, sledges, or clothes, and after serving the provisions for the succeeding day, we went to supper. Most of the officers and men then smoked their pipes, which served to dry the boats and awnings very much, and usually raised the temperature of our lodgings 10° or 15°. Tnis part of the twenty-four hours was often a time, and the only one, of real enjoyment to us ; the men told their stories, fj parry's fourth voyage. s, could ity-four he men r knew our day eeping- jr being atter of tting on ;rhether believe lat they jed was patting roughly ing our >f vital Being n cocoa its, and possible usually to cip- ice and noon, direct Little posited Dses of of ice gh, OP or wet Every id fup •airs of visions of the ved to raised s part B only tories, 101 > . and fought all their battles o'er again, and the labours of the day, unsuccessful as they too often were, were for- gotten. A regular watch was set during our resting time to look out for bears, or for the ice breaking up round us, as well as to attend to the drying of the clothes, each man alternately taking this duty for one hour. We then concluded our dtw with prayers, and having put on our fur dresses, lay down to sleep with a degree of comfort which perhaps few persons would imagine possible under such circumstances, our chief inconvenience being, that we were somewhat pinched for room, and therefore obliged to stow rather closer than was quite agreeable." This close stowage may be imagined when it is remem- bered that thirteen persons had to sleep in a boat seven feet broad. After sleeping about seven hours, they were roused from their slumbers by the sound of a bugle from the cook and watchman, which announced that their cocoa was smoking hot, and invited them to breakfast. Their progress was of the most tedious and toilsome character, heavy showers of rain rendering the ice on many occasions a mass of " slush ;" on others there was from six to eighteen inches of snow lying on the surface. Frequently the crew had to proceed on their hands and knees to secure a footing, and on one occasion they made such a snail-like progress that in two hours they only accom- plished 150 yards. On the 12th of July they had reached the latitude of 82° 14' 28". After five hours' unceasmg labour on the 14th, the progress was but a mile and a half due north, though from three to four miles had been traversed, and ten at least walked, having made three journeys a great part of the way ; launched and hauled up the boats four times, and dragged them over twenty- five separate pieces of ice. On the 18th, after eleven hours of actual labour, requiring for the most part the exertion of the whole strength of the party, they had travelled over a space not exceeding four miles, of which only two were made good. fiut on halting on the morning of the 20th, having by his reckoning accomphshed six and a half miles in a N.N.W. direction, the distance traversed being ten miles and a half. Parry found to his mortification from observation at noon, that they were nofc^ve miles to the northward of their place at noon on the 17th, although they had certainly travelled twelve miles in that direction since then. On the 2l8t a floe of ice on which they had lodged the : I ( I I '■ 1 I \ fl 103 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. boats and sledges, broke with their weight, and all went through with several of the crew, who with the sledges were providentially saved. On the 23rd the farthest northerly point was reached, which was about 82° 45'. At noon on the 26 th, the weather being clear, the meridian altitude of the sun was obtained, "by which," says Parry, " we found ourselves in latitude 82° 40' 23", so that since our last observation (at midnight on the 22nd) we had lost by drift no less than thirteen and a half miles, for we were now more than three miles to the southward of that observation, though we had certainly- travelled between ten and eleven due north in this interval ! Again, we were but one mile to the north of our place at noon on the 21st, though we had estimated our distance made good at twenty-three miles." After encountering every species of fatigue and disheartening obstacles, in peril of their lives almost every hour. Parry now became convinced that it was hopeless to pursue the journey any further, and he could not even reach the eighty-third parallel; for after thirty-five days of con- tinuous and most fatiguing drudgery, with half their resources expended, and the middle of the season arrived, he found that the distance gained in their laborious travelling was lost by the drift and set of the ice with the southerly current, during the period of rest. After planting their ensigns and pennants on the 26th, and making it a day of rest, on the 27th the return to the southward was commenced. Nothing particular occurred. Lieutenant Boss managed to bring down with his gim a fat she bear, which came to have a look at the boats, and after gormandizing on its flesh, an excess which may be excused considering it was the first fresh meat they had tasted for many a day, some symptoms of indigestion manifested themselves among the party. On the outward journey very little of animal life was seen. A passing gull, a solitarjr rotge, two seals, and a couple of flies, were all that their eager eyes could detect. But on their return these became more numerous. On the 8th of August seven or eight narwhals were seen, and not less than 200 rotges, a flock of these little birds occurring in every hole of water. On the 11th, in latitude 81° 30', the sea was found crowded with shrimps and other sea insects, on which numerous birds were feeding. On this day they took their last meal on the ice, being fifty miles distant from Table Island, having accomplished in fifteen days what had taken them thirty-three to efiect PARRY S FOURTH VOYAGE. 103 all went sledges reached, ear, the which,'* 40' 23", on the id a half I to the ertainlj in this aorth of timated After rtening , Parry •sue the ach the 3f con- [f their irrived, 3orious dth the After and to the 3urred. gun a s, and lay be ?y had festion al life seals, could erous. seen, birds titude and ;ding. being ished effect a, on their outward iourney. On the 12th they arrived at this island. The bears Lad walked off with the relay of bread which had been deposited there. To an islet lying off Table Island, and tlie most northern known land upon the globe. Parry gave the name of Ross, for ** no individual," he observes, "could have exerted himself more strenuously to rob it of this distinction." Putting to sea again, a storm obliged the boats to bear up for Walden Island. "Everythmg belonging to us (says Captain Parry) was now completely drenched by the spray and snow ; we had been fifty-six hours without rest, and forty-eight at work in the boats, so that by the time they were unloaded we had barely strength left to haul them up on the rocks. However, by dint of great exer- tion, we managed to get the boats above the surf; after which a hot supper, a blazing fire of drift wood, and a few hours quiet rest, restored us." They finally reached the ship on the 21st of August, after sixty-one days* absence. " The distance traversed during this excursion was 569 geographical miles ; but allowing for the times we had to return for our baggage during the greater part of the journey over the ice, we estimated our actual travelling at 978 geographical, or 1127 statute miles. Considering our constant exposure to wet, cold, and fatigue, our stockings having generally been drenched in snow-water for twelve hours out of every twenty-four, I had great reason to be thankful for the excellent health in which, upon the whole, we reached the ship. There is little doubt that we had all become in a certain degree gradually weaker for some time past ; but only three men of our party now required medical care — two of them with badly swelled legs and general debility, and the other from a bruise, but even these three returned to their duty in a short time." In a letter from Sir W. E. Parry to Sir John Barrow, dated November 25, 1845, he thus suggests some improve- ments on his old plan of proceedings : — " It is evident (he says) that the causes of failure in our former attempt, in the year 1827, were principally two : first, and chiefly, the broken, rugged, and soft state of the ice over which we travelled ; and secondly, the drifting of the whole body of ice in a southerly direction. •* My amended plan is, to go out with a single ship to Spitzbergen, just as we did in the ITecla, but not so early in the season ; the object for that year being merely to find secure winter quarters as far north as possible. For > I M: % 104 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERT. u this Durpose it would only be necessary to reach Haklujrt's Heaoland by the end of June, which would afford ample leisure for examining the more northern lands, especially about the Seven Islands, where, in all probability, a secure nook might be found for the ship, and a starting point for the proposed expedition, some forty or fifty miles in advance of the point wnere the Hecla was before laid up. The winter might be usefully employed in various preparations for the journey, as well as in ma^etic, astronomical, and meteorological observations, of high interest in that lati- tude. I propose that the expedition should leave the ship in the course of the month of April, when the ice would present one hard and unbroken surface, over which, as I confidently believe, it would not be difficult to make good thirty miles per day, without any exposure to wet, and probably without snow blindness. At this season, too, the ice would probably be stationary, and thus the two great difficulties whicn we formerly had to encounter would be entirely obviated. It might form a part of the plan to push out supplies previously, to the distance of 100 miles, to be taken up on the way, so as to commence the journey comparatively light; and as the intention would be to complete the enterprise in the course of the month of May, before any disruption of the ice, or any material softening of the surface had taken place, similar supplies might be sent out to the same distance, to meet the party on their return." The late Sir John Barrow, in his last work, commenting on this, says, ** With all deference to so distinguished a sea-officer, in possession of so much experience as Sir Edward Parry, there are others who express dislike of such a plan ; and it is not improbable that many will be disposed to come to the conclusion, that so long as the Greenland Seas are hampered with ice, so long as floes, and hummocks, and heavy masses, continue to be formed, 80 long as a determined southerly current prevails, so long will any attempt to carry out the plan in question, in like manner fail. No laborious drudgery will ever be able to conquer the opposing progress of the current and the ice. Besides, it can hardly be doubted, this gallant officer will admit, on further consideration, that this unusual kind of disgusting and unseamanlike labour, is not precisely such as would be relished by the men ; and it may be said, is not exactly fitted for a British man-of-war's-man ; more- over, that it required his own all-powerful example to make it even tolerable." Sir John therefore suggested a somewhat difierent plan. He recommended that two PARRY S FOURTH VOYAGE. 105 [akluyt's rd ample specially a secure point for advance ip. The )aration8 ical, and bhat lati- the ship 36 would ich, as I ike good ^et, and on, too, the two icounter 't of the tance of mmence ntention e of the or any similar to meet neutin^ Lshed a as Sir like of will be as the floes, brmed, }o long in like able to he ice. er will ind of Y such aid, is more- )le to jested t two small ships should bo sent in the early spring along the western coast of Spitzbergen, where usually no impedi- ment exists, as far up as 80°. They should take every oppor- tunity of proceeding dbectly to the north, wlierem about 82° Parry has told us the largo floes had disappeared, and the sea was found to be loaded only with loose, discon- nected, small masses of ice, through which ships would find no difficulty in sailing, though totallv unfit fc " oats dragging ; and as this loose ice was drifting to the south- ward, he further says, that before the middle of August a ship might have sailed up to the latitude of 82°, almost witnout touching a piece of ice. It is not then unreason- able to expect that beyond that parallel, even as far as the Pole itself, the sea would be free of ice, during the six summer months of perpetual sun, through each of the twenty-four hours ; which, with the aid of the current, would, in all probability, destroy and dissipate the Polar ice. The distance from Hakluyt's Headland to the Pole — is 600 geographical miles. Granting the ships to make only twenty miles in twenty-four hours, (on the supposition of much sailing ice to go through,) even in that case it would require but a month to enable the explorer to put his foot on the pivot or point of the axis on which the globe of the earth turns, remain there a month, if necessary, to obtain the sought- for information, and then, with a southerly cur- rent, a fortnight, probably less, would bring him back to Spitzbergen. — Barrow's Vo^/aaes of Discovery, p. 316. In a notice in the Quarterly Meview of this, one of the most singular and perilous journeys of its kind ever under- taken, except perhaps that of Baron Wrangell upon a similar enterprise to the northward of Behring's Straits, it is observed, — " Let but any one conceive for a moment the situation of two open boats, laden with seventy days* provisions and clothing for twenty-eight men, in the midst of a sea covered nearly with detached masses and floes of ice, over which these boats were to be dragged, sometimes up one side of a rugged mass, and down the other, some- times across the lanes of water that separate them, fre- quently over a surface covered with deep snow, or through pools of water. Let him bear in mind, that the men had little or no chance of any other supply of provisions than that which they carried with them, calculated as just sufficient to sustain life, and consider what their situation would have been in the event, by no means an improbable one, of losing any part of their scanty stock. Let any one try to imagine to himself a situation of this kind, and he wiU lOG PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. still have but a faint idea of the exertions which the men under Capt. Parry had to make, and the sufferings and privations they had to undergo." Capt. Parry having thus completed his fifth voyage into the Arctic regions, in four of which ho commanded, and was second in the other, it may hero be desirable to give a recapitulation of his services. In 1818 he was appointed Lieutenant, commanding the Alexander, hired ship, as second officer with his uncle, Commander John Koss. In 1819, stiU as Lieutenant, he was appointed to command the Hecla, and to take charge of the second Arctic expedition, on which service he was employed two years. On the 14th of November, 1820, he was promoted to the rank of Commander. On the 19th of December, 1820, the Bedfordean Gold Medal of the Bath and West of England Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, was unanimously voted to him. On the 30th of December of that year, he was appointed to the Furyy with orders to take command of the expedition to the Arctic Sea. With the sum of 500 guineas subscribed for the purpose, '* the Explorer of the Polar Sea " was afterwards presented with, a silver vase, highly embellished with devices emble- matic of the Arctic voyages. And on the 24th of March, 1821, the city of Bath presented its freedom to Captam Parry, in a box of oak highly and appropriately^ orna- mented. On the 8th of November, 1821, he obtained his post-captain's rank. On the 22nd of November, 1823, he was presented with the freedom of the city of Winchester ; and, on the 1st of December, was appointed acting- hydrographer to the Admiralty in the place of Capt. Hind, deceased. In 1824 he was appointed to the HeclUy to proceed on another exploring voyage. < , ■ j On the 22nd of November, 1825, Capt. Parry was for- mally appointed hydrographer to the Admiralty, which office he continued, to hold until the 10th of November, 1826. In December, 1825, he was voted the freedom of the borough of Lynn, in testimony of the high sense enter- tained by the corporation of bis meritorious and enter- prising conduct. In April, 1827, he once more took the command of his old ship, the Ilecla, for another voyage of discovery towards the North Pole. On his return in the close of the year, having paid off* the Hecla at Deptford, he re- sumed on the 2nd of November his duties as hydrographer to the Admiraltv. which office he held until the 13tn of CAPTAIN KOSS*S SECOND V0\ a;^ 107 May, 1829. ITavin<]f rocoivod tlio honour n' ' Jil'^od, ho tlitMi rosiffnod in favour of tlio present \a, iral ' v uu- fort, and, obtaininjjf permission from the A'lni, Ity pr« ceeded to New South Wak's as licsident <'•> uiis^ione to the Australian AjfricuUural Company, taki j cliargi of their recently acquired lar^e territory in the neiij^hbour- hood of Port Stephen. He returned from Australia in 1831. From the 7th of March, 1835, to the 3rd of Feb- ruary, 183(), he acted as Poor Law Commissioner in Nor- folk. Early in 1837, ho was appointed to organize the Mail Packet Service then transferred to the Admiralty, and afterwards, in April, was appointed Comptrolb^r of Steam Machinery to the Navy, which office ho continued to hold up to December, 1810. From that period to the present time ho has lllled the post of Captain Superin- tendent of the Koyal Naval Hospital at Haslar. )f the lenter- mter- lof his jovery )se of Captain John Eoss's Second Voyage, 1829-33. In the year 1829, Capt. Ross, the pioneer of Arctic explora- tion in the 19th century, being anxious once more to display his zeal and enterprise as well as to retrieve his nautical repu- tation from those unfortunate blunders and mistakes which had attached to his first voyage, and thus remove the cloud which had for nearly ten years hung over his pro- fessional character, endeavoured without elect to induce the Government to send him out to the Polar Seas in charge of another expedition. The Board of Admiralty of that day, in the spirit of retrenchment which pervaded their councils, were, however, not disposed to recommend any further grant for research, even the Board of Longitude was abolished, and the boon of 20,000/. offered by Act of Parliament for the promotion of Arctic discovery, also withdrawn by a repeal of the act. Captain Boss, however, undaunted by the chilling indif- ference thus manifested towards his proposals by tne Ad- miralty, still persevered, having devoted 3000/. out of his own funds towards the prosecution of the object he had in view. He was fortunate enough to meet with a public-spirited and affluent coadjutor and supporter in the late Sir Felix Booth, the eminent distiller, and that gentleman nobly contributed 17,000/. towards the expenses. Captain Rosa thereupon set to work, and purchased a small Liverpool steamer named the Victory, whose tonnage he increased to 150 tons. She was pro- visioned for three years. Capt. Ross chose for his second in command his nephew, Conmiander James Ross, who had ( f ; 108 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. boon with him on his first Arctic expedition, and had sub- scquentlv accompanied Parry ia all his voyaji^cs. The other officers of the vessel were — Mr. Wm. Thorn, purser; Mr. George M'Diarmid, surgeon; Thomas Blaukv, Thos. Abcrnethj, and George Taylor, as Ist, 2nd, and 3rd mates; Alexander Brunton and Allan Macinnes as 1st and 2nd engineers ; and nineteen petty officers and seamen ; making a complement in all of 28 men. The Admiralty furnished towards the purposes of the expedition a declced boat of sixteen tons, called the Kru- senstem, and two boats which had been used by Franklin, with a stock of books and instruments. The vessel being reported ready for sea was visited and examined by the late King of the French, the Lords of the Admiralty, and other parties taking an interest in the expedition, and set sail from Woolwich on the 23rd of May, 1829. For all practical purposes the steam machinery, on which the commander had greatly reUed, was found on trial utterly useless. Having received much damage to her spars, in a severe gale, the ship put in to the Danish settlement of Holstein- berg, on the Greenland coast, to refit, and sailed again to the northward on the 26th of June. Thev found a clear sea, and even in the middle of Lancaster Sound and Barrow's Strait perceived no traces of ice or snow, except what ap- peared on the lofty summits of some of the mountains. The thermometer stood at 40°, and the weather was so mild that the officers dined in the cabin without a fire, with the skylight partially open. On the 10th of August they passea Cape York, and thence crossed over into Re- gent Inlet, making the western coast between Seppings* and Elwin Bay on the 16th. They here fell in with those formidable streams, packs, and floating bergs of ice which had offered such obstructions to Parry's ships. From their proxi- mity to the magnetic pole, their compasses became useless as they proceeded southward. On the 13th they reached the spot where the Fury was abandoned, but no remnants of the vessel were to be seen. All her sails, stores, and provisions, on land, were, however, found ; the hermetically-sealed tin canisters having kept the provisions from the attacks of bears ; and the flour, bread, wine, spirits, sugar, &c., proved as good, after being here four years, as on the first day they were packed. This store formed a very seasonable addition, which was freely made available, ana after increasing their stock to two years and ten months' supply, they stiU left CAPTAIN R0SS*9 SECOND VOYAGE. 100 a larjjo Quantity for the wants of any future explorers. On the 15tn, crossing Cresswell Bay, thoy reached Capo Garry, the fartliest point which had been seen by Parry . They were hero much inconvenienced and delayed by foi;8 and floating? ice. While mountains of ice were tosHinjj around them on every side, they were often forced to seek safety by mooring themselves to these formidable masses, and drifting with them, sometimes forward, sometimes backward. In this manner on one occasion no less than nineteen miles were lost in a few hours ; at other times they underwent frequent and severe shocks, yet escaped any serious damage. Captain lloss draws a lively picture of what a vessel en- dures in sailing among those moving hills. He reminds the reader that ice is stone, as solid as if it were granite ; and he bids him " imagine these mountains hurled through a narrow strait by a rapid tide, meeting with the noise of thunder, breaking from each other's precipices huge frag- ments, or rending each other asunder, tul, losing their former equilibrium, they fall over headlong, lifting the sea around in breakers, and whirling it in eddies. There is not a moment in which it can bo conjectured what will happen in the next; there is not one which may not be the last. The attention is troubled to fix on anything amid such confusion ; still must it be alive, that it may seize on the single moment of help or escape which may occur. Yet with aU this, and it is the hardest task of all, there is nothing to be acted, — no eflfort to bo made, — he must be patient, as if he were unconcerned or careless, waiting, as he best can, for the fate, be it what it may, whichne cannot influence or avoid." Proceeding southward, Ross found Brentford Bay, about thirty miles beyond Cape Garry, to be of considerable extent, with some fine harboiirs. Landing here, the British colours were unfurled, and the coast, named after the promoter of the expedition, was taken possession of in the name of the king. Extensive and commodious har- bours, named Ports Logan, Elizabeth, and Eclipse, were discovered, and a large bay, which was called Mary Jones Bay. By the end of September, the ship had examined 300 miles of undiscovered coast. The winter now set in with severity, huge masses of ice began to close around them, the thermometer sank many degrees below freezing point, and snow fell very thick. By sawing through the ice, the vessel was got into a secure position to pass the winter, in a station which is now named on the maps Felix Harbour. The machinery of the steam-engine was done I I no PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. away witli, the vessel housed, and every measure that could add to tlie comfort of the crew adopted. They had abun- dance of fuel, and provisions that might easily be extended to three years. On the 9th of January, 1831, they were visited by a large tribe of Esquimaux, who were better dressed and cleaner than those more to the northward. They dis- played an intimate acquaintance with the situation and bearings of the country over which they had travelled, and two of them drew a very fair sketch of the neigh- bouring coasts, with which they were familiar ; this was revised and corrected by a learned lady named Teriksin, — the females seeming, from this and former in- stances, to have a clear knowledge of the hydrography and geography of the continent, bays, straits, and rivers which they had once traversed. On the 5th of April, Commander Ross, with Mr. Blanky, the chief mate, and two Esquimaux guides, set out to ex- plore a strait which was reported as lying to the westward, and which it was hoped might lead to the western sea. After a tedious and arduous journey, they arrived, on the third day, at a bay facing to the westward, and discovered, further inland, an extensive lake, called by the natives Nie-tyel-le, whence a broad river flowed into the bay. Their guides informed them, however, there was no prospect of a water communication south of their present position. Capt. Ross then traced the coast fifty or sixty miles further south. Several journeys were also made by Commander Ross, both inland and along the bays and inlets. On the 1st of May, from the top of a high hill, he observed a large inlet which seemed to lead to the western sea. In order to satisfy himself on this point, he set out again on the 17th of May, with provisions for three weeks, eight dogs, and three companions. Having crossed the great middle lake of the isthmus, he reached his former station, and thence traced an inlet which was found to be the mouth of a river named by them Garry. From the high hill they observed a chain of lakes leading almost to Thom's Bay, the Victory's station in Felix Harbour. Proceeding north- west along the coast, they crossed the frozen surface of the strait which has since been named after Sir James Ross, and came to a large island which was called Matty; keeping along its northern shore, and passing over a narrow strait, which they named after Wellington, they found themselves on what was considered to be the main- il tl CAPTAIN ROSS S SECOND VOYAGE. Ill 1st of inlet erto 17th and lake land, but which the more recent discoveries of Simpson have shown to be an island, and which now bears the name of Ivinjr "William's Land. Still journeying onward, with difficulties continually increasing, from heavy toil and severe priva- tion, the dogs became exhausted with fatigue, and a burden rather than an aid to the travellers. One of their greatest embarrassments was how to dis- tinguish between land and sea. " When all is ice, and all one dazzling mass of white — when the surface of the sea itself is tossed up and fixed into rocks, while the land is on the contrary very often flat, it is not always so easy a problem as it might seem on a superficial view, to deter- mine a fact which appears in words to be extremely simple." Although their provisions began to fall short, and the party were nearly worn out. Commander Eoss was most desirous of making as much western discovery as possible ; therefore, depositing everything that could be dispensed with, he pushed on, on the 28tli, with only four days' pro- visions, and reached Cape Felix, the most northern point of this island, on the following day. The coast here took a south-west direction, and there was an unbounded expanse of ocean in view. The next morning, after having travelled twenty miles farther, they reached a point, which !Ross called Point Victory, situated in lat. 64° 46' 19" long. 98° 32' 49", while to the most distant one in view, estimated to be in long. 99° 17' 58", he gave the name of Cape Franklin. However loath to turn back, yet prudence com- pelled them to do so, for as they had only ten days' short allowance of food, and more than 200 miles to traverse, there could not be a moment's hesitation in adopting this step. A high cairn of stones was erected before leaving, in which was deposited a narrative of their proceedings. The party endured much fatigue and suffering on their return journey ; of the eight dogs only two survived, and the travellers in a most exhausted state arrived in the neigh- bourhood of the large lakes on the 8th of June, where they fortunately feU in with a tribe of natives, who received them hospitably, and supplied them plentifully with fish, so that after a day's rest they resumed their journey, and reached the ship on the 13th. Capt. Eoss in the meanwhile had made a partial survey of the Isthmus, and discovered another large lake, which he named after Lady Melville. After eleven months* imprisonment, their little ship once more floated buoyant on the waves, having been released from her icy barrier on the 17th of September, 112 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. I >i •t but for the next few days made but little progress, bem» beaten about among the icebergs, and driven hither and thither by the currents. A change in the weather, however, took place, and on the 23rd uiej were once more frozen in, the sea in a week after exhibitmg one clear unbroken surface. AU October was passed in cutting through the ice into a more secure locality, and another dreary winter having set in, it became necessary to reduce the allowance of provisions. This winter was one of unparalleled severity, the thermometer falling 92° below freezing point. During the ensuing spring a variety of exploratory journeys were carried on, and in one of these Commander Ross succeeded in planting the British flag on the North Magnetic Pole. The position which had been usually assigned to this interesting spot by the learned of Europe, was lat. 70° N., and long. 98° 30' W. ; but Ross, by careful observations, determined it to lie in lat. 70° 5' 17" N., and long. 96° 46' 45" W., to the southward of Cape Nikolai, on the western shore of Boothia. But it has since been found that the centre of magnetic intensity is a moveable point revolving within the frigid zone. " The place of the observatory," Ross remarks, " waa as near to the magnetic pole as the limited means which I possessed enabled me to determine. The amoimt of the dip, as indicated by my dipping-needle, was 89° 59', being thus within one minute of the vertical ; whQe the prox- imity at least of this pole, if not its actual existence where we stood, was further confirmed by the action, or rather by the total inaction, of the several horizontal needles then in my possession." Parry's observations placed it eleven minuteR distant only from the site determined by Ross. * As soon," continues Ross, " as I had satisfied my own mind on the subject, I made known to the party this gratifying result of all our joint labours ; and it was then that, amidst mutual congratulations, we fixed the British flag on the spot, and took possession of the North Mag- netic Pole and its adjoining territory in the name of Great Britain and King William IV. We had abundance of materials for building in the fragments of limestone that covered the beach, and we therefore erected a cairn of some magnitude, under which we buried a canister con- taining a record of the interesting fact, only regrettinff that we had not the means of constructing a pyramid of more importance, and of strength sufficient to with- stand the assaults of time and of tne Esquimaux. Had CAPTAIN ROSS S SECOND VOYAGE. 113 or n bein* jr and nd on I week ctober secure )ecame This ometer nsuing ed on, lanting tosition spot ^ 98° lined it , to the lore of ntre of •within J, " waa ^hich I of the being e prox- where rather Qs then distant Its then British Mag- 1 Great ice of that urn of con- lettins ramia with- Had it been a pyramid as large as that of Cheops, I am not quite sure that it would have done more than satisfy our ambition under the feelings of that exciting day." On the 28th of Ai i^st, 1831, they contrived to warp the Victory out into the open sea, and made sail on the following morning, but were soon beset with ice as on the former occasion, oeing once more completely frozen in by the 27th of September. On the previous occasion their navigation had been three miles; this year it extended to four. This pro- tracted detention m the ice made their present position one of great danger and peril. As there seemed no pro- spect of extricating their vessel, the resolution was come to of abandoning her, and making the best of their way up the inlet to Fury Beach, there to avail themselves of the boats, provisions, and stores, which would assist them in reaching Davis Straits, where they might expect to fall in with one of the whale ships. On the 23rd of April, 1832, having collected all that was useful and necessary, the expedition set out, drag- ging their provisions and boats over a vast expanse of rugged ice. " The loads being too heavy to be carried at once, made it necessary to go backward and forward twice, and even oftener, the same day. They had to encounter dreadful tempests of snow and drift, and to make several cir- cuits in order to avoid impassable barriers. The general result was, that by the 12th of May they had travelled 329 miles to gain thirty in a direct line, having in this labour ex- pended a month." After this preliminary movement, they Dade a farewell to their Httle vessel, nailing her colours to the mast. Capt. Eoss describes himself as deeply affected; this being the first vessel he had been obHged to abandon of thirty-six in which he had served during the course of forty-two years. On the 9th of June, Commander Koss and two others, with a fortnight's provisions, left the main body, who were more heavily loaded, to ascertain the state of the boats, and suppHes at Fury Beach. Returning they met their comrades on the 25th of June, re- porting that they had found three of the boats washed away, but enough still left for their purpose, and all the provisions were in good condition. Tne remainder of the journey was accomplished by the whole party in a week, and on the 1st of July they reared a canvas man- sion, to which they gave the name of Somerset House, and enjoyed a hearty meal. Dj the Ist or August the boats were rendered service- able, and a considerable extent of open sea being visible, 114 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. they set out, and after much buffeting amonfj the ice in their frail shallops, reached the mouth of the inlet by the end of August. After several fruitless attempts to run along Barrow's Strait, the obstructions of the ice obliged them to haul the boats on shore, and pitch their tents. Barrow's Strait was found, from repeated surveys, to be one impenetrable mass of ice. After lingering here till the third week in September, it was unanimously agreed that their only resource was to fall back again on the stores at Fury Beach, and there spend their fourth winter. They were only able to get half the distance in the boatsi, which were hauled on shore in Batty Bay on the 24th of September, and the rest of their journey continued on foot, the provisions being dragged on sledges. On the 7th of October they once more reached their home at the scene of the wreck. They now managed to shelter their canvas tent by a wall of snow, and, setting up an extra stove, made themselves tolerably comfortable until the increasing severity of the winter, and the rigour of the cold, added to the tempestuous weather, made them perfect prisoners, and sorely tried their patience. Scurvy now began to attack several of the party, and on the 16th of February, 1833, Thomas, the carpenter, fell a victim to it, and two others died. " Their situation was becoming truly awful, since if they were not liberated in the ensuing summer, little prospect appeared of their surviving another year. It was necessary to make a reduction in the allowance of preserved meats ; bread was somewhat deficient, and the stock of wine and spirits was entirely exhausted. However, as they had caught a few foxes, which were considered a delicacy, and there was plenty of flour, sugar, soiips, and vegetables, a diet could be easily ar- ranged sufficient to support the party." While the ice remained firm, advantage was taken of the spring to carry forward a stock of provisions to Batty Bay, and this, though only thirty-two miles, occupied them a whole month, owing to their reduced numbers from sickness and heavy loads, with the joumeyings to and fro, having to go over the ground eight times. On the 8th of July they finally abandoned this dep6t, and encamped on the 12th at their boat station in Batty Bay, where the aspect of the sea was watched with intense anxiety for more than a month. On the 15th of August, taking advantage of a lane of water which led to the northward, the party embarked, and on the following morning had got as far as the turning point of their last CAPTAIN ROSS S SECOND VOYAGE. 115 [en of 1 Batty 3upied [loers igs to Idep6t, "Batty with )th of lied to jowing lir last year's expedition. Making their way slowly among the masses oi ice with which the inlet was encumbered, on the 17th they found the wide expanse of Barrow's Strait open before them, and navigable, and reached to within twelve miles of Cape York. Pushing on with renewed spirits, alternately rowing and sailing, on the night of tho 25th they rested in a good haroour on the eastern shore of Navy Board Inlet. At four on the following morning they were roused from their slumbers by the joyful intelligence of a ship being in sight, and never did men more hurriedly and energetically set out ; but the elements conspiring against them, after being baffled by calms and currents, they had the misery to see the ship leave them with a fair breeze, and found it impossible to overtake her, or make themselves seen. A few hours later, however, their despair was reheved by the sight of another vessel which was lying to in a calm. By dint of hard rowing they were ' this time more fortunate, and soon came up vnih her ; she proved to be the Isabella^ of Hull, the very ship in which Boss had made his first voyage to these seas. Captain Ross was told circumstan- tially of his own death, &c., two years previously, and he had some difficulty in convincing them that it was really he and his partj who now stood before them. So great was the joy with which they were received, that the Isabella manned her yards, and her former commander and his gallant band of adventurers were saluted with three hearty cheers. The scene on board can scarcely be described ; each of the crew vied with the other in assisting and comforting the party, and it cannot better be told than in Boss's own words : — " The ludicrous soon took place of all other feelings ; in such a crowd, and such confusion, all serious thought was impossible, while the new buoyancy of our spirits made us abunda itly wOling to be amused by the scene which now opened. Every man was hungry, and was to be fed ; all were ragged, and were to be clothed ; there was not one to whom washing was not indispensable, nor one whom his beard did not deprive of all human sem- blance. All, everything too, was to be done at once : it was washing, dressing, shaving, eating, all intermingled ; it was all the materials of each jumbled together, while in the midst of all there were interminable questions to be asked and answered on both sides ; the aaventures of the Victory, our own escapes, the politics of England, and the news which was now four years old. i2 116 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERT. *' But all subsided into peace at last. The sick were accommodated, the seamen disposed of, and all was done for us which care and kindness could perform. " Ni{?ht at length brought quiet and serious thoughts, and I trust there was not a man among us who did not then exp'-ess, where it was due, his gratitude for that interposition which had raised us all from a despair which none could now forget, and had brought us from the very borders of a most distant grave, to life and friends and civilization. Long accustomed, however, to a cold bed on the hard snow or the bare rock, few could sleep amid the comfort of our new accommodations. I was myself com- pelled to leave the bed which had been kindly assigned me, and take my abode in a chair for the night, nor did it fare much better with the rest. It was for time to reconcile us to this sudden and violent change, to break through what had become habit, and to inure us once more to the usages of oiw former days." The Isabella remained some time longer to prosecute the fishery, and left Davis Strait on her homeward passage on the 30th of September. On the 12th of October they made the Orkney Islands, and arrived at Hull on the 18th. The bold explorers, who had long been given up as lost, were looked upon as men risen from the grave, and met and escorted by crowds of sympathizers. A public entertainment was given to them by the towns- people, at which the freedom of the town was presented to Captain Eoss, and next day he left for London, to report his arrival to the Admiralty, and was honoured by a mresentation to the king at Windsor. The Admiralty liberally rewarded all the parties, except indeed Captain Koss. Commander J. C. Eoss was appointed to the guardship at Portsmouth to complete his period of service, and then received his post rank. Mr. Thom, the purser, Mr. M'Diarmid, the surgeon, and the petty officers, were appointed to good situations in the navy. The seamen received the usual double pay given to Arctic explorers, up to the time of leaving their ship, and ftill pay from that date until their arrival in England. A committee of the House of Commons took up the case of Captain Eoss early in the session of 1834, and on their recommendation 5000Z. was granted him as a remuneration for his pecuniary outlay and privations. A baronetcy, on the recommendation of the same com- mittee, was also conferred by his Majesty William IV. on Mr. Felix Booth. a • In looking back on the results of this voyage, no impar- case their ration cora- IV. ipar- CAWATN Ross's SECOND VOYAGE. 117 tial inquirer can deny to Captain Koss the merit of having effected much good by tracing and surveying the whole of the long western coast of Begent Inlet, proving Boothia to be a peninsula, and setting at rest the proba- bility of any navigable outlet being discovered from this inlet to the Polar Sea. The lakes, rivers, and islands which were examined, proved with sufficient accuracy the correctness of the information furnished to Parry by the Esquimaux. To Commander James Boss is due the credit of resolv- ing many important scientific questions, such as the combination of hght with magnetism, fixing the exact position of the magnetic pole. He was also the only person in the expedition competent to make observations in geology, natural history, and botany. Out of about 700 miles of new land explored. Commander Ross, in the expeditions which he planned and conducted, discovered nearly 500. He had up to this time passed fourteen summers and eight winters in these seas. The late Sir John Barrow, in his " Narrative of Voyages of Discovery and Eesearch," p. 518, in opposition to Boss's opinion, asserted that Boothia was not joined to the Con- tinent, but that they were " completely divided by a navi- fable strait, ten miles wide and upwards, leadmg past Jack's Estuary, and into the Gulf (of Boothia), of which the proper name is Akkolee, not Boothia ; and moreover, that the two seas flow as freely into each other, as Lancaster Sound does into the Polar Sea." This assumption has been since shown to be incorrect. Capt. Ross asserts there is a difference in the level of these two seas. I may here fitly take a review of Capt. Ross's services. He entered the navy in 1790 ; served fifteen years as a midshipman, seven as a lieutenant, and seven as a com- mander, and was posted on the 7th of December, 1818, and appointed to tne command of the first Arctic expedi- tion of this century. On his return he received many marks of favour from continental sovereigns, was knighted, and made a Companion of the Bath on the 24th of Decem- ber, 1834 ; made a Commander of the Sword of Sweden, a Knight of the Second Class of St. Anne of Prussia (in dirmonds). Second Class of the Legion of Honour, and of the Red Eagle of Prussia, and of Leopold of Belgium. Received the royal premium from the Geographical Society of London, in 1833, for his discoveries in the Arctic regions; also gold medals from the Geographical Society of Paris, and the Royal Societies of Sweden, Austria, and Denmark. The freedom of the cities of London, Liverpool, and 118 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERT. Bristol ; six gold snuflf-boxes from Russia, Holland, Den- mark, Austria, London, and Baden ; a sword valued at 100 guineas from the Patriotic Fund, for his sufferings, having been wounded thirteen times in three different actions during the war ; and one of the value of ^^00/. from the King of Sweden, for service in the Baltic and the White Sea. On the 8th of March, 1839, he was appointed to the lucrative post of British consul at Stockholm, which he held for six years. Captain Back's Land Journey, 1833 — 1835. Four years having elapsed without any tidings being received of Capt. Ross and liis crew, it began to be generally feared in England that they had been added to the number of former sufferers, in the prosecution of their arduous un- dertaking. Dr. Richardson, who had himself undergone such fright- ful perils in the Arctic regions with Franklin, was the first to call public attention to the subject, in a letter to the Geographical Societjr, in which he suggested a project for relieving them, if still alive and to be found ; and at the same time volunteered his services to the Colouial Secre- tary of the day, to conduct an exploring party. Although the expedition of Captain Ross was not under- taken under the auspices of the Government, it became a national concern to ascertain the ultimate fate of it, and to make some effort for the relief of the party, whose home at that time might be the boisterous sea, or whose shelter the snow hut or the floating iceberg. Dr. Richardson proposed to proceed from Hudson's Bay, in a north-west direction to Coronation Gulf, where he was to commence his search in an easterly direction. Passing to the north, along the eastern side of this gulf, he would an-ive at Point Turnagain, the eastern point of his own former dis- covery. Having accomplished this, he would continue his search towards the eastward until he reached Melville Island, thus perfecting geographical discovery in that quarter, and a continued coast line might be laid down from the Fury and Hecla Strait to Beechey Point, leaving only the small space between Franklin's discovery and that of the Blossom unexplored. The proposal was favour- ably received; but owing to the political state of the country at that time, the offer was not accepted. A meeting was held in November, 1832, at the rooms of the Horticultural Society, in Regent-street, to obtain funds, CAPTAIN BACK S LAND JOURNEY. 119 the s of ids, and arrange for fitting out a private relief expedition, as the Admiralty and the Government were unable to do this officially, in consequence of Capt. Ross's expedition not being a public one. Sir George Cockburn took the chair, and justly observed that those officers who devoted their time to the service of science, and braved in its pursuit the dangers of unknown and ungenial climates, demanded the sympathy and assistance of all. Great Britain had taken the lead m geographical discovery, and there was not one in this country who did not feel pride and honour in the fame she had attained by the expeditions of Parry and Franklin ; but if we wished to create future Parrys and Franklins, if we wished to encourage British enterprise and courage, we must prove that the officer who is out of sight of his countrymen is not forgotten; that there is consideration for his sufferings, and appreciation of his spirit. This reflection will cheer him in the hour of trial, and will permit him, when surrounded by dangers and pri- vations, to indulge in hope, the greatest blessing of man. Capt. George Back, R.N., who was in Italy when the sub- ject was first mooted, hastened to England, and ofiered to lead the party, and his services were accepted. A sub- scription was entered into to defray the necessary expenses, and upwards of 6000Z. was raised ; of this sum, at the recom- mendation of Lord Goderich, the then secretary of state, the Treasury contributed 2000/. After an interview with the king at Brighton, to which he was specially summoned, Capt. Back made preparations for his journey, and laid down his plan of operations. In order to facilitate his views, and to give him greater control over his men, special instructions and authority were issued by the Colonial Office, and the Hudson's Bay Company granted him a commission in their service, and placed every assistance at his disposal throughout their territory in North America. Everything being definitively arranged, Capt. Back, accompanied by Dr. Richard King as surgeon and natu- ralist, with three men who had been on the expedition with Franklin, left Liverpool on the 17th of Feb.*1833, in one of the New York packet ships, and arrived in America after a stormy passage of thirty-five days. He proceeded on to Llontreal, where he had great difficulty in prevent- ing two of the men from leaving him, as their hearts began to fail them at the prospect of the severe journey, with its attendant difficulties, which they had to encounter. Four volunteers from the Royal Artillery corps hero i M 120 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERT. joined him, and some voyageurs having been engaged, the party left, in two canoes, on the 25tn of April. Two of nis party deserted from him in the Ottawa river. On the 28th of June, having obtained his complement of men, he may be said to have commenced his journey. They suffered dreadfully from myriads of sand-flies and musquitocs, being so disfigured by their attacks that their features could be scarcely recognised. Horse-flies, appropriately styled "bull dogs," were another dreadful pest, which pertinaciously gorged themselves like the leech, imtil they seemed ready to burst. " It is in vain to attempt to defend yourself against these puny bloodsuckers ; though you crush thousands of them, tens of thousands arise to revenge the death of their companions, and you very soon discover that the conflict which you are waging is one in which you are sure to be defeated. So great at last are the pains and fatigue in buffeting away this attacking force, that in despair you throw yourself, half suffocated, in a blanket, with vour face upon the ground, and snatch a few minutes of sleep- less rest." Captain Back adds that the vigorous and unin- termitting assaults of these tormenting pests conveyed the moral lesson of man's helplessness, since, with all our boasted strength, we are unable to repel these feeble atoms of creation. " How," he says, " can I possibly give an idea of the torment we endured from the sand-flies P As we dived into the conflAed and suffocating chasms, or waded through the close swamps, they rose in clouds, actually darkening the air; to see or to speak was equally difficult, for they rushed at every undefended part, and fixed their poisonous fangs in an instant. Our faces streamed with blood, as if leecnes had been applied, and there was a burning and irritati g pain, followed by immediate inflammation, and producing giddiness, which almost drove us mad, and caused us to moan with pain and agony." At the Pine portage Captain Back engaged the services of A. B. McLeod, in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Company, and who had been fixed upon by Governor Simpson, to aid the expedition. He was accompanied by his wife, three children, and a servant ; and had just returned from the Mackenzie River, with a large cargo of furs. The whole family were attached to the party, and after some detentions of a general and imimportant cha- racter, they arrived at Fort Chipewyan on the 29th of July. FortHesolution, on Great Slave Lake, was reached on the 8th of August. CAPTAIN back's LAND JOURNEY. 121 )S The odd asBcmblngo of goods and Toyageurs in their en- campment are thus graphically described by the traveller, as ho glanced around him. " At my feet was a rolled bundle in oil-cloth, containing some three blankets, called a bed ; near it a piece of dried buflalo, fancifully ornamented with long black hairs, which no art, alas ! can prevent from insinuating themselves be- tween the teeth, as you laboriously masticate the tough, hard flesh ; then a tolerably clean napkin, spread by way of table-cloth, on a red piece of canvas, and supporting a tea-pot, some biscuits, and a salt-cellar ; near this a tin plate, close by a square kind of box or safe of the same material, rich with a pale, greasy hair, the produce of the colony at Bed River ; and the last the far-renowned pem- mican, unquestionably the best food of the country for expeditions such as ours. Behind me were two boxes containing astronomical instruments, and a sextant lying on the ground, whilst the different comers of the tent were occupied by a washing apparatus, a gun, an Indian shot-pouch, bags, basins, and an unhappy-looking japanned pot, whose melancholy bumps and hollows seemed to reproach me for many a bruise endured upon the rocks and portages between Montreal and Lake Wmnipcck. Nor were my crew less motley than the ftirniture of the tent. It consisted of an Englishman, a man from Stornaway, two Canadians, two Metifs or half-breds, and three Iro- q nois Indians. Babel could not have produced a worse confusion of unharmonious sounds than was the conversa- tion they kept up." Having obtained at Fort Resolution all possible infor- mation, from the Indians and others, relative to the course of the northern rivers of which he was in search, he divided his crew into two parties, five of whom were left as an escort for Mr. McLeod, and four were to accompany himself in search of the Great Fish River, since appro- priately named after Back himself. On the 19th of August they began the ascent of the Hoar Frost River, whose course was a series of the most fearful cascades and rapids. The woods here were so thick as to render them almost impervious, consisting chiefly of stunted firs, which occasioned infinite trouble co the party to force their way through ; added to which, they had to clamber over fallen trees, through rivulets, and over bogs and swamps, until the difficulties appeared so appalling as almost to dishearten the party from prosecuting their journey. The heart of Captain Back was, however, of too stern a cast to be disuirited by difficulties, at which leas 123 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. persevering explorers would have turned away disoom- litcd, and cheering on his men, like a bold and gallant leader, the lirat in the advance of danger, they arrived at length in an open space, where they rested for awhile to recruit their exhausted strength. The place was, indeed, one of barrenness and desolation ; crag was piled upon crag to the height of 2000 feet from the base, and the course of the river here, in a state of contraction, was marked by ua uninterrupted line of foam. However great the beauty of the scenery may be, and however resolute may be the will, severe toil will at length relax the spirits, and bring a kind of despondency upon a heart naturally bold and undaunted. This was found particularly the case now with the interpreter, who became a dead weight upon the party. Rapid now succeeded rapid ; scarcely had they surmounted one fall than an- other presented itself, rising like an amphitheatre before them to the height of fifty feet. They, however, gained at length the ascent of this turbulent and unfriendly river, the romantic beauty and wild scenery of which were strikingly grand, and after passing successively a series of portages, rapids, falls, lakes, and rivers, on the 27th Back observed from the summit of a high hill a very large lake full of deep bays and islands, and which has been named Aylmer Lake, after the Governor- General of Canada at that time. The boat was sent out with three men to search for the lake, or outlet of the river, which they discovered on the second day, and Captain Back himself, during their absence, also accident- ally discovered its source in the Sand Hill Lake, not far from his encampment. Not prouder was Bruce when he stood on the green sod which covers the source of the Nile, than was Captain Back when he found that he was standing at the source of a river, the existence of which was known, but the course of which was a problem no traveller had yet ventured to solve. Yielding to that pleasurable emotion which discoverers, in the first bound of their transport, may be pardoned for indulging. Back tells us he threw himself d!own on the bank and drank a hearty draught of the limpid water. "For this occasion," he adds, "I had reserved a little grog, and need hardly say with what cheerfulness it was shared amongst the crew, whose welcome tidings had verified the notion of Dr. Richardson and myself, and thus placed beyond doubt the existence of the Thlew-ee- choh, or Great Fish River." On the 30th of August they began to move towards the CAPTAIN nACK.S LAND JOURNEY. 123 a :. river, but on rencliing Music -ox Liiko it wus found imi)«)8- eihlo to stand the force of the rnpids in their frail eanoe, and aa winter was approaehinj; their return to the rendez- vous on Slave Lake was determined on. At Clinton Golden Lake, some Indians visited them from the Chief Akaiteho, wlio it will be remembered was the guide of Sir John Franklin. Two of these Indians remembered Captain Baek, one having accompanied him to the Coppermine JJivcr on Franklin's first expedition. At the Cfat or Artillery Lake they had to abandon their canoe, and perform the rest of the journey on foot over precipitous rocks, through frightful gorges and ravines, neaped with masses of granite, and along narrow ledges, where a false step would have been fatal. At Fortliehance the party found Mr. McLeod had, during their absence, erected the frame-work of a comfortable residence for them, and all hands set to work to com- plete it. After many obstacles and difficulties, it was unished. Dr. King joined them on the 16th of September with two laden bateaux. On the 5th of November they exchanged their cold tents for the new house, which was fifty feet long by thirty broad, and contained four rooms, besides a spacious hall in the centre, for the reception and accommodation of the Indians, to which a sort of rude kitchen was attached. As the winter advanced bands cf starving Indians con- tinued to arrive, in the hope of obtaining some relief, as little or nothing was to be procured by hunting. They would stand around while the men were taking their meals, watching every mouthful with the most longing, imploring look, but yet never uttering a complaint. At other times they would, seated round the fire, occupy themselves in roastmg and devouring small bits of their reindeer garments, which, even when entire, afibrded them a very insufficient jjrotection against a temperature of 102° below freezing point. The suflbrings of the poor Indians at this period are described as frightful. "Famine with her gaunt and bony arm," says Back, "pursued them at every turn, witliered their energies, and strewed them lifeless on the cold bosom of the snow." It was impossible to affi^rd relief out of their scanty store to all, but even small portions of the mouldy pemmican intended for the dogs, unpalatable as it was, was gladly received, and saved many from perishing. " Often," adds Back, " did I share my own 124 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. plate witli the children, whose helpless state and piteous cries were peculiarly distressing ; compassion for the full grown may, or may not, be felt, but that heart must be cased in steel which is insensible to the cry of a child for food." At this critical juncture, Akaitcho made his appearance with an opportune supply of a little meat, which in some measure enabled Captain Back to relieve the sufferers around him, many of whom, to his great delight, went away with Akaitcho. The stock of meat was soon exhausted, and they had to open their pemmican. The officers contented themselves with the short supply of half a pound a day, but the labouring men could not do with less than a pound and three quarters. The cold now set in with an mtensity which Captain Back had never before experienced, — the thermometer on the 17th of January being 70° below zero. " Such indeed, (he says,) was the abstraction of heat, that with eight large logs of dry wood on the fire I could not get the thermometer higher than 12° below zero. Ink and paint froze. The sextant cases and boxes of seasoned wood, principally fir, all split. The skin of the hands became dry, cracked and opened into unsightly and smarting gashes, which we were obliged to anoint with grease. On one occasion, after washing my face within three feet of the fire, my hair was actually clotted with ice before I had time to dry it." The hunters suffered severely from the intensity of the cold, and compared the sensation of handling their guns to that of touching red-hot iron, and so excessive was the pain, that they were obliged to wrap thongs of leather round the triggers to keep their fingers from coming into contact with the steel. The sufferings which the party now endured were great, and had it not been for the exemplary conduct of Akaitcho in procuring them game, it is to be doubted whether any would have survived to tell the misery they had en- dured. The sentiments of this worthy savage were nobly expressed — " The great chief trusts in us, and it is better that ten Indians perish than that one white man should perish through our negligence and breach of faith." On the 14th of February Mr. McLeod and his family removed to a place half-way between the fort and the Indians, in order to facilitate their own support, and assist in procuring food by hunting. His situation, however, became soon one of the greatest embarrassment, he and his family being surrounded by difficulties, privations, and CAPTAIN' back's LAND JOURNEY. 125 Imily the lissist 3ver, and and deaths. Six of tho natives near him sank under the horrors of starvation, and Akaiteho and his hunters were twelve days* march distant. Towards the end of April Capt. Back began to make arrangements for constmctin^ boats for prosecuting the expedition once more, and while so employed, on the 25th a messenger arrived with the gratifying intelligence that Capt. Ross had arrived safely in England, confirmation of which was afforded in extracts from the Times and Seraldy and letters from the long-lost adventurers themselves. Their feelings at these glad tidings are thus described : — " In the fulness of our hearts we assembled toother, and humbly offered up our thanks to that merciful Providence, who in the beautifid language of scripture hath said, * Mine own will I bring again, as I did sometime from the deeps of the sea.* The thought of so wonderful a preserva- tion overpowered for a time the common occurrences of life. We had just sat down to breakfast ; but our appetite was gone, and the day was passed in a feverish state of excitement. Seldom, indeed, did mv friend Mr. King or I indulge in a libation, but on this joyful occasion economy was forgotten ; a treat was given to the men, and for ourselves the social syinpathics were quickened by a generous bowl of punch." Capt. iiack's former inter- preter, Augustus, hearing that he was in the country, set out on foot from Hudson's Bay to join him, but getting separated from his two companions, the gallant little fellow was either exhausted by suffering and privations, or, caught in the midst of an open traverse in one of those terrible snow storms which may be said to blow almost through the frame, ho had sunk to rise no more, his bleached remains being discovered not far from the Riviere a Jean. " Such," says Capt. Back, " was the miserable end of poor Augustus, a faithful, disinterested, kind-hearted creature, who had won the regard, not of myself only, but I may add, of Sir J. Franklin and Dr. Richardson also, by qualities which, wherever found, in the lowest as in the highest forms of social life, are the ornament and ^harm of humanity." On the 7th of June, all the ijreparations being com- pleted, McLeod having been previously sent on to hunt, and deposit casks of meat at various stages. Back set out with Mr. King, accompanied by four voyageurs and an Indian guide. The stores not required were buried, and the doors and windows of the house blocked up. At Artillery Lake, Back picked up the remainder of his party, with the carpenters who had been employed pre- 126 PROGRESS OF ArwOTlC DISCOVERY. paring boats. The lightest and best was chosen and placed on runners plated with iron, and in this manner she was drawn over the ice by two men and six fine dogs. The eastern shore of the lake was followed, as it was found less rocky and precipitous than the opposite one. The march was prosecuted bv night, the air being more fresh and pleasant, and the party took rest in the day. The glare of the ice, the difficulty encountered in getting the boat along, the ice being so bad that the spikes of the runners cut through instead of sliding over it, and the thick snow which fell in June, greatly increased the labour of getting along. The cold raw wind pierced through them in spite of cloaks and blankets. After being caulked, the boat was launched on the 14th of June, the lake being sufficiently unobstructed to admit of her being towed along shore. The weather now became exceedingly unpleasant — hail, snow, and rain pelted them one after the other for some time without respite, and then only yielded to squalls that overturned the boat. With alternate spells and baitings to rest, they however gradually advanced on the traverse, and were really making consi- derable progress when pelting showers of sleet and drift so dimmed and confused the sight, darkening the atmo- sphere, and limiting their view to only a few paces before them, as to render it an extremely perplexing task to keep their course. On the 23rd of June they fortimately fell in with a cache made for them by their avante-courier, Mr. McLeod, in which was a seasonable supply of deer and musk-ox flesh, the latter, however, so impregnated with the odour from which it takes its name, that the men declared thev would rather starve three days than swallow a mouthml of it. To remove this unfavourable impression Capt. Back ordered the daily rations to be served from it for his own mess us well as theirs, taking occasion at the same time to impress on their minds the injurious consequences of voluntary abstinence, and the necessity of accommodating their tastes to such food as the country might supply. Soon after another cache was met with, thus making eleven animals in all that had been thus obtained and secured for them by the kind care of Mr. McLeod. On the 27th they reached Sand HiU Bay, where they found Mr. McLeod encamped. On the 28th the boat being too frail to be dragged over the portage, about a quarter of a mOe in length, was carried bodily by the crew, and launched safely in the Thlew-ee-choh or I*ish River. After crossing the portage beyond Musk-ox Bapid, about four CAPTAIN BACK S LAND JOURNEY. 127 miles in length, and having all his party together, Captain Back took a survey of his provisions for the three months of operations, which he found to consist of two boxes of maccaroni, a case of cocoa, twenty-seven bags of pem- mican of about SOlbs. each, and a keg with two gallons of rum. This he considered an adequate supply if all turned out sound and good. The difficulty, however, of trans- porting a weight of SOOOlbs. over ice and rocks by a cir- cuitous route of full 200 miles may be easily conceived, not to mention the pain endured in walking on some parts where the ice formed innumerable spikes that pierced like needles, and in other places where it was so black and decayed, that it threatened at every step to engulf the adventurous traveller. These and similar difficulties could only be overcome by the most steady perseverance, and the most determined resolution. Among the group of dark figures huddled together in the Indian encampment around them, Capt. Back found his old acquaintance, the Indian beauty of whom mention is made in Sir John Franklin's narrative under the name of Green Stockings. Although surrounded with a family, with one urchin in her cloak clinging to her back, and several other maternal accompaniments, Capt. Back imme- diately recognised her, and called her by her name, at which she laughed, and said she was an old woman now, ar. bporged that she might be relieved by the " medicine itr ,. ,br she was very much out of health. However, nt v .i.;iistanding all this, she was still the beauty of the tribe, and with that consciousness which belongs to all belles, savage or polite, she seemed by no means displeased when Back sketched her portrait. — (p. J^OT.) Mr. McLeod was now sent back, taking with him ten persons and fourteen dogs. His instructions were to pro- ceed to Fort Resolution for the stores expected to be sent there by the Hudson's Bay Company, to build a house in Bome good locality, for a permanent fishing station, and to be again on the banks of the Fish River by the middle of September, to afibrd Back and his party any assistance or relief they might require. The ola Indian chief Akaitcho, hearing from the inter- preter that Capt. Back was in his immediate neighbourhood, said, " I have Known the chief a long time, and I am afraid I shall never see him again ; I wiU go to him." On his arrival he cautioned Back against the dangers of a river which he distinctly told him the present race of Indians knew nothing of. He also warned him against the treachery of the Esquimaux, which he said was always masked under 128 rnoGR.^ss OP arctic discovery. the guise of frienclsliip, observing they would attack him when he least expected it. " I am afraid," continued the good old chief, " that I shall never see you again ; but should you escape from the great water, take care you are not caught by the winter, and thrown into a situation like that in which you were on your return from the Copper- mine, for you are alone, and the Indians cannot assist you." The carpenters, with an Iroquois, not being further required, were dismissed to join Mr. McLeod, and on the 8th of July they proceeded aown the river. The boat was now launched and laden with her cargo, which, together with ten persons, she stowed well enough for a smooth river, but not for a lake or sea way. The weight was cal- culated at 3360 lbs., exclusive of the awning, poles, sails, &c., and the crew. Their progress to the sea was now one continued succes- sion of dangerous and formidable falls, rapids, and cataracts, which frequently made Back hold his breath, expecting to see the boat dashed to shivers against some protruding rocks amidst the foam and fury at the foot of a rapid. The only wonder is how in their frail leakj boat they ever shot one of the rapids. Eapid after rapid, and fall after fall, were passed, each accompanied with more or less danger ; and in one instance the boat was only saved by all hands jumping into the breakers, and keeping her stern up the stream, until she was cleared from a rock that liad brought her up. They had hardly time to get into their places again, when tney were carried with considerable velocity past a river which joined from the westward. After pass- mg no less than five rapids within the distance of three mfles, they came to one long and appalling one, full of rocks and large boulders ; the sides hemmed in by a wall of ice, and the current flying with the velocity and force of a torrent. The boat was lightened of her cargo, and Capt. Sack placed himself on a high rock, with an anxious desire to see her run the rapid. He had every hope which con- fidence in the judgment and dexterity of his principal men could inspire, but it was impossible not to feel that one crash would be fatal to the expedition. Away they went with the speed of an arrow, and in a moment the foam and rocks hid them from view. Baek at last heard what sounded in his ear like a wild shriek, and he saw Dr. Xing, who was a hundred yards before him, make a sign with his gun, and then run forward. Back followed with an agitation which may easily be conceived, when to his inex- pressible joy he found that the shriek was the triumphant whoop of tlie crew, who had landed safely in a small bay CAPTAIN back's LAND JOURNEY. 129 below. Fop nearly 100 miles of the distance they were impeded by these frightful whirlpools, and strong and heavy rapias. On opening one of their bags of pemmican, the ingenuity of the Indians at pilfering was discovered, successive layers of mixed sand, stones, and green meat having been artfully and cleverly substituted for the dry meat. Fearful that they might be carrying heaps of stone instead of pro- vision, fiack nad to examine carefully the remainder, which were all found sound and well-tasted. He began to fear^ from the inclination of the river at one time towards the south, that it would be found to discharge itself in Ches- terfield Inlet, in Hudson's Bay, but subsequently, to his ^eat joy, it took a direct course towards tne north, and his hopes of reaching the Polar Sea were revived. The river now led into several large lakes, some studded with islands, which were named successively after Sir H. Felly,- and Mr. Garry, of the Hudson's Bay Company ; two others were named Lake Macdougall and Lake Franklin. On the 28th of July they fell in with a tribe of about thirty-five very friendly Esquimaux, who aided them in transporting their boat over the last long and steep portage, to which his men were utterly unequal, and Back justly remarks, to their kind assistance he is mainly indebted for getting to the sea at all. It was late when they got away, and while threading their course between some sand-banks with a strong cur- rent, they first caught sight of a majestic headland in the extreme distance to the north, which had a coast-like appearance. This important promontoryBack subsequently named after our gracious Queen, then Frincess Victoria. " This then," observes Back, " may be considered as the mouth of the Thlew-ee-choh, which after a violent and tortuous course of 530 geographical miles, running through an iron-ribbed country, without a single tree on the whole line of its banks, expanding into five large lakes, with clear horizon, most embarrassing to the navigator, and broken into falls, cascades, and rapids, to the number of eighty- three in the whole, pours its water into the Polar Sea, in lat. 67° 11' N., and long. 94° 30' W., that is to say, about thirty-seven miles more south than the Coppermine River, and nineteen miles more south than that of Back's Biver (of Franklin) at the lower extremity of Bathurat's Inlet." (p. 390.) For several days Back was able to make but slow pro- gress along the eastern shore, in consequence of the solid body of dnft-ice. A barren, rocky elevation of 800 feet 130 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. high was named Cape Beaufort, after the present hydro- grapher to the Admiralty. A bluff point on the eastern side of the estuary, which he considered to be the northern extreme, he named Cape Hay. Dean and Simpson, how- ever, in 1839, traced tne shore much bejond this. The diflBculties met with here began to dispirit the men. For a week or ten days they had a continuation of wet, chilly, foggy weather, and the only vegetation, fern and moss, was so wet that it would not Tiurn ; being thus without fuel, during this time they had but one hot meal. Almost without water, without any means of warmth, or any kind of warm or comforting food, sinking knee-deep, as they proceeded on land, in the soft slush and snow, no wonder that some of the best men, benumbed in their limbs and dispirited by the dreary and unpromising pro- spect before them, broke out for a moment, in low mur- murings, that theirs was a hard and painful duty. Cuptain Back found it utterly impossible to proceed, as he had intended, to the Point Turnagain of FrankliU; and after vainly essaying a land expedition by three of the best walkers, and these having returned, after making but fifteen miles' way, in consequence of the heavy rains and the swampy nature of the ground, he came to the resolu- tion of returning. Eeflecting, he says, on the long and dangerous stream they had to ascend, combining aE the bad features of the worst rivers in the country, the hazard of the falls and rapids, and the slender hope which re- mained of their attaining even a single mile further, he felt he had no choice. Assembling, therefore, the men around him, and unfurling the British flag, which was saluted with three cheers, he announced to them this determination. The latitude of this place was 68° 13' 57" N., and longitude 94" 58' 1" W. The extreme point seen to the northward on the western side of the estuary, in lati- tude 68° 46' N., lon^tude 96° 20' W., Back named Cape Hichardson. The spirits of many of the men, whose health had suffered greatly for want of warm and nourishing food, now brightened, and they set to work with alacrity to prepare for their return journey. The boat being dragged across, was brought to the place of their former station, after which the crew went back four miles for their baggage. The whole was safely conveyed over before the evening, when the water-casks were broken up to make a fire to warm a kettle of cocoa, the second hot meal they luid had for nine days. On the 15th of August, they managed to make their way about twenty miles, on their return to the southward. I CAPTAIN back's LAND JOURNEY. 131 hydro- mside ►rthem I, liow- . The $ men. )f wet, ru and Lg thus t meal, nth, or e-deep, ow, no a their ig pro- V mur- ecd, as in; and he best ag but ins and resolu- ig and aU the hazard ich re- er, he their Iward, throuffh a breach in the ice, till they came to open water. The difficulties of the river were doubled in the ascent, from having to proceed against the stream. All the ob- stacles of rocks, rapids, sandbanks, and long portages had to be faced. In some days as many as sixteen or twenty rapids were ascended. They found, as they proceeded, that many of the deposits of provisions, on which they 1 reUed, had been discovered and destroyed by wolves. ' On the 16th of September they met Mr. McLeod and his party, who had been several days at Sand Hill Bay, wait- ing for them. On the 24th they reached the Ah-hel-dessy, where they met with some Indians. They were ultimately- stopped by one most formidable perpendicular fall, and as it was found impossible to convey the boat further over so rugged and mountainous a country, most of the declivities of which were coated with thm ice, and the whole hidden by snow, it was here abandoi J md the party proceeded the rest of the journey on foot/, each laden witn a pack of about 751bs. weight. Late on the 27th of September they arrived at their old habitation, Fort Reliance, after being absent nearly four months, wearied indeed, but " truly fateful for the mani- fold mercies they had experienced m the course of their long and perilous journey." Arrangements were now made to pass the winter as comfortably as their means would permit, and as there was no probability that there would be sufficient food in the house for the consumption of the whole party, all except six were sent with Mr, McLeod to the fisheries. The Indians brought them pro- visions from time to time, and their friend Akaitcho, with his followers, though not very successful in hunting, was not wanting in his contributions. This old chieftam was, however, no longer the same active and important personage he had been in the days when he rendered such good service to Sir John Franklin. Old age and infirmities were creeping on him and rendering him peevish and fickle. On the 21st of March following, having left directions with Dr. King to proceed, at the proper season, to the Company's factory at Hudson's Bay, to embark for Eng- land in their spring ships. Captain Back set out on his return through Canada, caUing at the Fisheries to bid farewell to his esteemed friend, Mr. McLeod, and arriving at Norway House on the 24th of June, where he settled and arranged the accounts due for stores, &o., to the Hudson's Bay Company. He proceeded thence to New York, embarlced for England and arrived at Liverpool k2 H 132 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERT. on the 8th of September, after an absence of two years and a half. Back was honoured with an audience of his Majesty, who expresse'. uis approbation of his eflforts— first in the cause of humanity, and next in that of geo- firraphical and scientific research. He has since been knighted ; and in 1835, the Eoyal Geographical Society awarded him their gold medal (the EoyaJ premium) for his discovery of the Ureat Fish Kiver and navigating it to the sea on tne Arctic coast. Dr. King, with the remainder of the party, (eight men,) reached England, in the Hudson's Bay Company s ship, in the following month, October. Of Captam Back's travels it has been justly observed that it is impossible to rise from the perusal of them without bein^ struck with astonishment at the extent of Bufierings which the human frame can endure, and at the same time the wondrous display of fortitude which was exhibited under circumstances of so appalling a nature, as to invest the narrative with the character of a ro- mantic fiction, rather than an unexaggerated tale of actual reality. He, however, suffiered not despair nor despon- dency to overcome him, but gallantly and undauntedly pursued his course, until he retumea to his native land to add to the number of those noble spirits whose names will be carried to posterity as the brightest ornaments to the country which gave them birth. Captain Back's Yotaoe of the Tebbob. In the year 1836 Captain Back, who had only returned the previous autumn, at the recommendation of the Geo- Sapnical Society, undertook a voyage in the Terror up udson's Strait. He was to reach Wager Biver, or Bepulse Bay, and to make an overland journey to examine the bottom of Prince Begent Inlet, sendmg other parties to the north and west to examine the Strait of the Fury and Hecla, and to reach, if possible, Franklin's Point Turnagain. Leaving England on the 14th of June, he arrived on the 14th of August, at Salisbury Island, and proceeded up the Frozen Strait ; ofif Cape Comfort the ship got frozen in, and on the breaking up of the ice by one of those frequent convulsions, the vessel was drifted right up the Frozen Channel, grinding large heaps that opposed ner progress to powder. From December to March she was driven about by the fury of the storms and ice, all attempts to release her ro yesrs e of his efforts — of geo- ce been Society ium) for ing it to lit men,) I ship, in >bserTed of them »xtent of Ld at the liich was I nature, >{ a ro- of actual despon- luntedly bive land e names nents to and to ttom of north Hecia, |in. red on ^dedup frozen |equent 'rozen >gress |by the »e her MESSRS. DEASE AND SIMPSON*S D bCOVERIES. 133 being utterly powerless. She thus floated till the 10th of July, and, for three days was on her beam-ends ; but on the 14th suddenly righted. The crazy vessel with her gaping wounds was scarcely able to transport the crew across the stormy waters of the Atlantic, out the return voyage, which was rendered absolutely necessary, was fortunately accomplished safely. I shall now give a concise summary of Captain Sir George Back's Arctic services, so as to present it more readily to the reader. In 1818 he was Admiralty Mate on board the Trent, under Franklin. In 1819 he again accompanied him on his first overland journey, and was with him in all those perilous sufferings which are elsewhere narrated. He was also as a Lieutenant with Franklin on his second journey in 1825. Having been in the interval promoted to the rank of Commander, he proceeded, in 1833, accom- panied by Dr. King and a party, through Northern Ame- rica to tne Polar Sea, in search of Captain John Soss. He was posted on the 30th of September, 1835, and ^pointed in the following year to the command of the Terror, for a voyage of discovery in Hudson's Bay. Messbs. Dease and Simpson's Discovebies. In 1836 the Hudson's Bay Company resolved upon undertaking the completion or the survey of the northern coast of their territories, forming the shores of Arctic America, and small portions of which were left unde- termined between the discoveries of Captains Back and Franklin. They commissioned to this task two of their officers, Mr. Tjiomas Simpson and Mr. Peter Warren Dease, who were sent out with a party of twelve men from the company's chief fort, with proper aids and appliances. Descending the Mackenzie to the sea, they reacncd and surveyed in July, 1837, the remainder of the western part of the coast left unexamined by Franklin in 1825, from his Eetum Reef to Cape Barrow, where the Blossom' sho&ts turned back. Proceeding on from Eetum Reef two new rivers were discovered — the Garry and the Colville ; the latter more than a thousand miles in length. Although it was the height of summer, the ground was found frozen several inches below the surface, the spray froze on the oars and rigging of their boats, and the ice lay smooth and solid in the bays, as in the depth of winter. ^ 134 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERT. u On the 4th of Au^ist, havinjj left the boats and pro- ceeded on by land, Mr. Simpson arrived at Elson Bay, Trhich point Lieutenant Elson had reached in the Blossom' t barge in 1826. The party now returned to winter at Fort Confidence, on Great I3ear Lake, whence they were instructed to prosecute their search to the eastward next season, and to communicate if possible with Sir George Back's expe- dition. They left their winter quarters on the 6th of June, 1838, and descended Dease's Kiver. They found the Copper- mine River much swollen by floods, and encumbered with masses of floating ice. The rapids they had to pass were very perilous, as may be inferred irom the following graphic description : — " We had to pull for our lives to keep out of the suction of the precipices, along whose base the breakers raged and foamed with overwhelming fury. Shortly before noon, we came in sight of Escape Kapid of Franklin ; and a glance at the overhanging cliffs told us that there was no alternative but to run down with full cargo. In an instant," continues Mr. Simpson, "we were in the vortex; and before wo were aware, my boat was borne towards an isolated rock, which the boilmg surge almost concealed. To clear it on tlie outside was no longer possible ; our only chance of safety was to run between it and the lofty eastern cliff. The word was passed, and every breath was hushed. A stream which dashed down upon us over the brow of the precipice more than 100 feet in height, mingled with the spray that whirled upwards from the rapid, forming a terrific shower-bath. The pass was about eight feet wide, and the error of a single foot on either side would have been instant destruction. As, guided by Sinclair's consummate skill, the boat shot safely through those jaws of death, an involuntary cheer arose. Our next impulse was to turn round to view the fate of our com- raaes behind. They had profited by the peril we incurred, and kept without the treacherous rock in time." On tne 1st of July they reached the sea, and encamped at the mouth of the river, where they waited for the opening of the ice till the 17th. They doubled Cape Barrow, one of the northern points of Batnurst's Lilet, on the 29th, but were prevented crossing the inlet by the continuity of the ice, and obliged to make a circuit of nearly 150 miles by Arctic Sound. . Some very pure specimens of copper ore were found on one of the Barry Islands. Alter doubling Cape Flinders and pro- son Bay, Blossom'i nfidence, •ucted to ison, and k's expe* ne, 1838, Copper- Ted with •ass were following 3 suction iged and loon, we glance at ;emative ontinues jfore we ed rock, clear it ^ chance rn cliff, led. A TOW of ningled rapid, Lfc ei^ht er side led bv ough next Ir corn- purred, imped ^r the Cape |et, on the lit of id on iders MESSRS. DBASE AND SIMPS0N*9 DISCOVERIES. 135 on the 9th of August, the boats were arrested by the ice in a little bay to which the name of Boat-haven was given, situate about three miles from Franklin's farthest. Hero the boats lingered for the best part of a month in utter hopelessness. Mr. Simpson pusned on therefore on the 20th, with an exploring party of seven men, provisioned for ten days. On the first day they passed Point Turn- again, the limit of Franklin's survey in 1821 . On the 23rd they had reached an elevated cane, with land apparently I \ closing all round to the northwara, so that it was feared they had only been traversing the coast of a huge bay. But the perseverance of the adventurous explorer was fully rewarded. "With bitter disappointment," writes Mr. Simpson, "I ascended the height, from whence a vast and splendid Drospect burst suddenly upon me. The sea, as ir trans- formed by enchantment, rolled its free waves at my feet, and beyond the reach of vision to the eastward. Islands of various shape and size overspread its surface ; and the northern land terminated to the eye in a bold and lofty cape, bearinj^ east-north-east, thirty or forty miles distant, while the continental coast trended away south-east. I stood, in fact, on a remarkable headlana, at the eastern outlet of an ice-obstructed strait. On the extensive land to the northward I bestowed the name of our most gracious sovereign Queen Victoria. Its eastern visible extremity I called Cape Pelly, in compliment to the governor of the Hudson's Bay Company." Having reached the limits which prudence dictated in the face of the long journey back to the boats, many of his men too being lame, Mr. Simpson retraced his steps, and the party reached Boat-haven on the 29th of August, having traced nearly 140 miles of new coast. The boats were cut out of their icy prison, and commenced their re-ascent of the Coppermine on the 3rd of September. At its junction with the Kendal Kiver they left their boats, and, shouldering their packs, traversed the Barren Grounds, and arrived at tneir residence on the lake by the 14th of September. The following season these persevering explorers com- menced their third voyage. They reached the Bloody Fall on the 22nd of June, 1839, and occupied themselves for a week in carefully examining Kichardson's River, which was discovered in the previous year, and discharges itself in the head of Back's Inlet. On the 3rd of July they reached Cape Barrow, and from its rocky heights were surprised to observe Coronation Gulf almost clear 136 PROGRESS OF ARCTIO DISCOVERY. of ico, while on their former visit it could have been crossed on foot. They were at Cape Franklin a month earUer than Mr. Simpson reached it on foot the previous year, and doubled Capo Alexander, the northernmost cape in this quarter, on the 28th of Julv, after encountering a violent gale. They coasted the nuge bay extending for about nine degrees eastward from this point, being favoured with clear weather, and protected oy the various islands they ! et from the crushing state of the ice drifted from Beaward. On the 10th of August they opened a strait about ten miles wide at each extremity, but narrowing to four or five miles in the centre. This strait, which divides the main land from Boothia, has been called Simpson's Strait. On the 13th of August they had passed Kichardson's Point and doubled Point Ogle, the furthest point of Back's journey in 1834. By the 16th they had reached Montreal Island in Back's Estuary, where they found a deposit of provisions which Captain Back had left there that day nve years. The pemmioan was unfit for use, but out of several pounds of chocolate half decayed the men contrived to pick sufficient to make a kettleful of acceptable drink in honour of the occasion. There were also a tin case and a few fish-hooks of which, observes Mr. Simpson, " Mr. Dease and I took possession, as memorials of our having break- fasted on tne very spot where the tent of our gallant, though less successful precursor stood that very duy five years before." By the 20th of August they had reached as far as Aber- deen Island to the eastward, from which they had a view of an apparently large gulf, corresponding with that which haa been so correctly described to Parry by the intelligent Esquimaux female as Akkolee. From a mountainous ridge about three miles inland a view of land in the north-east was obtained, supposed to be one of the southern promontories of Bootnia. High and distant islands stretching from E. to E.N.E. (probably some in Committee Bay) were seen, and two considerable ones were noted far out in the offing. Eemembering the length and difficulty of their return route, the explorers now retraced their steps. On their return voyage they traced sixty miles of the south coast of Boothia, where at one time they were not more than ninety miles from the site of the magnetic pole, as deter- D been lan Mr. loubled quarter, it gale, lit nine 3d with ds they id from K>ut ten four or ides the t Strait, ardson's »oint of 1 Back's IS which 8. The pounds to pick honour id a few Dease break- gallant, ay live Aber- a view h that by the iland a dtobe High )bably Urable )ering the Return ist of than leter- DB. JOHN RAES LAND EXPEDITION. 137 mined by Captain Sir James C. Boss. On the 25th of August tnov erected a high cairn at their furthest point, near Cape Herschel. About 160 miles of the high, bold shores of Victoria Land, as far as Cape Parry, were also examined ; \Vel« lington, Cambridge, and Byron Bays being surveyed and accurately laid down. They then stretched across Coro- nation Gulf, and re-entered the Coppermine lliver on the 16th of September. Abandoning here one of their boats, with the remains of their useless stores and other articles not required, they ascended the river and reached Fort Confidence on the 24th of September, after one of the longest and most successful boat voyages ever performed on the Polar Sea, having traversed more than 1600 miles of sea. In 1838, before the intelligence of this last trip had been received, Mr. Simpson was presented by the Koyal Geographical Society of London with the Foimder's Gold Medal, for discovermg and tracing i i 1837 and 18^8 about 300 miles of the Arctic shores ; but th'^ voyage which I have just recorded has added greatly to ^he Jkiirels which he and his bold companions have acliieved. De. John Eae's Land Expedition, 1846 — 1.M7. Although a Httle out of its chronologicr' ?rder, I give Dr. Eae's exploring trip before I proceed tc no 'ce Frank- lin's last voyage, and the different relief < Kpeditions that have been sent out during the past two years. Li 1840 the Hudson's Company despatched an expe- dition of thirteen persons, under the command of Dr. John £ae, for the purpose of surveying tic unexplored portion of the Arctic coast at the north-eastern angle of the American continent between Dease and Simpson's farthest, and the Strait of the Fury and Hecla. The expedition left Fort Churchill, in Hudson's Bay, on the 5th of July, 1846, and returned in safety to York Factory on the 6th of Septembti I:j the following year, after liaving, by travelling over tjLi; ice and snow in the spring, traced the coast all the way from the Lord Mayor's Bay of Sir John Boss to within eight or ten miles oi the Fury and Hecla Strait, thun proving that eminent navi- gator to have been corroci> in stating Boothia to be a peninsula. On the 15th of July the boats first fell in with the ice, about ten nules north of Cape Fullerton, and it waa 138 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. 1 I I i 80 heavy and closely packed that they were obliged to take shelter in a deep and narrow inlet that opportunely presented itself, where they were closed up two days. On the 22nd the party reached the most southerly opening of Wager River or Bay, but were detained the whole day by the immense Quantities of heavy ice driving in and out with the flood ana ebb of the tide, which ran at the rate of eight miles an hour, forcing up the ice and grinding it against the rocks with a noise like thunder. On the night of the 24th the boats anchored at the head of Repulse Bay. The following day they anchored in Gibson's Cove, on the banks of which they met with a small party of Esquimaux ; several of the women wore beads round their wrists, which they had obtained from Captain Parry's ships when at Igloolik and Winter Island. But they had neither heard nor seen anything of Sir John FranKlin. Learning from a chart drawn by ono of the natives, that the isthmus of Melville Peninsula was only about forty miles across, and that of this, owing to a number of large lakes, but five miles of land would have to be passed over. Dr. Rae determined to make his way over this neck in preference to proceeding by Fox's Channel through the Fury and Hecla Strait. One boat was tlierefore laid up with her cargo in security, and with the other the party set out, assisted by three Esquimaux. After traversing several large lakes, and crossing over six " port£U|^es," on the 2nd of August they got into the salt water, in Committee Bay, but being able to make but little progress to the north-west, in consequence of heavy gales and closely packed ice, he retuDied to his starting point, and made preparations for wintering, it being found impossible to proceed with the survey at that time. The other boat was brought across the isthmus, and all hands were set to work in making preparations for a long and cold winter. As no wood was to be had, stones were collected to build a house, which was finished by the 2nd of September. Its dimensions were twenty feet hy fourteen, and about eight feet high. The roof was formed of oil cloths and morse-skin coverings, the masts and oars of the boats serving as rafters, while the door was made of parchment skins stretched over a wooden frame. The deer had already commenced migrating southward, but whenever ho had leisure, Dr. Rae shouldered his rifle, and had frequently good success, shooting on one day seven deer within two miles of their encampment. »cl to nely herly 1 the •iving •an at c and inder. '. head ed in rith a wore I from Vinter jrthing atives, about iber of to be ly over ihannel (curity, three ts, and loy got lable to [uence to his |t being time, md all along ited to smber. about IS and boats lent iward, js rifle, |e day DR. JOHN RAES LAND EXPEDITION. 139 On the 16th of October, the thermometer fell to zero, and the greater part of the reindeer had passed ; but the party had by this time shot 130, and during the remainder of October, and in November, thirtv-two more were killed, so that with 200 partridges and a ^w salmon, their snow- built larder was pretty well stocked. Sufficient fuel nad oeen collected to last, with economy, for cooking, until the spring ; and a couple of seals which had been shot produced oil enough for their lamps. By nets set in the lakes under the ice, a few salmon were also caught. After passing a vcr^ stormy winter, with the temperature occasionally 47° below freezmg point, and often an allow- ance of but one meal a day, towards the end of February preparations for resuming their surveys in the spring were made. Sleds, similar to those used by the natives, were constructed. In the beginning of March the reindeer began to migrate northward, but were very shy. One was shot on the 11th. Dr. Kae set out on the 5th of April, in company with three men and two Esquimaux as interpreters, theur nrovisions and bedding being drawn on sleds by four dogs. Nothing worthy of notice occurs in this exploratory trip, till on the 18th Ilae came in sight of Lord Mayor's Bay, and the group of islands with which it is studded. The isthmus which connects the land to the northward with Boothia, he found to be only about a mile broad. On their return the party fortunately fell in with four Esauimaux, from whom they obtained a quantity of seal's blubocr for fuel and dogs* food, and some of the nesh and blood for their own use, enough to maintain them for six days on half allowance. All the party were more or less affected with snow blindness, but arrived at their winter quarters in llepulse Bay on the 5th of May, all safe and well, but as black as negroes, from the combined effects of frost-bites and oil smoke. On the evening of the 13th May, Dr. Sae again started with a chosen party of four men, to trace the west shore of Melville Peninsula. Each of the men carried about 70 lbs. weight. Being unable to obtain a drop of water of nature's thaw- ing, and fuel bemg rather a scarce ai-ticle, they were obliged to take sm^ kettles of snow under the blankets with them, to thaw by the heat of the body. Having reached to about 69° 42' N. lat., and 85° 8' long., and their provisions being nearly exhausted, they were obliged, much to their disappointment, to turn back. 140 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERT. m \ when only within a few miles of the Hecla and Fury Strait. Early on the morning of the 30th of May, the party arrived at their snow hut on Cape Thomas Simpson. The men they had left there were well, but very thin, as they had neither caught nor shot anything eatable, except two marmots, and they were preparing to cook a piece of parch- ment skin for their supper. *' Our journey," says Dr. Eae, " hitherto had been the most fatiguing 1 had ever experienced ; the severe exercise, with a limited allowance of food, had reduced the whole party very much. However, we marched merrily on, tightening our belts, — mine came in six inches, — the men vowing that when they got on fuU allowance, they would make up for lost time. ' On the morning of the 9th of June, they arrived at their encampment in Kepulse Bay, after being absent twenty- seven days. The whole party then set actively to work procuring food, collecting fuel, and preparing the boats for sea ; and the ice in the bay having broken up on the 11th of August, on the 12th they left their dreary winter quarters, and after encountering head winds and stormy weather, reached Churchill Eiver on the 31st of August. A gratuity of 400Z. was awarded to Mr. £ae, by the Hudson's Bay Company, for the important services he had thus rendered to the cause of science. Captain Sib John Franklin's Last Expedition, 1845—1851. That Sir John Franklin, now nearly six years absent, is alive, we dare not affirm; but that his ships should be so utterly annihilated that no trace of them can be discovered, or if they have been so entirely lost, that not a single life should have been saved to relate the disaster, and that no traces of the crew or vessels should have been met with by the Esquimaux, or the exploring parties who have visited and investigated those coasts, and bays, and inlets to so con- siderable an extent, is a most extraordinary circumstance. It is the general belief of those officers who have served in the former Arctic expeditions, that whatever accident may have befallen the Erebus and Terror^ they cannot wholly have disappeared from those seas, and that some traces of their fate, if not dome living remnant of their crews, must eventually reward the search of the diligent investigator. It is possible that they may be found in quarters the least expected. There is still reason, then, for hopet and alive, tterly or if Lould [races the and CAPT. SIR JOHN FRANKLIN S LAST EXPEDITION. 141 for the great and honourable exertions which that dirine spark in the soul has prompted and still keeps alive. " There is something," says the Athemeum, ** intensely interesting in the picture of those dreary seas amid whose strange and unspeakable solitudes our lost countrymen are, or have been, somewhere imprisoned for so many years, swarming with the human life that is risked to set them free. No hunt was ever so exciting — so full of a wild grandeur and l profound pathos — as that which has iust aroused the Arctic echoes; that wherein their brotncrs and companions have been beating for the track by which they may rescue the lost mariners from the icy grasp of the Genius of the North. Fancy these men in their ada- mantine prison, wherever it may be, — chained up by the Polar Spirit whom they had dared, — lingering through years of cold and darkness on the stinted ration that scarcely feeds the blood, and the feeble hope that scarcely sustains the heart, — and then imagine the rush of emo- tions to greet the first cry from that wild hunting-ground which should reach their ears ! Through many summers has that cry been listened for, no doubt. Something like an expectation of the rescue which it should announce has revived with each returning season of comparative light, to die of its own baffled intensity as the long daflc months once more settled down upon their dreary prisonhouse.— There is scarcely a doubt that the track being now struck, these long pining hearts may be traced to their lair. But what to the anxious auestioning which has year by year gone forth in search of their fate, will be the answer now revealed P The trail is found, — but what of the weary feet that made itP We are not willing needlessly to alarm the public sympathies, which have been so gene- rously stirred on behalf of the missing men, — but we are bound to warn our readers against too sanguine an enter- tainment of the hope which the first tidings of the recent discovery is calculated to suggest. It is scarcely possible that the provisions which were su£5cient for three years, and adaptable for four, can by any economy which im- plies less than starvation have been spread over five, — and scarcely probable that they can have been made to do so by the help of any accidents which the place of confine- ment supplied. We cannot hear of this sudden discovery of traces of the vanished crews as living men, without a wish which comes like a pang that it had been two years ago — or even last year. It makes the heart sore to think how close relief may have been to their hiding-place in 142 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERT. K I I 1 '■ ' former years — when it turned away. Tlicre is scarcely reason to doubt that had the present circumstances of the search occurred two years ago — last year perhaps — the wanderers would have been restored. Another year makes a frightful difference in the odds : — and we do not think the public will ever feel satisfied with what has been done in this matter if the oracle so long questioned, and silent 80 long, shall speak at last — and the answer shall be, • It is too late.' " In the prosecution of the noble enterprise on which all eyes are now turned, it is not merely scientific research and geographical discovery that are at present occupying the attention of the commanders of vessels sent out ; the lives of human beings are at stake, and above all, the lives of men who have nobly perilled everything in the cause of national — nay, of universal progress and knowledge ;— of men who have evinced on this and other expeditions the most dauntless bravery that any men can evince, Who can think of the probable fate of these gallant adventurers without a shudder P Alas! how truthfully has Montgomery depicted the fatal imprisonment of vessels in these regions :— There lies a vessel ir that realm of frost. Not wrecked, not ntrundcd, yet for ever lost ; Its keel embedded in the solid mass ; Its glistening sails appear expanded glass ; The transverse ropes with pearlii enormous strung. The yards Mrith icicles grotesquely hung. Wrapt in the topmast shrouds there rests a boy, His old sea-faring father's only joy ; Sprung from a race of rovers, ocean bom, Kursed at the helm, he trod dry land ^vith scorn ; Through fourscore years ftom port to port he vcer'd. Quicksand, nor roclc, nor foe, nor tempest fear'd; Now cast ashore, though like a hulk he lie. His son at sea is ever in his eye. Jle ne'er shall know in his Northumbrian cot. How brief that son's career, how strange his lot Writhed round the mast, and sepulchred in air. Him shall no worm devour, no vulture tear, Ciongeal'd to adamant his fVame shall last. Though empires change, till time and tide be past. Mom shall return, and noon, and eve, and night Meet here with interchanging shade and light ; But from that barque no timber shall decay, Of these cold forms no feature pass away; Perennial ice around th' encrusted bow. The peopled-deck, and Aill-rigg'd masts shall grow Till fVom the sun himself the whole be hid. Or fpled beneath a crystal pyramid ; \ CAPT. SIR JOHN FRANKLIN S LAST EXPEDITION. 143 cely the -the rear not )een and Lbe, laU arch the lives se of ;— of 9 the Who irers , the As in pure amber witli divergent lines, A rugged shell embossed with seaweed, shines. From age to age increasi-d witli annual snuw, This new Mont Blanc among the clouds may glow, WhoKe conic peak that earliest greets the dawn, And latest from the sun's shut eye withdrawn, Shall fVom the Zenith, through incumbent gktum, Bum like a lamp upon this naval tomb. But when th* archanf^el'.-* trumpet sounds on high. The pile shall burst to atoms through the sky. And leave its dead, upstarting at tlie call. Naked and pale, before the Judge of all. All who read these pa^es will, I am sure, feel the deepest sympathy and admiration of the zeal, perseverance, and conjugal affection displayed in the nohle and untiring efforts of Lady Franklin to relieve or to discover the fate of her distinguished husband and the gallant party under his command, despit** the difficulties, disappointments, and heart-sickening "hope deferred" with which these efforts have been attended. All men must feel a lively interest in the fate of these bold men, and be most desirous to con- tribute towards their restoration to their country and their homes. The name of the present Lady Franklin is as ** familiar as a household word" in every bosom in England ; she is alike the object of our admiration, our sympathy, our hopes, and our prayers. Nay, her name and tliat of her husband is breathed in prayer in many lands — and, oh ! how earnest, how zealous, how courageous, have l)een her efforts to iind and relieve her husband, for, like Dcs- demona, " She loved him for the dangers he had passed. And he loved her that she did pity them." How has she traversed from port to port, bidding ** God speed their mission " to each public and private shin going forth on the noble errand of mercy — how freely and promptly has she contributed to their comforts. How nas sne watched each arrival from the north, scanned each stray paragraph of news, hurried to the Admiralty on each rumour, and Icept up with unremitting labour a volumi- nous correspondence with all the quarters of the globe, fondly wishing that she had the wings of the dove, that she might flee away, and be with him from whom Heaven has seen fit to separate her so long. An American poet well depicts her sentiments in the following lines :— 144 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERT. LADY FRANKLIN'S APPEAL TO THE NOBTH. Oh, where, my long lost-one ! art thou, 'Mid Arctic seas and wintry skies? Deep, Polar night is on me now. And Hope, long wrecked, but mocks mj cries. I am like thee ! from frozen plains In the drear zone and sunless air. My dying, lonely heart complains. And chills in sorrow and despahr. Tell me, ye Northern winds I that sweep Down from the rayless, dusky day — Where ye have borne, and where ye keep. My well-beloved within your sway ; Tell me, when next ye wildly bear The icy message in your breath. Of my beloved ! Oh, tell me where Ye keep him on the shores of deatb. Tell me, ye Polar seas ! that roll From ice-bound shore to sunny isle — Tell me, when next ye leave the Pole, Where ye have chained my lord the whilel On the bleak Northern cliff I wait With tear-pained eyes to see ye come I Will ye not tell me, ere too late? Or will ye mock while I am dumb ? Tell me, oh tell me, mountain waves! Whence have ye leaped and sprung to-day? Have ye passed o'er their sleeping graves That ye rush wildly on your way ? Will ye sweep on and bear me too Down to the caves within the deep? Oh, bring some token to my view That ye my loved one safe will keep 1 Canst thou not toll me, Polar Star ! Where in the frozen waste he kneels? And on the icy plains afkr His love to God and me reveals? Wilt thou not send one brighter ray To my lone heart and aching eye ? Wilt thou not turn my night to day* And wake my spirit ere I die ? Tell me, oh dreary North 1 fat now My soul is like thine Arctic zone ; Beneath the darkened skies I bow, Or ride the stormy sea alone I Tell me of my beloved I for I Know not a ray my lord without t ' Oh, tell me, that I may not die A sorrower on the sea of douM I % CAPT. SIR JOHN franklin's last expedition. 145 In the early part of 1819 Sir E. Parry stated, that in offerinfj his opinions, he did so under a deep sense of the anxious and even painful responsibility, botii as re- garded the risk of life, as well as the inferior consideration of expense involved in further attempts to rescue our gal- lant countrymen, or at least the surviving portion of them, from their perilous position. But it was his deliberate conviction that tho time had not yet arrived when the attempt ought to be given up ns hopeless: the further efforts making might also bo tlie means of determining their fate, and whether it pleased God to give success to those efforts or not, tho Lords of the Admiralty, and the country at large, would hereafter be better satisfied to have followed up the noble attempts already made, so long as the most distant hope remains of ultimate success. In tho absence of authentic information of the fate of the gallant band of adventurers, it has been well observed, tlie terra incognita of the northern coast of Arctic America will not only be traced, but minutely surveyed, and the solution of the problem of centuries will engajj^e the marked attention of the House of Commons and the legislative assemblies of other parts of the world. The problem is very safe in their hands, so safe indeed that two years will not elapse before it is solved. The intense anxiety and apprehension now so generally entertained for the safety of Sir John Franklin, and the crews of the Erebus and Terror under his command, who, if still in existence, are now passing through the severe ordeal of a fifth winter in those inclement regions, impe- ratively call for every available effort to be made for their rescue from a position so perilous ; and as long as one possible avenue to that position remains unsearched, the country will not feel satisfied that everything has been done which perseverance and experience can accomplish, to dispel the mystery which at present surrounds their fate. uapt. Sir James Ross having returned successful from his Antarctic expedition in the close of the preceding year, in the spring of 1845, the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, upon the recommendation of Sir John Barrow, determined on sending out another expedition to the North Pole. Accordingly the command was given to Sir John Franklin, who re-commissioned the Erebus a,nd Terror, the two vessels which had just returned from the South Polar Seas. The expedition sailed from Sheerness on the 2fith of May, 1845. The following are the officers belonging to 14G PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERT. these vessels, aud for whoso safety so deep an interest is now felt : — Erebus. ^ Captain — Sir John Franklin, K.C.II. Commander — James Fitzjames (Capt.) Lieutenants — Graham Gore (Commander), Henry T. D. Le Vesconte, James William Fairholme. Mates — Chas. F. des Vaux (Lieut.), Robert O'Sargent (Lieut.) Second Master — Henry F. Collins. Surgeon — Stephen S. Stanley. Assistant-Surgeon — Harry D. S. Goodsir (actin*;). ( Paymaster and Purser — Chas. H. Osraer. ^ lee-master — James E>eid, acting. 58 Petty Officers, Seamen, &c. Full complement, 70. Terror. Captain — Fras. R. M. Crozier. Lieutenants— Edward Little (Commander), Geo. H. Hodgson, John Irving. Mates-^Frederick J. Hornby (Lieut.), Robert Thomas (Lieut.) Ice-master — T. Blanky (acting). Second Master — G. A. Maclean. Surgeon — John S. Peddie. Assistant-Surgeon — Alexander McDonald. Clerk in Charge — Edwin J. H. Helpman. 57 Petty Officers, Seamen, Ac. Full complement, 68. Those officers whose rank is within parenthesis have been promoted during their absence. The following^ is an outline of Capt. Franklin's services as recorded in O 'Byrne's Naval Biography : — Sir John Franklin, Kt., K.R.G., K.C.H., D.C.L., F.R.S., was born in 1786 at Spilsby, in Lincolnshire, and is brother of the late Sir W. Franklin, Kt., Chief Justice of Madras. He entered the navy in October, 1800, as a boy on board the Foltfphemusj 64, Captain John Lawford, under whom he served as midshipman in the action off Copenhagen, 2nd of April, 1801. He then sailed with Captain Flinders in H.M. sloop Investigator on a voyage of discovery to New HoUand, joining there the armed store-ship Porpoise ; he was wrecked on a coral reef near Cato Bank on the 17th of August, 1803. I shall not I 1 rest 18 Sargent Geo. H. Thomas U have services D.C.L., Jiire, and If Justice 1800, as a awford, ^tion off led with , voyage J armed jreef near Ihall not CAPT. SIR JOHN FnA^'KLIN*S LAST EXPEDITION. M7 follow him through all hia subsequent period of nctive naval service, in wuieh he dit^phiyed cons])icuou8 zeal and aetivity. But wo find him takinjr part at the battle of Trafal«;ar, on the 2l8t of October, 1805, on board tlio JJcif crop/ion, where he was sijjnal midshipman. He was conlirmed as Lieutenant on board the Ucfford, 71, lltli of February, 1808, and he then escorted the royal family of Portugal from Lisbon to South America, lie was enga<5cd in very arduous services durin^f the expedition aj^ainst New Orleans in the close of 181 1, and was slightly "wounded in boat service, and for his brilliant services on this occasion was warmly and oflicially recommended for promotion. On the 1 Ith of January, 1818, he assumed command of the hired brig Trent, in which he accompanied Captain D. Buchan, of the Dorothea on the perilous voyage of discovery to the neighbourhood of Spitzbergen, which I have fully recorded elsewhere. In April, 1819, having paid off* the Trent in the preceding November, ho was invested with the conduct of an expedition destined to proceed overland from the shores of Hudson's Bay, for the purpose more particularly of ascertaining the actual position of the mouth of the Coppermine Kiver, and the exact trending of the shores of the Polar Sea to the east- ward of that river. The details of this fearful undertaking, which endured until the summer of 1822, and in the course of which ho reached as far as Point Turnagain, in latitude 68° 19' N. and longitude 109° 25' W., and effected a journey alto- gether of 5550 miles. Captain Franklin has ably set forth in his *' Narrative of a Journey to the Shores of the Polar Sea in the Years 1819-22," and which I have abridged in preceding pages. He was promoted to the rank of Com- mander on the Ist of January, 1821, and reached his post rank on the 20th of November, 1822. On the IGth of Februarv, 1825, this energetic officer again left England on another expedition to the Frozen liegions, having for its object a co-operation with Captains F. "VV. Beechey and \V. E. Parry, in ascertaining from opposite quarters the existence of a north-west passage. The results of this mission will be found in detail in Captain Franklin's " Narrative of a Second Expedition to tne Shores of the Polar Sea in 1825-7." On his return to England, where he arrived on the 26th of Sept., 1827, Franklin was presented by the Geographical Society of Paris with a gold medal valued at 1200 francs, for having made the most important acquisitions to geo- graphical Knowledge during the preceding year, and on L 2 148 PROGRESS OP ATICTIC DISCOVERY. the 20tli of April, 1829, ho received the honour of knight- hood, besides hoinfr awurdcd in July foUowinj^ the Oxford degree of a D.C.L. From 1830 to 1831 ho wna in active service in command o£ H. M.S. Rainboto on. the Mediterranean station, and for Ilia exertions durinj^ that period as connected with the troubles in Greece, was presented with the order of the lledeemer of Greece. Sir John was created a K.C.H. on the 25th of January, 1836, and was for some time Governor of Van Diemen's Land. He married, on the 16th of August, 1823, Eleanor Anno, youngest dauditer of W. Porden, Esq., arcliitect, of Berners Street, London, and secondly, on the 5th of November, 1828, Jane, second daughter of John GrilTin, Esq., of Bedford Place. Captain Crozier was in all Parry's expeditions, havlncf been midshipman in the J^^uri/ in 1821, in the Ilecla in 1824, went out as a Lieutenant in the Hecla with Parry on his boat expedition to the Pole in 1827, volunteered in 1830 to go out in search of the missing whalers and their crews to Davis Straits, was made a Captain in 1841, and was second in command of the Antarctic expedition under Sir James Eoss, and on his return appointed to the Terror as second in command under Franklin. Lieutenant Gore served as a mate in the last fearful voyage of the Terror, under Back, and was also with Ross in the Antarctic expedition. Ho has attained his commander's rank during liis absence. Lieutenant Fairholmo was in the Niger expedition. Lieutenant Little has also been promoted during his absence, and so have all the mates. Commander Fitzjames is a bravo and gallant ofBcerwho has seen much service in the East, and has attained to his post rank since his departure. The Terror, it may be remembered, is the vessel in which Captain Sir G. Back made his perilous attempt to reach Repulse Bay in 1836. The Erehus and Terror were not expected home unless success had early rewarded their efforts, or some casualty hastened their return, before the close of 1847, nor were any tidings anticipated from them in the interval ; but when the autumn of 18 17 arrived without any intelligence of the ships, the attention of H.M. Government was directed to the ne- cessity of searching for, and conveying relief to them, in case of their being imprisoned in the ice, or wrecked, and in want of provisions and means of transport. For this purpose a searchinij expedition m three divisions was fitted out by the Government in the early part of :night- Jxlord nmand n, and ith the of the '.H. on jvcrnor I6th of of W. 3n, and second havinjr J^ecla ill li Parry 3ercd in nd their 111, and n under 3 Terror ) fearful 80 with ined his on. ping his icer who id to his easel in ompt to e unless 3asualty rere any hen the le ships, the ne- }hem, in :ed, and ilvisions part of CAPT. SIR JOHN FUANKLIX'S LAST EXPEDITION. 149 1848. Tlio invcfitifjation was diivotcd fo three diflVrent quarters simultaneously, viz. : l.st, to that by which in case of success the ships Mould come out ot the Pohir Sea, to the westward, or Bchriiij^'s Strait. This consisted of a sinjfle ship, the Plover, coinmaiKled by C'aptaiu Moore, which left Eiii^liind in the latter end of January for the purpor.o of cnterinj? Bclirint^'s Strait. It was intended that she should arrive there iu the month of July, and havinj; looked out for a winter harbour, she n>itjht send out her boats northward and eastward, in which directions the discovery ships, if succes.sful, would be met with. The Plover, however, in her first season, never even approached the place of her destination, owinj; to her setlinyj off too late, and to her bad .^aiiinff properties. Her subsequent proceed iiij^s, and those of her boats alunfjfthe coast, will be found narrated iu after pajjes. The second division of the expedition was one of boats, to explore the coast of the Arctic Sea between the Mac- kenzie and Coppermine Kivers, or from the 135th to the 115th dejrree of AV. longitude, toi^^ether with the south coast of Wolhiston Land, it beini; supposed, that if Sir John Franklin's party had been compelled to leave the fillips and take to their boats, tliey would make for this coast, whence they could reach the Hudson's Bay Com- pany's posts. This parly was placed under the command of the faithful friend of Franklin and the comi'anion of his former travels, Dr. Sir John Eichardson, who landed at New York in April, 1818, and hastened to join his men and boats, which were already iu advance towards the Arctic shore. He was, however, unsuccessful in his search. The remaining and most important portion of this searching expedition consisted of two snij)s under the command of Sir James Boss, which sailed in jMay, 1818, for the locality in which Franklin's ships entered on their course of discovery, viz., the eastern side of Davis Straits. These did not, hoAvevcr, succeed, o^a ing to the state of the ice, in getting into Lancaster Sound until the season for operatious had nearW closed. These ships wintered iu the neighbourhood of Leopold Island, llegeut Inlet, and missing the store-ship sent out with provisions and fuel, to enable them to stop out anotlier rear, were driven out through the Strait by the pack of ice, and returned home unsuccessful. The subsequent expeditions conse- quent upon the failure of the foregoing will be found fully detailed and narrated in their proper order. Among the number of volunteers for the service of ex- mm ii \ 150 PROORESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERT. plorntion, in tlic ilifTiTont soarcliinj; expeditions, were the followin}:^: — Mr. Chas. IJeid, lately commanding the whal* iii;^ ehip Pncljic, and brother to the ice-maater on board the Ert'hus, a man of tjreat experience and rcspeetabiJity. The ]lev. Joseph WolU', who went to B' 'hara in search of Capt. Conolly and Col. Stoddart. Mr. John McLean, who had passed t\, ii\ -u.c years as an ollicer and partner of the Hudson's B.i^ Company, and who has recently published an interesting narrati\u of his experience in the north-west regions. Dr. liichard King, who accompanied Capt. Back in his land journey to the mouth of the Groat Fisn River. Lieut. Sherard Osborn, R.N., who has recently gone out in the Pioneer, tend<'r to the Resolute. Commafuler Forsyth, K.N., who volunteered for all the expeditions, and was at last sent out by Lady Franklin in the Prince Albert. Dr. McCormick, R.N., who served under Capt. Sir E. Parry, in the attempt to reach the North Pole, in 1827, who twice previously volunteered his services in 1817. Capt. Sir John Ross, who has gone out in the FeltXt fitted out by the Hudson's Bay Company, and by private subscriptions ; and many others. Up to the present time no intelligence of any kind has been received respecting the expedition, and its fate is now exciting the most intense anxiety, not only on the part of the British government and public, but of the wnole civilized world. The maritime powers of Europe and the United States are vying with each other as to who shall be the first to discover some trace of the missing navigators, and if they be still alive, to render them assist- ance. The Hudson's Bay Company have, with a noble liberality, placed all their available resources of men, pro- visions, ana the services of their chief and most experienced traders, at the disposal of Government. The Russian autho- rities have also given every facility for diffusing informa- tion and affording assistance in their territories. In a letter from Sir John Franklin to Col. Sabine, dated from the Whale-Fish Islands, 9th of July, 1845, after noticing that, including what they had received from the transport, which had accompanied them so far, the Erebus and Terror had on board provisions, fuel, clothing, and stores, for three years complete from that date, i. e. to July, 18 18 ; he continues as follows : — " I hope my dear wife and daughter will not be over-anxious ir we should not return by the time they have fixed upon ; and I must beg of you to give them the benefit of your advice and ex- i. CAPT. SIR JOHX FKANKMNS LAST KXPEDITION. 151 porienco when that nrrivcH, for you know well, that ov«»n after the second winter, witliout Huecens in our oliject, wo should wisli to try some other channel, if the stale of our provisions, nnd the health of the erews, justify it." Capt. Dannett, of the whaler, Vr'ntcc nf Walts, whilst in IMelvillc Hay, last saw the vessels of the expedition, moored to an iceberg, on the 2()th of July, in lat. 71° '18' N., long. CO^ 13' W., waiting for a favourable opening through the iiiiddlo ice from BaHin's 13ay to Lancaster Sound. Capt. Dannett states that during three weeks, after parting com- pany with the shiijs, he experienced very fine weather, and thinks thev woidtl have made good progress. Lieut. Griffith, in command of the transport which ac- companied them out with provisions to HiiHln's Bay, reports that he left all hands well and in high spirits. Ihey were then furnished, he adds, with every species of provisions for three entire years, indenendently of five bullocks, and stores of every description for the same period, with abund- ance of fuel. The folhnving is Sir John Franklin's official letter sent home by the transport :— '* Her Majesty s Ship * Enhua,* " Whale-Fish Isfands, \Wi ofjidtj, 1845. " I have the honour to acquaint you, for the informa- tion of the Lords Commis> loners of*^ the Admiralty, that her Majesty's ships Erchiis and Terror, with the transport, arrived at this anchorage on the 4th instant, having had a passage of one month from Stromness : the transport was immediately taken alongside this ship, that she might be the more readily cleared ; and wo have been constantly employed at that operation till last evening, the delay having been caused not so much in getting the stores trans^'rred to either of the ships, as in making the best stowage of them below, as well as on tlie upper deck : the ships are now complete with supplies of every kind for three years ; they are therefore very deep ; but, happily, •we have no reason to expect much sea as we proceed farther. "The magnetic instruments were landed the same morn- ing; so also were the other instruments requisite for as- certaining the position of the observatory ; and it is satis- factory to find that the results of the observations for latitude and longitude accord very nearly with those assigned to the same place by Sir fidward Parry : those for the dip and variation are equally satisfactory, which were made by Captain Crozier with the instruments 152 PROG HESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. , belonjjin^ to the Ter^jr, and by CoinmanJor Fitzjames with tiiosc of the Erchus. •' The sliipa are now beinjf swunj;, for the purpose of ascertaiuiri}; the dip and deviation of the needle on board, as was done at Greenhitlie, whi(!h, I trust, will be com- pleted this afternoon, and I hope to bo able to sail in the ni^dit. '• The governor and principal persons are at this time absent from Disco, so tlmt I have not been able to receive any communication from head iiuartera as to the state of the ice to the north ; I have, however, learnt from a Danish carpenter in charge of the Esijuimaux at these islands, that though tlie winter was severe, the sprinu: ^vas not later than usual, nor was the ice later in breakinjif away hereabout ; he supposes also that it is now loose as far as 74° latitude, and that our prospect is favourable of lUfetting across the barrier, and as mr as Lancaster Sound, without much obstruction. " The transport will sail for England this day. I shall instruct the aj^ent. Lieutenant Grilliths, to proceed to Deplford, and report his arrival to the Secretary of the Admiralty. I have much satisfaction in bearing: my testi- mony to the careful and zealous manner in which Lieut. Griliiths has performed the service entrusted to him, and would beg to recommend him, as an ollicer who ai)i)ears to have seen much service, to the favourable consideration of their lordships. '* It is unnecessary for me to assure their lordships of the energy and zeal t)f Captain Crozier, Commander Fitz- i*am?s, and of the olllcers and men with whom I have the lappiness of being employed on this service. " I have, itc, (Signed) "John Franklin, Captain. "The liight Hon. H. L. Corry, M.P." It has often been a matter of surprise that but one of the copper cylinders which Sir John Franklin was in- structed to throw overboard at stated intervals, to record his progress, has ever come to hand, but a recent sight of the solitary one which has been received proves to me that they are utterly useless for the purpose. A small tube, about the size of an t)rdiuary rocket-case, is hardly ever likely to be observed among huge masses of ice, and the waves of the Atlantic and Pacilic, uidess drifted by accident on shore, or near some boat. The Admiralty have wisely ordered them to be rendered more conspicuoiu^ by being houded up iu some cask or boi'rel, instructions being issued CAPT. SIR JOHN FRANKLIIS'S LAST EXrEDlTION. 153 tzjaraes •poso of 1 board, )e com- il iu the Ills time receive stjito of , Danish iHlands, AfXA not i^r away H fur as ' jotting without I flhall cced to r of the iiy testi- h Lieut. ni, and x'urs to ation of ihipa of T Fitz- IV e the [aptain. lone of aa iu- ix'ocord of the It they 1 about |likely waves |nt on Iviaely jbeiiii^ isued to Captain CoUinson and other ofiiecrs of the diircrent ex- peditions to that efl'ect. Aceordinjj to Sir John Jlichardson, wlio was on intimate terms with Sir John Frankliji, his plana were to 8iiiij)i' his course in ihe first instance for tiio neiuhbourhood t)rCapc "Walker, and to }>ush to the westward in that parallel, or, if that could not be accomplished, to make his way south- wards, to the channel discovered on the north coast of the continent, and so on U» Bchrinj^'a Straits ; failiuji; sucrrss in that (iiiarter, he meant to retrace his course to ^Vel- lin^ton Sound, and attempt a passage northwards of Parry's Islands, and if loilcd there also, to descend Kegent lulet, and seek the ])a8sajj[e alon^ the coast dis- covered by Messrs. Dease and Simpson. Captain Fitzjanu'S, the second in command under Sir John Franklin, was nmch inclined to try the )tussa«fe northward of Parry's Islands, and he wimld no doubt en- deavour to persuach' Sir John to pursue this course if they failed to the southward. Jn a private letter of Captain Fitzjames to Sir John Barrow, dated January, 1815, he writes as follows: — " It does not appear clear to me what letl Parry down Prince Keujent Inlet, after havinj^ ^ot as far as Melville Island before. The north-vM'st passaj^e is eerluiiily to be ^one throu»;h by Barrow's Strait, but whether south or north of Parry's Group, remains to be proved. I am for jjoin^ north, edging north-west till in longitude 110°, if possible." I shall now proceed to trace, in chronological order and Buccessitm, the opinions and ]>nH'eedings of tht^ chief Arctic explorers and public authorities, with theurivate eliel expe- ditions resulting therefrom. suggestions otfered, and notice in detail the rel In February, 1817, the Lords of the Admiralty state, that haviny: unlinuteil coiilldence in the skill and resources of Sir John Franklin, they '* have as yet felt no ai)prehen- sions about his safety ; but on t hi' other hand, it is obvious, that if no ace(»unt8 of him should arrive by the end of this year, or, as Sir John IJoss expects, at an earlier jHriud, active steps must then be taken." Captain Sir Kduard Parry fully concurred in these views, observing, *'F(»rmer exix-rienee has cleaily shown, that with the resources taken from this country, two winters nuiy be passed in the Polar regions, not only in safety, but with comfort; and if any inference can be drawn from the absence of all intelligence of the (\p«' i.}">prohon8ion for the safety of the expedition," Lt sii, •'.';i sk-d thiit it would perhaps be prudent that a reb"f r :.j!b-ditio') «i'0uld be sent out that season to Cape Walk i', vaerc injormation of an important nature would most !!lt I'' be found. )''rom this vicinity one vessel could proceed io examine tld- various points and headlands in liegei:. h\\ct, and als^o those to the northward, while the other watched the passage, so that Franklin and his party mighi aot pass unseen, should he be on his return. At tlie end of the season the shipa could winter at Port Bowen, or any otlu" port in the vicinity of Leopold Island. ** In the spring of 1848," ho adds, " a party should be I: 15G PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. M directed to explore the coast, down to Ilecla and Fury Strait, and to endeavour to communicate with the party despatched by the Hudson's 13ay Company in tliat airec- tiou ; and in connexion with this part of tlie arrangement, it would render the plan complete if a boat could bo sent down Hack's lliver to ranjje the coast to the east- ward of its mouth, to meet the above-mentioned parly; and thus, whilst it would coai|)lete the jjfco^raphy of that ])art of the American coast, it would at the same time complete the line of information as to the extensive mea- sures of relief w hich their lordships have set on foot, and th(^ precise spot where assistance and depots of provisions are to be found. This part oi' the jjlan has su^jt^ested itself to me from a conversation I had with Sir Ji»hn Franklin as to his first effort bein;^ made to the westward and south-westward of Cape "Walker. It is jjossiblc tliat, after passing the Cape, he may have been successful in "getting down upon Victoria Land, and have passed his first wmter (181.5) tliereabout, and that he may nave snent his second winter at »#till more advanced station, anil even endured a third, without either a prospect of suceess, or of an extrication of his vessels within a {i;iven ju'riod of time. *' If, in this condition, which I trust may not bo the case, Sir John Iranklin slumlil resolve upon takin<; to his boats, he would prefer attempt injj; a boat navijj^ation throufjh Sir James Itoss's Strait, and up l{i';;eat Jnltt. to a lo!i|^ land journey across the continent to the JJiidfion's Bay Settlenu'uts, to which the greater part of his crew would be wholly imeijual." Sir Joim JMchaidson remarks upon the above sufjges- tiona, on the 5th of May, 1817, — "\Vith respect to a party 1o be sent down ]hick's liiver to the bottom of Ke^ent Inlet, its size and outfit would require to be cuiud with that of the one now preparin, if the resourecs of the pnrty I am to eonduct remain unimpaired, as J liave every reason to believe they will, mueh of what Captain Ueeehey siiij- Ijesta in regard to explorini^ N'ictoria Land may be d«>ne by it, and indeed forms part of the orijiinal scheme. Tiie extent of the examination of any part of the coast in 1848 depends, as 1 formrrly stated, very mueh on the seasons of this autumn and next spriiij^, which infhuMieo the advance of tJie boats tlircuirh a lon;jf course of river naviy^ation. As Governor Simpson will most likely succeed in procurin*? an J"]squimaux to accompany my party, I. hope by his means to obtain such information from parties of that natii r, xVo. 2()t, i^cfision 1818. The late Sir John Barrow, Bart., in a memorandum dated July. 1817, says: — " The anxiety that prevails regarding Sir John Franklin, and the brave fellows who compose tlie crews of the two ships, is very natural, but somewhat premature; it arises chieily from nothing having been received from them since fixed in the ico ot' Ballin's Bay, where the last whaling ship of tho season of 1815 Iclt thcui, opposite to tho HI f •■ li 1 n 158 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVEUY. opening into Lancaster Sound. Ilitlierto no diflTiPulty has been found to the entrance into that Sound. If dis- appointed, rather than return to the soutliward, witli tlio view of wintering at or about Disco, I should be incHned to think that they would endeavour to enter Smith's Sound, so highly spoken of by BalTin, and which just now that gallant and adventurous Kussicn, Admiral Count Wrangel, has pointed out in a paper ad'.iressed to tho Geographical Society as the startmg place for an attempt to reach the North Pole ; it would appear to be an inlet that runs up high to tho northward, as an oflicer in one of Parry's ships states that he saw in the line of direction along tnat inlet, tho sun at midnight skimming tho horizon. ** From Lancaster Sound Franklin's instructions directed him to proceed through Barrow's Strait, as far as tho islands on its southern side extended, which is short of Melville Island, which was to be avoided, not only on account of its dangerous coast, but also as being out of the direction of the course to the intended object. Having, therefore, reached the laa^ known land on tho southern side of IBarrow's Strait, they were to shape a direct course to Behring's Strait, without any deviation, except what obstruction might be met with irom ice, or from islands, in the midst of the Polar Sea, of which no knowledge had at that time been procured ; but if any such existed, it would of course be left; to their jndfrnient, on the spot, how to ?,a»trid of auch obstructions, by taking a northerly or a southerly course. « # # « * "The only chance of bringing them upon this (the Ameri- can) coast is the possibility of some obstruction having tempted them to explore an immense inlet on the northern ahore of Barrow's Strait (short of Melville Island), called Wellington Channel, which Parry felt an inclination to ex- plore ; and morethan oneof the presentparty bet rayed to me a siraUar inclination, which I discouraged, no one venturing to conjecture even to M'hat extent it might go, or into '»jhat dilHcidties it might lead. •' Under all these circumstances, it would be an act of folly to pronounce any opinion of the state, condition, or position of ihose t'-ro ships : they arc well suited for their Eurpose, auv! the only dc^bt I have is that of their being ampered by ihe screws among the ice." Sir James C. lloss, in his outline of a plan foi affording relief, submitted to the Admiralty in December, 18A7, suggested that two &hips should be sent out to examine OPINIONS AND SUGGESTIONS. 1.j9 "Wellington Channel, alliuled to in tlio foroijoiiifr me- morandum of Sir John Jiarrow, and the coast between Capes Clarence and Walker. A convenient winter harbonr nii(»lit be found for ono of the ships near Gamier Bay or Capo Kennell. From this position tho coast line could be explored as far as it extended to *i*c westward, by detached pnrties, early in tho aprin«(, as v '1 as ilie western coast of Boothia, a considerabU' distance to the southward; and at a more advanced period of tlio season tho whole distance to Capo Nicolai mi«»ht be completed. Tlio other ship should then proceed alone to tlie west- ward, endeavouring to reach AVinter Harbour, in Melvillo Island, or some convenient port in Banks' Land, in wliidi to pass the winter. From these points parties mi<;ht be sent out earlj in the spring. The first party should be directed to trace the western coast of Banks' Land, and proceed direct to Cape Hathursl or Cape Parry, on each of which Sir John Jtichardson proposes to leave depots of provisions for its use, and then to reacli the Hudson's Bay Company's settlement at Fort Good Hope, on the Mackenzie, whence they mi«,dit travel by the usual route of the traders to tho principal settle- ment, and thence to Enjjland. The second party should explore tho eastern shore of Banks' Land, and make for Capo Krusenstern, where, or at Cape Heame, they will find a vdcht of provision left by Sir John Richardson, with whom this party mny communicate, and whom it may assist in completinj»- tho examination of Wollaston and Victoria Lands, or return to Enpfland by the route he shall deem most advisable. Sir James Eoss was entrusted with the carry intj out of this searcii, in the Juiteiyrise and Investit been of thi«i litimato IvUu-h I of the 1 4' mind At the . m the 1 land of North Somerset between them, will make it apparent that, to render oHHistanee to a party situated on tiiat eoast, there are two ways by sea and one by land. Of the two sea- ways, the route by the rncific is altogether out of the question ; it is an idea of by-gone days ; while that by the Atlantic is so doubtful of success, that it is merely neces- sary, to put this assistance aside as far from certain, to mention that Sir John Koss found Barrow's Strait closed in the summer ol 1832. To a land journey, then, alone we can look for success ; for the failure of a land journey would be the exception to the rule, while the sea expedi- tion would be the rule itself. To the western land of North Somerset, where Sir John Franklin is likely to be found, the Great Fish lliver is the direct and only route ; and although the approach to it is through a country too poor and too diflicult of access to admit of the transport of provisions, it may be made the medium of communication between the lost expedition and the civilized world, and guides bo thus placed at their disposal to convey them to the hunting grounds of the Indians. Without such guides it is impossible that they can reach these hunting grounds. It was uy the Great Fish Eiver that I reached the Polar Sea while acting as second oflicer in search of Sir John lioss. I feel it my duty, therefore, as one of two oiHcers 80 peculiarly circumstanced, at the present moment to place my views on record as an earnest of my sincerity. Even if it should be determined to try and force provision vessels through Barrow's Strait, and scour the vicinity in boats for the lost expedition, and should it succeed, it will be satisfactory to know that such a mission as I have pro- posed should be adopted ; while, if these attempts should fail, and the service under consideration be put aside, it will be a source of regret that not only the nation at largo will feel, but the whole civilized world.. When this regret is felt, and every soul has perished, such a mission as I have proposed will be urged again and again for adoption ; for it is impossible that the country will rest satisfied until a search be made for the remains of the lost expedition. " The fact that all lands which liave a western aspect are generally ice-free, which I dwelt largely upon when Sir John Franklin sailed, must have had weight with tho gallant officer ; he will therefore, on finding himself in a Bcrious difliculty, while pushing along the eastern side of Victoria Land, at once fall upon the western land of North Somerset, as a refuge ground, if he have the opportunity. The effort by Behring's Strait and Banks' Land is praise- worthy in attempt, hut forlorn in hope. In the former M ill / r 1C2 PROOnKSS OP ARCTIC DTSCOVKRT. effort, it is nssumoJ that Sir Jolin Franklin has made the pn8sa{;o, and that hia arrost is between tlio Mackenzie Kivcr and Icy Capo ; in the Intttn, tliat Sir James Mo»n will reach Banks' Lund and tracts it.s continuity to Vic- toria and Wolhiston Land, and thus make the * passage.' First, We have no reason to believe that Sir John Franklin and Sir James Ross will be more fortunate than their pre- decessors, and wo cannot tnist to their success. Secondly, We are unable to assume that Sir Jjuiies liosa will reach Banks' Land ; Sir E. Parry was unable to reach it, and only viewed it from a distance ; m ic!\ less are we able to assume that the i^allant ofTicerviil! .'ind a hijjh road to Victoria Land, which is altoirether a ferra incognita. *' Mr. T. Simpson, who surveyed the; Arctic coast com- ?rised between the Coppermine and Castor and Pollux livers, has set that question at rest, and is the only autho- rity upon the subject. * A further exploration,' remarks Mr. Simpson, from the most eastern limit of his journey, * would necessarily demand the whole time and energies of another expedition, having some point of retreat much nearer to the scene of operations tnan Great Bear Lake, and Great Bear Lake is to bo the retreat of Sir tJohn Kichardaon. "What retreat could Mr. Simpson have meant but Great Slave Lake, the retreat of the land party in search of Sir John Tlass P and what other road to tlie unexplored ground, the western land of North Somerset, could that traveller have meant than Great Fish Biver, that stream which I have pointed out as the ice- free and high road to tlic land where the lost expedition is likely to bo found, — to be the boundary of that passage which for three-and-a-half centuries we have been in vain, endeavouring to reach in ships?" Captain Sir AV. E. Parry, to whom Dr. King's proposal was submitted by the Admiralty, thus comments on it : — " My former opinion, quoted by Dr. King, as to the difficulty of ships penetrating to the westward beyond Cape Dundas (the south-western extremity of Melville Island), remains unaltered; and I should expect that Sir| John Franklin, being aware of this difficulty, would usei his utmost efforts to get to the southward and westward before he approached that point, that is, between the 100th and 110th degree of longitude. The more I have con-l sidered this subject (which has naturally occupied much ofj my attention lately), the more difficult I find it to conjec- ture where the expedition may have stopped, either with! in lias made the the Mackenzie Sir James Kos:* mtinuity to Vic- e the ' parage. UrJohnVrankliu to than their pre- icpes^. Secondly, s Uosa will reach to reach it, and [.gs are we able to d a hi«h road to 'a inrognita, Arctic coast eom- ^astor and Pollux liatheonlyautho- plonition.* remarks ,it of his journey, mc and energies ot \i of retreat mucli , Great Bear Lake, olreat of Sir John ,v have meant but and party in search d to the unexplored ■^.onierset, could that lliver, that stream 00 and high road to ely to be foiin^'T if , for three-and-a-hait .vouring to reach m Dr. lCing'8 proposal L comments on it : iBr. King, as to the westward beyond Ltremity of Melvme Koiild expect that bir 1 difficulty, would use Uard and westward is, between the lOOtli L more I have con- fcllv occupied much ot tit I find it to conjec- f stopped, either with OPINIONS AND SUOOESTIONB. 163 or without any serious accident to the ships ; but as no information has reached us up to this time, I ooneeivo that there is someconsideriihle prohahihty oftheirboing situated somewhere between tlie longitude I have just named ; how far they may have penotrated to the southward, between tliose meridian <>, must be a matter of speculation, depending on the state of the ice, and the existence of land in a space hitherto blank on our maps. ** Be this as it may, I consider it not improbable, as suggested by Dr. King, that an attempt will be made by them to fall back on the western coast of North Somerset, wherever that may be found, as being the nearest point affording a hope of communication, eitlier with whalers or with ships sent expressly in search of the expedition. *' Agreeing thus far with Dr. King, I am compelled to difler with him entirely as to the readiest mode of reaching that coast, because I feel satisfied that, with the resources of the expedition now equipping under Sir James Koss, the energy, skill, and intelligence of that oflicer will render it a matte' '>' no very dillicult enterprise to examine the coast in ■ ion, either with his snips, boats, or travelling parties ; whereas an attempt to reach that coast by an expedition from the continent of America must, as it appears to me, be extremely hazardous and uncertain. And as I understand it to bo their lordships* intention to direct Sir James Koss to station one of nis ships somewhere about Cape Walker, while the other pro- ceeds on the search, and likewise to equip his boats spe- cially for the purpose of examining the various coasts and inlets, I am decidedly of opinion, that, as regards the western coast of North Somerset, this plan will be much more likely to answer the proposed object, than any over- land expedition. This object will, of course, be the more easily accomplished in ease of Sir James Ross findin*]j tho western coast of North Somerset navigable for his ships. " In regard to Dr. King's suggestion respecting Vic- toria Land and Wollaston Land, supposing Sir John franklin's shi}»s to have been arrested between the meri- dians to which 1 have already alluded, it does seem, by an inspection of the nuip, not improbable that parties may attempt to penetrate to tho continent in that direction ; but not being well acquainted with the facilities for reach- ing the coast of America opposite those lands in the manner proposed by Dr. King, I am not competent to judge of its practicability." Nearly the whole of the west coast of North Somerset m2 IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) k /. M 11.25 lU , KS I '1^ Hiotograiiiic ^Sdaices Corporation 23 WiST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716)t72-4S03 ^ '^ <> ^ 4^ ;\ '4<^ 4^ mimrmfmmmmmm 164 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERT. i' i m \ I and Boothia was (it will be found hereafter) explored by {arties in boats detached from Sir James Boss's ships in 849. I append, also, the most important portions of Sir James Boss's remarks on Dr. £ing's plan. " Dr. King begins by assuming that Sir John Franklin has attempted to push the ships through to the westward, between Melville Island and Banks' Land (although directly contrary to his instructions) ; that having been arrested by insurmountable difficulties, he would have * turned the prows of his vessels to the south and west, according as Banks* Land tends for Victoria or Wollaston Land ;' and having been wrecked, or from any other cause obliged to abandon their ships, their crews would take to the boats, and make for the west coast of North Somerset. " If the expedition had failed to penetrate to the west- ward between Banks' Land and Melville Island, it is very probable it would have next attempted to gain the con- tinent by a more southerly course; and supposing that, after making only small progress (say 100 miles) to the S. W., it should have been then finally stopped or wrecked, the calamity will have occurred in about latitude 72^° N. and longitude 115° W. This point is only 280 miles from the Coppermine Biver, and 420 miles from the Mackenzie, either of which would, therefore, be easily attainable, and at each of which abundance of provision might be procured by them, and their return to England a measure of no great difficulty. " At the point above mentioned, the distance from the west coast of North Somerset is probably about 360 miles, and the mouth of the Great Fish Kiver full 500 ; at neither of these places could they hope to obtain a single day's provisions for so large a party ; and Sir John Franklin's intimate knowledge of the impossibility of ascending that river, or obtaining any food for his party in passing through the Barren grounds, would concur in deterring him from attempting to gain either of these points. ** I think it most probable that, from the situation pointed out, he would, when compelled to abandon his ships, endeavour in the boats to retrace his steps, and passing through the channel by which he had advanced, and which we have always found of easy navigation, seek the whale ships which annually visit the west coast of Baffin's Bay. " It is far more probable, however, that Sir John Frank- lin, in obedience to his instructions, would endeavour to OPINIONS AND SUGGESTIONS. 165 ored by Bhips in ir James Franklin estward, altliough ing been uld bave and west, iVollaston iny otber iws would of North > tbe west- , it is very n tbe con- osing tbat, les) to tbe stopped or >ut latitude is only 280 es from tbe , be easily ,f provision England •e from tbe 1 360 miles, I; at neitber jingle day's 1 Franklin's [ending tbat I in passing n deterring [ints. , ^ le situation ibandon bis steps, and n^ advanced, [gation, seek [est coast of Fobn Frank- tndeavour to push tbe ships to tbe south and west as soon as they passed Cape Walker, and tbe consequence of such a measure, owing to tbe known prevalence of westerly wind, and tbe drift of the main body of the ice, would be (in my opinion) their inevitable embarrassment, and if he persevered in that direction, which he probably would do, I have no hesitation in stating my conviction be would never be able to extricate his ships, and would ultimately be obliged to abandon them. It is therefore in latitude 73° N. and longitude 105° W. tbat we may expect to find them involved in the ice, or shut up in some harbour. This is almost the only point in whicn it is likely they would be detained, or from which it would not be possible to convey information of their situation to the Hudson's Bay Settle- ments. " If, then, we suppose the crews of the ships should be compelled, either this autumn or next spring, to abandon their vessels at or near this point, they would most assuredly endeavour, in their boats, to reach Lancaster Sound ; but I cannot conceive any position in which they could be placed from which they would make for the Great Fish River, or at which any party descending that river would be likely to overtake them ; and even if it did, of what advantage could it be to them P " If Dr. King and his party, in their single canoe, did fall in with Sir John Franklin and bis party on the west coast of North Somerset, how does he propose to assist them P he would barely have sufficient provision for his own party, and would more probably be in a condition to require rather than afford relief. He could only tell them what Sir John Franklin already knows, from former experience, far better than Dr. King, that it would be impossible for so large a party, or indeed any party not previously provided, to travel across the Barren grounds to any of tbe Hudson's Bay Settlements." " All that has been done by the way of search since February, 1848, tends," persists Dr. King, "to draw attention closer and closer to tbe western land of North Somerset, as the position of Sir John Franklin, and to the Great Fish (or Back) River, as the high road to reach it." Dr. King has twice proposed to the Admiralty to proceed on the search by this route. "It would," he states, " be the happiest moment of my life (and my delight at being selected from a long list of volunteers, for the relief of Sir John Ross, was very great) if their lordships would allow me to go by my old route, tbe Great Fish River, to »5waii 166 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. attempt to save human life a second time on the shores of the Polar Sea. What I did in search of Sir John Koss is the best earnest of what I could do in search of Sir John Franklin." A meeting of those officers and gentlemen most con- versant with Arctic voyages was convened by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty on the 17th of January, 1849, at which the following were present : — Rear- Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort, K.C.B., Captaiu Sir W. E. Parry, K.N., Captain Sir George Back, E-.N., Captain Sir E. Belcher, R.N., Colonel Sabine, R.A., and the Rev. Dr. Scoresby. A very pretty painting, containing portraits of all the principal Arctic voyagers in consultation on these momen- tous matters, has been made by Mr. Pearse, artist, of 53, Barners Street, Oxford Street, which is well worthy of a visit. The beautiful Arctic Panorama of Mr. ifiurford, in Leicester Square, will also give a graphic idea of the scenerY and appearance of the icy regions ; the whole being designed from authentic sketches by Lieut. Browne, now of the Resolute, and who was out in the Enterprise in her trip in 1848, and also with Sir James Ross m his Antarctic voyage. The expedition under Sir James Ross having returned unsuccessful, other measures of relief were now deter- mined on, and the opinions of the leading officers again taken. Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort, in his report to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, on November 24, 1849, observes :— " There are four ways only in which it is likely that the Erehus and Terror would have been lost — by fire, by sunken rocks, by storm, or by being crushed between two fields of ice. Both vessels would scarcely have taken fire together ; if one of them had struck on a rock, the other would have avoided the danger. Storms in those narrow seas, encumbered with ice, raise no swell, and could pro- duce no such disaster ; and, therefore, by the fourth cause alone could the two vessels have been at once destroyed ; and even in that case the crews would have escaped upon the ice (as happens every year to the whalers) ; they would have saved their loose boats, and reached some part of the American shores. As no traces of any such event have been found on any part of those shores, it may therefore be safely affirmed tnat one ship at least, and both the crews, are still in existence ; ana therefore the OPINIONS AND SUGGESTIONS. 1G7 e stores rir John. search of lost con- le Lords January, -Admiral E. Parry, in Sir E. Kev. Dr. of all the e momen- se, artist, ti is well ,norama of 5 a grapliio y regions; js by uieut. out in the L Sir James ig returned now deter- eacers again )ort to the 3v ember 24, ely that the -by fire, by jetween two e taken fire •k, the other hiose narrow I could pro- fourth cause e destroyed ; scaped upon alers); they eached some t of any such hores, it may 'at least, and therefore the point where they now are is the great matter for con- sideration. ** Their orders would have carried them towards Mel- ville Island, and then out to the westward, where it is therefore probable that they are entangled amongst islands and ice. For should they have been arrested at some intermediate place, for instance. Cape Walker, or at one of the northern chain of islands, they would undoubtedly, in the course of the three following vears, have contrived some method of sending notices of their position to the shores of North Somerset or to Barrow's Strait. "If they had reached much to the southward of Banks' Land, they would surely have communicated with the tribes on Mackenzie River : and if, failing to get to the westward or southward, they had returned with the inten- tion of penetrating through Wellington Channel, they would have detached parties on the ice towards Barrow's Strait, in order to have deposited statements of their intentions. " The general conclusion, therefore, remains, that they are still locked up in the Archipelago to the westward of Melville Island. Now, it is well known that the state of the weather alternates between the opposite sides of Northern America, being mild on the one when rigorous on the other ; and accordingly, during the two last years, which have been unusually severe in Ba£^'s Bay, the United States whalers were successfully traversing the Polar Sea to the northward of Behring's Straits. The same severe weather may possibly prevail on the eastern side during the summer of 1850, and if so, it is obvious that an attempt should be now made by the western opening, and not merely to receive the two ships, if they should be met coming out (as formerly), but to advance in the direction of Melville Island, resolutely entering the ice, and employing every possible expedient by sledging parties, by reconnoitring balloons, and by blasting the ice, to communicate with them. " These vessels should be intrepidly commanded, effec- tively manned, and supplied with the best means for travelling across the ice to the English or to the Kussian settlements, as it will be of the greatest importance to be informed of what progress the expedition has made ; and for this purpose likewise the Plover will be of material service, lying at some advanced point near Icy Cape, and ready to receive intelligence, and to convey it to Petro- paulouski or to Panama. i f »?« :■ '1m,mmm*>li ■BB 168 PROGRESS OP ARCrriC DISCOVERY. "These vessels should enter Behring's Strait before the Ist of August, and therefore every effort should be now made to despatch them from England before Christ- mas. They might water at the Falkland Islands, and again at the Sandwich Islands, where they would be ready to receive additional instructions vid Panama, by one of the Pacific steamers, and by which vessel they might bo pushed on some little distance to the northward. •* It seems to me likely that the ships have been pushing on, summer after summer, in the direction of Behring's Strait, and are detained somewhere in the space souwi- westward of Banks' Land. On the other hand, should they, after the first or second summer, have been unsuc- cessful in that direction, they may have attempted to proceed to the northward, either through Wellington Channel, or through some other of the openings among the same group of islands. I do not myself attach any superior importance to Wellington Channel as regards the north-west passage, but I understand that Sir John Franklin did, and that he strongly expressed to Lord Haddington his intention of attempting that route, if he should fail in effecting the more direct passage to the westward. " The ships having been fully victualled for three years, the resources may, by due precautions, have been extended to four years for the whole crews ; but it has occurred to me, since I had the honour of conferring with their lordships, that, if their numbers have been gradually diminished to any considerable extent by death (a con- tingency which is but too probable, considering their unparalleled detention in the ice), the resources would be proportionably extended for the survivors, whom it might, therefore, be found expedient to transfer to one of the ships, with all the remaining stores, and with that one ship to continue the endeavour to push westward, or to return to the eastward, as circumstances might render expedient ; in that case, the necessity for quitting both the ships in the past summer might not improbably have been obviated. " Under these circumstances, which, it must be admitted, amount to no more than mere conjecture, it seems to me expedient still to prosecute the search in both directions ; namely, by way of Behring's Strait (to which I look with the strongest hope), and also by that of Barrow's Strait. In the latter direction, it ought, I think, to be borne in mind, that the more than usual difficulties with which Sir James Koss had to contend have, in reality, left us with OPINIONS AND SUGGESTIONS. 169 ; before lould be J Clirist- nds, and . be ready )y one of naigbt be n pusbing Bebring's ace sotttb- td, sbould een unsnc- empted to Wellington jcrs among attacb any regards tbe Sir Jobn d to Lord route, if h© jace to tbe tbree years, ■en extended occurred to witb tbeir In gradually ;atb (acon- iering tbeir ,8 would be nn it migtt, , one of tbe [tb tbat one jtvrard, or to ligbt render litting botb •obably bave [be admitted, I seems to me lb directions ; I I look witb tow's Strait. 1 be borne in litb wbicb Sir 1, left UB witb yerv little more information than before lie left England, and! I cannot contemplate, without serious apprehension, leaving that opening without still further search in the ensuing spring, in case of the missing crews having fallen back to the eastern coast of North Somerset, where they would naturally look for supplies to be deposited for them, in addition to the chance of finding some of those left by the Fury. For the purpose of further pursuing the searcn by way of Barrow's Strait, perhaps two small vessels of 150 or 200 tons might suffice, but they must be square rigged for the navigation among the ice. Of course the object of such vessels would be nearly that which Sir James Ross's endeavours have failed to accomplish ; and the provisions, &c., left by that officer at Whaler Point, as well as any which may be deposited in that neighbour- hood by the North Star, would greatly add to the resources, facilitate the operations, and lessen the risk of any attempt made in that direction. " If, however, there be time to get ships to Behring's Strait by the first week in August, 1850, which would perhaps require the aid of steam-vessels to accomplish with any degree of certainty, I recommend tbfit the Enterprise and Investigator be forthwith equipped and despatched there, with instructions to push through the ice to the E.N.E. as far as possible in the ensuing season, with the hope of meeting with at least one of the ships, or any of the parties which may have been detached from them. This attempt has never yet been made by any ships, and I clin^^ very strongly to the belief that such an eflfort might be attended with success in rescuing at least a portion of our people. " My reason for urging this upon their Lordships is, that the admirable instructions under which the Plover^ assisted by the Herald, is acting, embraces only the search of the coast line eastward from Icy Cape; since the boats and baidars cannot effect anything except by creep- ing along, as opportunities offer, between the ice and the land, so that this plan of operations meets only the con- tingency of parties reaching, or nearly reaching, the land; whereas the chance of rescue would, as it appears to me, be immensely increased by ships pushing on, clear of the coast, towards Banks' Land and Melville Island, as far at least as might be practicable in the best five or six weeks of the season of 1850." Captain Parry says — " Although this is the first attempt ever made to enter the ice in this direction, with ships properly equipped for the purpose, there is no reason to f' ( Hi. i 170 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. anticipate any greater difficulties in this navigation than those encountered in other parts of the North Polar Sea ; and, even in the event of not succeeding in reaching Banks' Land in the summer of the present year, it may be pos- sible to make such progress as to aflford a reasonable hope of effecting that object in the following season (1851). Indeed it is possible that, from the well-known fact of the climate being more temperate in a given parallel of lati- tude, in going westward from the Mackenzie River, some comparative advantage may be derived in the navigation of this part of the Polar Sea. ** It is of importance to the security of the ships and of their crews that they should winter in some harbour or bay not at a distance from land, where the ice might be in motion during the winter ; and it will be desirable, should no land be discovered fit for this purpose, in the space at present unexplored between Point Barrow and Banks' Land, that endeavours should be made to reach the conti- nent about the mouth of the Mackenzie Uiver, or further eastward, towards Liverpool Bay, where there is reason to suppose sufficient shelter may be found, and in which neighbourhood, it appears, there is generally no ice to be seen from the shore for about six weeks in the months of August and September. Sir John Franklin's Narrative of his Second Journey, that of Messrs. Dease and Simpson, and the Admiralty Charts, will furnish the requisite hydro- graphical information relative to this line of coast, so far as it has been attained. " The utmost economy should be exercised in the use of provisions and fuel during the time the ships are in winter quarters ; and if they should winter on or near the conti- nent, there would probably be an opportunity of increasing their stock of provisions by means of game or fish, and likewise of fuel, by drift or other wood, to some consider- able amount. " If the progress of the ships in 1850 have been con- siderable — for instance, as far as the meridian of 120° W. — the probability is, that the most practicable way of return- ing to England will be, still to push on in the same direction during the whole season of 1851, with a view to reach Barrow's Strait, and take advantage, if necessary, of the resources left by Captain Sir James Ross at Whaler Point, near Leopold Harbour ; if not the same season, at least after a second winter. If, on the other hand, small progress should have been made to the eastward at the dose of the present summer, it might be prudent that when half the navigable season of 1851 shall have expired. OPINIONS AND SUGGESTIONS. 171 ition than •olar Sea ;^ ng Banks' ay be pos- lable liope 3n (1851). fact of the llel of lati- Aver, some navigation hips and of harbour or might be in ible, should the space at and Banks* li the conti- % or further , is reason to id in which no ice to be ^e months of Narrative of nd Simpson, uiaite hydro- coast, so far in tbe use of are in winter ^ar the conti- of increasing or fish, and me consider- .ve been con- ofl20°W.— ray of return- in the same s^ith a view to if necessary, )ss at Whaler me season, at r hand, small Lstward at tbe prudent tbat have expired, no further attempts should be made in proceeding to the eastward, and that the remaining half of that season should be occupied in returning to the westward, with a view to escape from the ice by way of Behring's Strait after the winter of 1851-52, so as not to incur the risk of passing a third winter in the ice. " During the summer season, the most vigilant look-out should be kept from the mast-heads of both ships night and day, not only for the missing ships, but for any detached parties belonging to them ; and during the few hours of darkness which prevail towards the close of each season's navigation, and also when in winter quarters, signals, by fires, blue lights, rockets, or guns, should be made as the means of pointing out the position of the ships to any detached parties belonging to trie missing Expedi- tion. And in the spring, before the ships can be released from the ice, searching parties might be sent out m various directions, either in boats or by land, to examine the neighbouring coasts and inlets for any trace of the missing crews." Captain Sir George Back also comments, (1st of Decem- ber, 1849,) on these intentions, in a letter to the Secretary of the Admiralty : — ** You will be pleased. Sir, to impress on my Lords Com- missioners, that 1 wholly reject all and every idea of any attempts on the part of Sir John Franklin to send boats or detachments over the ice to any point of the mainland eastward of the Mackenzie River, because I can say from experience, that no toO-worn and exhausted party could have the least chance of existence by going there. " On the other hand, from my knowledge of Sir John Franklin (having been three times on discovery together), I much doubt if he would quit his ship at all, exci'pt in a boat; for any attempt to cross the ice a long di&ii.':ce on foot would be tempting death ; and it is too laboi-.ous a task to sledge far over such an uneven surface as those regions generally present. That great mortality must have occurred, and that one ship, as Sir F. Beaufort hints at, may be lost, are greatly to be feared ; and, as on all former expeditions, if the survivors are paralysed by the depressing attacks of scurvy, it would then be impossible for them, however desirous they might be, to leave the ship, which must thus become their last most anxious abode. ** If, however, open water should have allowed Sir John Franklin to have resorted to his boats, then I am persuaded he would make for either the Mackenzie Eiver, or, which r ii/ I 172 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERT. is far more likely, from the almost certainty he must have felt of fiadiaj^ provision, Cape Clarence and Fury Point. " I am aware that the whole chances of life in this yainful case depend on food ; but when I reflect on Sir ohn Franklin's former extraordinary preservation under miseries and trials of the most severe description, living often on scraps of old leather and other refuse, I cannot despair of his finding^ the means to prolong existence till aid be happily sent him." Dr. Sir John Hichardson on the same day also sends in his opinion, as requested, on the proposed aespatch of the Enterprise and Investigator to Behring's Strait : — '* It seems to me to be verv desirable that the western shores of the Archipelaacli, were lid remain irties that )bable that e Company small seine rocd supply 'sandy bays Idedwitb a it, and gun- iU readily ave, in ex- to receive to da fiom Norman, the nearest post on the Mackenzie, is thirty mUes above its mouth. Mr. E-ae was instructed to engage an Indian family or two to hunt on the tract of country between the Coppermine and Great Bear Lake in the summer of 1850 ; but no great reliance can be placed on these Indians remaining long there, as they desert their hunting quarters on very slight alarms, being in continual dread of enemies, real or imaginary. " A case of pemmican was buried on the summit of the bank, about four or five miles from the summit of Cape Bathurst, the spot being marked by a pole planted in tlie earth, and the exact locality of the deposit by a fire of driftwood, much of which would remain unconsumed. "Another case was deposited in the cleft of a rock on a small battlemented clifi*, which forms the extreme part of Cape Parry. The case was covered with loose stones ; and a pile of stones, painted red and white, was erected imme- diately in front of it. This cli ft' resembles a cocked-hat in some points of view, and projects like a tongue from the base of a rounded hill, which is 500 or 600 feet high. ** Several cases of pemmican were left exposed on a ledge of rocks in latitude 68° 35' N., opposite Lambert Island, in Dolphin and Union Strait, and in a bay to the west- ward of Cape Krusenstern, a small boat and ten pieces of pemmican were deposited under a high cliff above high- water mark, without concealment. The Esquimaux on this part of the coast are not numerous, and from the posi- tion of this hoard, it may escape discovery by them ; but I have every reason to believe that the locality has been visited by Mr. Rae in the past summer. A deposit of larger size, near Cape Kendall, has been more certainly visited by Mr. Rae. ' Capt. Sir J. C. Ross, writes from Haslar, 11th February, 1850 :— " With respect to the probable position of the Erebus and TerroVt I consider that it is hardly possible they can be anywhere to the eastward of Melville Island, or within 1 300 miles of Leopold Island, for if that were the case, they 1 would assuredly, during the last spring, have made their way to that point, with the hope of receiving assistance from the whale-ships which for several years previous to Ithe departure of that expedition from England had been |in the nabit of visiting Prince Regent Inlet in pursuit of rhales; and in that case they must have been met with, or rks of their encampments have been found by some of the numerous parties detached from the Enterprise and Investigator along the shores of that vicinity during the m .. '5 i ■ i •0 !«»' ,a ;•> '|:\ <«l ii i*ii ii(^i 178 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERT. only period of the season in which travelling is practicable in those regions. '* It is probable, therefore, that during their first sum- mer, which was remarkably favourable for the navigation of those seas, they have been enabled (in obedience to their orders) to push the ships to the westward of Banks* Land, and have there become involved in the heavy pack of ice which was observed from Melville Island always to be setting past its westernmost point in a south-east direc- tion, and from which pack they may not have been able to extricate their ships. " From such a position retreat to the eastward would bo next to impossible, whilst the journey to the Mackenzie River, of comparatively easy accomplishment, together with Sir John Franklin's knowledge of the resources in the way and of its practicability, would strengthen the belief that this measure will have been adopted by them during the last spring. " If tills be assumed as the present position of the Erebus and Terror, it would manifestly be far more easy and safe to afibrd them relief by means of an expedition entering Behring's Strait, than from any other direction, as it would not be necessary for the ships to depart so far from the coast of North America as to preclude their keeping up a regular communication with the Russian settlements on the River Colville, or those of the Hudson's Bay Com- pany near the mouth of the Mackenzie, whilst the whole space between any position in which the ships might winter, and Banks' Land could be thoroughly examined by travelling parties early in the spring, or by boats or steam launches at a more advanced period of the following season." Mr. W. Snow, in a letter from New York, dated 7th of January, 1850, suggests a plan for a well-organized expe- dition of as many men as could be fitted out from private funds. " For instance, let a party of 100 picked men, well disciplined and officered, as on board a ship, and accom- panied with all the necessary food, scientific instruments, and everything usual on such expeditions, proceed imme- diately, by the shortest and most available routes, to the lands in the neighbourhood of the unexplored regions. If possible, I would suggest that they should proceed first to Moose Fort, on the southern part of Hudson's Bay, and thence by small craft to Chesterfield Inlet, or otherwise by j land reach that quarter, so as to arrive there at the open- ing of summer. Trom this neighbourhood let the party,] minus ten men, be divided into three separate detach- OPINIONS AND SUGGESTIONS. 179 iracticable first Slim- navigation )edience to of Banks' leavy pack t always to -east direc- )een able to rd would bo Mackenzie it, together resources in engtlien the -ed by them )f the Erebus easy and sate Ltion entering rection, as it Lrt so far from their keeping m setUements in's Bay Com- |Ust the whole ships might examined by »oats or steam >wing season. ., dated 7th ot (ranized expe- Tfrom private •ked men, well and accom- 1 instruments, troceed imme- routes, to the id regions. It proceed first to son's Bay, and ►r otherwise by •eat the open- 1 let the party, laxate detach- ments, each with specific instructions to extend their researches in a nortnerly and uorth-westerly direction. The westernmost party to proceed as near as possible in a direct course to the easternmost limits of discovery yet made from Behring's Strait, and on no account to deviate from that course on the western side of it, but, if neces- sary, to the eastward. Let the central party shape a course as near as possible to the position of the Magnetic Pole ; and the easternmost division direct to Prince Re- gent Inlet, or the westernmost point of discovery from the east, and not to deviate from that course easterly. Let each of these detachments be formed again into three divisions, each division thus consisting of ten men. Let the first division of each detachment pioneer the way, fol- lowed on the same track by the second and the third at stated intervals of time. Oji the route let the pioneers, at every spot necessary, leave distinguishing marks to denote the way, and also to give information to either of the other two pnncipal detachments as may by chance fall into their track. To second the efforts of the three detachments, let constant succours and other assistance be forwarded by way of Moose Fort, and through the ten men left at Ches- terfield Inlet; and should the object for which such an expedition was framed be happily accomplished by the return of the lost voyagers, let messengers be forwarded with the news, as was done with Captain Back, in the case of Captain Ross. Let each of the extreme detachments, upon arriving at their respective destinations, and upon being joined by the whole of their body, proceed to form plans for uniting with the central party, and ascertaining the results already obtained by each by sending parties in that direction. Also, let a chosen number be sent out from each detachment as exploring parties, wherever deemed requisite ; and let no effort be wanted to make a search in every direction where there is a possibility of its proving successful. " If a public and more extensive expedition be set on foot, I would most respectfully draw attention to the fol- lowing suggestions : — Let a Ijand Expedition be formed upon a similar plan, and with the same number of men, say 300 or more, as those fitted out for sea. Let this ex- pedition be formed into three great divisions: the one proceeding by the Athabasca to the Great Slave Lake, and following out Captain Back's discoveries ; the second, through the Churchill district ; or, with the third, accord- ing to the plan laid out for a private expedition alone j only N 2 I I In « 1 l!' ii; ^1 it1 180 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. keeping the whole of theur forces as much as possible bearing? upon the points where success may be most Ukely attainable. " Each of these three great divisions to be subdivided and arranged also as in the former case. The expense ot an expedition of this kind, with all the necessary outlay for provisions, &c., I do not think would be more than half what the same would cost if sent by sea ; but of this I am not a competent judge, having no definite means to make a comparison. But there is yet another, and, I cannot help conceiving, a more easy way of obviating all difficulty on this point, and of reducing the expense con- siderably. " It must be evident that the present position of the Arctic voyagers is not very accessible, either by land or sea, else the distinguished leader at the head of the expe- dition would long ere this have tracked a route whereby the whole party, or at least some of them, could return. "In such a case, therefore, the only way to reach them is by, if I may use the expression, forcing an expedition on towards them; I mean, by keeping it constantly upheld and pushing onward. There may be, and indeed there are, very great difficulties, and difficulties of such a nature that, I believe, they would themselves cause another great difficulty in the procuring of men. But, if I might make another bold suggestion, I would respectfully ask our government at home, why not employ picked men from convicted criminals, as is done in explormg expeditions in Australia? Inducements might be held out to them; and by proper care they would be made most serviceable auxiliaries. Generally speaking, men convicted of offences are men possessed of almost inexhaustible mental resources; and such men are the men who, with physical powers of endurance, are precisely those required. But this I speak of, merely, if sufficient free men could not be found, and if economy is studied." Mr. John McLean, who has been twenty-five years a partner and officer of the Hudson's Bay Company, and has published an interesting narrative of his adventures and experience, writing to Lady Franklin from Canada West, in January, 1850, suggests the following very excellent plan as likely to produce some intelligence, if not to lead to a discovery of the party. " Let a small schooner of some thirty or forty tons bur- den, built with a view to draw as little water as possible, and as strong as wood and iron could make her, be de- spatched from England in company with the Hudson's OPINIONS AND SUGGESTIONS. 181 , possible ost likely abdivided expense ot nry outlay more tban at of this I means to er, and, I bviating all cpense con- ition of tbe by land or of the exne- ite whereby Jd return, reach them a expedition ;antly upheld indeed there uch a nature mother great might make ally ask our sd men from ixpeditions m it to them; 4t serviceable led of offences ,tal resources; lal powers of .t this I speak found, and it -five years a ipany, and has [ventures and hanada West, lexcellentplan to lead to a arty tons bur- er as possible, le her, be de- the Hudson's Bay ships. This vessel would, immediately on arriving at York Factory, proceed to the Strait termed Sir Thomas Boe's Welcome, which divides Southampton Island from the mainland ; then direct her course to Wager River, and proceed onward until interrupted by insurmountable obstacles. The party being safely 1' ndea, I would recom- mend their remaining stationary until winter travelling became practicable, when they should set out for the shores of the Arctic Sea, which by a reference to Arrow- smith's map appears to be only some sixty or seventy miles distant ; then dividing in two parties or divisions, the one would proceed east, the other west; and I think means could be devised of exploring 250 or 300 miles in either direction; and here a very important question presents itself, — how and by what means is this enterprise to be accomplished P *• In the first place, the services of Esquimaux would be indispensable, for the twofold reason, that no reliable information can be obtained from the natives without their aid, and that they alone properly understand the art of preparing snow-houses, or * igloes,' for winter encamp- ment, the only lodging which the desolate wastes of the Arctic regions afford. Esquimaux understanding the Eng- lish language sufficiently well to answer our purpose, fre- quent the Hudson's Bay Company's post in Labrador, some of whom might be induce d (I should fain hope) to engage for the expedition; or probably the * half-breed' natives might do so more readily than the aborigines. They should, if possible, be strong, active men, and good marksmen, and not less than four in number. Failing in the attempt to procure the natives of Labrador, then I should think Esquimaux might be obtained at Churchill, in Hudson's Bay; the two who accompanied Sir John in his first land expedition were from this quarter." An expedition of this kind is to be sent out by Lady Frank- lin this spring under the charge of Mr. Kennedy. There are various ways of accomplishing this object, the choice of which must mainly depend on the views and wishes of the officerwho may undertake the command. Besides the northern route, or that by Regent Inlet, it is possible to reach Sir James Ross andSimpson's Straits from the south, entering Hud- son's Bay, and passing up the Welcome to Rae Isthmus, or again by entering Chesterfield or Wager Inlet, and gaining the coast by Back's or the Great Fish River. By either of these routes a great part of the exploration must be made in boats or on foot. In every case the main points to be searched are James Ross's Strait and Simp- ■ f ll 1 1 1 ' ., 1 i i'' ^1 1 ^H H ^ ' 1 1 1 ! ^^M \ ■ .) 1 -1 i 1 1 i I 1 i 1 1 J I 1 , 1 t 1 1 1 ll 1 ■ ! < n 1 ' ■ ■ 1 1 f 9 •" i i I i i I 1 i i i I i'l 1 f N 1 'U '''li i ,,1l mB ,/ 4 vH i\ > BX 'i i 1 '.1 ■ 1 V ll i t\' 1 i 1 1 1 ■ ('.• 1 1 ■ t; 182 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. son's Strait, if indeed there be a passage in that direction, as laid down in Sir John Franklin's charts, though contra- dicted by Mr. Rae, and considered still doubtful by some Arctic navigators. The following extract from the Geographical Journal shows t)ie opinion of Franklin upon the search of this quarter. Dr. Richardson says {Journal of Geographical Society, vol. vi. p. 40), — "No better plan can be proposed than the one suggested by Sir John Franklin, of sending a vessel to Wager River, and carrying on the survey from thence in boats." Sir John Franklin observes {ibid. p. 43), — " The Doctor alludes in his letter to some propositions which he knew I had made in the year 1828, at the command of his present Majesty (William IV.) on the same subject, and particu- larly to the suggestion as to proceeding from Repulse or Wager Bay. * * * A recent careful reading of all the narratives connected with the surveys of the Wager and Repulse Bays, and of Sir Edward Parry's Voyage, together with the information obtained from the Esquimaux by Sir Edward Parry, Sir John Ross, and Captain Ba(;k, confirm me in the opinion that a successful delineation of the coast east of Point Turnagain to the Strait of the Fury and Hecla, would be best attained by an expedition proceeding from Wager Bay, the northern parts of which cannot, I think, be farther distant than forty miles from the sea, if the information received by the above-mentioned officers can be depended on." Dr. McCormick particularly draws attention to Jones* and Smith's Sounds, recommending a careful examination of these to their probable termination in the Polar Sea : — " Jones' Sound, with the Wellington Channel on the west, may be found to form an island of the land called * North Devon.' All prominent positions on both sides of these Sounds should be searched for flag staves and piles of stones, under which copper cylinders or bottles may have been deposited, containing accounts of the proceed- ings of the missing expedition ; and if successful in getting upon its track, a clue would be obtained to the fate of our gaUant countrymen." The Wellington Channel he considers affords one of the best chances of crossing the track of the missing expedi- tion. To carry out this plan efficiently, he recommended that a boat should be dropped, by the snip conveying the search- ing party out, at the entrance to the Wellington Channel in Barrow's Strait; from this point one or both sides of ,t direction, ugh contra- ul by some 'jal Journal Tch of this eographical be proposed , of sending survey from The Doctor h he knew I f his present and particu- i Eepulse or y of all the ! Wager and age, together ■maux by Sir Jacjk, confirm a of the coast le Fury and |a proceeding ich cannot, I m the sea, if oned officers [on to Jones* examination *olar Sea : — mnel on the land called both sides of vea and piles bottles may the proceed- ful in getting e fate of our Ids one of the [ssing expedi- imended that ig the search- rton Channel )oth sides of OPINIONS AND SUGGESTIONS. 183 that channel and the northern shores of the Parry Islands might be explored as far west as the season would permit of. But should the ship be enabled to look into Jones' Soimd, on her way to Lancaster Sound, and find that opening free from ice, an attempt might be made by the Boat Expedition to push through it into the Wellington Channel. In the event, however, of its proving to be merely an inlet, which a short delay would be sufficient to decide, the ship might perhaps be in readiness to pick up the boat on its return, for conveyance to its ultimate des- tination through Lancaster Sound; or as a precaution against any unforeseen separation from the ship, a dep6t of provisions should be left at the entrance to Jones' Sound for the boat to complete its supplies from, after accom- plishing the exploration of this inlet, and to afford the means, if compelled from an advanced period of the season or other adverse circumstances, of reaching some place of refuge, either on board a whaler or some one of the dep6ts of provisions on the southern shores of Barrow's Strait. Mr. Penny, in charge of the Lady Franklin^ before sailing, observed : — " If an early passage be obtained, I would examine Jones' Sound, as I have generally found in all my early voyages clear water at the mouth of that sound, and there is a probability that an earlier passage by this route might be found into Wellington Strait, which outlet ought by all means tobe thoroughly examined at the earliest opportunity, since, if Sir J. Franklin has taken that route, with the hope of finding a passage westward, to the north of the Pairy and Melville Islands, he may be beyond the power of helping himself. No trace of the expedition, or practical communication with Wellington Strait, being obtained in this quarter, I would proceed in time to take advantage of the first opening of the ice in Lancaster Sound, with the view of proceeding to the west and entering Wellington Strait, or, if this should not be practicable, of proceeding farther westward to Cape Walker, and beyond, on one or other of which places Sir John Franklin will probably have left some notices of his course." The Government has seen the urgent necessity of causing the Wellington Channel to be carefully examined ; imperative orders were sent to Sir James Koss to search it, but he was drifted out of Barrow's Strait against his will, before he received those orders by the North Star. I have already stated that Sir John Franklin's instructions directed him to try the first favourable opening to the south-west after passing Cape Walker ; and failing in that, n ^'i •< , I Hi 184 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERT. to try the Wellington Channel. Every officer in the British service, as a matter of course, follows his instruc- tions, as far as they are compatible with the exifjencies of the case, be it what it mav, nor ever deviates from them without good and justifiable cause. If, then. Sir John Franklin failed in finding an opening to the south-west of Cape Walker, it is reasonable to suppose he obeyed his instructions, and tried the Wellington Channel. The second probability in favour of this locality is, that Sir John Franklin expressed to many of his friends a favour- able opinion of the Wellington Channel, and, which is of far more consequence, intimated his opinion officially, and before the expedition was determined upon, that this strait seemed to oiFer the best chance of success. Moreover, Capt. Fitzjames, his immediate second in command in the Erehus, was strongly in favour of the Wellington Channel, and always so expressed himself.— See his letter, before quoted, to Sir John Barrow, p. 203. Who can doubt that the opinion of Capt. Fitzjames, a man of superior mind, beloved by all who knew him, and in the service " the observed of all observers," would have great weight with Sir John Franklin, even if Sir John had not been himself predisjjosed to listen to him. What adds confirmation to these views is, that in 1840, a few years prior to the starting of the expedition. Col. Sabine pub- Bshed the deeply interesting " Narrative of Baron Wran- gel's Expedition to the Polar Sea, undertaken between the years 18::0 and 1823," and that in his preface the translator points to the Wellington Channel as tne most likely course for the successful accomplishment of the north-west pas- sage. " Setting aside," he says, ** the possibility of the existence of unknown land, the probability of an open sea existing to the north of the Parry Islands, and communi- cating with Behrmg Strait, appears to rest on strict analogical reasoning." And again he adds, "all the attempts to efi'ect the north-west passage, since Barrow's Strait was first passed in 1819, have consisted in an endeavour to force a vessel by one route or another through this land- locked and ice-encumbered portion of the Polar Ocean." ISTo examination has made known what may be the state of the sea to the north of the Parry Islands ; whether similar impediments may there present themselves to navigation, or whether a sea may not there exist offisring no mfficulties whatever of the kind, as M. Von Wrangel has shown to be the case to the north of the Siberian Islands, and as by strict analogy we should be justified in expecting. PUBLIC AND PRIVATE REWARDS OFFERED. 185 er in the lis instruc- prencies of ftora them Sir John ith-west of obeyed his nuel. The 8, that Sir Is a favour- which is of ficially, and it this strait ) second in vour of the d himself.— 'ow, p. 203. Fitzjames, a ew him. and ' would have 3ir John had , What adds a few years Sabine pub- Jaron Wran- between the he translator likely course th-west pas- bility of the an open sea id communi- st on strict the attempts 's Strait was ndeavour to this land- iT Ocean." be the state 8 ; whether ;tnselves to |xist offering on Wrangel [he Siberian justified in Colonel Sabine is an officer of great scientific experience, and from having made several Polar voyages, he has d ?oted great attention to all that relates to that quarter. He was m constant communication with Sir John Frank- hn when the expedition was fitting out, and it is but reasonable to suppose that he would be somewhat guided by his opinion. We have, then, the opinions of Franklin himself. Colonel Sabine, and Captain Fitzjames, all bearing on this point, and we must remember that Parry, who discovered and named this channel, saw nothing when passing and re- passing it, but a clear open sea to the nortnward. Lieut. S. Osborn, in a paper dated the 4th of January, 1850, makes the following suggestions : — •* General opinion places the lost expedition to the west of Cape Walker, and south of the latitude of Melville Island. The distance from Cape Bathurst to Banks* Land is only 301 miles, and on reference to a chart it will be seen that nowhere else does the American continent approach so near to the supposed position of Franklin's expedition. "Banks' Land bears from Cape Bathurst N. 41° 49' E. 302 miles, and there is reason to believe that in the summer season a portion of this distance may be tra- versed in boats. " Dr. Eichardson confirms previous reports of the ice being light on the coast east of the Mackenzie River to Cape Bathurst, and informs us that the Esquimaux had seen * no ice to seaward for two moons.' " Every mile traversed northward by a party from Cape Bathurst would be over that unknown space in which traces of Franklin may be expected. It is advisable that such a second party be despatched from Cape Bathurst, in order that the prosecution of Dr. Rae's examination of the sup- posed channel between Wollaston and Victoria Lands may in no way be interfered with, by his attention being called to the westward." In March, 18 J 8, the Admiralty announced their intention of rewarding the crews of any whaling ships that brought accurate information of the missing expedition, with the sum of 100 guineas or more, according to circumstances. Lady Franklin also about the same time offered rewards of 2000Z. and 3000Z., to be distributed among the owner, officers, and crew discovering and affording relief to her husband, or making extraordinary exertions for the above object, and, if required, bringing Sir John Franklin and his party to England. {[ \'. ii: I' 4 ..| N v'i u I '^1 HI 186 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. In March, 1850, the following further rewards were offered by the British Government to persons of any country: — Ist. To any party or person who, in the judgment of the Board of Admiralty, shall discover and effectually relieve the crews of H.M. ships Erebus and Terror, the sura of 20,000^., or, 2nd. To any party, or parties, Ac, who shall discover and effectually relieve any portion of the crews, or shall convey such intelligence as shall lead to the relief of any of the crew, the sura of 10,000/. 3rd. To any party or parties who shall by virtue of his or their efforts, first succeed in ascertaining their fate, 10,000/. In a despatch from Sir George Simpson to Mr. Eae, dated Lachine, the 2l8t of January, 1850, he says : — " If they be still alive, I feel satisfied that every effort it may be in the power of man to make to succour them will be exerted by yourself and the Company's officers in Mackenzie River ; but should your late search have unfor- tunately ended in disappointment, it is the desire of the Company that you renew your explorations next siunmer, if possiljle. '* By the annexed correspondence you will observe that the opinion in England appears to be that our explorations ought to be more particularly directed to that portion of the Northern Sea lying between Cape Walker on the east, Melville Island and Banks' Land to the north, and the continental shore or the Victoria Islands to the south. " As these limits are believed to embrace the course that would have been pursued by Sir John Franklin, Cape Walker being one of the points he was particularly instructed to make for, you will therefore be pleasedf, immediately on the receipt of this letter, to fit out another exploring party to proceed in the direction above indicated, but varying the route that may have been followed last summer, which pfrty, besides their own examination of the coast and islands, should be instructed to offer liberal rewards to the Es(]|uimaux to search for some vestiges of the missing expedition, and similar rewards should be offered to the Indians inhabiting near the coast and Peel's River, and the half-bred hunters of Mackenzie River, the latter being, perhaps, more energetic than the former; assuring them that whoever may procure authentic intel- ligence will be largely rewarded. " Simultaneously with the expedition to proceed towards Cape Walker, one or two small parties should be despatched OPINIONS AND SUGGESTIONS. 187 irds were LB of any dgjment of offectually terror, tlio U discover ra, or shall Lief of any rtue of his their fate, 3 Mr. Eae, ays:— every effort iiccour them r's officers in I have unfor- desire of the Lext summer, observe that • explorations it portion of Iker on the e north, and to the south, e the course ft Franklin, particularly be pleased, out another ve indicated, followed last iinination of , offer liberal 16 vestiges of I should be jt and Peel's le Biver, the [the former; lentio intel- jeed towards despatched to the westward of the Mackenzie, in the direction of Point Barrow, one of vvliich mi^ht pass over to the Youcon River, and descending that stream to the sea, carry on their explorations in that quarter, while the otjior going down the Mackenzie might trace the coast thence towards the Youcon. And these parties must also be instructed to offer rewards to the natives to prosecute the search in all directions. " By these means there is reason to believe that in the course of one year so minute a search may be made of the coast and the islands, that in the event of the expedition having passed in that direction, some trace of their pro- gress would certainly be discovered. " From your experience in Arctic discovery, and peculiar qualifications for such an undertaking, I am in hopes you maybe enabled yourself to assume the command of the party to proceed to the northward ; and, as leaders of the two parties to explore the coast to the westward of the Macken- zie, you will have to select such officers of the Company's service within the district as may appear best qualified for the duty: Mr. Murray, I think, would be a very fit man for one of the leaders, and if one party be sent by way of the Youcon, he might take charge of it. In the event of your going on this expedition, you will be pleased to make over the charge of the district to Chief Trader Bell during your absence. " In case you may be short-handed, I have by this con- veyance instructed Chief Factor Ballenden to engage in Eed River ten choice men, accustomed to boating, and well fitted for such a duty as will be required of them ; and if there be a chance of their reaching Mackenzie River, or even Athabasca, before the breaking up of the ice, to forward them immediately. " Should the season, however, be too far advanced to enable them to accomplish the journey by winter travel- ling, Mr. Ballenden is directed to increase the party to fourteen men, with a guide to be despatched from Red River immediately after the opening of the navigation, in two boats, laden with provisions and flour, and a few bales of clothing, in order to meet, in some degree, the heavy drain that will be occasioned on our resources in Provisions and necessary supplies in Mackenzie River, 'he leader of this party from Red River may, perhaps, be qualified to act as the conductor of one of the parties to examine the coast to the westward." On the 6th of February, 1850, another consultation took place at the Admiralty among those officers most ex- \ '\ 'J ; IS, 188 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERT. periencpd in these matters, and their opinions in writinpf were solicited. It is important, therefore, to submit these as fully as possible to the consideration of the reader. The first is the report of the hydrofrraphcr of the Admiralty, dated the 29th of January, 1850 : — •' Memorandum bv Rear- Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort^ K.C.B. "The Behring's Strait expedition being at length fairly off, it appears to me to be a duty to submit to their Loraships that no time should now be lost in equipping another set of vessels to renew the search on the opposite side, through Baffin's Bay; and this being the fifth year that the Erebus and Terror have been absent, and pro- bably reduced to only casual supplies of food and fuel, it may be assumed that this search should be so complete ana effectual as to leave unexamined no place in which, by any of the suppositions that have been put forward, it is at all likely they may be found. *' Sir John Franklin is not a man to treat his orders with levity, and therefore his first attempt was undoubt- edly made in the direction of Melville Island, and not to the westward. If foiled in that attempt, he naturally hauled to the southward, and using Banks' Land as a barrier against the northern ice, he would try to make westing under its lee. Thirdly, if both of these roads were found closed against his advance, he perhaps availed himself of one of the four passages between the Parry Islands, including the Wellmgton Channel. Or, lastly, he may have returned to Baffin's Bay, and taken the inviting opening of Jones' Sound. " All those four tracks must therefore be diligently ex- amined before the search can be called complete, and the only method of rendering that examination prompt and efficient will be through the medium of steam ; while only useless expense and reiterated disappointment will attend the best efforts of sailing vessels, leaving the lingering survivors of the lost ships, as well as their relatives in England, in equal despair. Had Sir James Boss been in a steam vessel, he would not have been surrounded by ice and swept out of the Strait, but by shooting under the j)rotection of Leopold Island, he would have waited there till that fatal field had passed to the eastward, and he then would have found a perfectly open sea up to Melville Island. "The best application of steam to ice-going vessels would be Ericsou's screw ; but the screw or pacuiles of any of OFFICIAL REPORT OF ADMIRAL BEAUFORT. 189 in writing bmit thcBO eader. icr of the ■ Seaufort, at length nit to their 1 equipping ho opposite le fifth year it, and pro- and fuel, it so complete in which, by Drward, it is it his orders ras undoubt- i, and not to he naturally ^Land as a try to make these roads •haps availed 1 the Parry Or, lastly, d taken the TiiliQiently ex- lete, and the [prompt and I; while only It will attend le lingering relatives in Ross been in anded by ice under the raited there |ard, and he to Melville Vessels would }8 of any of our moderate-sized vessels might bo made to elevate with facility. Vessels so fitted would not require to bo fortified in an extraordinary degree, not more than common wiialors. From the log-liierhaps circular saws might be adapted to the steamers, a aunch to each party, with a small rotary engine, sledges for the shore, and light boats with sledge bearings for broken ice fields ; baUoons for the distribution of adver- tisements, and kites for the explosion of lofty fire-balls. And, lastly, they shoiUd have vigorous ana numerous crews, so that when detachments are away, other opera- tions should not be intermitted for want of physical strength. " As the council of the Boyal Society, some time ago, thought proper to remind their lordships of the propriety of instituting this search, it would be fair now to caU on : ; H' n ;.■ I i ''I '■1 it 1(1 111 HI k i!;J' f '■■J 190 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. that learned body for all tlie advice and suggestions that science and philosophy can contribute towards the accom- plishment of the great object on which the eyes of all England, and indeed of all the world, are now entirely fixed." Captain Beechey, writing to the Secretary of the Admi- ralty, 7th of February, 1850, says : — *' The urgent nature of the case alone can justify the use of ordinary steamers in an icy sea^ and great prudence and judgment will be rec[uired on the part of their com- manders, to avoid being disabled by collision and pressure. *• I would also add, as an exception, that I think Leopold Island and Cape Walker, if possible, should both be exa- mined prior to any attempt being made to penetrate in other directions from Harrow's Strait, and that the bottom of Regent Inlet, about the Pelly Islands, should not be left unexamined. In the memorandum submitted to their lordships on 17th January, 1819, this quarter was con- sidered of importance ; and I am still of opinion, that, had Sir John Franklin abandoned his vessels near the coast of America, and much short of the Mackenzie River, he would have preferred the probability of retaining the use of his boats until he found relief in Barrow's Strait, to risking an overland journey vid the before-mentioned river; it must be remembered, that at the time he sailed, Sir George Back's discovery had rendered it very probable that Boothia was an island. " An objection to the necessity of this search seems to be, that had Sir John Franklin taken that route, he would have reached Fury Beach already. However, I cannot but think there will yet be found some good grounds for the Esquimaux sketch, and that their meaning has been misunderstood ; and as Mr. M'Cormick is an enterprising person, whose name has already been before their lord- ships, I would submit whether a boat expedition from Leopold Depot, under his direction, would not satisfac- torily set at rest all inquiry upon this, now the only quarter unprovided for." Captain Sir W. E. Parr^ states: — '* 1 am decidedly of opinion that the main search should be renewed in the direction of Melville Island and Banks' Land, including as a part of the plan the thorough exami- nation of Wellington Strait and of the other similar open- ings between the islands of the group bearing my name. I entertain a growing conviction of the probability of the missing ships, or at least a considerable portion of the OPINIONS OP ARCTIC VOYAGERS. 191 stions that the accom- eyes of all »w entirely : the Admi- justify the at prudence ' their com- id pressure, ink Leopold )oth be exa- f ate in other e bottom of not be left ted to their er was con- on, that, had • the coast of ie Eiver, he ininj? the use iv's Strait, to re-mentioned me he sailed, ery probable Irch seems to Lte, he would er, I cannot grounds for |ing has been . enterprising •e their lord- (edition from not satisfac- low the only Isearch should Id and Banks' trough l ing the space between the western coast of Boothia on the one side, and the island or islands forming Banks' and Victoria Lands on the other. " Should the Erchus and Terror have been beset in the heavy drift ice, or wrecked amongst it and the broken land, which in all probability exists there, whilst contend- ing with the prevalent westerly winds in this quarter j *' The Coppermine River would decidedly offer the most direct route and nearest approach to that portion of the Polar Sea, and, after crossing Coronation Gulf, the average breadth of the Strait between the Continent and Victoria Land is only about twenty- two miles. " From this point a careful search should be commenced in the direction of Banks' Land; the intervening space between it and Victoria Land, occupying about five degrees, or little more than 300 miles, could, I think, be accom- plished in one season, and a retreat to winter quarters effected before the winter set in. As the ice in the Cop- permine River breaks up in June, the searching party ought to reach the sea by the beginning of August, which would leave two of the best months of the year for exploring the Polar Sea, viz., August and September. ** As it would be highly desirable that every available day, to the latest period of the season, should be devoted to the search, I should propose wintering on the coast in the vicinity of the mouth of the Coppermine River, which would also afford a favourable position from which to re- commence the search in the following spring, should the first season prove unsuccessful. " Of course the object of such an expedition as I have proposed is not with the view of taking supplies to such a numerous party as Sir John Franklin has under his command; but to find out his position, and acquaint him where a depot of provisions would be stored up for himself and crews at my proposed winter quarters, where a party should be left to build a house, estabUsh a fishery, and hunt for game, during the absence of the searching party. *' To carry out this plan efficiently, the Hudson's Bay Company should be requested to lend their powerful co-operation in furnishing guides, supplies of pemmican, &c., for the party on their route and at winter quarters. Without entering into details here, I may observe, that I should consider one boat, combining the necessary requi- sites in her construction to fit her for either the river navigation or that of the shores of the Polar Sea, would be quite sufficient, with a crew one-half sailors, and the OPINIONS AND SUGGESTIONS. 199 thiaonthe Banks' and )e8et in tbe tlie broken it contend- uarter ; ■er the most rtion of the the average md Victoria commenced renino; space five degrees, t, be accom- ter quarters B in the Cop- rching party ugust, which the year for ptemoer. ^ery available Id be devoted a the coast in Kiver, which which to re- (T, should the on as I have pplies to such fas under his acquamt him Eored up for [arters, where [Ush a fishery, ithe searching ludson's Bay teir powerful tf pemmican, \iev quarters, nserve, that 1 (essary requi- lier tlie river ^r Sea, would lors, and the other half Canadian boatmen; the latter to be engaged at Montreal, for which place I would propose leaving Eng- land in the month of February. " Should such an expedition even fail in its main o\\ t — the discovery of the position of the missing ships and their crews, the long-sought-for Polar passage may be accomplished. (Signed) K. M'Cobmick, R.N. *' Woolwich, isar." Copy of a letter from lAeutenant Sherard Oslorn to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. •* Ealing, Middlesex, ith January, 1850. " My Lords, — A second attempt to reach Sir John Franklin's expedition being about to be tried during the present year, I take the liberty of calling your attention to the enclosed proposition for an overland party to be des- patched to the shores of the Polar Sea, with a view to their traversing the short distance between Cape Bathurst and Banks' Land. My reasons for thus trespassing on your attention are as follows : *' 1st. General opinion places the lost expedition to the west of Capo Walker, and south of the latitude of Melville Island. •' The distance from Cape Bathurst to Banks' Land is only 301 miles, and on reference to a chart it will be seen that nowhere else does the American continent approach so near to the supposed position of Franklin's expedition. " 2nd. As a starting point, Cape Bathurst offers great advantages ; the arrival of a party sent there from England may be calculated upon to a day ; whereas the arrival of Captain Colliason in the longitude of Cape Barrow, or that of an eastern expedition in Lancaster Sound, will depend upon many uncontrollable contingencies. The distance to be performed is comparatively little, and the certainty of being able to fall back upon supplies offers great advantages. Captain CoUinson will have G80 miles of longitude to traverse between Cape Barrow and Banks' Land. An Eastern Expedition, if opposed by the ice (as Sir James Boss has been), and unable to proceed in their vessels farther than Leopold Harbour, will have to journey on foot 330 miles to reach the longitude of Banks' Land, and if any accident occur to their vessels they will be in as critical a position as those they go to seek. " 3rd. Banks' Land bears from* Cape Bathurst N. 4r 49' \l '■{ ii !"i 111'' ■1^ '■■|;l 200 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. E. 302 miles, and there is reason to believe that in the summer season a portion of this distance may bo traversed in boats. "4tli and 5th. Dr. Richardson eonfirma previous re- ports of the ice bein^r lijrht on the coast east of the Mac- kenzie Eiver to Cape J3athurst, and informs us that the Esquimaux had seen no ice to seaward for two moons. " 6th. Every mile traversed northward by a party from Capo Bathurst would be over that unknown space in which traces of Franklin may be expected. *• 7th. It is advisable that such a second party be des- patched from Cape Bathurst, in order that the prosecution of Dr. Rae's examination of the supposed channel between WoUaston and Victoria Lands may in no way be inter- fered with by his attention being called to the westward. " 8th. The cachis of provisions made at different points of the Mackenzie and at Cape Bathurst, would enable a party to push down to their starting point with great cele- rity directly the River Mackenzie opens, which may be as early as May. "1 would also remind your Lordships that the proposed expedition would carry into execution a very important clause in the instructions given to Sir James Ross ; viz., that of sending exploring parties from Banks' Land in a south-westerly direction towards Cape Bathurst or Cape Parry. " In conclusion, I beg to offer niv willing services towards the execution of the proposea plan ; and seeking it from no selfish motives, but thoroughly impressed with its feasibility, you may rest assured, my lords, should I have the honour of being sent upon this service, that I shall not disappoint your expectations. , " I have, &c., (Signed) " Shebabd Osbobn, Lieut., R.N." Copy of a letter from Colonel Sabine^ R.A., to Captain Sir W. JEdward JParry. " Castle-down Terrace^ Hastings^ " 15th of January, 1850. " There can be little doubt, I imagine, in the mind of any one who has read attentively Franklin's instructions, and (in reference to them) your description of the state of the ice and of the navigable water in 1819 and 1820, in the route which he was ordered to pursue ; still less, I think, can there be a doubt in the mind of any one who had the OPINIONS AND SUGGESTIONS. at in the traversed ovious ro- tUe Mac- 18 that the moons, party from !0 in which rty be des- proaecution lel between ^ be inter- westward. 3rent points Id enable a I great cele- b moy be as he proposed ry important ; Boss ; viz-» ' Land in a irst or Cape ng services and seeking ressed with 8, should I vice, that I keut., R.N." \o Captain 3, Kastingsy f, 1850. [he mind of Instructions, Ithe state of 1820, in the J8S, I think, jho had the advantage of being with you in those years, that Fr^nlclin (always supposing no previous diaaster) must have made his way to tne south-west part of Melville Island either in 1845 or 1846. It has been said that 1815 was an unfavour- able season, and as the navigation of Davis* Strait and Baffin's Bay was new to Franklin, we may regard it as more probaole that it may have taken him two seasons to accomplish what we accomplished in one. So far, I think, guided by his instructions and by the experience gained in 1819 and 1820, we may reckon pretty confidently on the first stage of his proceedings, and, doubtless, in his pro- gress he would have left memorials in the usual manner at {>lace8 where he may have landed, some of which would be ikely to fall in the wav of a vessel following in his track. From the west end of Alelville Island our inferences as to his further proceedings must become more conjectural, being contingent on the state of the ice and the existence of navigable water in the particular season. If he found the ocean, as we did, covered to the west and south, as far as the eye could reach from the summit of the highest hills, with ice of a thickness unparalleled in any other part of the Polar Sea, he would, after probably waiting through one whole season in the hope of some favourable change, have retraced his steps, in obedience to the second part of his instructions, in order to seek an opening to the north which might conduct to a more open sea. In this case some memorial of the season passed by him at the south- west end of Melville Island, and also of his purpose of retracing his steps, would doubtless have been left by him; and should he subsequently have found an opening to the north, presenting a favourable appearance, there also, should circumstances have permitted, would a memorial have been left. " He may, however, have found a more favourable state of things at the south-west end of Melville Island than we did, and may have been led thereby to attempt to force a passage for nis ships in the direct line of Behring's Strait, or perhaps, in the first instance, to the south of that direc- tion, namely, to Banks' Land. In such case two contin- gencies present themselves : first, that in the season of navigation of 1847 he may have made so much progress, that in 1848 he may have preferred the endeavour to push through to Behring's Strait, or to some western part of the continent, to an attempt to return by the way of Bar- row Strait ; the mission of the Plover, the Enterprise, and the Investigator, together with Dr. Eae's expedition, supply, I presume (for I am but partially acquainted with \i , ll •'■ I m / i 202 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DTSCOVERV. tlu'ir instructions), the most judicious means of affording relief in this direction. There is, liowever, a second con- tini^cncy ; and it is the one which the inipret^sion left on my mind by the nature and general aspect of the ice in the twelve months which we ourselves passed at the south- west end of Melville Island, compels me, in spite of m^ wishes, to regard as the more probable, viz., that his advance from Melville Island in the season of 1847 may have been limited to a distance of 50, or perhaps 100 miles at farthest, and that in 1848 ho may have endeavoured to retrace his steps, but only with partial success. It is, I apprehend, quite a conceivable case, that under these cir- cumstances, incapable of extricating the ships from the ice, the ciews may have been, at length, obliged to quit them, and attempt a retreat, not towards the continent, because too distant, but to Melville Island, where certainly food, and probably fuel (seals), might be obtained, and where they would naturally suppose that vessels despatched from England for their relief would, in the first instance, seek them. It is quite conceivable also, I apprehend, that the circumstances might be such that their retreat may have been made without their boats, and probably in the April or May of 1849. " Where the Esquimaux have lived, there Englishmen may live, and no valid argument against the attempt to relieve can, I think, be founded on the improbability of finding Englishmen alive in 1850, who may have made a retreat to Melville Island in the spring of 1849 ; nor would the view of the case be altered in any material degree, if suppose their retreat to have been made in 1848 or we 1849 to Banks' Land, which may afibrd facilities of food and fuel equal or superior to Melville Island, and a further retreat in the following year to the latter island as the point at which they would more probably look out for succour. *' Without disparagement, therefore, to the attempts made in other directions, I retain my original opinion, which seems also to have been the opinion ot the Board ot Admiralty, by which Ross's Instructions were drawn up, that the most promising direction for research would be taken by a vessel which should foUow them to the south- west point of Melville Island, be prepared to winter there, and, if necessary, to send a party across the ice in April or May to examine Banks' Land, a distance (there and back) less than recently accomplished by Itoss in his land journey. " I learn from Boss's despatches, that almost immediately after he got out of Port Leopold (1849), he was entangled in OPINIONS AND SUGGESTIONS. 203 afTording cond con- OQ left oa ic'O in the Ue Houtli- pitc of my , that hi8 1847 may J 100 miles avoured to 8. It is, I r these civ- j from the red to quit ) eoutinent, >re certainly taiued, and 1 despatched rst intitancc, rehend, that retreat may bably in the Englishmen I attempt to robability of lave made a ; nor would lal degree, if e in 1848 or fties of food Lnd a further . as the point 'or succour. \e attempt^J lual opinion, [the Board ot re drawn up, [ch would be ;o the south- vinteT there, ice in April i (there and |8 in his land immediately entangled in apparently interminable fields and floes of ico, with which, in the course of the summer, he was drifted down through Barrow Strait and Baffin's Bay nearly to Davis* Strait. It is reasonable to presume, therefore, that the localities from whence this ice drifted are likely to bo less encum- bered than usual by accumulated ico in 1850. It is, of course, of the highest importance to reach Barrow Strait at the carlit st possible period of the season ; and, connected with this point, I learnt from Captain Bird, whom 1 had the pleasure of seeing hero a few aajs ago, a very remark- able fact, that the ice which prevented their crossing Baffin's Bay in 72° or 73° of latitude (as wo did in 1819, arriving in Barrow Strait a month earlier than we had done the preceding year, when wo went round by Mel- ville Bay, and nearly a month earlier than Boss did last year) was young ico, which had formed in the remark- ably calm summer of last year, and which the absence ot wind prevented their forcmg a passage through, on tho one hand, whilst, on the other, tho ice was not heavy enough for ice anchors. It was, he said, not more than two or two-and-a-half feet thick, and obviously of very recent formation. There must, therefore, have been an earlier period of the season when this part of the sea must have been free from ice; and this comes in confirmation of a circumstance of which I was informed by Mr. Petersen (a Danish gentleman sent to England some months ago by the Northern Society of Antiquaries of Copenhagen, to make extracts from books and manuscripts in the British Museum), that the Northmen, who had settlements some centuries ago on the west coast of Greenland, were in the habit of crossing Baffin's Bay in the latitude of Upernavic in the spring of the year, for the purpose of fishing in Barrow Strait, from whence they returned in August; and that in the early months they generally found the passage across free from ice. " In the preceding remarks, I have left one contingency unconsidered; it is that which would have followed in pursuance of his instructions, if Franklin should have lound the aspect of the ice too unfavourable to the west and south of Melville Island to attempt to force a passage through it, and should have retraced nis steps in hopes of finding a more open sea to the northward, either in Wel- lington Strait or elsewhere. It is quite conceivable that here also the expedition may have encountered, at no very great distance, msuperable difficulties to their advance, and may have failed in accomphshing a return with their ships. In this case, the retreat of the crews, supposing it iiil > t f5>- r ■ M* ..J 1 a 204 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. : ii, I Ml to have been made across land or ice, would moat probably be directed to some part of the coast on the route to Mel- ville Island, on which route they would, without doubt, expect that succour would be attempted." Mr. Robert A. Goodsir, a brother of Mr. H. D. Goodsir, the assistant-surgeon of Sir John Franklin's ship, the Erebus, left Stromness, as surgeon of the Advice, whaler, Capt. Penny, on the 17th of March, 1849, in the hopes of gaining some tidings of his brother ; but returned unsuc- cessful after an eight months' voyage. He has, however, published a very interesting little narrative of the icy regions and of his Arctic voyage. In a letter to Lady FrauKlin, dated Edinburgh, 18th of January, 1850, he says : — " I trust you are not allowing yourself to become over-anxious. I know that, although there is much cause to be so, there is still not the slightest reason that we should despair. It may be presumptuous in me to say so, but I have never for a moment doubted as to their ultimate safe return, having always had a sort of presentiment that I would meet my brother and his companions somewhere in the regions in which their adven- tures are taking place. This hope I have not yet given up, and I trust that by next summer it may be fulfilled, when an end will be put to the suspense which has lasted so long, and which must have tried you so much." The Arctic regions, far from being so destitute of animal life as might be supposed from the bleak and inhospitable character of the climate, are proverbial for the boundless profusion of various species of the animal kingdom, which are to be met with in different locaUties during a great part of the year. The air is often darkened by innumerable flocks of Arctic and blue gulls (Lestris Parasitictis, and Larus glaucus), the ivory gull or snow bird {Larus ehumeus), the kittiwake, the fulmar or petrel, snow geese, terns, coons, dovekies, &c. The cetaceous animals comprise the great Greenland whale {Balcena mysticetus), the sea unicorn, or narwhal {Monodon monoceros), the white whale or beluga {Delphinus leucos), the morse or walrus {Trichecus ros- marus), and the seal. There are also plenty of porpoises occasionally to be met with, and although these animals may not be the best of food, yet they can be eaten. Of the land animals I may instance the Polar bear, the musk- ox, the reindeer, the Arctic fox, and wolves. Parry obtained nearly 4000lbs. weight of animal food during his winter residence at Melville Island; Eoss f.i •: ABUNDANCE OP ANIMAL FOOD MET WITH. 205 probably B to Mel- it doubt, . Goodsir, sbip, the e, whaler, ! hopes of led unsuc- , however, >f the icy rh, 18th of )t allomng b, although 10 slightest sumptuous it doubted had a sort ler and his heir adven- )t yet given ibe fulfilled, I has lasted h. e of animal nhospitable B boundless lom, which ng a great e flocts of and Larus irneus), the irns, coons, the great nicorn, or or beluga Ichecus ros' ' porpoises (se animals leaten. Of the musk- Inimal food id; Ross nearly the same quantity from birds alone, when wintering at Port Leopold. In 1719, the crews of two Hudson's Bay vessels, the Albany and Dis^'overy, a ship and sloop, under the com- mand of Mr. Barlow and Mr. Knight, were cast on shore on Marble Island, and it was subsequently ascertained that some of the party supported life for nearly three years. Mr. Heame learnt the particulars from some of the Esquimaux in 1729. The ship it appeared went on shore in the fall of 1719 ; the party, being then in number about fifty, began to build their house for the winter. As soon as the ice permitted in the following summer the Es- quimaux paid them another visit, and found the number of sailors much reduced, and very unhealthy. Sickness and famine occasioned such havoc among them that by the setting in of the second winter, their number was reduced to twenty. Some of the Esquimaux took up their abode at this period on the opposite side of the harbour, and supplied them with what provisions they could spare in the shape of blubber, seal's flesh, and train oil. The Esquimaux left for their wanderings in the spring, and on revisiting the island in the summer of 1721, only five of the crews were found alive, and these were so ravenous for food, that they devoured the blubber and seal's flesh raw as they purchased it of the natives, which proved so injurious in their weak state that three of them died in a few days. The two survivors, though very weak, managed to bury their comrades, and protracted their existence for some days longer. " They frequently," in the words of the narrative, " went to the top of an adjacent rock, and earnestly looked to the south and easl, as if in expectation of some vessels coming to their relief. After continuing there a considerable time, and nothing appearing in sight, they sat down close together and wept bitterly. At length one of the two died, and the other's strength was so far exhausted, that he fell down and died also in attempting to dig a grave for his companion. The skulls and other large bones of these two men are now lying above ground close to the house." Sir John Eichardson, speaking of the amount of food to be obtained in the Polar region, says, " Deer migrate over the ice in the spring from the main shore to Victoria and Wollaston Lands in large herds, and return in the autunm. These lands are also the breeding places of vast flocks of snow geese ; so that with ordinary skill in hunting, a large supply of food might be procured on their shores, in the months of June, July, and August. Seals arc also nume- I :i: 'I I % s i ,i I ■ m :, 1 lii Y' -i'-^ 206 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. rous in those seas, and are easily shot, their curiosity ren- dering them a ready prey to a boat party." In these ways and by fishing, the stock of provisions might be greatly augmented — and we have the recent example of Mr. Eae, who passed a severe winter on the very barren shores of Kepulse Bay, with no other fuel than the withered tufts of & herbaceous andromada, and maintained a numerous garty on the spoils of the chase alone for a whole year, ucfi instances forbid us to lose hope. Should Sir John Franklin's provisions become so far inadequate to a win- ter's consumption, it is not likely that he would remain longer by his ships, but rather that in one body, or in several, the officers and crews, with boats cut down so as to be light enough to drag over the ice, or built expressly for that purpose, would endeavour to make their way east- ward to Lancaster Sound, or southward to the main land, according to the longitude in which the ships were ar- rested. We ought not to judge of the supplies of food that can be procured in the Arctic regions by diligent hunting, from the quantities that have been actually obtained on the several expeditions that have returned, and conse- quently of the means of preserving life there. When there was abundance in the ships, the address and energy of the hunting parties was not likely to be called forth, as they would inevitably be when the existence of the crews depended solely on their personal efforts, and formed their chief or only object in their march towards quarters where relief might be looked for. This remark has reference to the supposition that on the failure of the stock of provisions in the ships, the crews would in separate Sarties under their officers seek for succour in several irections. With an empty stomach the power of resisting external cold is greatly impaired; but when the process of digestion is going on vigorously, even with comparatively scanty clothing, the heat of the body is preserved. There is in the winter time, in high latitudes, a craving for fat or oleaginous food, and for such occasions the flesh of seals, walrusses, or bears, forms a useful article of diet. Cap- tain Cook says that the walrus is a sweet and wholesome article of food. Whales and seals would also furnish light and fuel. The necessity for increased food in very cold weather, is not so great when the people do not work. Mr. Gilpin, in his Narrative in the Nautical Magazine for March, 1850, writes thus : — ABUNDANCE OF ANIMAL FOOD MET WITH. 207 " About the 20th of Jii \o a small -^ater bird, called tho doveky, had become so numerous, and so many were daily shot by those who troubled themselves to go after them, that shooting parties from each ship, consisting of an officer and marine, were established at Whaler Pomt, where they remained the whole week, returning on board on Saturday night. In a week or so after this the coon, a much heavier bird, became more plentiful than the little doveky, and from this time to the middle of August, so successful and untiring were our sportsmen, that the crew received each a bird per man a day. *' The account kept on board the Investigator showed the number of birds killed to have amounted to about 4000, and yielding near 2500lbs. of meat. But more than this was obtained, as many were shot by individuals for amuse- ment, and not always noted." Mr. Goodsir, surgeon, when in the Advice whaler, on her voyage up Lancaster Sound, in the summer of 1849, speaking of landing on one of the WoUaston Islands, on the west side of Navy Board Inlet, says he disturbed about half a dozen pairs of the eider duck (Somateria moUissima). Their eggs he found to be within a few hours of maturity. There were besides numerous nests, the occupants of which had probably winged their way southwards. Two brent geese {Anser hernicla), and a single pair of arctic terns {Sterna arctica), were most vociferous and courageous in defence of their downy offspring wherever he approached. These were the only birds he saw, with the exception of a solitary raven {Corvus corax) not very high overhead, whose sharp and yet musically bell-like croak came startling upon the ear. Mr. Snow, in his account of the voyage of the Prince Albert, p. 162, says (speaking of Melville Bay, at the northern head of Baffin s Bay), " Innumerable quantities of birds, especially the little auk {Alca alle) and the doveky {Colymhusgrylle), were now seen (August 6th) in every direction. They were to be observed in thousands, on the wing and in the water, and often on pieces of ice, where they were clustered together so thick that scores might have been shot at a time by two or three fowling pieces." In passing up Lancaster Sound a fortnight later several shoals of eider ducks and large quantities of other birds were also seen. See ante, p. 49, et seq. I 208 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. A BALLAD OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN. " The ice was here, the ice was there, The ice was all Around."— Coleridge. Whither sail you, Sir Jolin Franklin ? Cried a whaler in Baffin's Bay ; To know if between the land and the Pole, I may find a broad sea-way. I charge you back, Sir John Franklin, As you would live and thrive, For between the land and the frozen Pole No man may sail alive. But lightly laughed the stout Sir John, And spoke unto his men ; — Half England is wrong, if he is light; Bear off to westward then. O, whither sail you, brave Englishman ? Cried the little Esquimaux. Between your land and the polar star My goodly vessels go. Come down, if you would journey there. The little Indian said ; And change your cloth for fur clothing, Toiur vessel for a sled. But lightly laughed the stout Sir John, And the crew laughed with him too ; A sailor to change from ship to sled, I ween, were something new ! All through the long, long polar day. The vessels westward sped ; And wherever the sail of Sir John was blown. The ice gave way and fled. Gave way with many a hollow groan, And with many a surly roar; But it murmured and threatened on every side. And closed where he sailed before. Ho 1 see ye not, my merry men, The broad and open sea ? Bethink ye what the whaler said. Bethink ye of the little Indian's sled ! The crew laughed out in glee. Sir John, Sir John, 'tis bitter cold, The scud drives on the breeze. The ice comes looming from the North, The very sunbeams freeze. Bright Summer goes, dark Winter comes — We cannot rule the year; But long ere Summer's sun goes down. On yonder sea we'll steer. T. le. A BALLAD OP SIR rnrrxT « SIR JOHN FRANKLIN And U^Tt'a'relt/^ "'" ""^"^ ^iji^odf there is no sea I sll' r^'^ ^'^"o'-' «ick at heart 6ank down beside his spade. ^'tS h'*.'^""''^^'''' black and W The hl?^'"^^'"'^" Weak; ''^' I nw.h ' ^'"'^ '''^ ^-^ «t W as death w i prithee, captain, speak. The ni ht jg ^^.^^^^ ThI W°^'"^ breeze is ifd"''' '^°'*- Tif I" ''°' «° 8t«>n« as hone The heart ofman is bold! ^at hope can scale this icy wall Whereon our ships shaU 8t.^r ' 209 tirft 210 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. ii.! The Winter went, the Summer went. The Winter came around ; Bui the hard, green ice was strong as dcatli; And the voice of hope sank to a breath. Yet caught at every sound. Hark 1 heard you not the sound of guns ? And there, and there again ? 'Tis some uneasy icciberg's roar. As he turns in the frozen main. Hurra 1 hurra ! the Esquin^aux Across the ice-fields steal : God give them grace for their charity I Ye pray for the silly seal. Sir John, where are the English fields. And where the English trees, And where are the little English flowers. That open in the breeze ? Be still, be still, my brave sailors ! You shall see the fields again. And smell the scent of the opening flowers, The grass, and the waving grain. Oh ! when shall I see my orphan child? My Mary waits for me ; Ohl when shall I see my old mother. And pray at her trembling knee ? Be still, be still, my brave sailors t Think not such thoughts again I But a tear froze slowly on his cheek- He thought of Lady Jane. Ah ! bitter, bitter grows the cold. The ice grows more and more ; More settled stare the wolf and bear. More patient than before. Oh ! think you, good Sir John Franklin, We'll ever see the land ? 'Twas cruel to send us here to starve, Without a helping hand, t- "- 'Twas cruel, Sir John, to send us here. So far from help or home ; To starve and freeze on this lonely sea; I ween, the Lords of the Admiralty Had rather send than come. Oh I whether we starve to death alone, Or sail to our own country. We have done what man has never done— The open ocean danced in the sun — We passed the Northern Sea I I" Be ce ch wl n pla wit THE SEARCHING EXPEDITIONS. 211 The Government and Peivate Seabching Expedi- tions AFTER Sib John Fbanelin. The following is a complete list of the several relief and exploring vessels which have been sent out during the last two years by the British Government, by private individuals, and by the American nation : — Ships. Men. Commanders. 1. H.M.S. Enterprise . . 68 Capt. Collinson. 2. M.M.S. Investigator . . 65 Com. M'Clure. 3. H.M.S. Plover .... 52 Com. Moore. 4. JIM-.S. Sesolute ... 60 Capt. Horatio Austin. 5. H.M.S. Assistance . . 60 Capt. E. Ommaney. 6. H.M.S. Pioneer (a screw steamer) 30 Lieut. S. Osborn. 7. H.M.S. Intrepid (screw steamer) 30 Lieut. Cator. 8. The Zad^/ Franklin . . 25 Mr. Penny. 9. The Sophia (a tender to the above) 22 Mr. Stewart. 10. United States' brig Ad- vance 20 Lieut. De Haven. 11. United States' vessel Bescue 18 Mr. S. P. Griffin. 12. Felix yacht Capt. Sir John Ross. 13. Mari/ (tender to the Felix) 14. The North Star, Master and Commander Saunders. 15. The Prince Albert ... 18 Commander Eorsyth. Of these vessels the Enterprise, Investigator, and Plover, are at present engaged on the Western branch of search through Behring's Straits. The rest have all pro- ceeded through Baffin's Bay to Lancaster Sound, and the channels branching out from thence, except the last two, which have returned home. ' ' i Voyages of the ** Enterprise" and " Investigator" under Captains Sir James C. Moss and Bird, in 1848-49, and under Captain Collinson and Commander M^CVu/re, in 1850^1. Li the spring of 1848, Captain Sir James C. Eoss was placed in command of a well found and fitted expedition, with means and advantages of unusual extent, and with p2 m t ' 212 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. il an object that could not fail to stimulate in the highest degree the energies and perseverance of all embarked in it. With the ever present feeling, too, that the lives of their countrymen and brother sailors depended (under God's good providence) upon their unflinching exertions, Captain Eoss and his followers went forth in the confident hope that their eflforts might be crowned with success. The season was considerably advanced before the whole of the arrangements were completed, for it was not until the 12th of June, 1848, that Captain Ross left England, having under his charge the Enterprise and Investigator^ with the following officers and crews : — Enterprise, 540 tons. Captain — Sir James C. Ross. Lieutenants — R. J. L. McClure, F. L. McClintock, and W. H. J. Browne. Master — W. S. Couldery, (acting.) Surgeon — W. Robertson, (ft) M.D. Assistant-Surgeon — H. Matthias. Second Master — S. Court. Clerk— Edward Whitehead. Total complement, 68. Investigator, 4S0 tons. Captain — ^E. J. Bird. Lieutenants — M. G. H. W. Ross, Frederick Robinson, and J. J. Barnard. Master — W. Tatham. Surgeon — Robert Anderson. Mates — L. J. Moore and S. G. Cresswell. Second Master — John H. Allard. Assistant Surgeon — E. Adams. Clerk in Charge — James D. Gilpin. Total complement, 67. The ships reached the Danish settlement of Uppema- vick, situated on one of the group of Woman's Islands on the western shore of Baffin's Bay on the 6th of July. Running through this intricate archipelago, they were made fast on the 20th to an iceberg aground off Cape Shackleton. The ships were towed durmg the next few days through loose streams of ice, and on the morning of the 26th were off the three islands of Baffin in lat. 74° N. Calms and light winds so greatly impeded any movement in the pack, that day after day passed away until the season had so far advanced as to preclude every hope of le higliest barked in ie lives of ed (under exertions, e confident uccess. ! the whole IS not until t England, nvestigator^ [intock, and k Kobinson, jf Uppema- Fs Islands on fth of July. [ they were [nd oir Cape the next few morning of lat. 74^N. movement ly until the ery hope of VOYAGE OP ENTERPRISE AND INVESTIGATOR. 213 accomplishing much, if anything, before the setting in of winter. No exertions, however, were spared to take advantage of every opportunity of pushing forward, until on the 20tli of August, during a heavy brrcze from the north- cast, the ships under all sail bored through a pack of ice of but moderate thickness, but having amongst it heavy masses, through which it was necessary to drive them at all hazards. The shocks the ships sustained during this severe trial were groat, but fortunately without serious damage to them. Getting into clear water in lat. 75^ N., and long. G8° W., on the 23rd the ships stood in to Pond's Bay, but no traces of Esquimaux or other human beings were discovered, although siijnals were made and gims fired at repeated intervals. The ships were kept close in to the land, and a rigid examination made of the coast to the northward, so that neither people nor boats could have passed without their being seen. On the 26th the ships arrived off" Possession Bay, and a party was sent on shore to search for any traces of the expedition having touched at this general point of rendezvous. Nothing was found but the paper left there recording the visit of Sir Edward Parry, on that very day (August 30th) in 1819. Erom this point the examination of the coast was con- tinued with equal care. On the 1st of September they arrived off" Cape York, and a boat's crew was sent on shore, to fix a conspicuous mark, and leave information for the guidance of any future party that might touch here. I shall now take up the narrative in Sir James Eoss's own words — "We stood over towards north-east cape until we came in with the edge of a pack, too dense for us to penetrate, lying between us and Leopold Island, about fourteen miles oroad ; we therefore coasted the north shore of Barrow's Strait, to seek a harbour further to the west- ward, and to examine the numerous inlets of that shore. Maxwell Bay, and several smaller indentations, were thoroughly explored, and, although we got near the entrance of Wellington Channel, the firm barrier of ice which stretched across it, and which had not broken away this season, convinced us all was impracticable in that direction. We now stood to the south-west to seek for a harbour near Cape Eennell, but found a heavy body of ice extending from the west of CornwaUis Island in a com- pact mass to Leopold Island. Coasting along the pack during stormy and foggy weather, we had difficulty in keeping the ships free during the nights, for I beUeve so II J' 1 1 i -i-^l m I'l 1 2U PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. it V great a quantity of ice was never before seen in Barrow's Strait at this period of the season." Fortunately, after some days of anxious and arduous work, tlie ships were cot through the pack, and secured in the harbour of Port Leopold on the 11th of September. No situation could be better adapted for the purpose than this locality ; being at the junction of the four «^roat chan- nels of Barrow's Strait, Lancaster Sound, Prince Regent Inlet, and Wellington Channel, it was hardly possible for any party, after abandoning their ships, to pass along the shores of any of those inlets, without finding indications of the proximity of these ships. The night following the very day of the ships getting in, the main pack closed with the land, and completely sealed the mouth of the harbour. The long winter was passed in exploring and surveying journeys along the coasts in all directions. During the winter as many as fifty white foxes were taken alive, in traps made of empty casks set for the purpose. As it was well known how large a track of country these animals traverse in search of food, copper collars, (upon which a notice of the position of the ships and depots of provisions was engraved,) were clinched round their neck, and they were then set free, in the hope that some of these four-footed messengers might be the means of conveying the intelligence to the jErebus and Terror, as the crews of those vessels would naturally be eager for their capture. The months of April and May were occupied by Capt. Ross, Lieut. McClmtock, and a party of twelve men, in examir mg and thoroughly ex- plormg all the inlets and smaller indentations of the northern and western coasts of Boothia peninsula, in which any ships might have fourd shelter. From the high land in the neighbourhood of Cape Bunny, Capt. Koss obtained a very extensive view, and observed that the whole space between it and Cape Walker to the west, and Wellington Strait to the north was occupied by very heavy hummocky ice. " The examination of the coast," Sir James Ross tells us, *' was pursued until the 5th of June, when having con- sumed more than half our provisions, and the strength of the party being much reduced, T. was reluctantly com- pelled to abandon further operations, as it was, moreover, necessary to give the men a day of rest. But that the time might not be wholly lost, I proceeded with, two hands to the extreme south pomt in siglit from our encampment, distant about eight or r.ine miles." This extreme point is situate in lat. 72° 38' N., and long. VOYAGE OP ENTERPRISE AND INVESTIGATOR. 215 i Barrow s d arduous Bccurccl in September, irpoao than irreat cban- Jcc Regent possible tor 3S along the r indications ,9 getting in, letely sealed kas passed in coasts in all fifty white empty casks how large a arch of food, ositionof the were clinched ;e, in the hope .might be the e Erebus and \ naturally be [pril and May ^intock, and a lioroughljr ex- ^ations ot the peninsula, in Lood of Cape live view, and it and Cape it to the north aes Boss tells en having con- lie strength of Lctantly com- mas, moreover, But that the vith two hands encampment, N., and long. 95" -Ky W., and ic the west face of a small high peninsula. The state of the atmosphere being at the time peculiarly favourable for distinctness of vision, land of any great elevation might have been seen at the distance of 100 miles. The highest cape of the coast was not more than fifty miles distant, bearing nearly due south. A very narrow isthmus was found to separate Prince liegent Inlet from the western sea at Cressvvell and Brentford Bays. The ice in this quarter proved to be eight feet thick. A large cairn of stones was erected, and on the 6th of June, the return journey was commenced. After encountering a variety of difficulties they reached the ships on the 23rd, so completely worn out by fatigue, that everv man was, from some cause or other, in the doctor's hands for two or three weeks. During their absence Mr. Matthias, the assistant- surgeon of the J£nteirprise, had died of consumption. Several of the crews of both ships were in a declining state, and the general report of health was by no means cheering. Whilst Captain Boss was away. Commander Bird had despatched other surveying parties in different directions. One, under the command of Lieutenant Barnard, to the northern shore of Barrow's Strait, crossing the ice to Cape H.nd ; a second, commanded by Lieutenant Browne, to the eastern shore of Begent Inlet ; and a third party of six men, conducted by Lieutenant Bobinson, along the western shore of the Inlet. The latter officer extended his examination of the coast as far as Cress well Bay, several miles to the southward of Fury Beach. He found the house still standing in which Sir John Boss passed the winters of 1832-1833, together with a quantity of the stores and provisions of the Fury, lost there in 1827. On opening some of the packages containing flour, sugar, and peas, they were all found to be in excellent preservation, and the preserved soup as ^ood as when manufactured. The labours of these searchmg parties were, however, of comparatively short duration, as thev all suflered from snow-blindness, sprained ancles, and debility. As it was now but too evident, from no traces of the absent expedition having been met with by any of these parties, that the ships could not have been detained any- where in this part of the Arctic regions, Captain Boss considered it most desirable to push forward to the west- ward as soon as his ships should be liberated. His chief hopes now centred in the efforts of Sir John Bichardson's party; but he felt persuaded that Sir Joh^ Franklin's ships must have penetrated so far beyond Melville Inland ni: 21G PUOORESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERT. as to induce him to prefer makin*; for tlie continent of America rather tliun seeking assistance from tlio whale ships in Badln's Bay. The crews, weakened by incessant exertion, were now in a very unlit state to uncfertakc the heavy hibour M'hich tliey had yet to accompUsh, but all hands that were able were set to work with saws to cut a cliannel towards the point of the harbour, a distance of rather more than two miles, and on the 28th of Auj^ust the ships got clear. Before quitting the port, a house was built of the spare spars of both ships, and covered with such of the housing cloths as could bo dispensed with. Twelve months' provisions, fuel, and other necessaries were also left behmd, together with the steam launch be- longing to tho Investigator, which having been purposely lengthened seven feet, now formed a flue vessel, capable of conveying the whole of Sir John Franklin's party to the whale ships, if necessary. Tho Investigator and Enterprise now proceeded towards tho northern shore of Barrow's Strait, for tho purpose ot examining Wellington Channel, and, if possiole, pene- trating as far as Melville Island, but when about twelve miles from the shore, tho ships came to the fixed land ice, and found it impossible to proceed. On the 1st of September a strong wind suddenly arising, brought the loose pack through which they had been struggling down upon the ships, which were closely beset. At times, during two or three days, they sustained severe pressure, and ridges of hummocks were thrown up all around; but after that time tho temperature falling to near zero, it formed the whole body of ice into one solid mass. The remainder of the narrative, as related by the Commander of the expedition in his official despatch, will not bear abridgment. " We were so circumstanced that for some days we could not unship the rudder, and when, by the laborious operation of sawing and removing the hummocks from under the stern, we were able to do so, we found it twisted and damaged ; and the ship was so much strained, as to increase the leakage from three inches in a fortnight to fourteen inches daily. The ice was stationary for a few days ; the pressure had so folded the lighter pieces over each other and they were so interlaced, as to form one entire sheet, extending from shore to shore of Barrow's Strait, and as far to the east and west as the eye could discern from the mast-head, whilst the extreme severity of the temperature had cemented the whole so firmly together VOYAGE OF ENTEnrniSE AND INVESTIGATOR. 217 )ntinent of tUo whale ^ incesisant crtake iho isb, but all w« to cut a distance of Auj?ust the house was* jverccl with ensed with. uecesaarics t launch be- n purposely 1, capable of party to the ;ded towards ,c purpose ot jsible, pene- about twelve xcd land ice, rlcnly arising, 'y had been closely beset, tained severe irown up all ire falling to ^nto one solid ited by the lespatcn, will that it appeared hi{,'hly improbable that it could broak up again this season. In the space which had been cleared away for unshipping the rudder, the newly-formed ice wua fifteen inches tliick, and in some places along the sliin'a side the thirteen-feet screws were too short to work. Wo had now fully made up our miTids that the ships were fixed for the winter, and disnuil as the prospect appeared, it was far preferable to being carrieil along the west const of Ballin's Bay, where the groundetl bergs arc in such luun- bers upon the shallow banks ofl' that shore, as to render it next to imposMible for ships involvetit"de A of\?ste "i ?»'.'■> ttelSte;^1^.7,».-*''d tills on f-de of the Straft,"ld j*havf ^ ^'"'" "f or^«is?4 leateij°.*?.? 4Lt^rrii«i£»p'»- K^^ M'Pi! T .previous to the 7"ot the noble caused which If^'""" "' t^*^ wiiich we are engaged must ii 228 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. I i excite, and I have the satisfaction to report that (under the blessing of God), owing to the means their Lordships have suppHed in extra clothing and provisions, we are at present without a man on the sick list, notwithstanding the lengthened period of our voyage. " I have, &c., " KicHABD CoLLiNsoN, Captain. " The Scretary of the Admiralty." ** Her Majesty' s Discovery-ship ^Investigator,' at sea, lati- tude 5F 20' N., longitude 172° 35' W., July 20. " Sir, — As I have received instructions from Captain Collinson, C.B., clear and unerabarrassing (a copy of which I enclose), to ;proceed to Cape Li>lace their Lordships in possession of my intentions up to the latest period, so as far as possible to relieve their minds from any imnecessary anxiety as to our fate ; and having done tliis, a duty which is incum- bent from the deep sympathy expressed by their Lordships, and participated in by all classes of our countrymen, in the interestinjj object of this expedition, I have only to- add, that wit^ the ample resources which a beneficent government and a generous country have placed at our disposal (not anything that can add to our comfort being wanting), wc enter upon this distinguished service with a firm determination to carry out, as far as in our feeble strength we are permitted, their benevolent intentions. " I have, &c., " Robert M'Clube, Commander." ** Ser Majesti/s ship * Enterprise y " balm, June 29, 1850. " Memorandum. — As soon as her Majesty's ship under your command is fully complete with provisions, fuel, and water, you will make the best of your way to Cape Lis- burne, Keeping a good look out for the Herald^ or casks, and firing guns in foggy weather after passing Lawrence Bay. The whalers al»o may afford you information of our )rogre8s. Should you obtain no intelligence, you will understand that I intend to make the pack close to the American shore, and pursue the first favourable opening west of the Coast stream, pressing forward towards Melville Island. able en- ot' doubt I deem it of those (2, but in nd boats, Jay, Leo- iccording o give an lit, under taiuablc), ing upon .e if any, objet't in ^session of IS possible tiety as to i is incum- Lordships, ;rymen, in ve only to- beneficent ,ced at our fort being ice with a our feeble mtions. lander." Enterprise, 1850. ship under L fuel, and I Cape Lis- I or casks, Lawrence tmation of iderstand American rest of the lie Island. DISPATCHES FROM ENTERPRISE AND INVESTIGATOR. 231 In the event of meeting land, it is most probablf that I would pursue tlio southern Khoro, but conspicuous inarlis will be cre.'ted, if practicable, and information buried uL a ten-foot ra Uuh. ••As it IS necessary to bo prepared for the contingency of your not being able to follow by the ice closing in, or the severity of the weather, you will in that case keej) the Invcstitjatur as close to the edge of the pack as is con- sistent with her safety, and remain there until the season compels you to depart, \a hen you will look into Kotzebue Sound for the Placer, or information regarding her posi- tion ; and having deposited under her charge a twelve- month's provisions, you will proceed to Valparaiao, re- plenish, and return to tlie Strait, bearing in mind that the months of June and .luly are tliC most favourable. " A letter from tiie hydrographer relative to the varia- tion of the compass is annexed; and you will be ir in mind that the value of these (»bscrvations will be greatly en- hanced by obtaining the variation with the ship's hcul af every second or fourth point round the comi)ass occa- sionally, and she should be swung for deviation iii harbour as often as opportunity may ofl'er. " Should you not hnd the Plover, or that any casualty has happened to render her ineflicicnt as a depot, you ^'. i,l take her place ; and if (as Captain Kellett supp > es) Kotzebue Sound has proved too exposed for a wii.ter harbour, you will proceed to Grantley Harbour, leaving a notice to that effect on Chamisso Island. The attention of your officers is to be called, and you will read to your ship's company, the remarks of Sir J. Richardson concern- ing the communication with the Esquimaux, contained in the Arctic report received at Plymouth. *• Your operations in the season 1851 cannot bo guided by me, nor is there any occasion to urge you to proceed to the north-east; yet it will be highly desirable, previous to entering the pack, that you completed pr<- i .ons from whalers, and obtained as much reindeer meat as possible. Captain Kellett's narrative will point out where the latter is to be had in most abundance, and wb.ore coal can be picked up on the beach ; but husband the latter article during the winter, by using all the drilt »vood in your power. "In the event of leaving the Strait this season, you will take any weak or sickly j len out of the Plover, and replace them from your ':rews, affording Commander Moore all the assistance in your power, and leaving with him Mr. Miertsching, the interpreter ; instructions with V •• lilf^ iwl mm I i l» -.1 t > 232 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. regard to whose accommodations you have received, and will convey to the captain of the Plover. "ElCHABD COLLINSON. " To Commander M'Clure, of her Majesty s ship * Investigator' " Should it be the opinion of Commander Moore that the services of the Investigator's ship's company in explor- ing parties durinjj the spring would be attended with material benefit to the object of the expedition, he will, not- withstanding these orders, detain you for that purpose ; but care must be taken that your emciency as a saihng vessel is not crippled by the parties not returning in time for the opening of the sea. " K. C." " Her Majesty s discovery ship * Investigator j July 28, 1850. Kotzebue Sound, latitude 66" 54' N., longitude 168° TT. (( Sir, — I have the honour to acquaint vou, for the infor- mation of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that to this date we have had a most excellent run. Upon getting clear of Oahu, on the mornin|T of the 5th, wo shaped a course direct for the Aleutian group, passing them in 172° 40' W. upon the evening of the 20t u ; con- tinued our course with a fine south-easterly breeze, but extremely thick and foggy weather (which retarded the best of 01 ir way being made). Got fairly out of Behriiii,^ Strait upon the evening of the 27th, and are now in a fair way of realizin<' their Lordships' expectations of reaching the ice by the beginning of August or progress being advanced by the favourable circumstance of a fine southerly wind and tolerably clear weather. The latter we have known nothing of since the lyth, which, 1 can assure you, rendered the navigation am< ngst the islandt^ a subject of much and deep anxiety, seldom having a Ik rizoii above 480 yards, that just enabled the dark outline of the land to bo observed and avoided. **It is with much satisfaction that I report the good qualities of this vessel, having well tried her in the heavy gales experienced during five weeks off Cape Horn, and in moderate weather among the intricate navigation of thee islands, where so mucli depended upon her quick obedience to the helm, although laden with every species of stores and provisions for upwards of three years. From these circumstances I am, therefore, fully satisfied VOYAGE OP THE PLOVER, ETC. 233 cived, and LINSON. ^oore that J in cxplor- sndcd with le will, not- irpose ; but ihnff vessel ime for the " K. C." ■/ July 28, r., longitude 3r the infor- Admiralty, run. Upon ,he 5th, we )Up, passing 20th; con- breeze, but ctarded the of Behriu!^ e now in a jctations of or profiprosa ce of a fine The latter Inch, 1 can [10 islands^ a gah' rizoii Itline of the \t the good t the heavy Horn, and Ivigation of her quick [cry species Wee years, [ly satisfied she is as thoroughly adapted for this service as could be reasonably wished. " I have not seen anything of the Enterprise, ncr is it my intention to lose a moment by waiting off" Cape Lis- burne, but shall use my best endeavours to carry out the intentions contained in my letter of the 20th, oi which I earnestly trust their Lordships will approve. " I am happy to be able to state tliat the whole crew are in exceUout health and spirit?, and everything as satis- factory as it is possible to desire. " I have, &c., •' Robert M'Clure, Commander. ** The Secretary of the Admiralty" Voyage of H.M.S. *• Plover," and Boat Expeditions UNDER Commander Pullen, 1848 — 51. In the copy of the instructions issued from the Admi- ralty to Lieutenant (now Commander) Moore, of the Plover, dated 3rd of January, 1818, he was directed to make the best of his way to Petropaulowski, touching at Panama, where she was to be joined by H.M.S. Jleruld, and afterwards both vessels were to proceed to Behring Strait, where they were expected to arrive about the 1st of July, and then push along the American coast, as far as possible, consistent with the certainty of preventing the ships being beset by the ice. The Plover was then to be secured for the winter in some safe and convenient port from whence boat parties might be dispatclied, and the Herald was to return and transmit, vid Panama, any intelligence necessary to England. Great caution was ordered to be observed in communicating with the natives in the neighbourhood of Kotzebue Sound, should that quarter be visited, as the people in that part of the country difler in character from the ordinary Esquimaux, in being comparatively a fierce, agile, and suspicious race, well armed with knives, &c., for offence, and prone to attack. They were also ordered to take interpreters or guides from a small factory of the Kussian-AmericanCom])anyin Norton Sound. The Plover was safely ensconced for the winter of 1849-50 in Kotzebue Sound, after the termination of a hard season's work. She had, conjointly with the Herald, discovered to the north of Behring Strait, two islands, and several apparently disconnected patches of very ele- vated ground. Lieut. Pullen had previously quitted her 1 1 i -■^ 4' i. 'd 234 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. '« oflf Wainwrifrht Inlet, with four boats, for the purpose of prosecuting his adventurous voyage along the coast to the mouth of the Mackenzie River, where he arrived safely on the 2Gth of August, after a perilous navigjition of thirty- two days, but had obtained no clue or intelligence regard- ing the prime object of his expedition. At a later date ho encountered at Fort Simpson, higher up the river, Dr. Rae, and gathered from that gentleman that the party led by him down the Coppermine, with the view of crossing over to Victoria or Wollaston Land, had, owing to the unusual difficulties created by the more than customary rigour of th? season, met with entire failure j the farthest point attained being Cape Krusenstern. Lieut. Pullen is occupied during the present year in a journey from the mouth of the Mai'kenzie eastward, along the Arctic coast, as far as Cape ]3athurst, and this being successfully accomplished, he purposes attempting to cross the intnrening space to Banks' Land. He is furnished with two boats, both open. Lieut. W. H. Hooper, one of the party, in a recent letter to his father in London, writing from Great Slave Lake, under date June 27, 1850, gives some further details of their proceedings. Having had considerable trouble and a slight skirmish with some parties of Esquimaux, they were obliged to be continually on the watch. At the end of August the party entered the Mackenzie River, and in a few days reached one of the Hudson's Bay Company's posts on the Peel River, a branch of the Mackenzie, where Commander Pullen left Lieut. Hooper and half the party to winter, w'liile he proceeded fartner up the river to a more important post at Fort Simpson. After remaining at Peel's Eivcr station about a fortnight, Mr. Hooper found that his party could not be maintained throughout the winter there, and in consequence determined on fol- lowing Capt. Pullen, but was only able to reach Fort Norman, one of his party being frost-bitten on the journey. They thence made their way across to Great Bear Lake, where they passed the winter, subsisting on fish and water. Dr. Rae arrived there as soon as the ice broke up, and the party proceeded with him to Fort Simpson. On the 20th of J uie Commander Pullen and all his party left with the company's servants, and the stock of furs, on their way to the sea, to embark for England, when they were met on the 25th by a canoe with Admiralty dispatches, which caused them to retrace their steps ; and they are now on their route by the Great Slave Lake lY. he purpose of e coast to the arrived safely Ltion of thirty- l^cnce reorard- . later date ho ihe river, Dr. the party led iV of crossing owing to the in customary ; the farthest ent year in a stward, along ad this being pting to cross is furnished . recent letter Slave Lake, er details of trouble and limaux, they At the end [liver, and in y Company's :enzie, where ilf the party lc river to a VOYAGE OP THF nrrv,, to Fort Simpson an , . '^ "'°^=''' ^^''- 235 tie Polar sTiS'STs.t'l f ''^^"- -- n.ore to However inieviu^-r;' ''?}"' ^""'•lin. ' '" Hone''?'' ''S''"'' but pu'^po^J.d c^^""«''»ti^«uil.r,?," Hope; to meet whior^"^^-^' P^^^«&« from Tor r ^U Au conclusion. 1 hp^r f.. In)i«„ t"^^^y» liiat CO Pains wiii i ^^^ eagernosq utTsfr^-'^i.'""'- Cood^'" btz"'-'''' T "^■-»""7 fJi J. 236 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. Mr. Chief Factor Rao was about to follow Commander Pullen and his party from Portage La Loche. Dr. Kichardson observes that " Commander Pullen will require to b(? fully victualled for at least 120 days from the 20th of July, when ho may be expected to commence his sea voyay;e ; which for sixteen men will require forty- five bags of i)emmican of 90lbs. each. This is exclusive of a further supply which he ought to take for the relief of any of Franklin's people he may have the good fortune to find. After he leaves tlie mainland at Cape Bathurst, he would have no chance of killing deer till he makes Banks' Land, or some intervening island ; and he must provide for the chance of being caught on the tloo ice, and having to make liis way across by the very tedious portages, as fully described by Sir W. £. Parry in the narrative of his most adventurous boat voyage north of Spitzbergen. " Mr. llae can give Commander Piillen the fullest information respecting the depots of pemmican made on the coast. " With respect to Commander PuUen's return from sea, his safest plan will be to make for the Mackenzie ; but should circumstances place that out of his power, the only other course that seems to me to be practicable is for him to ascend a large river which falls into the bottom of Liverpool Bay, to the westward of Cape Bathurst. This river, which is named the Beghoola Dessy by the Indians, runs parallel to the Mackenzie, and in the latitude of Fort Good Hope (66° 30' N.), is not above five or six days' journey from that post. Hare Indians, belonging to Fort Good Hope, might be engaged to hunt on the banks of the river till the arrival of the party. The navigation of the river is unknown ; but even should Commander Pullen be f'ompelled to quit his boats, his Indian hunters (of which he should at least engage two for his sea voyage) will support and guide his party. Wood and animals are most certainly found on the banks of rivers. "It is not likely that under any circumstances Com- mander Pullen should desire to reach the Mackenzie by way of the Coppermine Eiver, and this could be effected only by a boat being placed at Dease Hiver, for the transport of the party over Great Bear Lake. This would require to be arranged previously with Mr. Rae; and Commander Pullen should not be later in arriving at Fort Confidence than the end of September." loramander Pullen will days from » commence (juire forty- exclusive of the relief of i fortune to 3athur8t, he akcs Banks' lUst provide , and having portages, as rrative of his bergen. I the fullest Lean made on arn from sea, ,ckenzie ; but •wer, the only ble is for him ^e bottom of [thurst. This , the Indians, itude of Fort or six days' iging to Fort the banks of navigation of lander Pullen li hunters (of IS sea voyage) [d animals are Stances Com- Slackenzie by Id be effected [ver, for the This would |r. Rae; and arriving at 237 Voyage of the ** Lady Franklin" and " Sophia, Government Vessels, under the command of Mr. Penny, 1850-51. A VESSEL of 230 tons, named after Lady Franklin, fitted out at Aberdeen, with a new brig as a tender, built at Dundee, and named the Sophia, in honour of Miss S. Cracroft, the beloved and attached niece of Lady Franklin, and one of the most anxious watchers for tidings of the long-missing adventurers, were purchased by the Govern- ment last year. The charge of this expedition was entrusted to Captain Penny, formerly commanding the Advice whaler, and who has had much experience in the ic} seas, having been engaged twenty-eight years, sinco the age of twelve, in the whaling trade, and in command of vessels for fourteen years ; Mr. Stewart was placed in charge of the Sophia. The crew of the Ladif Franldin number twenty-five, and that of the Sophia, twenty, all picked men. These ships sailed on the 12th of April, 1850, pro- visioned and stored for three years. They were provided with a printing press, and every appliance to relieve the tedium of a long sojourn in the icy regions. In the instructions issued by the Admiralty, it is stated that in accepting Captain Penny's offer of service, regard has been had to his long experience in Arctic navigation, and to the great attention he has paid to the subject of the missing ships. He was left in a great measure to the exercise of his own judgment and discretion, in combining the most active and energetic search after the Erehus and Terror, with a strict and careful regard to the safety of the ships and their crews under his charge. He was directed to examine Jones' Sound at the head of Bailln's Bay, and if possible penetrate through to the Parry Islands ; failing m this, he was to try Wellington Strait, and endeavour to reach Melville Island. Ho was to use his utmost endea- vours (consi tent with the safety of the lives of those entrusted to his command) to succour, in the summer of 1850, the party under Sir John Franklin, taking care to secure his winter quarters in good time ; and, 2ndly, the Fame active measures were to be used in the summer of 1851, to secure the return of the ships under hia charge to this country. The Lady Franklin was off Cape York, in Baffin's Bay, on the 13th of August. From thcuce she proceeded, m fl 1 1 \ \ W- < » 238 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. !,. I company with H.M.S. Assistance, to Wolstenholme Sound. She afterwards, in accordance with her instructions, crossed over to the west with the intention of examininjr Jones' Sound, but owinf^ to the accumulation of ice was unable to approach it within twenty-five miles. This was at midniglit on the 18th. She, therefore, continued her voya<(e to Lancaster Sound, and onwards to Wellington Channel, where she was seen by Commander Forsyth, of the Prince Aiherl, on the 25th of August, with her tender, and H.M.S. Assistance in company, standing towards Cape Hotham. Voyage of H.M. Ships " Eesolute" and "Assistance," WITH THE StEAMEKS ** PiONEEB" AND " InTBEPID" AS Tendees, undeb command of Captain Austin, 1850-51. Two fine teak-built ships of about 500 tons each, the Baboo and Ptarmigan, whose names were altered to the Assistance and Resolute, were purchased by the Govern- ment in 1850, and sent to the naval jards to be properly fitted for the voyage to the Polar regions. Two screw-propeller steamers, intended to accompany these vessels as steam tenders, were also purchased and similarly fitted ; their names were changed from the Eider and Free Trade to the Pioneer and Intrepid. The command of this expedition was entrusted to Cap- tain Horatio T. Austin, C.B., who was first Lieutenant of the Fury, under Commander Hoppner, in Captain Sir E. Parry's third voyage, in 1824-25. The vessels were provisioned for three years, and their attention was also directed to the depots of stores lodged by Sir James Ross at Leopold Island, and at Navy Board Inlet by the North Star. The ships sailed in May, 1850. The oflficers em- ployed in them were as follows : — Resolute. Captain — Horatio T. Austin, C.B. Lieutenants — R. D. Aldrich and W. H. J. Browne. Mates— R. B. Pearse and W. M. May. Purser — J. E. Brooman. Surgeon — A. R. Bradford. Assistant ditto — Richard King. Midshipmen — C. Bullock, J. P. Cheyne. Second Master — G. F. M'Dougall. Total complement, GO men. . VOYAGE OP THE RESOLUTE wn . OI-tTEAXD ASSISTANCE, ETC. 230 y. ^^'^''^^^ screw steamer ^-«aut.Sur«eo„-f:i"S,„^ Captai„-E. 0™„.-f:::""''^- Mates— E V W.™u ™ (")■ Cierk in cha;^^^"^"''^"'' f «• Keane. -lotal complement, 60 Dieu. ■l^>Mt.-Commander_B. Cator tenants Bro^Tand Ki^^V"'*'"'' ^'^Podition Lfe, SS"" .¥™ "-et^ef/dTs" r "'^^ *>"" «- John ^ay to the northward tS ' ^""^ ^«« 'hen mal'l her a eenous iaature Sat f e ^T*'\'^i' '" t^-at obstacS of ^-.■s ship^ad beS reom^-^J," tit. """"^"^ Ml A "h .1: 'V 240 PROGUESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. Ice is an insurmountable barrier to rapid progress ; fortifications may be breached, but huge masses of ice 200 to GOO feet high are not to be overcome. On the 2n(l of July the Assistance was towed beneath a perpendicular cliff to the northward of Cape Shackleton, rising to the height of about 15(X) feet, which was observed to be crowded with the foolish guillemots ( Vria troile). "When the ship hooked on to an iceberg for the night, a Earty sent on shore for the purpose brought off 260 irds and about twenty dozen of their eggs. These birds only lay one egg each. The following official despatch has been since received from Captain Ommanney : — " Her Majesty s ship * Assistance,' ojf Lancaster Soun(f, latitude 75^^ 46' N., longitude 75° 49' W., Auaust 17, 1850. " Sir, — I have the honour to acquaint vou, for the infor- mation of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that her Majesty's ship Assistance, and her tender, her Majesty's steam-vessel Intrepid, have this day succeeded in effecting a passage across to the west water, and are now proceeding to Lancaster Sound. OfUcers and crews all well, with fine clear weather, and open water as far as can be seen. ** Agreeably with instructions received from Captain H. Austin, we parted company on the 15th instant, at one A.M., off Cape JDudley Diggs, as the ice was then suffi- ciently open to anticipate no further obstruction in effect- ing the north passage. He was anxious to proceed to Pond's Bay, and thence take up the examination along the south shores of Lancaster Sound, leaving me to ascer- tain the truth of a report obtained from the Esquimaux at Cape York respecting some ship or ships having been seen near Wolstenholme Island, after which to pro- ceed to the north shores of Lancaster Sound and Welling- ton Channel. ** On passing Cape York (the 14th inst.) natives were seen. By the directions of Captain Austin I landed, and communicated with them, when we Mere informed that they had seen a ship in that neighbourhood in the spring, and that she was lioused in. Upon this intelligence I shipped one of the natives, who volunteered to join us as interpreter and guide. " On parting with Captain Austin we proceeded towards Wolstenholme Island, where I left the snip and proceeded in her Majesty's steam vessel Intrepid into Wolstenholme Sound and bj the guidance of the Esquimaux succeeded .:^';: ogress ; ice 200 beneath ckleton, ►bserved I troile). niglit, a off 200 Dso birds received rr Sound, ugust 17, tlioinfor- Ldmiralty, 'nder, lier succeeded id are now . crews all i far as can a Captain [ant, at one then suffi- in effect- jroceed to ^tion along e to ascer- isquimaux fps having ich to i^ro- dWelling- Itives were Anded, and [nned that |the spring, diligence 1 join us as jd towards , proceeded stenhohne succeeded VOYAGE OP THE RESOLUTE AND ASSISTANCE, ETC. 241 in finding a bay about thirteen miles further in, and sheltered by a prominent headland. In the cairns erected hero we found a document stating that the North Star had wintered in the bay, a copy of which I have the honour to transmit tlieir Lordships. '* Previous to searching the spot where the North Star wintered, I examined the deserted Esquimaux settlement. At this spot we found evident traces of some ship having been in the neighbourhood, from empty preserved meat canisters and some clothes left near a pool of water, marked with the name of a corporal belonging to the North Star. " Having ascertained this satisfactory information, I returned to Wolstenliolme Island, where a document was deposited recording our proceedings. At 6 a.m. of the IGth inst. I rejoined the ship, and proceeded at two to the westward, and am happy to inform you that the passage across has been made without obstruction, towing through loose and stragfjling ice. " The expedition was beset in Melville Bay, surrounded by heavy and extensive floes of ice, from the 11th of July to the 9th of August, 1850, when after great exertion a release was effected, and we succeeded in reaching Cape York by continuing along the edge of the land ice, after which we have been favoured with plenty of water. " Captain Penny's expedition was in company during the most part of the time while in Melville Bay, and up to the 14th inst., when we left him off Cape Dudley Diggs —all well. " In crossing Melville Bay we fell in with Sir John Ross and Captain Forsyth's expeditions. These Captain Austin has assisted by towing them towards their destina- tions. The latter proceeded with him, and the former has remained with us. " Having placed Sir John Ross in a fair way of reaching Lancaster Sound, with a fair wind and open water, his vessel has been cast off in this position. I shall therefore proceed with all dispatch to the examination of the north shores of Lancaster Sound and WelUngton Channel, according to Captain Austin's directions. " I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient, humble servant, " Erasmus Ommanney, Captain." The Fesolute got clear of the Orkneys on the 15th of I May, and arrived with her consort and the two tenders i at the Whale-Fish Islands on the 14th of June. B } t i i' t k! ^ ; ■.'it 242 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. Tho jRcmluto was in Possession Bay on the 17th of August. From tlionoo her proposed eourso was alonpf tlio coast, northward and westward, to AVhaler Point, situated at tlio sontlicrn extremity of Port Leopold, and afterward^s to iSrclviilo Island. In order to auiuso themselves and comrades, tho oflicers of the Assistance had started a MS. newspaper, under tho title of the "Aurora Borealis." Many of my readers will have lieard of the *' Cockpit Herald," and such other produc- lions of former days, in his Majesty's fleet. Parry, too, had his journal to oeguilo tho long hours of tho tedious Arctic winter. I have seen copies of this novel specimen of tho " fourth estate," dated Baffin's Bay, Juno, 1850, in which there is a happy mixture of grave and gay, proso and verse ; numerous very fair acrostics arc published. I append, by way of curiosity, a couple of extracts. " What insect that Noah had with him, were these regions named after P — The Arc-tic. *' To the Editor of the Aurora Borealis. •• Sir, — Having heard from an Arctic voyager that ho has soon * crows'-nests* in those icy regions, I beg to inquire, through your columns, if they are built by the crows {Corvus tintinnabnlus), which Goodsir states to utter a metallic bell-like croak F My fast friend begs me to inquire when rook shooting commences in those diggings? " A Naturalist. [" We would recommend to * A Naturalist' a visit to these * crows'-nests,' which do exist in the Arctic regions. We would also advise his fast friend to investigate thoso said nests more thoroughly; ho would find them tenanted by very old birds (ice quarter-masters), who would not only inform him as to the species of crows and the sport- ing season, but would give tliem a fair chance of showinir him how a pigeon may be plucked. — Editor."] Voyage of Captain Sir John Eoss, in the " Felix," PRIVATE ScnooNEE, 1850-51. In April, 1850, Captain Sir John Ross having volun- teered his services to proceed in the search, was enabled, by the liberality of the Hudson's Bay Company, who contributed 500^., and public subscription, to leave Eug- land in the Felix schooner, of 120 tons, with a picked crew, I, were these HE " Felix," VOYAOE OP SIR .o,r^ ,,^,3 , _ ^ Whale. Fi ^1. ri' . ^"^'" Proooodcf) ^n • '^'^'l'"- Buips Assistance and /.>„.. / / . ^''' o' Au'riist H \r On the 13(1, of , '"•'I''""» uose by, and wiiU these wnuU-l ''■■"l"">iii»v on the i™ to communicate. Aeoor£.° I t'- "■"" I"-''' translate his stood l)n„;.i. ,1 .'"^ •>"« as uo nersni, ,„ .i.„ i. . AS J5ir John, however un«\, 1 • ^" "^^^^ l^oss himself towards Cape JJud e; 7 H P"'^"°- ^-^^'«d in the 51/ l* ) . ■! li :4 «l 244 PUOOUESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. 1; , the snow was falling, two ships were enislu'd by tlio ice a good way oil' in the direction of Capo Dudley i)i^>;s, and afterwards burned by a fi«'rce and numerous tribe of natives ; tliat the sliips in question were not whaU'rs, and that epaulettes were worn by sonio of the white men ; that a part of the erews were drowned, that the roniiiir i' r Toro some time in huts or tents apart from the nat. % th.-rt they had p^uns, but no balls, and that bcin^ in a \\ .« und exhausted eondition, they were subsequently killed by the natives with darts or arrows. This was the form jriven to the Esquimaux story by John Smith, captain's steward of the Prince Albert. Impressed with the importance of these tidiiiffs, Captain Ommanney and Commander Phillips immediately macle their report to Captain Austin in the Resolute, which was then in company with the Felix near Cape Dudley Di^jfs. Captain Austin at once decided upon investif^ating the credibility of the story, and with this view despatcued a message to the Lady Franklin, another of the explorinj; ships, which lay a few miles off, and which had on board a regular Danish interpreter. This interpreter duly arrived, but proceeded forthwith to translate the story by a statement ** totally at variance " with the interpretation of " the other," whom, as we are told, he called a liar and intimidated into nilence ; though no sooner was the latter left to himself than he again re- peated his version of the tale, and stoutly maintained its accuracy. Meantime an additional piece of information became known, namely, that a certain ship had passed the winter safely housed in Wolstenholme Sound — a state- ment soon ascertained by actual investigation to bo per- fectly true. The following is an extract of a letter from — Captain Sir John Ross^ S.N., to Captain W. A. B. Ha- miltout R.N., Secretary of the Admiralty, ** * Felix ' discovery yacht, off Admiralty Inlet, " Lancaster Sound, August 22. " Sir, — I have to acquaint you, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that the Felix discovery yacht, with her tender, the Mary, after obtain- ingan Esquimaux interpreter at Holsteinborg, and calling at \Vhale-n8h Islands, proceeded northway through the Waygatt Straits, and overtook her Majesty's discoverr ships, under the command of Captain Austin, on the lltn of August ; and ou the 12th the senior oilicer and the tilt' ice a a tribe of alers, and mvr. : tliat ir (>'! 7'cpo f. , ' t^rt t w .K uud lied by the •ni i^ivcn to steward of portance of der rUillipa iBtin in tlio » /V/ix near ico decided y, and with '^ Franklin, L'W miles off, interpreter, forthwith to at variance " m, aa vve are ence ; thouRh i he again re- aintained its ' information id passed the nd— a state- to bo per- of a letter liralty InUt, ut 22. formation of aat the Feljx after obtain- T, and calling ^through the '8 discovery on the lltn leer and the VOYAGE OF SIR JOHN ROSS IN THE FELIX, ETC. 245 second in command having cordially communicated with me on the best mode of performing the service on whirh we are mutually embarked, arrang«»ment8 were made and concluded for a Hiiiiultaiu'ous examiuMtioii of every part of the eastern side of a north-west pjissat;^' in which it was probable that the missmg ships eould be bound: docu- ments to that eflt'ct were exchanged, and subsequently assented to by Captains Forsyth and Penny. '* On the 13th of August natives were discovered on the ico near to Cupe York, with whom it was deemed advis- able to communicate. On this service, Lieutenant Cator, in the Intrepid, was detached on the part of Cant. Austin, and on my part Commander Phillips, with our Esquimaux interpreter, in the whale boat of the Felix. It was found by Lieutenant Cator that Captain Penny had left with the natives a note for Captain Austin, but only relative to the state of the navigation ; however, when Commander Phillips arrived, the Esquimaux, seeing one aj)parently of their own nation in the whale boat, came immediately to hini, when a long conversatiim took place, the purport of which could not be made known, as the interpreter could not explain himself to any one either in the Jntrevid or the whale boat (as he understands only the Danish besides his own language), until he was brought on board the Prince Albert, where John Smith, the captain's steward of that vessel, who liad been some years at the Hudson's Bay settlement of Churchill, and understands a little of the language, was able to give some explanation of Adam Beck's information, which was deemed of such importance that Captains Ommanney, Phillips, and Forsyth, pro- ceeded in the Intrepid to the liesolute, when it was de- cided by Captain Austin to send for the Danish interpreter of the Ladtf Franklin, which, having been unsuccessful in an attempt at getting through the ico to the westward, was only a few miles distant. In the meantime it was kuown that, in addition to the first information, a ship, which could only be the North Star, had wintered in Wolstenholme Sound, called by the natives Ourinak, and had only left it a month ago. This proved to be true, but the interpretation of the Dane was totally at variance with the information given by the other, who, although for obvious reasons he did not dare to contradict the Dane, subsequently maintained the truth of his statement, which induced Captain Austin to dispatch the Intrepid with Captains Ommanney and Phillips, taking with them both our interpreters, Adam Beck and a young native who had f 24G PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. 1 ■ J H <. ^1 ( ^H ' jHJH Ib^H 1' ! I'-IhI it !n' been porsuadcd to como as one of the crew of tlie Assistance, to exjuiiiiie Wolstcnholme 8ouud. In the meantime it had been unanimously decided tliat no alteration should bo made in our previous arrangement, it beinj; obvious that while there remained a ehaiiee of saving; the lives of tliose of the missinj^ ships who may be yet ahve, a further search for those who had perished should be postponed, and aceordinjjly the Resolute, Piuneer, and Prince Albert parted comuajiy on the 15th. It is here unneeessary to give the olhcial reports made to me by Commander Phil- lips, which are of course transmitted by me to the Secre- tary of tlie Hudson's Bay Company, which, with the information written in the Escjuimaux language by Adam Beek , will no doubt be sent to you for their Lordships' information ; and it will bo manifest by these reports that Commander Phillips has performed his duty with saga- city, circumspection, and address, which do him infinite credit, although it is only such as I must have expected from so intelligent an olhcer; and I have much satisfaction in adding that it has been mainly owing to his zeal and activity that I was able, under disadvantageous circum- stances, to overtake lier Majesty's ships, while by his scientific acquirements and accuracy in surveying, ho has boon able to make many important corrections and valu- able additions to the charts of the much-frequented eastern side of Ballin's Bay, which has been moro closely observed and navigated by us than by any former expedition, and, much to my satisfaction, coulirming the latitude and lon- gitude of every headland I had an opportunity of laying down in the year 1818. " I have only to add that I have much satisfaction in co-operating with her Majesty's expedition. With such support and with such vessels so particularly adapted for the service, no exertion shall bo wanting on my part. But I cannot conclude this letter without acknowJeugiiig my obligations to Commodore Austin and Captain Om- manney for the assistance they have alTorded me, and for the cordiality and courtesy with which I have been treated by these distinguished olOcers and others of the ships under their orders. Animated as we are with an ardent and sincere desire to rescue our imperilled countrymen, I confidently trust that our united exertions and humble endeavours nuiv, under a merciful Providence, bo com- pletely successiul. " I am, with truth and regard. Sir, your faithful and obedient servant, " John Eoss, Captain, E.N." LADY franklin's APPEAL TO AMERICAN NATION. 247 ssistancet lutime it n should r obvious le lives of a furtlier lostponed, ice Albert ceasarv to uder Pliil- the Secre- witli the E5 by Adam LordsUips' eporls that with sa^a- lim infiaitc ,'o expected satistaction Ilia zeal and >ou8 circum- hilo by his yiuft', ho has us and valu- uted eastern ely observed edition, and, ude and lon- ity of laying atisfaction in AVith such adapted for [on my pa^*. ';Vno\vlcd^in^' Japlaiu Om- mc, and for , been treated of the ships |th an ardent (untrymen, I and humble tcc, bo corn- faithful and Itain, R.N.' By the accounts broujjht home by Commander Forsyth from Lancaster Sound, to the 2r)th' of Auijust, it is stated that Sir John Iloss, in the Felix, uitended to return to England. The icewas at tliat period veryhcavy,extendini; all around from Leopold Island, at the entrance of Ke^eut Inlet, to Cape larewt'll, to the westward, so as to prevent the possibility of any of the vessels pushing on to Cape Walker. "When the Prince Albert ^^a8 between Cape Spencer and Cape Innea, in Wellington Channel, Mr. Snow went at noon to the mast-head, and saw II. M. ship Assisiance as near as possible within Cape Hot ham, under a press of stiil. Her tender, the Intrepid, was not seen, but was believed to be with her. Captain Penny, w ith his two ships, the Lad ij Franklin and Sojdiia, was endeavour- ing to make his way up the same Channel, but it was feared the ice would ultimately bo too strong for him, and that ho would have to return home, leaving Captain Austin's squadron only to wuiter in the ice. The Anii-rican man-of-M ar brig liascue was close beset with the ice near Cape Bowen. The Fioneer was with the litsolute on the 17th August. American Searching Expedition. — United Statfs' Ships, " Advance" and " KEsrrE," tnher tue Command of Lieutenant De Haven, 1850-51. In the spring of 18 19. Lady Franklin made a touching and pathetic appeal to the feelings of the American nation, in the following letter to the President of the Eepublic : — *•' Tlie I.ady of Sir John FranJcUn to the President. " Bedford-j/iace, London, 'Uh April, 1811). " Sir, — I address myself to you as the head of a great nation, whose power to help me I cannot dofbl, and in whose disposition to do so I have a coniideiice which I trust you will not deem presumptuous. " Tlic name of my husbaufJ, Sir John Franklin, is probably not unknown to you. It is intiniatelv eoniucted with the northern pert of that continent ot* wliieh the American republic forms so vast and conspicuous a portion. When I visited the United States three years ago, among.-t the many proofs I received of respect and cou/tesy, there was none AAhich touched and even surprised me mora than the appreciation everywhere expressed to n)o of his former servicer in geographical discovery, and the interest •.,■ i (i Vi ■ ♦ J 1 ' . ' t s« 248 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. 'I V i :i t '! felt in the enterprise in which he was then known to be engaged." # • • • • [Her ladyship here gives the details of the departure of the expedition, and the measures already taken for its relief.] * • * • # <• I have entered into these details with the view of prov- ing that, though the British government has not forgotten the duty it owes to the brave men whom it has sent on a peril- ous service, and has spent a very large sum in providing the means for their rescue, yet that, owing to various causes, the means actually in operation for this purpose are quite inadequate to meet the extreme exigence of the case ; for, it must bo remembered, that the missing ships were victualled for three years only, and that nearly four years have now elapsed, so that the survivors of so many winters in the ice must be at the last extremity. And also, it must be borne in mind, that the channels by which the ships may have attempted to force a passage to the westward, or which they may have been compelled, by adverse cir- cumstances, to take, are very numerous and complicated, and that one or two ships cannot possibly, in the course of the next short summer, explore them all. " The Board of Admiralty, under a conviction of this fact, has been induced to offer a reward of 20,000/. sterling to any ship or ships, of any country, or to any exploring party whatever, which shall render efficient assistance to the missing ships, or tlieir crews, or to any portion of them. This announcement, which, even if the sum had been doubled or trebled, would have met with public appro- bation, comes, however, too late for our whalers, which had imfortunately sailed before it was issued, and which, even if the news should overtake them at their fishing- grounds, are totally unfitted for any prolonged adventure, having only a few months' provision on board, and no ad- ditional clothing. To the American whalers, both in the Atlantic and Pacific, I look with more hope, as competitors for the prize, being well aware of their numbers and strength, their thorough equipment, and the bold spirit of enterprise which animates their crewa. But I venture to look even beyond these. I hui not \^nthout hope that you will deem it not unworthy of a great and kindred nation to take up the cause of humanity which I plead, in a national spirit, and thus generously make it your own. *• I must here, in gratitude, adduce the example of the imperial RussianGovemmcnt, which, as I am led to hope by his Excellency theliussian Ambassador in London, who for- LADY franklin's APPEAL TO AMERICAN NATION. 249 own to be rture of the ita relief.] # (W of prov- t forgotten t on a peril- oviding the )U3 causes, ,c are quite e case ; for, ships were four years any winters also, it must li the ships 3 westward, adverse cir- ?omplicated, ;he course of rtion of this 00/. sterling y exploring issistance to portion of le sum had ublic appro- alers, which and which, leir fishing- adventure, and no ad- both in the competitors mibers and •old spirit of ' vtMiture to i)c that you [red nation I plead, in a mr own. mplo of the I to hope by Ion, who for- warded a memorial on the subject, will send out exploring parties this summer, from the Asiatic side of Behring's Strait northward, in search of the lost vessels. It would be a noble spectacle to the world, if three great nations, possessed of the widest empires on the fac<' of the globe, were thus to unite their efforts in the truly Christian work of saving their perishing fellow-men from destruction. " It is not for me to suggest the mode in whicii such benevolent efforts might best be made. I will only say, however, that if the conceptions of my own mind, to which I do not venture to give utterance, were realized, and that, in the noble competition which followed, American seamen had the good fortune to wrest from us the glory, as might be the case, of solving the problem of the unfound passage, or the still gi'eater glory of saving our adven- turous navigators from a lingering fate which tho mind sickens to dwell on, though I should in either case regret that it was not my own orave countrymen in those seas whose devotion was thus rewarded, yet should I rejoice that it was to America we owed our restored ha])pine88, and should be for ever bound to her by ties of affectionate gratitude. " I am not without some misgivings while I thus address you. The intense anxieties of a wife and of a daughter may have led me to press too earnestly on your notice the trial under which we are suffering, (yet not we only, but hundreds of others,) and to presume too much on the sympathy which we are assured is felt beyond the limits of our own land. Yet, if you deem this to be the case, you will still find, I am sure, even in that personal intPTif^ity of feeling, an excuse for the fearlessness with which I have thrown m^-self on your generosity, and will paro' 'i tin- hom.age I thus pay to your own high charai'ter, i*rd to that of the people over whom you have the high dif tiuction to preside. " I have, &c. (Signed) "Jane Fi;a\k ia',.' To which the following reply was received :— Mr. Clayton to Lacti/ Jane Franklin. ** Depariiiient of State, Washington, •' 25M April, 1819. " Madam, — Your letter to the President of the United States, dated April 4th, 1810, has been received by him, and he has instructed me to make to you the following reply ;— • 1 iN I* I 250 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. " The appeal made in the letter with which you have honoured him, is such as would strongly enlist the sym- pathy of the rulpra and the people of any portion of the civilized world. *' To the citizens of the United St.^tes, who share so largely in the emotions which agitate the public mind of your own country, the name of Sir John Franlilin has oecn endeared by his heroic virtues, and the sufferings and sacrilicos which he has encountered for the benefit of mankind. Tlie appeal of his wife and daughter, in their distress, has been borne across the waters, asking the assistance of a kindred people to save the brave men who embarked in his unfortunate expedition,' and the people of the United States, who have watched with the deepest interest that hazardous enterprise, will now respond to that appeal, by the ex])ression of their united wishes that every proper effort may be made by this Government for the rescue of your husband and his companions. " To accomplish the objects you have in view, the attention of American navigators, and especially of our whalers, will be immedinteiy invoked. All the informa- tion in the possession of this Government, to enable them to aid in discovering the missing ships, relieving their crews and restoring them to their families, shall bo spread far and wide among our people; and all that the executive Government of the United States, iu the exercise of its constitutional powers, can effect, t) meet this requisition on American enterprise, skill, and bravery, will be promptly undertaken. " The hearts of the American people will be deeply touch c'd by your eloquent address to their Cliief Magis- trate, and they will join with you in an earnest prayer to Hin whose spirit is on the waters, that your husband and his companions may yet be restored to their country and their friends. " I have, &c. (Signed) "John M. Clayton." A second letter was also addressed by Lady Franklin to the President in the close of tliat year, after the forced return of Captain Sir James Eoss, from whose active exertions so much had been expected — T/te Latfj/ of Si*' John Frankl'ui to the President. *' Spring Gardens, London, Wth Dec, 1849. ** Sir, — I had the honour of addressing myself to you, in the mouth of April last, in behalf of my "husband, Sir ^ou liavo the syni- 311 of the sliaro ao ! mind of nlvlin liad sufferinf^s benefit of r, in their sking the ) men who ho people ho deoi)est •espona to wishes that ument for view, the lUjr of our 10 informa- il)lc them to their crews J spr«'ad far (0 ('xeeutiye Tcise of its requisition l)c promptly be deeply ef Magis- t prayer to (usuand and ountry and .AYTON. IV Franklin the forced Lose active isideni. ?c., 1849. |elf to you, sband, Sir tADY franklin's APPEAL TO AMERICAN NATION. 251 John Franklin, hia officers and crews, who were sent by Her Majesty's Government, in tlie sprinjx of 1815, on a maritime expedition for a discovery of the Korth-West Passafi^e, and who have never since been heard of. "Their mysterious futo has excited, I believe, the deepest interest throupe, at this last stage, and in this last hour, perhaps, of the lost navi- ^ritors* existence, to snatch them from a dreary grave. And surely, till the shores and seas of those frozen vt «;ion8 have been swept in all directions, or until some memorial be found to attest their fate, neither England, \' lu.i scut them out, nor even America, on whose shores they have been launched in a cause which has interested the world for centuries, will doem the question at rest. " May it please God so to move the liearts and wills of a great and kindred people, and of their chosen Chief Magistrate, that they may join heart and hand in the generous enterprise f The respect and admiration of the world, which watclies with growing interest every move- ment of your great r(>pul»lic, will follow the chivalric and humane endeavour, and the blessing of them who were ready to perish shall come upon you ! •*I have, Ac. (Signed) "Jane Franklin. " Hia Eacelleney the President of the United States" In a very admirable* letter addrpssod to Lady Frankhn in Tebruary, 1850, by Lieut. Sheravd Osborn, K.N., occur the following remarks tmd suggestions, wliich appear to me so explicit and valuable that I publish them entire : — " frreat Ealing, Middlesex, (Sth February, 1850. "My Dear Lady Franklin, — It is of course of vital importance that the generous co-operation of the Ameri- UP comes eril, in the 'ncouragcd n for zome of my own r Majeatj's expedition ' necessary re, in every pose, by the 18 policitude )f her brave it, whatever iralty, they ecessity for means, and lope, at this ic lost navi- •eary grave, hose frozen p until some er England, hose shores .s interested . at rest, and wills of ^oscn Chief and in the fation of tha 'Very move- Kivalric and who were IBANKLIN. States,*' Idy Franklin Pl.N., occur appear to entire :— irj/, 1850. jrse of vital the Ameri- LIEUTENANT OSBORN S SUGGESTIONS. 253 cans in the rescue of Sir John Franklin and his crews bo directed to points which call for search, and at the same time give tnem a clear field for the exercise of their ener^^y and emulation. It would be a pity, for instance, if they should be merely working on the same ground with ourselves, whilst extensive portions of the Arctic Sea, in which it is equally probaolc tlie lost expedition may be found, should be left unexamined ; and none, in my opinion, oflers a better prospect of successful search than the coasts of Repulse I3ay, Hecla and Fury Strait, Committee Bay, Felix Harbour, tbo estuary of the Great Fish River, and Simpson's Strait, with tlie sea to the north-west of it. My reasons for saying so are as follows : — " Suppose Sir John Franklin to have so far can-ied out the tenor of his orders as to have penetrated south-west from Cape Walker, and to have been either * cast away,* or hopelessly impeded by ice, and that either in the past or present year he found it necessary to quit his ships, they being anywhere between 1(.X)° and 108° west longitude, and 70° and 73° north latitude Now, to retrace his steps to Cape Walker, and thence to Regent Isilct, would do no doubt the first suggestion that would arise. Yet there are objections to it ; firstly, he probably would have to contend against the prevail mg set of the ice, and currents, and northerly winds ; secondly, if no whalers were found in Lancaster Sound, how was he to support his large party in regions where the musk-ox or reindeer is never seen P thirdly, leaving his ships in the summer, he know he could only reach the whaling ground in the fall of the year ; and., in such case, would it not be advisable to make rather for the southern than the northern limit of the seas visited by the whalers ? fourthly, by edging to the south rather than the north, Sir John Franklin would be falling back to, rather than going from, relief, and increase the probabilities of providing food for his lurgo party. "1 do not believe he would have decided on going duo south, because the lofty land of Victoria Island was in his road, and when he did reach the American shore, he would only attain a desert, of whovso horrors ho no doubt retained a vivid recollection ; and a lengthy land journey of more than 1000 miles to the Hudson's Bay settlements was more than his men were capable of. " There, therefore, remains but one route for Sir John under such cii'cumstances to follow ; and it decidedly hws the following merits, that of being in a direct line for the M fc t I u 254 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. i southern limit of tlic whale lishery ; that of leadinj; throii<];h a series of narrow seas adapted for the navitjation of small oniMi boats; that of beiu;^ the most expeditious route l)V which to reaeh Fort Churehill, in Hudson's Hay; that of leadin;^ throuufh a rej^ion visited by Es(iuimaux and mij^ratory animals ; and this route is throuj;h the * Strait of James Koss,' across the narrow isthmus of Bootliia Felix (whieh, as you remindt-d me to-dav, was not supposed to exist when Sir John Franklin left Enj;- land, .',nd has been since discovered), into the Gulf of Boothia, wluTc ho could either pass by llecla and Fury Strait into the fishinj^-^round of Hudson Strait, or else ^o southward down Committee Bay, across the llao Isthmus into llepulse Bay, and endeavour ^rom there to roach some vessels in Hudson's Bay, or (ithcrwiso Fort Churchill. "It is not unlikely either, that when Franklin had got to tho eastern extremity of James Boss's Strait, and found the land to be across his path where he had expected to find a strait, that his party might have divided, and tho more active portion of them attempted to ascend the Great Fish River, where wo have Sir George Back's authority for supposing they would find, close to the Arctic shores, abuiuhuico of food in fish, and herds of reindeer, &c., whilst tho others travelled on the road I have already mentioned. " To search for them, therefore, on this lin(j of retreat I should think highly essential, and if neglected this year, it must be done next; and if not done by the Americans, it ought to be done by us. " I therefore suggest tho following plan. Suppose a well-e4uij>ped expedition to leave America in May, and to enter Hudson Strait, and then divide into two divi- sions. The first division might go northward, through Fox's Channel to Hecla and Fury Strait, examine the shores of the latter carefully, deposit provisions at tho western extreme, erect conspicuous bcac^ons, and proceed to Melvilli^ or Felix Harbour, in Boothia, secure their vessel or vessels, and despatch, as soon as circumstances would allow, boat parties across the iie(;k of the isthmus into the western waters. Here let them divide, and one party ])roceed through James Boss's Strait, carefully examining the coast, and push over sea, ice, or land, to the north-west as iar as possible. The other boat party to examine the estuary of the Great Fish Biver, and thence proceed westward along the coast of Siai|>son's y\U: f leading laviKiition LpotUtious on's Bay ; uS([uimaux •ough the ilimua of -day, was left 3^:11^;- c Gulf of and Fury lit, or else the liae n there to •wise Fort n had got Strait, and id expected 3d, and the iscend the [•go Back's 380 to the 1 herds of he road I of retreat fl tliis year, linericans, I Suppose a May, and two divi- through jiimine the )ns at the id proceed |,'cure their tumstances he isthmus , and one carefully )r land, to jboat party Uiver, and Simpson':* LIEUTENANT OSBOHX S SUGGESTIONS. 255 1 Strait, and, if possible, examine the broad Bay, formed between it and Dease's Strait. •* The second division, on parting conipan}*, niii,dit pass south of Southampton Island, and coast along from Cues- terlieid Inlet northward to Ivcptdse Bay, a boat party with two boats might cross I'ac Isthmus into il}e bottom of Committee Bay, with instructions to visit both shores of the said bay, and to rendezvous at the western entrance of Ilecla and Fury Strait. Tlu- second division (be it one or more vessels) slumld then j>:»ss into Fox's Channel, and turning through Ilecla and Iniry Strait, ])ick up the boats at the rendezvous; and thence, if the first divisi(m have passed on all right, and do not reipiire reinforcement, the second division should steer northward along the unknown coast, extending as far as Cape Kater; from Cape Knter proceed to Leopold Island, and, having secured their ships there, dispatch boat or travelling parties in a direction south-west from Capo ]{ennell, in Ni)rth Somerset, being in a parallel line to the line of search we shall adopt from Capo AValker, aiul at the same time it will traverse tho uuKiiown sea beyond the islands lately observed by Captain Sir James Boss. " Some such plan as this would, I thinV, ensure your gallant husband being met or assisted, should h** be to tho south or the west of Cape Walker, and atten».pt to return by a south-east course, a direction which, I tliiiik, others as well as myself would agree in thinking a very rational and probable one. " I will next speak of an argument which has been brought forward in consequence of no traces of the miss- ing expedition having beeii discovered in Lancaster Sound; that it is cpiite possible, if Franklin failed in getting through the middle ice from Melville Bay to Lancaster Sound, that, sooner than disappoint public anxiety and expectation of a profitable result arising from his expedition, he n a}' have turned northward, and gone up Smith's Sound; every mile beyond its entrajico was new ground, and therefore a reward to the discoverer. It likewise brovight them nearer the Pole, ami may be they found that open sea of which Bart)n Wrangel speuks st> constantly in his journeys over the ice northward from Siberia. " It is therefore desirabK' that some vessels should care- fully examine the entrance of this Sound, and visit all the conspicuous headlands for some considerable distance witlun it; for it ought to be borne in mind, that localities perfectly accessible for the purpose of creeling beacons, I • h; ' 1:' 256 PROOUESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVEKY. 'I ' '^ Ac, ono season, may bo quite impracticable t^.v next, and Franklin, late in tiie season, and pressed fc time would not have wasted time, sealiuf^ bergs to reach the shore and Eile up cairns, of which, in all the sanguine hope of success, e could not have foreseen the necessity. " Should any clue be found to the lost expedition in this direction, to follow it up would, of course, be the duty of the relieving party, and everything would depend neces- sarily on the judgment of the commanders. *' In connexion with this line of search, I tlank a small division of vessels starting from Spitzbergen, and pushing from it in a north-west direction, might be of great ser- vice; for on reference to the chart, it will be seen that Spitzbergen is as near the probable position of Franklin (if he went north about), on the east, as Behring's Strait is upon the west; and the probabilit}^ of reaening the meridian of 80"^ west from Spitzbergen is equally as good as, if not better than, Behring Strait, ancl, moreover, a country capable of supporting life always in the rear to fall back upon. •' SnEBABD OSBORN, " Lieutenant, Eoyal Navy. " 2b Zadif Franl'lin." Debate in the American Conobess. The following remarks of honourable members and senators, in defence of iho bill for carrying out Mr. Grin- nell's expedition, will explaiL the grounds on which the government countenance was invoked for the noble under- taking :-- " Mr. MiLLEB : I prefer thafc the government should have the entire control of this enterprise ; but. Sir, I do not think that can be accomplished ; at all events, it can- not within the time required to produce the good results which are to be hoped from this expedition. It is well known to all that the uncertain fate of Sir John Franklin and his companions ban attracted the attention and called forth the sympathies of the civilized world. This Govern- ment, Sir, has not been indiQerent to the cull. An appli- cation, an appeal was made to this government of no ordinary character ; one which was cheerfully entertained by the President, and which he was anxious should be complied with. But it is known to the country and to the Senate that, although the President had every dispo- sition to send out an expedition in search of Sir John Franklin, it was found upon inquiry that we had no ships 1 next, and tiiuu would he shore and }e of buccesgy dition in thia tlic duty of epuud ncces- hinV a small and pushing )f great sor- }G seen that of Franklin ring's Strait •eaening the lally as good moreover, a the rear to DSBORN, >yal Navy. BSS. icmbers and it Mr. Grin- n which the noble imder- nent should ut, Sir, I do rents, it can- good results . It is well hn Franklin n and called ?his Govem- . An appli- meut of no entertained s should be intry and to every dispo- >f Sir John ^d no ships llttod for flin ^ . 257 anJ suitable for tl L soH /?' "^ P^P^<^'^tion of Vhi kinl ^ya« therefore obi id r "^ navigation. The j'vl... ' mit,I Confess should m.. t ," Z^ ^'"" "^'^^« ^ntc-rpri^o in the meantime Vr.. A •"^'^''''^^ the ovpediHon xirithi' "^ °"t the exDeflihVm 1 "^^ fe'overnment !■! • y^r the Uniled St" u ''n'"',"' '"^^'""de |'''"'»« (Air. Kin.) if '1:,„i^''" ''"■'oi.n.ble «' much so „,7f h'P' '""''^'- ""^ co„rrorof ' '•'''"'"'ion the United Safe "'%,"'"",•'"'"' «p'" X (orroT'"""";^ Must e/ther aceep™ hem C t" «"''" ""Jortakfn^" We dedicated them, or reretfl. I?"""?""-' to vrhieh ho ha! I po sUip.s, we'will'St t h'eVl'T"""'-- I*" '^'"•efuso Plchnoir commands the att™L 'iT'"''' of humanity ,, It we refer this resZfl^ i '"? ""^ '''« world. ^ tended with very great d,lav ""^ •^'"^"°^' ^t would be ^ W s delay ^y be worth^tft /f f^^«' ^'^ i N> IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I U 1.25 |io ■^" mi ■^ iiii 122 £ 1^ 12.0 IE HiotDgrajdiic Sdaices Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STRUT WEBSTIR.N.Y. M5M (716)l7a-4S03 ? 258 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. John Franklin and his companions m&j ere this have perished, but our hope is that they are still living in some narrow sea, imprisoned by walls of ice, where our succour may yet reach them. But, Sir, whether our hopes are fal- lacious or not, the public feeling — the feeling of humanity — is, that the fate of Sir John Franklin should, if possible, be ascertained, and as soon as possible. The public mind will never be satisfied till an expedition from tnis country, or from some other country, shall have ascertained their fate. I therefore trust that this resolution, as it is, will be acted upon at once, and that it will rer eive the unanimous vote of the Senate. * * * * " I am so impressed, Mr. President, with the import- ance of time as regards the disposal of this question, that I hesitate even to occupy the attention of the Senate for a few moments; and I only do so for the purpose of correct- ing some views which have been expressed by the senator from Mississippi. * * * The question is, whether we shall adopt this resolution, and immediately send forth this expedition for the purpose of accomplishing this great object, or whether we shall throw back this resolution to drag its slow course through Congress, in the form of another bUl, to make an appropriation for the purpose of building vessels. For what object? To secure, as the senator says, to the United States, the sole honour and glory of this expedition. Sir, if this expedition is got up merely for honour and glory, either to the United States or to an individual, I will have nothing whatever to do with it. Sir, there is a deeper and a higher sentiment that hacj induced the action of Congress on this subject. It is to engage in a great work of humanity, to do that which is not only being done by the Government of Eng- land, but by private individuals, who are fitting out expe- ditions^ at their own expense, and sending them to the northern seas, for the purpose of discovering the fate of this great man, who has perilled his life in the cause o? science and of commerce. " Mr. President, I have been informed that a private expedition is now being fitted out in England, under the direction of that great commander, or I may call him the king of the Polar Seas, Sir John Eoss, who is going again to devote himself and his life to this perilous expedition. Sir, although I have not had heretofore much confidence in the success of this expedition, yet when I consider the reputation of Sir John Koss, and the fact that he is better acquainted with these seas than any other man living, and understanding that he entertains the belief that Sir Johu DEBATE IN CONGRESS. 259 :il his have r in some r succour 53 are fal- bumanity ' possible, iblic mind 3 country, ined their is, will be ananimous le import- jstion, that enate for a of correct- the senator ler we shall forth this this great esolution to the form of e purpose of lure, as the honour and ition is got the United whatever to jr sentiment this subject. , to do that tentofEng- ag out expe- them to the J the fate of Ihe cause of Franklin and his companions are yet alive, and may be rescued, — I say, finding such a man as Sir John Iloss engaged in an expedition of this kind, I am not without hope that our efforts may, under Providence, be crowned with success. But the honourable senator says that nothing is likely to be derived from this expedition l)ut honour and glory, and that that is to be divided between the govern- ment of the United States and a private individual. Sir, is there nothing to be derived from the performance of an act of humanity but honour and glory ? Sir, it is said that in this instance both the government and the individual alluded to are engaged in the same work. Well, Sir, what objection can there be to that connexion? Does the honourable senator from Mississippi envy the individual his share of the honour and glory P Does he desire to monopolize it all to the United States P I hope he has no such feeling as that. " But, Mr. President, the honourable senator made use of an expression which I think he wiU withdraw. He intimated, if I understood him rightly, some suspicion that this was a matter of speculation on the part of Mr. Grinnell, " Mr. FooTE: I said I had heard such a thing sug- gested; but I do not make any such charge myself. " Mr. Miller : I have heard this urged as an objection heretofore, but I am satisfied that if the senator from Mis- sissippi knew the character and the history of this gentle- man, he would not even repeat that he had heard such an insinuation. Sir, although this is a liberal donation from an individual, the sum need not alarm gentlemen about after claims. These ships are but small ships j and it is necessary that they should be small in order that they may be effective. One of them is, I understand, 150 tons, and the other 90 tons. They have cost, I believe, 30,000 dollars. Now, when we find this merchant devoting his property, not for the purpose of building ships to convey merchandise to the markets of the world ; when we find liim retiring from the ordinary course of commercial pur- suit in which all the world is engaged, and devoting a por- tion of his fortune to the building of ships which can be used for no other purpose but in this voyage of humanity, can it be imagined that any thought of speculation on lus part could have influenced his conduct P No, Sir. On the contrary, it is a high and worthy motive ; and I think it ought to receive the approbation of this and all other intelligent Christian nations, to see a merchant, who, while the commercial worlu are encompassing the globe by sea 260 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. and land in quest of profit and of gold, is dedicating him- self to this great object, and devoting a part of his fortune to the cause of humanity, and offering it to Government, not as a bounty, but because the government, with all its means, has not the power and the time to prepare vessels to do this work. That, Sir, is the object. *• Now, if wo do not accept these ships, there will be an end of this expedition. Sir, shall it be said tliat this Go- Tornment has lost such an opportunity as this of exhibiting the deep interest which our people feel, both in the cause of science and humanity, and that, too, at the very time when we are entering into treaties and compacts with all the commercial nations of the world, for the purpose of extending commerce and civilization, opening communica- tions of trade from sea to sea P When the Government is not only doing all this by its own power, but also acting in concert with our private citizens in constructing rail- roads and canals, and by various other modes extending commercial civilization throughout the world, shall it be said that we, at this moment, refused, through the fear of losing a little honour and glory and national dignity, to accept two ships — the only two ships in America that can do the work — in the accomplishment of this great enter- prise P I hope not. Let us not, then, cavil and waste time about these little matters. If the work is to be done at all it must be done now, and done, as I conceive, by the adoption of this resolution." GovERNOB Seward spoke as follows in the Senate on the same subject : — " I am happy to perceive, Mr. Presi- dent, indications all around the chamoer that there is no disagreement in regard to the importance, or in relation to the propriety, of a search on the part of this nation, by the Government itself, or by individual citizens, for the lost and heroic navigator. Since so much is conceded, and Bince I come from the State whence this proposition ema- nates, I desire to notice, in a very few words, the objec- tions raised against the mode of carrying the proposed design into effect. It is always the case, I think, when great objects and great enterprises which are feasible are hinderea or defeated, that they are hindered or defeated, not so much by want of agreement concerning the measures themselves, as by diversity of opinion concerning the mode of carrying them into execution. Since this is so generally the case, the rule which I always adopt, and which seems to be a safe one, is, that where I cannot have my own way of obtaining a great public object, I wiU accept the best other way which opens before me. Now, DEBATE m CONGRESS. 261 I cordially agree with those honourable Senators who would have preferred that at some appropriate time, and in some proper and unobjectionable manner, the Govern- ment shoula have moved for the attainment of this object, as a Government, and have made it exclusively the act of the nation. And I would have preferred this, not so much on account of the glory that it is supposed would have followed it, as because of the beneficence of the enterprise. Enterprises which spring from a desire of glory are very apt to end in disappointment. True national glory is always safely attainea by prosecuting beneficent aesigns, whatever may be their success. I say. Sir, then, that I would have preferred the alternative suggested ; but the fact is, without stopping to inquire where the fault lies, or whether there be fault at all, the Government has not moved, and the reason which has been assigned is, I have no doubt, the true one. I do not know that it has ever been contradicted or called in question ; that reason is, that the Navy of the United States contains no vessels adapted to the enterprise, but consists of ships constructed and fitted for very different objects and purposes than an exploring expedition amid the ice-bound seas of the Arctic pole. Our naval mai'ine consists of vessels adapted to the purposes of convoys, military armament, and the suppres- sion of the slave-trade on the coast of Africa. The execu- tive portion of the Government failed for want of vessels suitable to be employed in this particular service. It therefore devolved upon the Legislature of the United States. But, although we have been here now nearly five months, no Committee of either House, no member of either House of Congress has proposed to equip a national fleet for this purpose. While ihis fact exists on one side, it is to be remarked on the other, that the time has arrived in which the movement must be made if it is to be made at all, and also that a careful investigation, made by sci- entific and practical men, has revived the hope in Europe and America that the humane object can be attained. There can, then, be no delay allowed for considering whether the manner for carrying the design into effect could not be changed. Let us, then, practically survey the case as it comes before us. The Government of the United States has really no vessels adapted to the purpose. To say nothing of the expense, the Government has not time to provide, prepare, or equip vessels for the expedition. Under such circumstances, a citizen of the United States tenders to the Government vessels of his own, precisely adequate in number, and exactly fitted in construction and 1 kit til n i 262 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. equipment, for the performance of the duty to be assumed. Smce he offers them to the Government, what reason can we assign for refusing them P No reason can be assigned, except that he is too generous, and offers to give us the use of the vessels instead of demanding compensation for it. Well, Sir, if we do not accept them, then this enter- Erise cannot be carried into effect ; at least, not now — pro- ablj, never. If we do accept them it can be immediately carried into execution, with a cheering prospect of attaining the great object which the United States and the civilized world have such deep interest in securing. Then the question resolves itself into this — the question raised by tne honourable Senator from Alabama (Mr. King) — whether, in seeking so beneficent an object, it is consistent with the dignity of the nation to combine individual action with a national enterprise. I do not think, Mr. President, that that honourable Senator will find himself obliged to insist upon this objection after he shall have carefully ex- amined the bill before us. He will find that it converts the undertaking into a national enterprise. The vessels are to be accepted not as individual property, but as national vessels. They will absolutely cease to be under the direction, management, or control of the owners, and will become at once national ships, and for the time, at least, and for all the purposes of the expedition, a part of the national marine. "Now, Sir, have we not postal arrangements with various foreign countries carried into effect in the same way, and is the dignity of the nation compromised by them P During the war with Mexico the Government continually hired ships and steam-boats from citizens for military operations. Is the glorv of that war tarnished by the use of those means? The Government in this case, as in those cases, is in no sense a partner. It assumes the whole control of the vessels., and the enter- prise becomes a national one. The only circumstance re- maining to be considered is whether the Government can accept the loan of the service of the vessels without making compensation. Now, Sir, I should not have had the least objection, and, indeed, it would have been more agreeable to me if the Government could have made an arrangement to have paid a compensation. But I hold it to be quite unnecessary in the present case, because the character of the person who tenders these vessels, and the circumstances and manner of the whole transaction, show that it is not a speculation. No compensation is wanted. It would only be a ceremony on the part of the Govern- DEBATE IN CONGRESS. 263 s I 3 assumed, •eason can 3 assigned, five us the Qsation for this enter- now — pro- nraediately )f attaining lie civilized Then the 1 raised by r. King)— 3 consistent [dual action . President, ' obliged to irefuUy ex- : it converts The vessels rty, but as to be under owners, and ithe time, at >n, a part of ments with in the same romised by overnment citizens for tarnished lent in this )artiier. It the enter- Imstance re- Irnment can \eh without \)t have had . been more Ive made an Jut I hold it jecause the lels, and the Iction, show _ is wanted, the Govern- ment to offer it, and a ceremony on the part of the mer- chant to decline it. I am, therefore, willing to march directly to the object, and to assume that these ceremonies have Deen duly performed, that the Government has offered to pay, ana the noble-spirited merchant declined to receive. "Now, then, is there anything derogatory from the dignity and independence of this nation in employing the vessels ? Certainly not, since that employment is indis- pensable. If it were not indispensable I do not think that the dignity of the Republic would be impaired ; I think, on the contrary, that it would be enhanced and elevated. It is a transaction worthy of the nation, a spectacle deserving the contemplation and respect of mankind, to see that not only does the nation prosecute, but that it has citizens able and willing to contribute, voluntarily and without compulsion, to an enterprise so interesting to the cause of science and of humanity. It is indeed a new and distinct cause for national pride, that an individual citizen, not a merchant prince, as he would be called in some other countries, but a republican merchant, comes forward in this way and moves the Government and co-operates with it. It illustrates the magnanimity of the nation and of the citizen. Sir, there is nothing objectionable in this feature of the transaction. It results from the character of the Government, which is essentially popular, that there are perpetual debates on the question how far measures and enterprises, for purposes oi humanity and science, are con- sistent with the constitutional organization of the Govern- ment, although they are admitted to be eminently com- patible with the dignity, character, and intelligence of the nation. All our enterprises, more or less, are carried into execution, if they are carried into execution at all, not by the direct action of the Government, but by the lending of its favour, countenance, and aid to individuals, to cor- porations, and to States. Thus it is that we construct railroads and canals, and found colleges and imiversities. " Nor is this mode of prosecuting enterprises of great pith and moment peculiar to this Government. There was a navigator who went forth from a port in Spain, some three or four hundred years ago, on an enterprise quite as doubtful and quite as perilous as this. After trying un- successfully several States, he was forced to be content with the sanction, and little more than the sanction and patronage, of the Court of Madrid. The scanty treasures devoted to that undertaking were the private contributions of a Queen and her subjects, and the vessels were fitted 264 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERT. out and manned at the expense of merchants and citizens, which gave a new world to the kingdom of Castile and Leon. •* Entertaining these views now, whatever my opinion might have been under other circumstances, I shall vote against a recommittal, and in favour of the bill, as the surest way of preventing its defeat, and of attaining the sublime and beneficent object which it contemplates." The committee of both Houses of Congress, to whom Mr. Grinnell's petition for men and supplies was referred, made a unanimous report in its favour ; and the vessels left on their daring and generous errand. The following are the joint resolutions which passed both Houses of Congress and were approved by General Taylor, authorizing the President of the United States to accept and attach to the U.S. Navy the two vessels, offered by Mr. Grinnell, to be sent to the Arctic seas in search of Sir John Franklin and his companions : — *' E«solved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President be, and he is hereby authorized and directed, to receive from Henry Grinnell, of the City of New York, the two vessels prepared by him for an expe- dition in search of Sir John Franklin and his companions, and to detail from the Navy such commissioned and warrant officers, and so many seamen as may be necessary for said expedition, and wno may be willing to engage therein. The said officers and men shall be furnished with suitable rations, at the discretion of the President, for a period not exceeding three years, and shall have the use of such necessary instruments as are now on hand and can be spared from the Navy, to be accounted for or returned by the officers who shall receive the same. *• Sec. 2. Be it further resolved. That the said Vessels, officers, and men shall be in all respects under the laws and regulations of the Navy of the United States until their return, when the said vessels shall be delivered to the said Henry Grinnell : Provided, That the United States shall not be liable to any claim for compensation in case of the loss, damage, or deterioration of the said vessels, or either of them, from any cause or in any manner whatever, nor be liable to any demand for the use or risk of the said vessels or either of them." Directly the fact became known that the American Government had nobly come forward to aid in the search which was being so strenuously made, the different learned THE AMERICAN EXPEDITION. 265 1 citizens, [istilo and ly opinion shall vote ill, as the aining the lates." , to whom is referred, the vessels ich passed by General d States to wo vessels, ctic seas in IS : — resentatives 1 assembled, horized and the City of for an expe- ompanions, isioned and le necessary to engage [e furnished Iresident, for ave the use ind and can lor returned laid vessels, Tpr the laws [states until /ered to the liited States >n in case of vessels, or \r whatever, of the said American _ the search rent learned societies of the metropolis vied with each other in testify- ing the estimation in which this noble conduct was held. At the annual meeting of the Eoyal Society, on the 7th of June, upon the motion of Sir Charles Lennox, seconded by the late Marquis of Northampton, a vote of thanks was carried with the utmost enthusiasm, expressive of the gratitude of the Society to the American Government, and of their deep sense of the kind and brotherly feeling which had prompted so liberal an act of humanity. A similar vote was carried, on the 11th of June, at a general meeting of the lloyal Geographical Society, (of which Sir John Franklin was long one of the vice-presidents). The American expedition consists of two brigan tines — now enrolled in the United States Navy — the Advance^ of 144 tons, and the Rescue, 91 tons. These vessels have been provided and fitted out by the generous munificence of Mr. Henrj Grinnell, a merchant of New York, at an expense to him of between 5000/. and 6000/. The Ame- rican Government also did much towards fitting and equipping them. The Advance was two years old, and the Rescue quite new. Both vessels were strengthened in every part, and put in the most complete order for the service in which the^ were to be engaged. They are under the command of Lieutenant Edward S. De Haven, who was employed in Commander Wilkes's expedition in 1843; Mr. S. P. Griffin, acting-master, has charge of the Rescue. The other officers of the expedition are Messrs. W. H. Murdaugh, acting-master ; T. W. Broadhead and !R. R. Carter, passed midshipmen ; Dr. E. K. Kane, passed assistant-surgeon ; Mr. Benjamin Finland, assistant-sur- geon; W. S. Lovell, midshipman; H. Brooks, boatswain; and a complement of thirty-six seamen in the tw > "^ssels— the crew of the Advance consisting of fifteen men, and the Rescue thirteen men. The vessels left New York on the 25th of May, 1850. Their proposed destination is through Barrow Strait, westward to Cape Walker, and round Melville Island. They were provisioned for three years. Whatever may be the result of this expedition, as con- nected with the fate of the gallant Sir John Franklin, it is one which reflects the highest honour upon the philan- thropic individual who projected it, and upon the officers and men engaged therein. A despatch has been received from Lieutenant De Haven, dated off* Leopold Island, August 22nd, which reports the progress of the expedition thus far. The 266 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERT. Advance, in company with her consort, the Rescue, sailed from the Whale Fish Islands on the 29th of June ; after many delays and obstructions from calms, stream ice, and the main pack, they forced a passaj^e throui^h it for a con- siderable distance, but at last ^ot wedged up in the pack immoveable until the 29th of July, when oy a sudden movement of the floes, an opening presentea itself, and under a press of sail the vessels foreea their wajr into clear water. They encountered a heavy gale, which, with a thick fog, made their situation very dangerous, the huge masses of ice being driven along by the strength of the wind and current with great fury. By the aid of warping in calm weather, they reached Oape Yorke on the 15tn of August, and a little to the eastward met with two Esqui- maux, but could not understand much from them. Be- tween Cape Yorke and Cape Dudley Diggs, while delaj^ed by calms, being in open water, they hauled the ships mto the shore at the Crimson Cliffs of Beverley, (so named from the red snow on them,) and flUed their water casks from a mountain stream. On the 18th, with a fair wind, they shaped their course for the western side of BafSn Bay, and met the pack in streams and very loose, which tliey cleared entirely by the following day — getting into the north waters, where they fell in with Captain Penny's two vessels, which having been unsuccessful in their efforts to enter Jones's Sound, were now taking the same course up Lancaster Sound. On the 19th, in a violent gale, the ^c^t^an^e parted company with the Hescue. On tlie morning of the 21st of August, the fog cleared, and Lieutenant De Haven found he was off Cape Crawford, on the southern shore of the Sound. Here he fell in with the Ifelix schooner, tmder Captain Sir John Koss, from whom he learnt that Commodore Austin was at Pond's Bay with two of his vessels, seeking for information, while the other two had been despatched to examine the north shore of the Sound. Lieutenant De Haven purposed proceeding on from Port Leopold to Wellington Channel, the appointed place of rendezvous with his consort. Captain Foksyth's Bemabeable Voyage in the "Pbince Albert." In April, 1850, a branch expedition to aid those vessels sent out by the Government was determined on by Lady Franklin, who contributed largely towards its outfit ; a considerable sum being also raised by public subscription. V ! i.**l ' 'r'l ■> »' N ■•<'_, -fey 'ii' ■i> ■■■im / KLiii Lord8hips,17th of January,1849,this quarter was considered of importance, and I am still of opimor that had Sir John. Franklin abandoned his yessels near the coast of America, 75* 74» ftttArf t . .'A M litlltVU I . la jd, /!>»*(«.•/& S,:m.-irillf /* m. 96 • 9V 912 « i>0' T r/J-'' ^0** ^ J74" 92* BARROW STRAIT, PRINCE REGENT INLET, ^^grr«Jd|^^;j f / / / / / / / / / / / // / / / WO" r-^ '• X) \^^ sent out by the Government was determined on b^'^ady Franklin, who contributed largely towards its outfit ; a considerable sum being also raised by public subscription. VOYAGE OP THE PRINCE ALBERT. 267 The expenses of this expedition were nearly 4000Z., of which 2500/. were contributed by Lady Franklin herself. The object of this expedition was the providing for the search of a portion or the Arctic Sea, which it was dis- tinctly understood could not be executed by the vessels under Captain Austin ; but the importance of which had been set forth, by Arctic and other authorities, in docu- ments printed in the Parliamentary Papers. The unprovided portion alluded to, includes Regent Inlet, and the passages connecting it with the Western Sea, James Ross' Strait, and other localities, S.W. of Cape Walker, to which quarter Sir John Franklin was required by his instructions to proceed in the first instance. This search is assumed to be necessary on the following grounds : — 1. The probability of Sir John Franklin having aban- doned his vessels to the S.W. of Cape Walker. 2. The fact that, in his charts, an open passage is laid down from the west into the south part of Kegent Inlet. 3. Sir John Franklin would be more likely to take this course through a country known to possess the resources of animal life, with the wreck of the Victory in Felix Harbour for fuel, and the stores of Fury Beach farther North, in view, than to fall upon an utterly barren region of the North coast of America. 4. He would be more likely to expect succour to be sent to him by way of Lancaster Sound and Barrow Strait, into which Regent Inlet opens, than in any other direction. In corroboration of the necessity of this part of the search, I would refer generally to the Parliamentary Papers of 1848-9 and 50. As an individual opinion, I may quote the words of Captain Beechey, p. 31 of the first series. " If, in this condition" (that of being hopelessly blocked up to the S.W. of Cape Walker), " which I trust may not oe the case, Sir John Franklin should resolve upon taking to his boats, he would prefer attempting a boat navigation through Sir James Ross' Strait, and up Regent Inlet, to a long land journey across the continent to the Hudson Bay Settlements, to which the greater part of his crew would be wholly unequal." And again, in his letter to the Secretary of the Admiralty, 7th of February, 1850, Captain Beechey writes, ••**♦* the bottom of Regent Inlet, about the Pelly Islands, should not be left unexamined. In the memorandum submitted to their Lordships, 17th of January,1849,this quarter was considered of importance, and I am still of opinion that had Sir John Franklin abandoned his yessels near the coast of America, eorge e that bey as alty on of the led by le best dition ; L to the )e thus idoned, tiausted W.; in her W. L return movinf? )on the to him, view of through up into Beach, advan- reat. irts into Simpson ould be itrength )viou8ly jrienced regions, tart, the at some [sthmus * yearly Bay and descend pedition who are well acquainted with this region and its resources —viz., Mr. Blanky, ice master, and Mr. MacDonald, assistant surgeon, of the Terror. The former was with Sir John Ross in the Victory. The latter has made several voyages in whaling vessels and is acquainted with the parts Iving between Regent Inlet and Davis Strait. Where so few amongst the crews of the missing ships have had any local experience, the concurrent knowledge of two persons would have considerable weight. 6. Opinions are very greatly divided as to the part in which Sir John Franklin's party may have been arrested, and as to the course they may have taken in consequence. It would be therefore manifestly unfair, and most dan- gerous, to reason out and magnify any one liypothesis at the expense of the others. The plan here alluded to sought to provide for the probability of the Expedition having been stopped shortly after passing to the south west of Cape Walker. The very open season of 1845 was fol- lowed by years of unusual severity until 1849. It is therefore very possible that retreat as well as onward progress has been impossible, that safety alone has become their last object. The hope of rescmng them in their last extremity depends, then, (as far as numan means can ensure it,) on the multiplying of simultaneous efforts in every direction. Captain Austin's vessels will, if moving in pairs, take two most important sections only, of the general search, and wiQ find they have enough to do to reach their several points of operation this season. The necessity for this search was greatly enhanced by the intelligence received about this time in England of the arrival of Mr. Rae and Commander Pullen at the Mackenzie River, thus establishing the fact, that Sir John Franklin's party had not reached any part of the coast between Behring Strait and the Coppermine River, whilst the check which Mr. Rae received in his course to the north of the Coppermine, tended to give increased importance to the quarter eastward of that position. Commander Chas. Codrington Forsyth, R.N., an enterpris- ing young officer, who had not long previously been promoted in consequence of his arduous services in surveymg on the Australian, African, and American shores, and who had rendered good service to the Government by landing sup- plies on the east coast of Africa, under circumstances of great difficulty during the Kafir war, had volunteered unsuccessfully for all the Government Expeditions, but was permitted hj the Admiralty to command this private branch Expedition, in which he embarked without fee or reward 'hi lid 1 i i i, 270 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. ■ — on the noble and honourable mission of endeavouring to relieve his long-imprisoned brother officers. The Prince Albert, a small clipper vessel of about ninety tons, originally built by Messrs. White, of Cowes, in October, 1848, for the fruit trade, was accordingly hastily fitted out and despatched from Aberdeen, and Captain Forsyth was instructed to winter, if possible, in Brentford Bay, in Regent Inlet, and thence send parties to explore the opposite side of the isthmus, and the various shores and bays of the Inlet. She had a crew of twenty, W. Kay and W. Wilson acting as first and second mates, and Mr. W. P. Snow as clerk. She sailed on the 5th of June, and was consequently the last vessel that left, and yet is the first that has reached home, having also brought some account of the track of Franklin's Expedition. The Prince Albert arrived off Cape Farewell, July 2nd, entered the ice on the 1.9th, and on the 2l8t came up with Sir John Eoss in a labyrinth of ice. She proceeded up Lancaster Sound and Barrow Strait, fell in with most of the English ships in those seas, and also with the Ame- rican brig Advance, sailing some time in company, and attempted to enter Eegent Inlet and Wellington Chan- nel. She left the Advance aground near Cape Riley, at the entrance of Wellington Channel, though not in a situation supposed to be dangerous. Commander Forsyth, in his oflBcial letter to the Lords of the Admiralty, says that "traces of the missing Expedition under Sir John Franklin had been found at Cape Riley and Beechey Island, at the entrance to the Wellington Channel. We observed five places where tents had been pitched, or stones placed as if they had been used for keeping the lower part of the tents down, also great quantities of beef, pork, and birds' bones, a piece of rope, with the Woolwich naval mark on it (yellow), part of which I have enclosed." Having entered Wellington Channel, and examined the coast as far as Point Innis, and finding no further traces of the missing vessels, and it being impracticable to penetrate further to the west. Commander Forsyth re- turned to Regent Inlet, but meeting no opening there, the season being near at hand when the ice begins to form, and his vessel not of a strength which wouIvT. enable it to resist a heavy pressure of ice, he determined on returning without further delay to England, after examining a number of points along the coast. On the 25th of August, a signal stafi" being observed on shore at Cape Riley, Mr. Snow was sent by Captain Forsyth to examine it. He found that the Assistance, VOYAGE OP THE PRINCE ALBERT. 271 ring to ninety res, in hastily Captain jntford jxplore snores V.Kay ad Mr. June, nd yet ►rought iy 2nd, ip with ded up most of 3 Ame- ly, and L Chan- Biley, ot in a orsyth, y, says r John Jeechey 1. We r stones rer part rk, and L naval losed." led the p traces able to yth re- there, gins to woulil rmined i, after rved on Captain iistance, Captain Ommanney, had been there two days before, and had left the following notice : — " This is to certify that Captain Ommanney, with the officers of her Majesty's ships Assistance and Intrepid, landed upon Cape iRiley on the :^3rd August, 1850, where he found traces of encampments, and collected the remains of materials, which evidently proved that some party belonging to her Majesty's ships had been detained on that spot. Beechey Island was also examined, where traces were found of the same party. This is also to give notice that a supply of provisions and fuel is at Cape E-iley. Since 15 th August, they have examined the north shore of Lancaster Sound and Barrow Strait, without meeting with any other traces. Captain Ommanney proceeds to Cape llotham and Cape Walker in search of further traces of Sir John Franklin's expedition. Dated on board her Majesty's ship Assistance, off Cape E-iley, the 23rd August, 1850." The seamen who were despatched from the Assistance to examine these remains found a rope with the naval mark, evidently belonging to a vessel which had been fitted out at Woolwich, and which, in all probability, was either the JErebus or the Terror. Other indications were also noticed, which showed that some vessel had visited the place besides the Assistance. Captain Forsyth left a notice that the Prince Albert had called off Cape Kiley on the 25th of August, and then bore up to the eastward. Captain Forsyth landed at Possession Bay on the 29th August, but nothmg was found there to repay the search instituted. The Prince Albert arrived at Aberdeen, on the 22nd of October, after a quick passage, having been absent some- thing less than four months. Captain Forsyth proceeded to London by the mail train, taking with him, for the information of the Admiralty, the several bones (beef, pork, &c.) which were found on Cape Eiley, together with a piece of rope of about a foot ana a half in length, and a small piece of canvas with the Queen's mark upon it, both in an excellent state of preservation ; placing it almost beyond a doubt that they were left on that spot by the expedition under Sir «;ohn Franklin. Captain Forsyth, during his short trip, explored re- gions which Sir James Eoss was unable to reach the previous year. He was at Wellington Channel, and penetrated to Fury Beach, where Sir E. Parry abandoned his vessel (the Fmy) in 1825 after she had taken the ground. It is situated in about 72° 40' JS". latitude, and 91° 50' n i, m 272 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. W. longitude. This is a point which has not been reached by any vessel for twenty years past. It was found, however, utterly impossible to land there on account of the packed ice. The whole of the coasts of Baffin Bay have also now been visited without result. The intelligence which Capt. Forsyth brought home has, as a matter of course, excited the most intense interest in naval circles, and among the friends and relatives of the parties absent in the Erebus and Terror, the more so inas- much as it has been ascertained at Chatham Dockyard that the rope which Captain Forsyth found on the spot when he visited it, and copied Capt. Ommanney's notice, is proved by its yellow mark to have been manufactured there, and certainly since 1824; and moreover, from inquiries instituted, very strong evidence has been elicited in favour of the belief that the rope was made between the years 1841 and 1849. That the trail of the Franklin expedition, or some detachment of it, has been struck, there cannot be the slightest doubt in the mind of any one who has read the despatches and reports. That Captain Omman- ney felt satisfied on this score is evident from the terms of the paper he left behind him. The squadron, it appears, were in full cry upon the scent on the 25th of August, and we must wait patiently, but anxiously, for the next accounts of the results of their indefatigable researches, which can hardly reach us from Barrow Strait before the autumn of 1851. There can be no doubt now in the mind of anv one, that the Arctic Searching Expeditions have at length come upon traces, if not me track of Sir John Franklin. The accounts brought by Captain Forsyth must have at least satisfied the most desponding that there is still hope left — that the ships have not foundered in Baffin Bay, at the outset of the voyage, nor been crushed in the ice, and burnt by a savage tribe of Esquimaux, who had murdered the crew. That the former miffht have happened, all must admit ; but to the latter, few, we imagine, will give their assent, notwithstanding the numerous cruel rumours promulgated from time to time. It would be idle to dwell upon so impossible an event. Where could this savage tribe spring fromP Mr. Saunders describes the natives of Wolstenholme Sound as the most miser- able and helpless of mortals. Thei/ had no articles obtained from Europeans; and he was of opinion that there were no settlements further north; and if there were, doubtless they would be even more impo- tent than these wretched beings. That the ship might away skill Sir Wage: one k] readinj which aclied jvever, )acke(l e also le has, rest in of the inas- rd that hen he >ved by •e, and iCjuiries 1 favonr B years edition, cannot rho has )mman- iorms of ippears, A.ugust, he next earches, 'ore the iny one, length rankUn. have at ill hope Bay, at ice, and urdered all must ve their rumours be idle e could escribes \t miser- articles opinion and re impo- might VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. 273 have foundered all must admit. The President did so with many a gallant soul on board. The Avenger ran on the SoreUi, and 300 brave fellows, in an instant, met with a watery grave ; and till the sea shall give up her dead, who can count the thousands that lie beneath the billows of the mighty ocean P We have now certain evidence that Franklin's ships did not founder — not, at least, in Baffin Bay; and our own belief (says a well-informed and competent writer in the Morning Herald,) is that the penaant still floats in the northern breeze, amidst eternal regions of snow and ice. The voyage performed by the Prince Albert has thus been the means of keeping alive our hopes, and of informing us, up to a certain point, of the progress of the expeditions, and the situation of the different ships, of which we might have been left in a state of utter ignorance till the close of this year. Everything connected with the naviga- tion of the Arctic Seas is a chance, coupled, of course, with skill; and in looking at this voyage performed by Lady Franklin's little vessel, it must be obvious to every one that Captain Forsyth has had the chance of an open season, and the skill to make use of it. •* Live a thousand years," and w^e may never see such another voyage performed. We have only to look at all that have preceded. Parry, it is true, in one year ran to Melville Island, and passing a winter, got back to England the following season — and this is at present the ne plus ultra of Arctic navigation. Sir John Ross, we know, went out in the Victory to Regent Inlet, and was frozen in for four years, and all the world gave him up for lost — but "there's life in the old dog yet," as the song has it. Sir James Ross was frozen in at Leopold Harbour, and only got out, after passing a wiAter, to be carried away in a floe of ice into Baflfin Bay, which no human skill could prevent. Sir George Back was to make a summer's cruise to Wager Inlet, and return to England. The result every one knows or may make themselves acquainted with, by reading the fearful voyage of the Terror ^ an abstract of which 1 have already given. It would be superfluous to enumerate many other of our series of Polar voyages, but it is pretty evident that Captain Forsyth's voyage, per- formed in the summer months of 1850, will be handed down to posterity as one of the most remarkable, if not the most remarkable, that has ever been accomplished in the Arctic Seas — ^the expedition consisting of one solitary small vessel. The main object of the voyage, it is true* has not T I' I v\ 1 \ • [■A «'« 274 PROGRESS OF ARCTIC DISCOVERY. "I been accomplished, but as all the harbours in Repent Inlet were frozen up, and it was utterly impossible to cut throuj^h a vast tract oi ice, extending for perhaps four or five miles, to get the ship to a secure anchorage, under these cir- cumstances. Captain Forsyth had no alternative but to return, and in doing so, he has, in the opinion of all the best-informed officers, displayed great good sense and judgment, rather than remain frozen in at the Wellington Channel, where he only went to reconnoitre, and where he had no business whatever, his instructions being confined to Regent Inlet. Lady Franklin purposes, if she can raise sufficient funds, to send out another boat expedition this spring to Regent Inlet, to prosecute the search in the regions to which we have before alluded, and on which she places so much reliance. The party, under the charge of Mr. Kennedy, will probably wmter in Brentford Bay or some other con- venient place, and carry on the searching operations on the opposite shores of Boothia, as the season permits. But her ladyship's income has been so largely drawn upon by the various enormous expenses she has been put to, that it is doubtful whether she will be able to carry out her views without assistance from the public. I sincerely trust that the generosity and chivalry of the people of England, which has displayed its sympa- thies with the distressed soldier and the weather-bound seaman on so many occasions, and in so many splendid and richly-endowed institutions, will not allow this noble- minded lady to exhaust her private resources in the equip- ment of expeditions which are deemed so important and necessary, but that they will come forward and relieve her, recollecting that the expedition is required in search of two of her Majesty's ships, sent out on their arduous service by the Government of the country, and under command of her honoured, amiable, and distinguished husband, the good and brave Sir John Franklin. I have thus gone through, as fuUy as my space would permit, the voyages and journeys of our navigators and travellers within the Arctic circle, and the record of their arduous services cannot fail to prove interesting. There is one land expedition, that of Dr. Sir John Richardson, on the Polar shore between the Coppermine and Mackenzie Rivers, in 1848, which I have not touched on, because it has already been published in detail in several quarters, and the gallant Doctor is preparing a very full account of it for immediate pubhcation. Captain LATEST POSITION OP ALL THE VESSELS. 2ii) b Inlet miles, 86 cir- but to all the 36 and lington tiere ho onfined t funds, Regent hich we o much ennedy, her con- 18 on the But her a by the that it is er views ivalry of J sympa- er-bound splendid lis noble- .e equip- •tant and iieve her, jh of two jervice by imand of land, the ice would itors and of their iSir John Ippermine touched J detail in [ng a very Captain Kollett, also, has it in contemplation to publish an account r ? the voyage of the Herald. The following recapitulation will give the position of the different vessels engaged in the search when last heard of. The Investigator having passed Behring Strait, reached Kotzebue Sound on the 27th of July, and when last heard of, was pushing her way along between the ico towards Melville Island. The Mnterprtse had put back to Hong Kong to winter, having been unable to enter the ice. The Advance was aground off Cape Hiley, August 25th. The Assistance, in Wellington Channel, August 25th, standing towards Cape Hotham. The Felix, off Capo Crawford, in Lancaster Sound, August 22nd. The Intrepid and Lady Franklin, on August 24th and 25th, in WeUington Channel, standing towards Cape Hotham. The Resolute and Pioneer, in Possession Bay, Aug. 17th. The Hescue and Sophia, in Wellington Channel, August 26th, apparently beset with ice. The Plover, wintering in Grantley Harbour, Port Cla- rence, 1850. The North Star and Prince Albert have, as we have seen, arrived in England, and the Herald is also on her passage home. I have been favoured with the sight of a private letter of very recent date from an officer of the Herald, dated Hong Kong, 23rd of December, 1850, from which I make the following extracts : — " On our third and last cruise north in search of the ill- fated expedition under Sir John Franklin, we sailed from Oahu on the 24th of May, 1850, arriving in Kotzebue Sound on the 14th of July. The Sound was a perfect wall of ice, with no prospect of our being able to com- mimicate with the Plover for a week or ten days. One of our cutters was sent in with letters, getting between the floes, and hauhng over some, at last reached her and found them all well, but no news during the winter of Sir John Franklin. On the 21st of July, after watering and re- fitting, we sailed for Cape Lisburne to intercept the Enterprise and Investigator, this being the appointed ren- dezvous. The Plover also saUed for Point Barrow to look after Pullen's party. On the 26th, in a dense fog, we made the ice-pack, much to our surprise, 180 miles south of where we found it last season, m latitude 70° 13' N. The ice was fourteen feet high, a solid wall without an opening through which we might with safety sail. Towards T 2 VM 276 PROGRESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. midnight it blew a gale of wind, and we were compelled to haul off. On the 29 th we again made the pack much higher than before, rising like a hill from the sea face, in latitude 71° 12' N. On the night of the 30th we saw de- tached icebergs off Wainwright Inlet, from thirty to forty feet high. The wind again increasing to a gale, with thick rainy weather, reduced us to close reefs, and com- pelled us to bear up for Cape Lisburne. " Arriving off tliat place on the last day of July, we were fortunate enough to fall in with the Investigator in a dense fog. Clearing for an instant, we were alongside each other! and we had the news of the last twelve months. She had come from Oahu in the short space of time, twenty-six days. The Enterprise sailed five days before her. They had not seen each other since rounding the Horn. The Investigator remained but a few minutes in our company, and then departed with three hearty cheers from us for the ice pack, determined to get to Mel- ville Island. She had our good wishes, but at the same time our doubts as to her success ; we had the experience of three voyages. She was as yet green, and all her troubles to go through. " From this day, 3l8t of July, to 26th of August, we were blockading Cape Lisburne, to intercept the Enterprise and Plover t a most tedious and troublesome twenty-six davs as ever we experienced ; we did not see the former, but the Plover we spoke. She had been to Point Barrow, had heard from tne natives that a party of white men had been murdered and buried near the Uolville Biver, near the Mackenzie River, and that whales' jaws and bones now marked the spot. If it had not been so late in the season we should have sent a boat expedition there, but we hardly knew what conclusion to come to. It may be Pullen's party, — it may be only * native report' to get tobacco and Deadfs. My opinion was, and is, that the story was a most improbable one, as the natives refused to accept a cask of tobacco and two muskets to go there as pilots. But should anything have unfortunately happened to Pullen's party, and no movement made by us to rescue them if still alive, it woidd be a damper on the Herald, and the affair never forgiven or forgotten by the pubhc. " Finding it useless to wait any longer for the Enter- prise, we sailed for Port Clarence, and put the Plover into winter quarters as a dep6t for the two snips north." impelled [jk much L face, in 1 saw de- to forty tie, with md corn- July, we inator in alongside ,t twelve space of five days rounding K minutes 30 hearty ;t to Mel- the same jxperience jr troubles it, we were rprise and ^-six davs dv, but tlie rrow, had had been near the ones now he season we hardly Pullen's lacco and as a most a cask of [ut should Js party, itill aUve, iair never le Enter- lover into THE SEAUCHINO EXPEDITIONS. 277 TO THE EXTEDITIONS IN SEARCH OP SIR JOHN FRANKLIN. From Fisher's Drtiwing.Room Scrap-Book. Across the Arctic Toam, To bring tlie wanderer Iiome, Speed on, ye fleets, whom Mercy'n hand equips ! And may the favouring gales Make music in your sails. And waft you safely, oh, ye gallant ships ! May sunshine liglit your path. And tempests still their wrath. And fortune guide you on your darkest track ; Speed on with high endeavour. And hopefbl courage ever. And bring to British hearts their long lost hero back Farewell — a short farewell 1 — The hopes of nations Hwell, And prayers of myriads rise to Heaven for you. That perils of the cold, And hardships manifold. May bear their gentlest on each hardy crew ! A thankful world looks on. And gives its benison ; America and Europe Join their hands ; And o'er the Northern Sea, Gaze forward hopefully. And sound our Franklin's name through all the anxious lauds. Return I oh, soon return ! And let our beal-fires burn On every mountain-top and dizzy scaur; And let the people's voice* And clapping hands r^oice For his and your returning fi-om afar. No conqueror antique, Of Roman fame or Greek, Such proud ovation gathered, laurel-crowned. As we on him would pour, ^ From every sea or shore. And hive of busy men, on all our English ground. But if this may not be, And o'er the frozen sea They sleep in death, the victims of their zeal ; Be yours the task to show The greatness of our woe. And end the doubting hopes that millions feel. Then shall the tears be shed For them, the glorious dead ; And then shall History, on a spotless page. Inscribe each honest name "With tributary fame — The men of noble soul — true heroes of our age. 278 PROORESS OP ARCTIC DISCOVERY. Speed on acrosn the wave !— For you tlie prood nn