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Tous les autres exempiaires originaux sont filmte en commengant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la derniAra page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un das symboles suivants apparattra sur la derniAre image de cheque microfiche, seioii Ie caa: ie symbols — ► signifiA "A SUIVRE", Ie sy:nbole ▼ signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre filmAs A des taux de reduction diff^rents. Lorsque Ie document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clicliA, il est filmA A partir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche h droite, et de haut en has, en prenant Ie nombre d'images nAcessaii^. Les diagrammes suivants illustrant la mAthoda. 6 SEARC WITH II W. H. A SHORT NARRATIVE Of the SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PEINCE ALBERT, IN SEARCH 01< SIR JOHN FRANKLIN. BY CO WILLIAM KENNEDY, COMMANDING THE EXPEDITION. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS, AND A MAP BY ARROWSMITH. LONDON: W. H. DALTON, COCKSPUR STREET. 1853. m JJJ.-ij.Ad v\ The £ the last Seas in the geog it ; and ; Meteoro Altho and ind( accompa doing tl committ assist, — an opini mind o1 sions te attempt! country] hensions views of "pm / PREFACE. \ •■' f The following little work contains a narrative of the last Voyage of the Prince Albert to the Arctic Seas in search of Sir John Franklin; a chart of the geographical discoveries effected in the course of it ; and an appendix,, embracing a few Nautical and Meteorological details. Although in placing before the public, the zealous and indefatigable labours of those by whom I was accompanied on the voyage, I feel t^at I am but doing them justice, I have had anr c ve in committing these pages to the press, i.. th «^*re to assist,— as far as my experieiice warrants my expressing an opinion on the subject,— in disabusing the public mind of many unfounded and frivolous apprehen- sions tending to bring into discredit any further attempts to prosecute the search for our missing countrymen. I am glad to think that such appre- hensions are already giving way to wiser and juster views of our policy and our duty in this respect. * VI PREFACE. I can testify, at least, to the very great interest everywhere felt in the question, both in England and America, among those with whom circumstances have brought me into communication; and I should be unpardonable were I to neglect to record here my deep sense of the many obligations, and the many 3steemed personal friends for which I am indebted solely to my fortuitous connexion with an Expedition in search of Sir John Franklin. The original oflPer of my services to Lady Franklin was made from Canada, and my appointment to the " Prmce Albert " no sooner became known, than I was supplied, through the publicspirited exertions of Mr. Fisher, the Mayor of Hamilton, in that Province, with a free conveyance by the American Raiboad Company from BuflFalo to New York. He o I had the privilege of making the acquaintance of the noble-minded and munificent Mr. Grinnell, through whose interest I was furnished with a free passage to England in one of Cunard's steamers. I cannot but regard it as a most fortunate circumstance that one ofmyfellow-passengersinthis voyage was Sir Edward Belcher. I need not dwell upon the interest which PREFACE. Vll this distinguished officer, and warm friend of Arctic search, manifested in the object of my mission j but I should indeed be forgetftd, as well as ungrateful, were I to pass over without acknowledgment, the frank courtesy and the generous and unwearied kind- ness I experienced from him during the period I had the happiness of enjoying his acquaintance. Through his interest with the Railroad Directors of the Liver- pool and London lines, my way was literally franked through the length and breadth of the land. From Liverpool* to London, from London to Hull, from Hull to Aberdeen, and thence to the Orkneys, I had simply to present Sir Edward Belcher's letter of intro- duction at the various offices of the Railroad and Steam Navigation Companies, and a free passage was at once accorded to me. And this interest in the humane and benevolent mission in which I had the privilege of being engaged was not confined to public bodies. I have had occasion, in the course of the nan'ative. * The proprietor of the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool, on learning my name and object, declined, in the handsomest manner, to accept any settlement of the somewhat heavy bill, which a residence in a first- class house in the Capital of the West, ordinarily entails upon the traveller. viii PREFACE. to acknowledge many proofs of the interest felt in the general objects of our Expedition by individuals in various parts of England. To Mr. Barrow, of the Admiralty, whose name is so intimately associated with the efforts which have been made for the rescue of our absent countrymen, and on whose shoulders the mantle of his father has indeed descended, my thanks are particularly due, for his constant and un- remitting kindness and thoughtful care for whatever could add to our comfort or ensure the success of our undertaking. To my old and valued fnena, Mr. Harding, of Islington, my thanks are no less due, for his most useful contributions to the outfit of our winter travelling parties, and for his sound and judiciousi suggestions in the organization of our land journeys, which his unrivalled local experience, ac- quired during a residence of twenty years in the northern part of Hudson^s Bay, rendered truly valuable. To the noble-minded Lady, ubder whose auspices the Expedition was equipped— did not I know how distasteful pubhc acknowledgments on such a subject or pubUcity of any kind are to her— I would fain ex- press my kindness n of that u which she all her w( tinguished countryme Were I obligation, ray preface Let me, th assure eacl every act c on which v tioned, it 1 me or by the Pllnce East Isling JDecemi PREFACE. IT press my obligations for innumerable acts of personal kindness received at her hands ; and my admiration of that unwearied and unexampled devotion with which she has sacrificed her health, her strength, and all her worldly means, to the search for her dis- tinguished husband, and her gallant friends and countrymen. Were I, however, to record all iu the way of obligation, which ought to be recorded, I fear that ray preface would prove nearly as big as my book. Let me, therefore, by this general acknowledgment, assure each and all of our numerous friends, that if every act of kindness and of sympathy for the cause on which we were engaged has not always been men- tioned, it has assuredly not been forgotten either by me or by any one connected vidth the Expedition in the Pllnce Albert. East Islington Institution, December, 1852. M I Variety of ( Fianklin's 88 to Frai to thv. En Johu Frai Er u8 an Dannett of of traces o the " Princ TLe Prince Voyage to 1 tion of the Bellot of t Organ pres — Arrival a Arctic Seas- TEO:^ Running up i appearance Bay— Fall i iant intellig CONTENTS. INTEODUCTIOX. PAOH [Variety of Opinions as to the direction taken by Sir John Fianklin's Expedition— General want of accurate information 88 to Franklia's Instructions — The A.dmir8lty Instructtoia to thv. Erebus an' Terror in extenao — Last letters froni Sir John Franklin, Capt. Fitz-James, and Mr. Blenlry— The Er us and Terror last seen by Capt. Martin and Capt. Dannett of the Whaler " Prince of Wales "— Fir'* 'atelligence of traces of the missing shins it Cape Riley I c -gut home by the " Prince Albert " ..... 1 CHAPTER I. FROM ABEBDEEN TO CA.PE FAEEWELL. " The Prince Albert " fitting out at Aberdeen for her Second Voyage to the Polar Seas — Strengthening for the ice — Descrip- tion of the Crew, and statement of their ages and pay — Lieut. Bellot of the French Navy appointed second in command — Organ presented by H.R.H. Prince Albert— Leave Aberdeen —Arrival at the Orkneys — Carri«a- Pigeons- Departure for the Arctic Seas — Our instructions — Sight Cape Farewell , . 27 CHAPTEE II. TBOM CAPE FAEEWELL TO POET LEOPOLD. Running up along the Coast of Sreealand— Gaunt and sterile appearance of the cliffs— "The Ancient Mariner" in Baffin's Bay — Fall in with the >merican searching Squadron— Impor- tant intelligence—Arrival at TJpernavik— The Danish colonies Xlll CONTENTS. in Greenland— Progress arrested off Melville Bay— Strike the middle ice farther south— Off Pond's Bay— Visit of the Esqui- maux—Extraordinary effects of the Organ— Enter Lancaster Sound— Incessant easterly gales— Beating up through the ice- Unsuccessful attempts to reach Leopold Harbour and Cape Riley— Driven about with the ice in Prince Regent's Inlet- Second attempt to reach Leopold Harbour in a boat— Get separated from the ship— Robinson Crusoe detention for six weeks at Whaler Point— Unexpected meeting with M. Bellot and a party from the vessel ..... CHAPTER III. P^Oil 44 from: port LEOPOLD TO WINTER QUARTERS IN BATTY BAT, PRINCE BEGENt's INLET. Preparations for rejoining the ship at her winter quarters in Batty Bay— Arctic travelling— First encampment—" Making a night of it "—Erecting Snow-houses— A cold Bath— Read; the ship -Arrangements for passing the winter— Occupations of the Men— Evening School— Foxpie—Esquimaux dogs— Snow-shoes— Excursions from the ship— Absence of the sun- Christmas Day— Preparations for a winter journey to Fury ^'"'^ 72 CHAPTER IV. WINTER JOURNEY TO FURY BEACH. Objects of the journey- Equipments of the travelling party- Leave Batty Bay— A scene in a snow bank— Slow progress —Traces of Sir John Ross's retreating party— Arrested by a snow-Cliff-Reach Fury Beach-Feelings on approaching Somerset House-State of the Fury's stores-Return to Batty Bay— Continued snow storms— Excursions from the ship- Lost in a snow storm— Frosf-bites- Preparations for the long journey— Parting with Hepburn -First stage to Fury Beach —Avalanche— Detention at Somerset House . . .93 Leave Fury E — Contrivani — Gutta-Per Progress aloi a passage 1< rein-deer, m Wales Land Change out — Strike Oi Indian mode —Strike P« homeward n tion at Whal ship Exploration 0; leaving Wii Heavy drift Proceed tow squadron — 1 away for ] Expedition- the missing 1 Correspondenc Marine and Meteorological Strike the lie Esqui- Lianoaster the ice — ind Cape i Inlet — oat — Get 1 for six i. Bellut EES IN r. rters in Making —Read; ipations dogs — J sun — Fury . 72 arty — ogress ;ed by iching Batty ihip — ! long Beach 93 CONTENTS. Xiii CHAPTEE V. THE LONG JOUENEY. Leave Fury Beach for the south— Equipments for the journey —Contrivances for the protection of the face and eyes— Masks — Gutta-Percha noses— Goggles— Routine of a day's march- Progress along the coast— Reach Brentford Bay— Discovery of a passage leading to the western sea— Numerous traces of rein-deer, muak-oxen, etc. — Cross the western sea — Prince of Wales Land— Level plains— Snow storms— Snow blindness- Change our course northward— Travel at night instead of day — Strike Ommanney Bay— Change our course eastward — Indian mode of hunting rein-deer- A supper on raw partridges —Strike Peel's Inlet— Arrive at Cape Walker— Return homeward round the north shore of North Somerset— Deten- tion at Whaler Point— Breaking up of the ice— Return to the ship .121 CHAPTEE VI. HOMEWAED 30UND. Exploration of Cresswell Bay, by Mr. Cowie— Preparations for leaving Winter Harbour— Sawing out— Leave Batty Bay Heavy drift of ice- Forced into Elwin Bay— Get a-ground — Proceed towards Wellington Channel— Sir Edward Belcher's squadron— Proposal to remain with the North Star— Bear away for England— Arrival at Aberdeen— Results of the Expedition— Position and nrospects of Sir John Franklin and the missing ships •••... 156 APPENDIX. Correspondence with the Admiralty and the French Minister of Marine and Colonies I79 Meteorological Journal 189 LIST OP PLATES. THJ Midwinter Visit to Fury Beach (Somerset House) • . . , Separation from the Ship at Cape Skppings Process op Building a Snow- House Homeward -Bound from Beechey Island — Cape Riley Map .... Frontispiece, to face page "1 tofacepaffe79 to face page 169 to face Chapter I. VARIETY 01 BY SIR WANT OF INSTRUCl THE ER LETTERS JAMES; , TERROR : DANNETT — FIRST SHIPS Al " PRINCE It is per] ditions whi( SECOND VOYAGE OP THE PEINCE ALBERT. INTRODUCTION. VARIETY OF OPINIONS AS TO THE DIRECTION TAKEN BY SIR JOHN franklin's EXPEDITION — GENERAL WANT OF ACCURATE INFORMATION AS TO FRANKLIN's INSTRUCTIONS — THE ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS TO THE EREBUS AND TERROR IN JE!XT:EySO — LAST LETTERS FROM SIR JOHN FRANKLIN, CAPT. FITZ- JAMES, AND MRS. BLENKY THE EREBUS AND TERROR LAST SEEN BY CAPT. MARTIN AND CAPT. DANNETT OF THE WHALER " PRINCE OF WALES " — FIRST INTELLIGENCE OF TRACES OF THE MISSING SHIPS AT CAPE RILEY BROUGHT HOME BY THE (f PRINCE ALBERT. » It is perhaps a natural result of the various Expe- ditions which have left this coimtry within the last B ^'iii u INTRODUCTION. few years, in search of Sir John Franklin, that, amidst the universal interest excited in the fate of the missing vessels, the circumstances under which Franklin's own Expedition left England, now up- wards of six years ago, have been in some degree lost sight of. Nothing is more common in conversation, and in the statements of the daily press, and even in publications of higher pretensions, than to find plans and proposals brought forward for the relief of our absent countrymen — professedly based upon what are believed to have been Franklin's instructions, but which turn out, upon inquiry, to have formed no part either of his instructions, or of his inten- tions. Under such circumstances, I have felt that I can- not better introduce the following narrative of one of the latest attempts which have been made to pene- trate the mystery which still unfortunately envelops the fate of the Erebus and Terror, than by placing before my reader the instructions issued to the Expedition, on its leaving England in the spring of 1845, of which the following is an authentic copy. SIR Copy oflnatr Her Ma, By the i High A Britain ^ 1. Her Mi dient that a accomplishm( Atlantic to ti portion only proper to apj to be fitted Majesty's SI hereby requii shall be in al in the « Erel Her Majest; having been with you th heen directs of carrying o other stores. 2. On put place, by sucl in, that, e fate of 5r which low up- »ree lost ersation, even in id plans ■ of our )n what 'uctions, formed 8 inten- 1 1 can- f one of 3 pene- invelops placing to the spring ithentic SIR JOHN franklin's INSTRUCTIONS. Ill Copy of Instructions to Captain Sir John Franklin, K.C.H., Her Majesty's Ship Erebus, dated 5M May, 1845. By the Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 1. Her Majesty's Government having deemed it expe- dient that a further attempt should be made for the accomplishment of a north-west passage by sea from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, of which passage a small portion only remains to be completed, we have thought proper to appoint you to the command of the expedition to be fitted out for that service, consisting of Her Majesty's Ships " Erebus" and " Terror;" and you are hereby required and directed, so soon as the said ships shall be in all respects ready for sea, to proceed forthwith in the " Erebus" under your command, taking with you Her Majesty's ship "Terror," her captain (Crozier) having been placed by us under yoiu* orders, taking also with you the " Barretto Junior," transport, which has been directed to be put at your disposal for the purpose of carrying out portions of your provisions, clothing, and other stores. 2. On putting to sea, you are to proceed, in the first place, by such a route as, from the wind and weather, you B 2 it INTRODUCTION. SIB, may deem to be the most suitable for dispatch, to Davis' Strait, taking the transport with you to such a distance up that Strait as you may be able to proceed without impediment from ice, being careful not to risk that vessel by allowing her to be set in the ice, or exposed to any violent contact with it ; you will then avail yourself of the earliest opportunity of clearing the transport of the provisions and stores with which she is charged for the use of the expedition, and you are then to send her back to England, giving to the agent or master such directicms for his guidance as may appear to you most proper, and reporting by that opportunity your proceed- ings to our secretary for our information. 3. Tou will then proceed in the execution of your orders into Baffin's Bay, and get as soon as possible to the western side of the Strait, provided it should appear to you that the ice chiefly prevails on the eastern side or near the middle, the object being to enter Lancaster Sound wi^h as little delay as possible ; but as no specific directions can be given, owing to the position of the ice varying from year to year, you will, of course, be guided by your own observations as to the course most eligible to be taken, in order to ensure a speedy arrival in the Sound above mentioned. 4. As, ho' to be fitted ^ be used on between ma calm, we tru be much ol in the ships cases of diffi 5. Lancas Barrow Stra any impedii quently by \ any obstacle having also ; to Melville any, or very portion of ' Strait may andinproce stop to exar southward i westward w 74i", tm yo of land on v '^w-^^ 1-.I to Davis' I distance [ without risk that :posed to I yourself isport of arged for send her iter such ^ou most proceed- of your ssible to d appear 1 side or Lancaster ) specific ' the ice 8 guided b eligible d iu the SIR. JOHN PHANKLIN's INSTRUCTIONS. ▼ 4. As, however, we have thought fit to cause each ship to be fitted with a small steam-engine and propeller, to be used only in pushing the ships through channels between masses of ice, when the wind is adverse or in a calm, we trust the difficulty usually found in such cases will be much obviated, but as the supply of fuel to be taken in the ships is necessarily small, you will use it only in cases of difficulty. 5. Lancaster Sound, and its conlinuation through Barrow Strait, having been four times navigated without any impediment by Sir Edward Parry, and since fre- quently by whaling ships, vdll probably be found without any obstacles from ice or islands ; and Sir Edward Parry having also proceeded from the latter in a straight course to Melville Island, and returned without experiencing any, or very little difficulty, it is hoped that the remaining portion of the passage, about 900 miles, to Bhering's Strait may also be found equally free from obstruction ; and in proceeding to the westward, therefore, you will not stop to examine any openings either to the northward or southward in that Strait, but continue to push to the westward without loss of time in the latitude of about 74^", till you have reached the longitude of that portion of land on which Cape "Walker is situated, or about 98" ■/ / iimJj fi INTRODUCTION. west. From that point we desire that every effort be used to endeavour to penetrate to the southward and westward, in a course as direct towaida Bhering's Strait as the position and extent of the ice, or the existence of land, at present unknown, may admit. 6. We direct you to this particular part of the Polar Sea as affording the best prospect of accomplishing the passage to the Pacific, in consequence of the unusual magnitude and apparently fixed state of the barrier of ice observed by the "Hecla" and "Griper," in the year 1820 off Cape Dundas, the south-western extremity of Melville Island ; and we, therefore, consider that loss of time would be incurred in renewing the attempt in that direction ; but should your progress in the direction be- fore ordered be arrested by ice of a permanent appearance, and that when passing the mouth of the Strait between Devon and OornwaUis's Islands, you had observed that it was open and clear of ice, we desire that you will duly consider, with reference to the time already consumed, as well as to the symptoms of a late or early close of the season, whether that channel -might not offer a more practicable outlet from the Archipelago, and a more ready access to the open sea, where there would be neither islands nor banks to arrest ard fix the floating masses of SIR JOHN FRANKLIN S INSTRUCTIONS. VU ice, and if you should have advanced too far to the ^outh- westward to render it expedient to adopt this new course before the end of the present season, and if, therefore, you should have determined to winter in that neighbour- hood, it will be a matter for your mature deliberation, whether in the ensuing season you would proceed by the above-mentioned Strait, or whether you would persevere to the south-westward, according to the former directions. 7. You are well aware, having yourself been one of the intelligent travellers who have traversed the American shore of tho Polar Sea, that the groups of islands that stretch from that shore to the northward to a distance not yet known do not extend to the westward further than about the 120th degree of western longitude, and that beyond this, and to Bhering's Strait no land is visible from the American shore of the Polar Sea. 8. Should you be so fortunate as to accomplish a passage through Bhering's Strait, you are then to proceed to the Sandwich Islands, to refit the ships and refresh the crews, and if during your stay at such place, a safe opportunity should occur of sending one of your officers or despatches to England by Panama, you are to avail yourself of such opportunity to forward to us as full a detail of your pro- ceedings and discoveries as the nature of the conveyance VIU INTRODUCTION. may admit of,and in the event of no such opportunity offer- ing during your stay at the Sandwich Islands, you are on quitting them to proceed with the two ships under your command off Panama, there to land an officer with such despatches, directing him to make the best of his way to England with them, in such a manner as our Consul at Panama shall advise, after which you are to lose no time in returning to England by way of Cape Horn. 9. If at any period of your voyage the season shaU be 80 far advanced as to make it unsafe to navigate the ships, and the health of your crews, the state of the ships and aU concurrent circumstances should combine to in- duce you to form the resolution of wintering in those regions you are to use your best endeavours to discover a sheltered and safe harbour, where the ships may be placed in r3curity for the winter, taking such measures for the health and comfort of the people committed to your charge as the materials with which you are provided for housing in the ships may enable you to do-and if you should find it expedient to resort to this measure, and you should meet with any inhabitants, either Esqui- maux or Indians, near the place where you winter, you are to endeavour by eveiy means in your power to cul- tivate a friendship with them, by mating them presents SIR JOHN franklin's INSTRUCTIONS. IX of such articles as you may be supplied with, and which may be useful or agreeable to them ; you will, however, I take care not to suffer yourself to be surprised by them, [but use every precaution, and be constantly on your guard against any hostility ; you will, by offering rewards to be paid in such manner as you may think best, pre- vail on them to carry to any of the settlements of the Hudson's Bay Company, an account of your situation aud proceedings, with an urgent request that it may I be forwarded to England with the utmost possible [ dispatch. 10. In an undertaking of this description, much must I be always left to the discretion of the commanding officer, land as the objects of this Expedition have been fully explained to you, and you have already had much experience on service of this nature, we are convinced I we cannot ilo better than leave it to your judgment in the event of your not making a passage this season, either to winter on the coast with the view of following up next season any hopes or expectations which your observations this year may lead you to entertain, or to return to England to report to us the result of such observations, always recollecting our anxiety for the health, comfort and safety, of yourself, your officers and 't:ii INTRODUCTION. men ; and you will duly weigh how far the ad»':intage8 of starting next season from an advanced position may be counterbalanced by what may be suffered during the winter, and by the want of such refreshment and reHtting as would be afforded by your return to England. 11. We deem it right to caution you against suffering the two vessels placed under your orders to separate, except in the event of accident or unavoidable necessity; and we desire you to keep up the most unreserved communications with the commander of the " Terror " pkcing in him every proper confidence, and acquainting him with the general tenor of your orders, and with your views and intentions x'rom time to time in the execution of them, that the service may have the full benefit of your united efforts in the prosecution of such a service; and that in the event of unavoidable separation, or of any accident to yourself. Captain Crozier may have the advantage of knowing up to the latest practicable period all your ideas and intentions relative to a satisfactoiy completion of this interesting undertaking. 12. We also recommend, that as frequent an exchange take place as conveniently may bo of the observations made in the two ships; that any scientific discovery made by the one, be as quickly as possible communicated SIR JOHN franklin's INSTrUCTTONS. u for the advantage and guidance of the other, in inakirg their future observations, and to increase the probability of the observations of both bf-ng pi-eserved. 13. We have caused a gtv a.v /ariety of valuable instru- ments to be put on board the ships under your orders, of which you will be furnished with a list, and for the return of which you will be held responsible; among these are instruments of the latep*- improvements for making a series of observations on terrestrial magnetism, whicu are at this time peculiarly desirable and strongly recommended by the President and Council of the Eoyal Society, that the important advantage be derived from observations taken in the North Polar Sea, in co-operation with the observers who are at present carrying on an uniform system at the magnetic observatories established by England in her distant territories, and through her influence in other parts of the world ; and the more desirable is this co-operation in the present year, when these splendid establishments which do so much honour to the nations who have cheerfully erected them at a great expense, are to cease. The only magnetical observations that have been obtained very partially in the Arctic Eegions are now a quarter of a century old, and it is known that the phenomena are subject to 1 ,1 ,'u (i-l r^i w lilt 1 iiiiil III XU INTRODUCTION. considerf^ble secular changes. It is also stated by ColoneJ Sabine that the instruments and methods of observation have been so greatly improved that the earlier observations are not to be named in point of precision with those which would now be made ; and he concludes by observing that the passage through the Polar Sea would afford the most important service that now remains to be performed towards the completion of the magnetic survey of the globe. 14. Impressed with the importance of this subject we I have deemed it proper to request Lieut.-Colonel Sabine to allow Commander Fitzjames to profit by his valuable instructions, and we direct you therefore to place this I important branch of science under the immediate charge of Commander Fitzjames ; and as several other officers have also received similar instructions at Woolwich you will therefore cause observations to be made daily on board each of the ships whilst at sea (and when not prevented by weather and other circumstances), on the magnetic variation, dip and intensity, noting at the time the temperature of the air, and of the sea at the surface and at different depths ; and you will be careful that in harbour and on other favourable occasions those observa- tions shall be attended to, by means of which the influence ■^v... SIR JOHN FRANKLIN S INSTRUCTIONS. xm j of the ship's iron on the result obtained at sea may be computed and allowed for. 15. In the possible event of the ships being detained during a winter in the high latitudes, the Expedition has been supplied with a portable observatory, and with instruments similar to those which are eraployed in the fixed magnetical and meteorological observatories insti- tuted by Her Majesty's Grovernment in several of the British colonies. 16. It is our desire that in case of such detention observations should be made with these instruments according to the system adopted in the aforesaid obser- vatories, and detailed directions will be supplied for this purpose, which with the instructions received at Woolwich, will be found, as we confidently anticipate, to afibrd full and sufficient guidance for such observations, which will derive from their locality peculiar interest and a high theoretical value. 17. "We have also directed instruments to be especially provided for observations on atmospherical refraction at very low altitudes, in case of the Expedition being detained during a winter in the high latitudes ; on this subject also particular directions will be supplied, and you will aua any other meteorological observations that may occur to you of general utility ; you will also take occasion, to I XIV INTRODUCTION. try the depth of the sea and nature of the bottom, the rise, direction and strength of the tides, and the set and velocity of currents. 18. And you are to understand that although the effecting a passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific is the main object of this expedition, yet that the ascertaining the true geographical position of the different points of land near which you may pass, so far as can be effected without detention of the ships in their progress west- ward, as well as such other observations as you may have opportunities of making in natural history, geography, &c. in parts of the globe either wholly unknown or little visited, must prove most valuable and interesting to the science of our country ; and we therefore desire you to give your unremitting attention, and to call that of all the officers under your command to these points, as being objects of high interest and importance. 19. Por the purpose not only of ascertaining the set of the currents in the Arctic seas, but also of affording more frequent chances of hearing of your progress, we desire that you do frequently after you have passed the latitude 65o north, and once every day when you shall be in an ascertained current, throw overboard a bottle or copper cylinder closely sealed, and containing a paper stating the date and position at which it is launched, and you SIR JOK.. franklin's INSTRUCTIONS. XV will give similar orders to the commander of the " Terror," to be executed in case of separation, on which is printed in several languages, a request, that whoever may find j it should take measures for transmitting it to this office. 1 20. You are to make use of every means in your power to collect and preserve specimens of the animal, mineral, and vegetable kingdoms, should circumstances place such within your reach without causing your detention ; and of the larger animals, you are to cause accurate drawings to be made to accompany and elucidate the descriptions of them. In this, as well as in every other part of your scientific duty, we trust that you will receive material assistance from the officers under your command, several j of whom are represented to us as well-qualified in these respects. 21. In the e\ :nt of any irreparable accident happening to either of the two ships, you are to cause the officers and crew of the disabled ship to be removed into the other, and with her singly, to proceed in prosecution of the voyage, or return to England, according as circum- stances shall appear to require, understanding that the officers and crews of both ships are hereby authorised and required to continue to perform the duties, according to their respective ranks and stations, on board either ship to which they may be so removed in the event of an XVI INTRODUCTION. '"if occurrence of this nature. Sbc^ld unfortunately your own ship be the one disabled, yoti are in that ewe to take the command of the " Terror ;" and in the event of any fatal accident happening to yourself, Captain Crozier is hereby authorized to take the command of the " Erebus," placing the oflScer of the Expedition who may then be next in seniority to him in command of the "Terror." Also in the event of your own inability by sickness, or otherwise, at any period of this service, to continue to carry these instructions into execution, you are to transfer them to the officer the next in command to you employed on the Expedition, who is hereby required to execute them in the best manner he can for the attain- 1 ment of the several objects herein set forth. 22. You are, while executing the service pointed out in these instructions, to take every opportunity that may offer of acquainting our secretary for our information with your progress, and on your arrival in England, you are immediately to repair to this office, in order to lay before us a full account cff your proceedings in the whole course of your voyage ; taking care before you leave the ship to demand from the officers, petty officers, and all other persons on board, the logs and journals they may have kept ; together with any drawings or charts they may have made, which are all to be sealed up ; and you SIR JOHN franklin's INSTRUCTIONS. Xvii will issue similar directions to Captain Crozier and his officers. The said logs, jounials, or other documents to be thereafter disposed of as we may think proper to determine. 23. In the event of England becoming involved in hostilities with any other power during your absence, you are nevertheleca clearly to understand that you are not on any account to commit any hostile act whatsoever ; the expedition under your orders being only intended for the purpose of discovery and science, and it being the practice of all civilized mtions to consider vessels so employed as excluded from the operations of war : and confiding in this feeling, we should trust that you would receive every assistance from the ships or subjects of any foreign power which you may fall in with ; but special application to that effect has been made to the respective Governments. Given under our hands this 5th day of May, 1845. (Signed) Haddington. G. COCKBFEN. W. H. Gage. Sir John FbankliNjK.C.H. Captain of H. M.S. " Erebus," at Woolwich. By command of their Lordships, (Signed) W. A. B. Hamilton. c *|V fi 4 '1 u \m\ I*, i! iliiiiiliil I XYIU INTRODUCTION. ■illi The latest communication received from Franklin, subsequent to his departure from England, is dated 11th July, 1845, from Whale Fish Islands, and is addressed to his old friend Colonel Sabine. After stating that the Erebus and Terror had on board provisions and stores for three years, complete from that date, i.e. up to July, 1848, he continues — " I hope my dear wife and daughter will not be over anxious if 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 experience when that arrives ; for you know well that even after the second winter, without success in our object, we should wish to try some other channel, if the state of our provisions and the health of the crews justify it/' On the following day (12th July,) Captain Fitz- james wrote to his friend Mr. Barrow — "We shall start with three years provisions and the engine ! We hear that this is supposed to be a clear season, but however, clear or not clear, we must go ahead, as the Yankees have it, and if we don't get through it won't be our fault." The Erebus was spoken on the 22nd of the same LETTER PROM CAPT. PENNY. xix month by Captain Martin of the Enterprise, in lat. 75o 10' N., and long. 660 W. The information of Captain Martin, as communicated in the foUowing letter to the "Times" newspaper, by Captain Penny, is important, not only as containing the evidence of I the person who last spoke the Erebus, but also from j the cheering assurance it affords us of the providence and foresight evinced by Franklin while yet on the very threshold of his enterprise :— Aberdeen, Bee. 20, 1851. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. SiE,— I have lately been at Peterhead (my native Jplace), and have learnt a very important fact from my old jacquaintance Captain Martin, who, when commanding Itlie whaler Enterprise in 1845, was the last person to [communicate with Sir John Franklin. The Enterprise was alongside the Erebus in Melville Bay, and Sir John invited Captain Martin to dine with bim, which the latter declined doing, as the wind was fair jto go south ; Sir John, while conversing with Captain Martin told him that he had five years provisions, which U could make last seven, and his people were busily kaged in salting down birds, of which they had jeveral casks full akeady, and twelve men were out c 2 II '>ll llHiilil ! Illl .Hill! XX INTRODUCTION. shooting more. To see such determination and foresight at that early period is really wonderful, and must give us the greatest hopes. I asked Captain Martin why he had not mentioned this before ? He said that he did not at first think it of I any importance, and that when Lady Franklin was at Peterhead about two years ago, he did not like to intrude upon her Ladyship (not having the honour of knowing her) during her short stay. He is a man of the strictest integrity, whose word I can depend upon. Ho has an| independent fortune, which he got by fishing. Your most obedient servant, William Pefttt. The remarkable statement of Captain Martin isl corroborated in a very striking manner by Mrsj Blenky, who, in the following letter, addressed the " Morning Herald," ^ives an interesting extractl from the last commmiication she received from hen husband, a man of great experience, the ice-mastei| of the Terror, then in Bafl&n's Bay. TO THE EDITOE OE THE "MORNING HEBALD." Sm,— Knowing the interest which is now feit the question of Sir John Franklin's long absence, I venj ture to offer you for publication in the "Morni LETTER PROM MRS. BLENKY. 1X1 Herald," an extract from the last letter I received from I ray husband, who is ice-master on board the Terror, which jwill sliew that they looked forward to the possibility of Ibeing detained much longer than had been generally I supposed. I may state that my husband was previ 'isly out with I Sir John Rosa in the Victory, when they were so many jyears missing. The letter was written on board the JTerror at Disco Island, and is dated July 12th, 1845. jHe says:—" The seaion is a very open one, much such Ian one as when we came out with Captain Ross. We jare all in good health and spirits, one and all appearing Ito be of the same determination, that is to persevere in jmaking a passage to the North-west. Should we not be at home in the faU of 1848, or early in the spring of 1849, you may anticipate that we have made the passage, or Ukely to do so ; and if so, it may be from five to six jrears-it might be into the aeventh-ere we return; and should it be so, do not allow any person to dishearten fou on the length of our absence, but look^rward with bope that Providence will at length of time restore us safely to you." I am, &c., Esther Blenky. 21, Hope-street, Liverpool, Feb. 6, 1852. xxu INTRODUCTION. '''ill I fear all this will be very heavy reading to some into whose hands this little book may probably fall. I have some hopes, however, that the reader who haa had the patience to wade through these details will accompany us, perhaps not the less readily, through our Arctic journey, if he has been brought to share the conviction which animated my own mind in under- taking that division of the search which it is the object of the following pages to record — a conviction not in the least impaired by what I have seen and heard in the course of the last eighteen months, and which is simply this : that Franklin and his devoted companions have only not been heard of up to this time, because they have penetrated far beyond the reach of any means of relief, hitherto supplied to| them. The field of search presented by the immense area of the Polar basin, compared with what has actually been accomplished in the way of examining it, is so vast, that any conclusion which would depre cate as hopeless all further inquiry into the fate ofj our missing countrymen, (resting upon the merely negative evidence of the absence of any trace or intelligence of them up to this time), is in my humble '■I! LAST VIEW OF FRANKLIN's SHIPS. XXUl opinion, both premature and inconsiderate in the highest degree. Not to digress, however, into a subject which would lead me much beyond the limits of an intro- ductory chapter, it remains only to add (having traced the positive intelligence from the Expedition thus far, and shewn with what feelings they all appear to have been animated on entering upon their work) that the Erebus and Terror were seen once more, and for the last time, on the 26th July, 1845, by Captain Dannett of the whaler Prince of Wales. The ships were at that time in lat. 74'' 48' N., and long. 66o 13' W. moored to an iceberg, and awaiting an opening in the middle ice to enable them to cross over to Lan- caster Sound. How, from that time to this, long weary years of conflicting anxiety and hope have elapsed without any tidings of them ;— how the fair trust and confi- dence which followed their departure from England, became gradually darkened by a feeling of anxiety and uncertainty for their fate;— how vessel after vessel was despatched, in the vain effort (hitherto at least in vain) of afi'ording them relief ;— how un- I ' 1* '^i^ XXIV INTRODUCTION. ""11 certainty gradually gave place to absurd and lying tales, such as idle men and a somewhat too cre- dulous public alone know how to propagate and to receive : — all these things we know, and I need not therefore occupy the reader's time in telling them. Suffice it to say that in the fall of the year 1850, the first ray of intelligence reached us of the movements of the lost ones ; which, feeble as it was, and little of positive information as it conveyed, was sufficient lo stir the heart of all England, shewing that her fears had been premature, and setting at rest the then prevailing opinion that the ships had foundered in Baffin's Bay, 'ere they had even gained the entrance of Lancaster Sound. The Prince Albert, a little vessel fitted out by the untiring devotion of Lady Franklin, assisted by the liberality of a few private friends and public-spirited philanthropists, had, after a remarkable voyage to the Arctic seas, in the year' 1850, brought back informa- tion of the discovery of traces of the missing Expe- dition at the entrance of Wellington Channel, which left no doubt of their having passed the winter of 1845-6 in that neighbourhood. Without a moment's I RE-EQUIPMENT OP THE PRINCE ALBERT. XXV hesitation, or count of the sacrifice of her already over-taxed means. Lady Franklin resolved to re-equip the Prince Albert for a second search ; and from a number of volunteers for this noble service, I had the honour and privilege of being selected to command the Expedition, having the previous year made an offer of my services while residing in Canada. 'xm ihii t I x - -■'"-— •«T"T?^'i''7T'*y ili; Pi ■' iiiii ' W' iliP;'; ^'1 !|,i ,1 I iiii it ininvua ai mtjupunvyrar^ u wv. owsmith/. ( F] *'THE PRI FOR HE STRENGl THE CR] PAY LI] POINTED BY H. R ARRIVAL DE ARTU TIONS S It was a 1851, when from Lend I harbour of j looking era yacht, or ph along the ] some unusu were going < CHAPTER I. FROM ABERDEEN TO CAPE FAREWELL. *'THE PRINCE ALBERT" FITTING OUT AT ABERDEEN FOR HER SECOND VOYAGE TO THE POLAR SEAS- STRENGTHENING FOR THE ICE — DESCRIPTION OP THE CREW, AND STATEMENT OP THEIR AGES AND PAY— LIEUT. BELLOT OF THE FRENCH NAVY AP- POINTED SECOND IN COMMAND—ORGAN PRESENTED BY H. R. H. PRINCE ALBERT— LEAVE ABERDEEN- ARRIVAL AT THE ORKNEYS— CARRIER PIGEONS— DE ARTURE FOR THE ARCTIC SEAS— OUR INSTRUC- TIONS — SIGHT CAPE FAREWELL. It was a beautiful morning, on the 5th of May, 1851, when, after a smart run in the Royal Adelaide ^ from London, I found myself in the snug Uttle I harbour of Aberdeen, pacing the deck of a small fairy- looking craft, which might have been taken for a I yacht, or pleasure boat, intended for a summer cruize along the picturesqu' shores of Scotland, but for some unusual and queer-looking preparations which were going on, on board of her. First, there was a 1 ^ ^ :■; 1- '■■^ i/Trnrol Mardoueal S B. SaJurl. JohTLArrowsmilK. 28 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. mysterious metamorphosis taking place in the upper region of the main-mast, the effect of which, when completed, was to convert a handsome symmetrical little ketch, or schooner, into a rather awkward top-heavy-looking lom Thumb of a brig, of some ninety tons burden. Along the sides, from the keel to about two feet above the water line, there was a doubling of American elm planking, two and a lialf inches thick. The bows and stem post were sheathed with wrought iron of about a quarter of an inch in thickness, with a broad strip of thick sheet iron along the water line as far aft as the foremast. Her hold was a perfect labyrinth of cross-beams, one set running across the vessel at distances of about ten feet apart, midway between the kelson and the beams, and another crossing these at right angles, and firmly secured to the bottom and deck. The forepart of the vessel had in addition what whalers call "poin- ters,'' that is, a scantling, six inches square, running from the kelson to midway up to the beams arouP'l the larboard and port curves of the bow. It was in fact the Prince Albert, fitting out for \jr pro- posed renewed search for Sir John Franklin, by way . < THE ship's company. 29 of Prince Regent's Inlet—an important part of the field of search for the missing Arctic Expedition, which neither the squadron under Captain Austin's orders, nor Captain Penny's expedition, at that time engaged in the service, were able to provide for; and which it was not to be expected that the American Expedition, generously fitted out by Mr. GrinneU, would undertake to perform. While our sailing master Mr. John Leask (a vete- ran whali:^g captain, who had the previous winter filled the post of ice-master in the North Star,) is engaged in superintending these operations, let us introduce you to our little ship's company. First, we have from Aberdeen four stalwart fellows, who had sailed with Captain Forsyth in the Albert's last voyage— Henry Anderson, first mate; Robert Grate, boat- swain; James Glennie, cook; and Alexander Mathe- son, able seaman. Next come three Shetlanders— John kSmith, who had also made the voyage, and came with the highest recommendation for his steady and faithful conduct, in consequence of which he has now been appointed clerk in charge; his brother, Gideon; and William Adamson, who had 30 SJCOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. likll,, M' Jilil w m i!>iii!!:i In i accompanied Dr. Rae in his first journey to Repulse Bay. Richard "Webb, a smart dashing fellow from London, who had accompanied Sir John Richardson in his boat journey through North America, goes out with us as engineer, in the event of our being abl'^ to make any use of the steam- launch, left by feir James Ross at Port Leopold. Our carpenter is Kenneth Sutherland, six feet high, a green hand, in every sense of the term, who if not like FalstaflF, a wit himself, is certainly like him destined throughout the voyage to be a cause of wit in others, but withal an honest, steady and industrious man. Four other veteran and hardy seamen, viz. Andrew Irvine, Magnus McCunus, Andrew Link- later, and William Millar, afterwards to be shipped at Stromness in the Orkneys, will complete our complement of twelve excellent and experienced working hands. Our muster-roll of officers is rather a large one- Mr. John Hepburn, a name familiar to Arctic voy- asers. as the faithful attendant and sharer in the fierils and privations of Sir John Franklin's first adventurous, and in some respects tragic journey LIST OF THE CREW. 31 through North America, goes out in his old age, as the best tribute he can render, of his affection for his ancient commander; Mr. Robert Cowie, a mem- Iber of a family I had long known and esteemed, has Ikindly offered his sen-jes as Medical Officer to the JExpedition.* Together with those already mentioned. The following is a complete list of the crew, with their rank v&ges, and pay per mouth. * WM. Kennedy, Commander. J. Bellot, second in command. Naubs. ■John Leask . . , iJohn Hepburn . . |Robt. Cowie . . . John Smith . . . Henry Anderson wnneth Sutherland Robert Grate . Richard Webb [/ames Glennie Alex. Matheson 'Vm. Adamson Sideon Smith Andrew Irvine . Andrew Linklater "iVm. MiUar . . . Jagnus McCurrus . Master . . . Supercargo . Medical . . Clerk in charge Chief Mate . Carpenter . . Boatswain Steward Cook . Seaman >» Blacksmith Seaman >> » 56 62 27 30 29 28 S3 28 50 30 39 28 46 47 33 45 £. s. d 12 10 4 3 4 6 6 5 5 6 5 & 4 3 10 3 6 8 3 15 3 16 3 3 Per Annum, £ £. s. d. 144 120 60 60 72 60 60 72 60 48 42 40 45 45 36 36 990 Besides the above wages the crew received, as gratuities, all the * Pothmg supplied them from the ship, and extra comforts, making peir entire remuneration considerably higher. U' I -I :t^ talJ 89 SECOND VOYAOE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. i I'll Mona. Bellot and myself, we have thus a total com- plement of eighteen in all. Mons. Bellot is a young I French naval officer distinguished in his own service, who has joined us as second in command, under circumstances so honourable to himself and to the gallant nation to which he belongs, that I make no apology for inserting here, with his permission, the generous offer of his services to Lady Franklin, which | led to the securing of his invaluable co-operation mi our little Expedition. M. BELLOT TO ME. KENNEDY. Rochefort aur Mer, 18th March, 1851. SiB, —I am informed that you are about to commandl the Prince Albert. Since the inquiries about his (Sir Johnj Franklin's) fate were begun, I always felt the greatesti regret not to be in Europe to partake of the labounl undergone by so many brave men that went in quest ofl the illustrious Lord Franklin. His Lordship's glory andl success have made him a citizen of the world, and it isl but justice that all seamen should take the most livelyj interest in his fate. I would be peculiarly proud, Sir, to have your consent! M. bellot's lettkh. 33 to serving under your onlers in such an lionourablo expedition. I have been now some years in the French service, and ii zeal and devotedness may be relied upon, I can afford them to the greatest satisfaction of my wishes. It would not be, for the first time, sharing fatigues and hard circumstances with English sailors, as I assisted to an action against the natives of Madagascar in 1848, in company of H. M. Frigate Conway ; I was wounded there at the same time as Lieut. Kennedy, and wish he were a relative of yours. I wrote to our Navy Secretary for a leave of absence, and to Lady Franklin, but would not do so before warning you of it. I hope. Sir, there may be no objection to my being employed under your orders, and heg of you to give communication of my letter to Lady Franklin. Please believe me. Sir, Tour most humble servant, (Signed) J. Bellot, Lieut. French Navy, Knight of the Legion of Honour. To this letter, after communicating with Lady Franklin and receiving her sanction, I made the following answer : her Ladyship having herself replied to the letter she had received from M. Bellot. mi T r 84 8KCOND VOYAOE OP THl PRINCE ALBERT. London, Igt of May, 1852, Dear Sir, Your letter of the 18th March, conveying the generous offer of your services to Lady Franklin, to assist in the search for her gallant husband, unfortunately did not reach me here (owing to its being detained a con- fiiderable time at Aberdeen), until all the arrangemi > ts for the fitting out of the Prince Albert, and the appoir i ^ of her officers and men, had been completed. I should inform you that the present expedition, like that of last year, is a private one, fitted out partly by subscription, but chiefly on the strength of the remaining resources of Lady Tranklin herself. Our little vessel measures only 90 tons, and her complement of officers and men, numbers only eighteen. If, however, after being made aware of these facts, you are still not entirely discouraged, and would like to witness our preparations, and to confer with me on the subject, you had better come over to England with the least possible delay. By- inquiring at the Admiralty here for Mr. Barrow on your arrival, you would be instructed as to where to direct your steps. In the enclosed document, which has been prepared and circulated by Lady Pranklin's friends, with the view EEPLY TO M. BELLOT. 35 of promoting subscriptiona in aid of her funds, you will find every information as to tho means and objects of our contemplated undertaking. I have much pleasure in forwarding you the accom- panying number of the Morning Herald, one of the most respectable of our daily Journals, from which you. will find that your gaUant and generous offer has been duly recognized by the public sentiment of this country. As to myself I can only say with respect to it, that I look upon it as one of those noble deeds by which men alike distinguish themselves as individuals, md adorn the age in which they live, and that in having enlisted you, a member of the Legion of Honor, your nation have indeed chosen un vrai Chevalier. I have the honor to be, &e. T- * T r. ,w "Wm. Kexitbdt. Lieut. J. Bellot. ■••■""*. P.S.— The vessel will sail from Aberdeen on the 15th bfMay. To turn from this coup d'oBil of our little company (a most satisfactory one at the time to myself, what- ever it may be to the reader) ; let us return once lore to the ship, and the state of her t^ Jpment for |he arduous voyage on which she wa^. about to enter. D 2 ^1 \J» % WW I M 36 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. The " Prince Albert," originally destined, I believe, for the fruit trade, to and from the Azores, had been purchased by Lady Franklin from Messrs. White and Co. of Cowes, and sent to Aberdeen to undergo additional strengthening and the alteration of her rig imder the hands of Mr. Duthie, the ship- builder, for an Arctic voyage. Two splendid boats, the one a gutta-percha boat, 'presented by the Messrs. Searle of Lambeth, and the other a beau- tiful mahogany one, given by Messrs. White, were attached to her from the previous voyage, besides a Halkett's Mackintosh boat and a smaller kind of boat called a dingey, sledges and kites. I had long been of opinion that the jsearch for Sir Johii Franklin must ultimately resolve itself into a grand series of boat and land journeys, and with this view, after taking en board a supply of raw material, for mocassins, snow-shoes, dog-sledges, &c. to bel worked up in the coui?se of the voyage, I caused al " kayack^' to be construQted of tin, in imitation of) the native EsquliUnux canoe ; intending, in the evenJ of our progress in the ship, or our own boats, beiDgl arrested by any unforeseen circumstances, to adopfl *! ^ HP CARRIER PIGEONS. 37 the native method of travelling, with which, from many years residence among the Esquimaux of Labrador, I was perfectly famihar. By the liberality of the Admiralty, we were supplied with a ton and a half of excellent pemmican, which proved invaluable in the extensive winter journeys we were afterwards called upon to undertake. No expense was spaxed in furnishing us with everything else considered necessary for the particular service we were to be engaged upon. Provisions, in full quantity, and in the providing of which no expense had been spared, were placed on board, amply sufficient for two years. The means of communicating with our good friends in England were not overlooked among our other • preparations for the voyage. A relay of couriers, fit for the service of an Emperor, and warranted free from the annual « Christmas-box" imposition of their confreres of St. Martin's le Grand, were secured for the special department of the Post-office of the Prince Albert, in the shape of six carrier pigeons supplied to us by the liberality of Mr. Hodgson of Kennington, with one who had precedence of the rest, coming to us with the style and title of "Lady fci ' i'Tl^ Ijli'K ll 38 SECOND VOYAGE OP THE PRINCE ALBERT. Ross," from Miss Dunlop of Annan Hill of Ayrshire. Lastly, our little vessel was honoured by the gift of an organ from His Royal Highness Prince Albert, of which the value, great as it was to us on our long and dreary voyage, was enhanced by the gracious terms in which the favour was conveyed. Having completed our preparations by the 22nd May, the Prince Albert left Aberdi . harbour at six o'clock P.M. with the Union jack flying at the peak, and the French flag at the fore, in honour of our gallant comrade Bellot, and at four a.m. on the 25th she came safely to anchor off Stromness, after carrying away the jib-boom on the same morning, off Duncansby Head during a squall. Lady FrankKn, Miss Sophia Cracroft, and myself had in the mean- time gone round by the steamer by way of Kirkwall, where, as well as at Stromness, we left behind us many pleasing recollections of the genuine and un- affected kindness and hospitality everywhere shewn by these warm-hearted islanders. By the 3rd of June we were once more ready for sea. And now came the usual hurry and bustle of departure. Last letters were written— last visits LEAVE TL'E ORKNEYS. 39 paid, and Jack's last fareweUs to Eobina and Maggie, fairly got over, when the order was given for all hands' on board. Th«re, in our little cabin with her estimable neice, sat the truly feminine yet heroic spirit who presided over our gallant Uttle enterprise, one whose name~if her husband's is already asso' dated with the highest honours of geographical dis- I covery-will not be the less so hereafter in the hearts of EngUshmen, with honours of another kind— the most noble, devoted, and unwearied efforts to rescue or solve the fate of our missing countrymen. One by one each of our little party was introduced, land cheered by her words of wise and affectionate [counsels. If evertlree English cheers were given nth the heart's best feelings of a British saUor, fchey were given, when stepping over the vessel's side,' [)ur noble patroness waved us her last adieu and God's blessing on our voyage. ****** And now for the North-west, we exclaimed, as at Iwo P.M. on the 3rd June, with flags flying, and a lovely bland woven by the fair hands of the ladies of E RILEY — DRIVEN ABOUtl WITH THE ICE IN PRINCE REGENT's INLET — SECONjj ATTEMPT TO REACH LEOPOLD HARBOUR IN A BOA — GET SEPARATED FROM THE SHIP — ROBINSON CM-I SOE DETENTION FOR SIX WEEKS AT WHALER POINl — UNEXPECTED MEETING WITH MR. BELLOT ANDi PARTY FROM THE VESSEL. I. The coast of Greenland has little in its appearand to interest an ordinary observer. A gaunt, steril^ iron-bound shore, meets the eye in every direction relieved only by huge masses of sheer perpendici mill iiitiiii! ill COAST OP GREENLAND. 45 EENLAND — cliff rising sternly into the sky, often more than a jthousand feet high. Here and there the gloomy, Icavemous portal of some deep fiord, running many Imiles into the land, sends forth, ever and anon, its jmonstrous spawn of ice-bergs surging lazily through jthe dark green waters. Rarely— very rarely—the eye rests delightedly upon some sunny spot of ver- jdure, aU the more lovely for the surrounding desola- jtion, where some wandering Vikingr of old— the hero lof some forgotten Saga-might have set up his rest. Ion his journey to the sunny Vinland.* But bleak- ness, barrenness, and famine, this is the general aspect, and anything but an inviting-looking foretaste jit was of what we were to e..pect in those regions of "thick-ribbed ice/^ of which we were as yet but entering upon the threshold. N'importe. "A stout heart," as they say in Scotland, " always to a steep I brae." Cape Farewell is already some hundred miles [behind, and we are rapidly picking up those quaint • The old Icelandic name of Amerioa-the discovery of which, by the Northmen of Greenland, long prior to the time of Columbus, is now no longer a queetion admitting of dispute. W^i i-1 ! \ 46 SECOND VOYAGE OP THE PRINCE ALBERT. ill It I I MM I, llfl.ll old names, " Cape Desolation," (which, as the gallant Fitzjames remarked as he passed it, sounds polar enough), "Cape Comfort," "Sanderson his Hope," —the suggestive and touching memoiiab of the| struggling and patient heroism of our early Arctic | Navigators. ** And now there came both mist ond snow, And it grew wond'rous cold, And ice, mast high, came floating by As green as emerald. Through drifts the snowy cliffs I Did send a dismal sheen ; Nor shapes of men or beasts we ken, The ice was all between. With sloping masts and dripping prow, As who pursued with yell and blow, Still treads the shadow of his foe. And forwai'd bends his head. The ship drove past— loud roared the blast, And northward aye we fled." On Tuesday the 8th July, we were three-fourths | of the way up Baffin''s Bay, and nearly opposite! the little Danish colony of Upernavik. We had this morning been visited by Captains Patterson and Walker, of the whaling ships ',' Pacific" of Aberdeen, and " Jane" of Bo'ness, who breakfasted I II „ TRACES OP FRANKLIN. 47 with US, and brought with them a document which Iset our little society in a ferment. It was headed, I" Memorandum of traces of Sir John Franklin's Expedition," and was to the foUowing purport. "1st. Three graves, neatly made, with wooden fiead-boards, bearing the names of, "Wm. Braine, R.M. H.M.S. ^Erebus,' April 3, 1846, ^t. 32. "John Hartnell, A.B., H.M.S. ' Erebus.' ^t. 25. "John Torrington, Jan. 1st. H.M.S. 'Terror.' ^t. 20. "2nd. An anvil stand with remnant of coals, &c. kdications of the armourer's forge. "3rd. A large mound, with marked evidence of |ie carpenter's saw, observatory, and perhaps a shore ore house. I "4th. Scraps of clothing, canvas, cordage and bers, scattered over a large area, comprehended jitween Capes Riley and Spencer. Stacks of pro- ved meat cans were found. j" The graves and remnaiits of winter-quarters were ouped upon a sloping neck of land, to the N.E. of fechey Island. The indentation between Cape ' 1 »* 48 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. m m nl|ir: Hi 1:1 i Eiley and Beechey Island was the probable seat ofj the missing Expedition's first winter harbour. (Signed) E. W. Kane, TJ.S.N. " Baffin's Bay, of Upernavikt July 7th, 1851." This paper was given to Captain Walker by DrJ Kane of the Advance, who informed him that the " traces " had been found by Captain Penny, of th " Lady Ftanklin," in September last. About eleven a.m. our visitors returned to the ships, taking with them despatches for England enclosing a copy of the above information. The stated to us that the American discovery vessel "Advance" and "Rescue," had wintered in tli pack, and were, probably, at this time not far off,i indeed was evident from the dating of the memor dum. We lost no time, therefore, on receipt of tli deeply-interesting intelligence, in bearing up Upemavik, with the view partly of taking in son supplies for the use of our wi. , * - -y veiling partie but mainly in the hope of finding farther infoi tion there from the Americans, in which latter exf tation, however, we were doomed to be disappoint i\ COLONY OP UPERNAVIK. 49 Upemavik, which we reached on the morning of the 10th, is, -very one knows, one of that interest- ing group of htt.. colonies with which the enterprise of the Danes has dotted the west coasf of Greenland. I It was, perhaps, natural in one who had recently come from a British possession, in some respects ianalogou:, although infinitely superior in produc- jtiveness and capability of improvement— I mean the territories around Hudson^s Bay—to take some in- terest in these remarkable and unique examples of colonizing 'under difficulties/ My first impress..^ was certainly one of gratified surprise that here, considerably within the Arctic Circle, (within a degree or two in fact of the entrance of Wellington Channel, where Franklin had he remained, must, according to Isome lugubrious authorities, have long ago perished lof starvation,) there was a Christian community, not jonly Uving but after a fashion, thriving. We were linformed by the Governor that there was even at this jearly period of the season, one thousand Danish tuns jof oil and blubber stored, from the produce of the Isummer fishery. There was likewise visible evidence jin every direction of an abundance of venison, water- B 50 SISCOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. ii|?ii ill I., ,!■ rJ •I BiilhliiiJ iVli| 1 i'll fowl and eggs, as well as seals. The houses were built of wood, very small, and had a singularly araphi- bious look about them, from, being covered with tar from top to bottom, looking for all the world like so many upturned herring-boats, ready on any emer- gency to take to the water. A party of the Esquimaux, attached tc he settle- ment, had come in with the produce of some hunting excursion in which they had been enfl::aged, and I was much struck with their intelligence, and their I well-clad comfortable and healthy appearance. This | I learned was in u great measure due to the bene- volent interest of the Danish Government in their I behalf. There is not a station, I was given to understand, along the whole coast of Greenland which has not its missionary and its schoolmaster for the instruction of the natives; and judging from what we saw and learned at Upemavik, the Danish exchequer is not without material and substantial proofs of the gratitude of the poor " Innuit." Thus instructed, cared for, and their energies disciplined! and directed, the Esquimaux of Greenland give employment, as I am informed, to six ships annually,! THE AMERICAN SQUADRON. 61 in carrying the produce of their hunts and fisheries to Denmark. We took on board at Upernavik six powerful I Esquimaux dogs, and a few pairs of sealskin boots, shoes, and trousers for the use of our travelling parties, and, bidding adieu to our hospitable friends, I resumed our course northward. On the 13th, as - e had expected, we fell in with I the American squadron, at that time all well and in high spirits, after their extraordinary and unparalleled drift of eight months in the heart of the pack, through ILancaster Sound and Baffin's Bay. We kept together Itill the 4th of August, makin^ a few miles northing Igenerally every day by incessantly watching every lopening in the close packed ice, but on arriving off ^he "DeviPs Thumb," a name more quaint than all preceding names, where Melville Bay commences, ffe found it completely blocked up. Farther pro- ress in this direction being judged impracticable, redetermined to attempt a passage farther south, jeaving the Americans in about lat. 74° 30' we kccordingly proceeded southward, and struck the diddle ice in lat. 72" N. and after four days of most E 2 52 SECOND VOVAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. I I "fl difl&cult and perilous navigation succee^ied in effecting a passage through one hundred and twenty miles of densely packed ice, reaching the " west water " on the 2l8t August. We judged this a proper oppor- tunity for testing the powers of our carrier-pigeons; but after letting them all off in succession we found that no coaxing could induce them to leave the ship. Some would alight in the rigging, others would fly a few hundred yards and settle on the ice ; but they in- variably found their way back to the vessel, " Lady Ross,'' the bird which is said on a former occasion to have been dispatched from Lancaster Sound and to have arrived safe at its former home in Scotland, though without credentials of its identity or its mission, was reserved for a special emergency, namely,! to announce the discovery of Sir John Franklin, | should that happy fortune befal us. I must, there- fore, in common chivalry, except her from this I account, which must.be considered as leaving het\ fair fame untarnished to the last According to the! usual practice we had secured a considerable portioni of our provisions on deck on reaching Melville Bay,! in case of shipwreck. These were now stowed awayl 'i 111* 1! . VISITED BY ESQUIMAUX. 53 once more into the hold, the most dangerous part of the navigation being now considered as fairly past. Our passage on the whole was a most fortunate one. The much and justly dreaded middle-ice, which has I been the grave of many a goodly craft, had been passed without a single accident-not even one of those romantic "nips" which figure so dramatically in the narratives . " our predecessors. In this respect, Ithe very Lilliputian dimensions of the Prince Albert, Jupon which some croakers in England had founded |their predictions of our going to the bottom, were, I cannot help thinking, under Providence, our greatest ^ecurity, Tuesday, August 26^^.- -Found ourselves, after a fine run through comparatively open water, off Pond's Bay. We were here for the first and last time ^uring onr voyage visited by a smaU party of four Esquimaux, who reported, having seen some ' moons' previously two ships proceeding southward, which I Jiave reason to believe could" Lave been no other than Ihe American Squadron, while drifting down Lan- Ner Sound in the pack. Our ChanceUor of the fchequer, Mr. John Smith, having some acquaint- 54 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. it '':^ ' . ii 1^ ' iiiiiii mmm "&<'. ance with the Esquimaux language, contrived to extract some useful information from our visitors, who were, to do them justice, disposed to be friendly and communicative to the utmost of their power. One of them, who seemed to have a turn for hydrography, or at any rate had used his eyes to some purpose during] his travels, drew with a piece of chalk on the deck, i very correct delineation of the Inlet, leading out of I Pond's Bay as far as Navy Board Inlet, and again of Admiralty Inlet for a considerable distance inland, Having extracted what we could from them in the shape of news, the idea struck some metaphysical I mind of our party to try the effect of " music on thel savage breast/' Accordingly the organ was brouglit| on deck and set going, and its effect, whatever it| may be in poetry, was anything but "soothing' upon our visitors. From the first, it was evidentljj regarded as possessed of some mysterious powenj of life and volition, 'which they acknowledged m dancing and singing around it in the most uproar] ions manner. One poor fellow was particularlj distinguished by the oddity and extravagance of behaviour. At the first note he was observed REACH LANCASTER SOUND. 55 "grin horribly a ghastly smile/' — this was followed by a wlioop, and a yell, and a leap in the air; as if he were possessed by a legion of demons ; and so he went on leaping, and howling, and using all the frantic gesticulations of a madman, till in mercy to the poor creature's wits, we were forced to stop the organ and his extacies together. A singular atmospheric phenomenon may be mentioned ''en passant," in connection with this visit of the Esquimaux, proving the highly conduc- tive properties of the atmosphere in these latitudes under certain conditions. Long before they reached the vessel, their voices, and even their well known salutation " chimo," could be plainly distinguished, although at a distance which we estimated could not have been under six or eight miles. From Pond's Bay, we had upon the whole a favourable passage through Lancaster Sound, in spite of some strong easterly gales, which raised a very heavy and dangerous swell among the loose ice, to avoid which it was necessary to keep the vessel continually dodging and tacking, oif and on, across the Sound. It was the 3rd of September before we s ;i1 •••'■tl 'h: f ■! I , r < if I 1 lllj illr II lilt i li III; 56 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. were suflBciently advanced through Ba tow's Straits, to attempt putting our long cherish ^d resolution of visiting Cape Eiley in search of the traces of Sir John Franklin, already described, into execution) but after repeatedly bearing up for the North Land, through heavy fogs, alternating with showers of rain and snow, with continued heavy gales from the East and North-east, we found that the dense accumula- tion of ice, rendered farther progress in this direction altogether hopeless. It wa^ part of our instructions to touteh if possible at Griffiths Island, where infor- mation of the movements of the searching squadron under Captain Austin and Captain Penny, had been directed to be deposited, but the long continuance of easterly gales had driven all the loose ice up the Sound, and on arriving oft Port Leopold we found Barrow^s Straits, barred from side to side. Thursday/, Sept. 4t/i. — Leopold Island, about ten miles to the north of Leopold Harbour, which will be familiar to Arctic readers, as the winter-quarters of Sir James Rosses Expedition in 1848-49, lay close on our weather bow. An unbroken barrier of ice, similar to that observed in Barrow's Straits, could • 'i| I 111 LEOPOLD HARBOUR. 57 be distinctly traced, extending as tar as the eye could reach down the west side of Prince Regent's Inlet, pUed up in a dense mass on the shore, whUe the east side and middle of the Inlet were compara- tively open. This will be readily understood as the eflPect of the long continuance of easterly winds, and we were still in hopes, that the mischief thus done, a change of wind to an opposite direction might as readily undo. With the view of watching the desired change in a situation where advantage could be instantly taken of a favourable movement of the ice, we resolved to run into Leopold Harbour. To our great disappointment we found the entrance completely blocked up. An attempt was made by Mr. BeUot, four men and ' myself to effect a landing in the gutta-percha boat, but without success. The ice was found in a state of terrific agitation, threatening certain destruction to either boat or ship which should attempt a passage through it. We then ran down to Elwin Bay, but found it closed; next to Batty Bay, and found it the same ; then to Fury Beach, when, perceiving ourselves in the same situation which led to the I ■ ,1:1 51 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. ! Ml III wreck of the Fury, namely, in a narrow lane between an extensive field of moving ice and, the shore, we judged it prudent to beat a retreat without loss of time. The entire west shore being thus closed against us, no alternative remained but to run for the opposite side of the Inlet, which being sheltered from this pestilent east gale, was free from ice altogether. Accordingly after a circuit of some forty hours, along a dead wall of ice, we brought up in Port Bowqp, in the evening of the 5th. We remained here two days. Mr. Bellot and myself landed on the island at the entrance of the harbour and afterwards on the mainland, and found the following traces of the party who wintered with Sir E. Parry in the locality ; viz. on the island, a cairn built on the highest point— a large kiln-Hke fire-place on the N.E. side, where, apparently, lime had been burned, a small strip of canvas in good preservation, some nails and pieces of broken pipes ; on the fnainland, two cairns and a grave, with a small hut-like house, solid in every part, built on the top of it, with the folio "ing inscription cut on a stone forming part of the west gable: — ll VISIT CAPE SEPPING8. 59 " The body of John Cottrell, seaman of H.M.S. Fury, is hereunder deposited, who was unfortunately drowned on the 6th of July, 1825, in the 39th year of his ageo" Mr. Bellot, with a boat's crew, visited Port Neill, but found no traces of any kind beyond an old Esquimaux encampment. It would clearly never do to winter in Port Bowen, while all our work lay upon the other side of the Inlet. It was resolved, there- fore, at all hazards, to make another attempt to reach Port Leopold, where it was desirable, at any rate, to effect a landing, in order lo ascertain whether any intelligence had been left there by Captain Austin or Captain Penny. Accordingly, on the evening of the 9th, having re-crossed the inlet, and succeeded in bringing the ship to within a couple of miles of Cape Seppings (the south point of Port Leopold), I determined once more to make the experiment of landing with the boat, the entrance to the harbour being still deemed impracticable for the ship. Taking four of the crew, Alexander Matheson, Gideon Smith, Andrew Irvine, and Kenneth Sutherland, in the gutta-percha boat, I left the ship about seven ^ 1 60 SECOND VOYAGE OP THE PRINCE ALBERT. P.M., and was fortunate enough to find a narrow lane of water which brought us, without any dif. ficulty, to the shore. On ascending the high cliff of Cape Seppings, I had the satisfaction of seeing the harbour quite free from ice, and if the ship could retain her position for a few hours longer, I had every reason to believe that a passage might be safely eflPected, by taking advantage of the movements of the ice, through the slight barrier which still blocked up the entrance. After an hour's reconnoitring we prepared to rejoin ti\e vessel; but found our return cut off by^the ice, which had, in the meantime, as I afterwards learned, e«ibayed the Prince Albert in a sort of pool, and here we were all drifting to the southward in a body down the Inlet. To add to our perplexity, night had come on. Nothing could be seen or heard around us but huge masses of ice, grinding, tossing, and rearing furiously on every side. To attempt to reach the ship under such circum- stances was to ensure certain destruction to the boat and every body in it ; and nothing was left, there- fore, but to return to the shore, which we succeeded in reaching in safety, about two miles to the south ^''"■i-. ERT. a narrow t any dif. gh cliff of jeeing the ship could had every be safely 3ments of U blocked )itring we >ur return time, as I bert in a ig to the dd to our could be s of ice, rery side, circum- the boat Eit, there- ucceeded he south Wlii J 1 :':' 1 i 1 ^ > 1 • < •fPAKATED FROM TOU SHIP. ei i Fia i^ fc-'H: «» Scppin^s. Drawinjf mir bout up on tfie and turning hir np m » ahelter from the *ir, we ptq,aaoa to |mm the night under »ve be^t could. The wm^m wa« bitterly *Mr clothes were little iltt than a mass md knowing, imde.* auch mfmm^u,-^^., the '>f allowing the men to fall ii«|^,» i . . . ch of them to takf an bom**i#^..^ ,^ ti. a- boat, but no more i anA kigpt tiwm -•• .s < r of the night m m tive exercise. ^Vitii ti, r/iie following morning w ^crambloa to the ^^liff of Cape Seppni-H, stiff; vcM, nud w«.'ar>'; consternation of the poor men may be con- * discorering that every yestigo of the Prince ' ;'d disappeai-ed during the \ught. ^^ not without my owb fears of the \^hw of enture, more however *« **«»-,» . „« .. ^r.;elvei<, as we couhl nmrn^ t^,,, u^^, m erne mi^cy, upon the pi-oifiiomts depo^^itoti by Sir ^lom at Wiialer Poi«t, on the other side of our. Thm.er we now directed our steps, and ^^^Jt found the dnpAt precisely in the r. . ; ijon • r i.ad been left two years before, with the .%i of Cape S beach, anc night air, her as we cold ; our of ice, and danger of mitted eacl under the 1 remainder dawn of thi highest clii and the coi ceived on d .Albert had I was n( this adveni than ourse! of emerger James Ros the harboui fortunately in which it li li'i SEPARATED FROM THE SHIP. 61 of Cape Seppings. Drawing our boat up on the beach, and turning her up as a shelter from the night air, we prepared to pass the night under her as we best could. The weather was bitterly cold; our clothes were little else than a mass ofice, and knowing, under such circumstances, the danger of allowing the men to fail asleep, I per- mitted each of them to take an hour's rest, in turu, under the boat, but no more ; and kept them for the remainder of the night in active exercise. With the dawn of the following morning we scrambled to the highest cliff of Cape Seppings, stiff, cold, and weary; and the consternation of the poor men may be con- ceived on discovering that every vestige of the Prince Albert had disappeared during the night. I was not without my own fears of the issue of this adventure, more however as regarded the ship than ourselves, as we could always fall back, in case of emergency, upon the provisions deposited by Sir James Ross at Whaler Point, on the other side of the harbour. Thither we now directed our steps, and fortunately found the dep6t precisely in the condition in which it had been left two years before, with the 6-2 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. exception of a casik of tallow which hac ?ea emptied by the bears and foxes, a case of chocolate partly destroyed, and a cask of biscuit much damaged. The house erected by Sir James Ross was still standing, but the covering much injured. A cylinder attached to the flagstaff contained a notice of the deposit of provisions, and of his f iture intentions. The notices left by Mr. Saunders and by Com- mander Forsyth were also in the same cylinder, but these being printed in the Parliamentary Reports need not be transcribed. It was evident from this that neither Sir John Franklin, nor any of the other Government vessels had touched here since it was last visited by the Prince Albert in the previous autumn. It was now the 10th of September — winter was evidently fast setting in — and from the distance the ship had been carried during tbat disastrous night, (whether out to sea or down the Inlet we could not conjecture), thert v-i*; uo hope of our being able to rejoin her at least di\ring the present season. There remained^ thoi efore, no alternative but to make up our minds to p sv3 tbe> mter, if necessary, where we were. THE boat's crew ON WHALER POINT. 63 I pass over the anguish of the reflection at such a termination to our enterprise, so ftdl as we had been I of hope and confidence, and determination to accom- plish the duty that had been assigned to us. The I reader will not fail to feel a little interest even in a ! feeling so deeply personal, but the humble comjinions I of my misfartune occupied witn the considerations of their own safety during the ^ong and dreary winter I that was before them, could hardly be expected to find room for other thoughts. It was a reUef, therefore, to my own sorrowful I contemplations to begin to discuss with them with as much cheerfulness as I could command, o^ir little I plans for our future proceedings. The first object to be attended to, was the erecting of some sort of shelter against the daily increasing inclemency of I the weather, and for this purpose the launch, left here by Sir James Ross, was selected. Her main- ■ mast was laid on supports at the bow and stem, about niuv. feet in height, and hj jpreading two of her sails vtr thig a very tolerable roof was obtained. A stove was set up in the body of the boat with the pipes ruiiuing through the roof, and we were sofu 64 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. '! fJ sitting by a comfortable fire, which after our long exposure to the wet and cold we stood very much in need of. There was a plentiful supply of blanket bags in the depot, by the aid of which we were soon in possession of as warm and comfortable bedding as we could desire. Out of the same material we were able to supply ourselves with some excellent clothing, using, in the absence of ordinary needles and thread, sail needles and twine, which answered our purpose equally well. These and other preparations of a similar nature us through the first week of | our dreary residt <.e with a very tolerable approach | to comfort and contentment. The following extracts from the rough notes oil my Journal at Whaler Point will perhaps convey a | more accurate idea of the routine of our daily life for the rest of the period of our detention there, than any mere formal description. Sunday, 2\st Sept.— We were able to enjoy a day of rest, after a severe and laborious week of exertion. It was a pleasing sight, in the absence of the regular means for cci due tin g the exercises appropiiate to the day, tc observe how the men were occupied in HOPING AGAINST HOPE. 65 recalling to mind some of the sacred melodies of their native land, and the simple hymns, stored up in t^eir memories from childhood, as well as those exquisite cuUings from the word of truth, embodied in the Shorter Catechism of the Church of Scotland. Monday y 2\st. — No appearance of the Prince Albert, and our last lingering hopes, of her being able to gain Leopold Harbour, once more before the winter finally sets in — a hoping against hope to which men in our situation are perhaps naturally prone — are fast disappearing. Our own most press- ing personal wants being now provided for, as far as under our present circumstances this can be done, we are more at liberty to discuss plans of operation for the coining winter and spring. My present intention is, as soon as the state of the ice will admit of travelling parties being sent out, to institute a strict search for the ship, in every direction in which we can suppose her likely to have been carried, and in the event of this being unsuccessful, to commence early in the spring a journey to Cape "Walker, with the view of carrying into effect, as far as our limited means will allow, the great object for which we have been sent 66 SECOND VOYAGE OP THE PRINCE ALBERT. out, of discovering traces of Sir John Franklin. To attempt a long journey as I had once hoped, in the dead of winter, is utterly impossible fiom the wretched state of our equipment in regard to clothing. Our greatest deficiency is in the article of shoes, for which we have no other material than the old canvas housing of the building, erected here by Sir James Ross, which constant exposure to the weather has very much deteriorated. It will be the constant occupa- tion of two men for some weeks to provide a stock of shoes of this material, (which we find wears out in a few days,) for the use of the travelling parties, before any very extended excursion can be undertaken. Friday, Oct. 3rrf. — Kenneth Sutherland, the carpenter, was set to-day to prepare some wood for snow-shoe frames and for a winter sleigh on the Esquimaux model. Being much annoyed by smoke every morning when our fires are lighted, in conse- quence of the small calibre of the stove-pipes (metal tube 2\ inches in diameter), Gideon Smith was set to cut up a preserved potato case, which he has converted into wider pipes, which are found to be a great improvement on the old ones. THE WINTER SLEIGH. 67 Saturday J 4th. — Our winter sleigh being completed was tried and found to answer pretty well. It is three feet four inches in length by eight inches wide. The runners which are five inches deep, sue shod with frozen dough after the Equimaux fashion, then planed quite smooth and coated over by the hand ^yith water, which immediately congeals into a smooth glassy surface which enables it to run over the snow with great ease. Tuesday, 'Jth. — While the carpenter was employed in converting a refractory piece of sandstone into a grind-stone, two men and self proceeded to the shores of Barrow's Straits in order to examine the ! state of the ice in that direction. Found a signal post erected by a party from Sir James Ross. To the pole, which had been much gnawed by bears up to one-third of its height, was attached a cylinder, with a notice, intimating, for the information of Sir John Franklin, that a depot of provisions had been I left at Whaler Point by the expedition under Sir James Ross, and his future course. Tuesday, I4th. — A few h ^urs after sun-rise, observed one of those remarkable solar phonomena, F 2 iff* 4^ ' ■ ill b:-. I ;i 68 SECOND VOYAGE OP THE PRINCE ALBERT. seen only I believe in the Arctic regions. A magni. ficent luminous circle was observed round tbe sun, about 45 degrees in diameter, and intersected by two broad belts of resplendent light, at right angles to each other, broadest in the centre and tapering at both ends to a point. Altogether a truly magnificent | spectacle. Some bears and foxes are seen occasionally prowl- ing about our residence, attracted probably by the odour of our cuisine. Instituted a general chase after a large bear, but was unsuccessful. Thursday, 17^//.— Towards evening, heard a shot in the direction of Cape Seppings, and on looking out found it to proceed from a party of seven men under Mr. Bellot, who had dragged the jolly boat of the Prince Albert all the way from Batty Bay. It was with emotions of inexpressible thankfulness and joy that we received the intelligence that the entire party were weU, and that the Prince Albert was safely moored in a good position in Batty Bay. I cannot refrain, from recording here, my warmest thanks to Mr. Bellot, not only for this, but two other attempts which he had made to communicatf; to us I RESCUED BY MR. BELLOT. 69 the intelligence of the Prince Albert's position, and to bring us a supply of clothing. He had set out with two men to come by land to Port Leopold, the third day after getting into Batty Bay, but after three days' march, over the wild and rugged hills, wading through deep snow, and walking against continual drift, they were obliged to return to the ship after much suffering from cold and wet. He next made a gallant attempt alongshore by means of dogs and sledges, but getting on weak ice, fell through, and had again to return with the loss of a sledge and part of its contents. The third (the present) attempt was more successful. The little boat, as already stated, had been dragged all the way, in the event of any occasion arising for its use where the ice had not formed. They found the ice, however, formed all the way to this point, and in many places so rough, that they had often to drag their boat over points of land. On this la^t occasion of his setting out from the Prince Albert, M. Bellot addressed the following letter to Lady Franklin, which, as indicative of the gallant "':i - IBt' ' III I fO SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE AL3EBT. determination with which the journey was under- takeUj I consider it but due to him to insert. Prince Albert, Batty Bay, 12th of October, 1851. Madam, Having failed in my first undertaking to rescue our dear Mr. Kennedy and the absent party, I am to start again to renew our attempt, accompanied by the doctor and two hands. I m fully aware both of the hazard of such a trip at +' .a time of the year, and of its consequences on the future prospect of the Expedition, should we be destined not to return. Whatever it may be, I hope I need not make any apology of my motives ; for being convinced of what importance is Mr. Ken- nedy's presence in our next operations, and remembering your strong recommenda*;ions to hazard every thing for any man's life,* I think that in the present unforeseen circumstances, it would be grossly mistaking your Lady- ship's intentions, not to obey the advices of our duty s& ship-mates, and of humanity as fellow-men, even thougl we should perhaps risk the success of the chief purpose * Lady Franklin had recommended, never to risk any man's life, even if it should be at the cost of the Prince Albert herself. bellot's letter to lady franklin. 71 which we are sent out on ; were it God's blessed will not to make fruitful our endeavours. Being moved in all my determinations by the strongest wishes of not sparing any eflfort for your Ladyship's service, I beg you will ronsidpi me as your Ladyship's Most respectful and devoted servant, (Signed) J. Bellot. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I I^|2j8 |2.5 mm I Iffi 12.0 IL25 i 1.4 1.8 1.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation ^°^\ 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14SS0 (716) 872-4503 ^ IJ ,A ^^'' "^ ^Af t/j i I'i I 1 : |f|i|"'' \ CHAPrER III. FROM tORT LEOPOLD TO WINTER QUARTERS IN BATTY BAY, PRINCE REGENTS INLET. PREPARATIONS FOR REJOINING THE SHIP AT HER WINTER QUARTERS IN BATTY BAY — ^ARCTIC TRAVEL- LING FIRST ENCAMPMENT "MAKING A NIGHT OP IT ^'—ERECTING SNOW-HOUSES A COLD BATH- REACH THE SHIP — ARRANGEMENTS FOR PASSING THE WINTER — OCCUPATIONS OF THE MEN — EVENING SCHOOL FOX-PIE — ESQUIMAUX DOGS — SNOW-SHOES — EXCURSIONS FROM THE SHIP — ABSENCE OF THE SUN— CHRISTMAS DAY — PREPARATIONS FOR A WIN- TER JOURNEY TO FURY BEACH. It can hardly be a matter of surprise that the re- action in the state of our feelings, consequent upon this unexpected meeting with our long-lost friends, should have been striking and immediate, and in direct proportion to our former solicitude and dejec- tion. It was but five weeks "by the chime " since our disastrous separation from the Prince Albert; but they were five years of dreary anxiety and despon- i, t :J PREPARE TO REJOIN THE SHIPv 73 ^ency, fast merging into something like despair. Je had a jovial evening, let the reader be well ssured, in our little lamich that l7th of October, (id a jovial house-warming, out of Her Maj^^f's [stores at Port Leopold, enjoyed none the Ml^from [the absence of any grim vision of a long reckoning [to discharge with " mine host " on the morrow. And we kept it up too, let me tell you, with long yarns of pur adventures, and rough old sea songs; and in brimming cups of famous chocolate, " cheering but not inebriating," drank most loyally Tat Her Majesty's expense) a happy meeting with H. M.S. Erebus and I Terror, and their gallant crews. It was some days after this before our preparations for returning to the ship were completed. At last, on Wednesday the 22nd, exactly six weeks after our first detention at Whaler Point, we set out ; after depositing a paper in e cylinder, containins^ infor- mation of our proceedings up to this date, and placing all the loose stores in proper order and security for the use of any party that should come after us. Our provisions and ' traps ' of all kinds were stowed in the boat, and the whole secured on a strong sleigh. r I \ 1 "I li i ' I ii : ; 74 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PBINCE ALBERT. A mast was then set, and a sail hoisted in the jollyi boat, and away we went before a spanking fair wind over the smooth ice of Leopold harbour, at a rate which "all the king's horses" could hardly hi been equal to. We had not gone half across the bay, however, before our sleigh, wholly unused to this style of locomotion, broke down, and it cost va the best part of the day, before we could repair ow damages and start afresh. Ii^ the endeavour to reach Mr. Bellot*s encamp, ment of the 16th, we continued on foot longer than ^' we should have done, and the consequence was, that being overtaken by night before lookiag for camping ground, we found ourselves, before we were aware or had time to reflect on the predicament we had got into, groping about, in the darkness, and with a heavy shower of snow falling, for some bit of tern firma, (for we had been all day upon the ice), where we could pitch the tcDt. We stumbled at last, after making our shins more freely acquainted than was altogether agreeable with the sharp edges of the broken ice, into a fine square space of clear beach, between some heavy masses of stranded ice. Choosiug lut the so hich the ipread the ad brouj :ood kett] All thei iuctory t( iroblem i pass tl irouglit V ;he kettle deep, it ^ mnibus, inly paral [thirteen i |a tent int tion, it Wi a row, on feet clea formed tl itowable neath th for his h( ALBERT. FIRST ENCAMPMENT. 75 but the softest part of a shelving rock of limestone of Lhich the beach was composed, we pitched the tent, Ipread the oil- cloth, and with some coals, which we Lad brought with us from Whaler Point, boiled a tood kettle of tea for all hands. All these preparations were, however, but intro- ductory to another, which we found a most difficult problem indeed — namely, to contrive how we were all pass the nighl; in the single little tent we had brought with us. We all got in, certainly, and got Itte kettle in the middle ; but as for lying down to bleep, it was utterly out of the question. A London omnibus, on a racing day after five o'clock, was the only parallel I could think of to our attempt to stow Ithirteen men, including our colossal carpenter, into la tent intended for six. At last, after some delibera- Ition, it was arranged that we shou'd sit down six in la row, on each side, which would leave us about three feet clear to stretch our legs. Mr. Bellot, who formed the thirteenth, being the most compact and s/ou;a6/e of the party, agreed to squeeze in imder- I neath them, stipulating only for a clear foot square for his head alongside the tea-kettle. Being unpro- It ' 'i 7^ SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PBINCB ALBERT. vided with a candlestick, even if there had beenrooa to place one anywhere, it was arranged that eachi us should hold the candle in his hard for a qus of an hour, and then pass it to his neighbour, thus by the aid of our flickering taper, through the thick steam of the boiling kettle, we had just enoughl light to prevent us putting our tea into our neighj hour's mouth, instead of our own. "Well, boys," suggests our ever jovial first mate, Hepry Anderson, « now we are fairly seated, I'm thinking, as we can do nothing else, we had make a night of it again. What say you to a song,! Dick?" Whereupon, nothing loath, Mr. Richard Webb strikes up, in the first style of forecastle execu- tion, "Susannah, don't you cry for me," which is of course received by the company with the utmost enthusiasm. "Mr. Webb, your health and song," and general applause, and emptying of tea-cansj which Mr. John Smith,, pleading inabUity to sing, undertakes to replenish for the night. "Irvine, my lad, pass the candle, and give us the ' Tailor.' " Mr. Irvine, you must understand, gentle | reader, has distinguished himself by some extraordi- "making a night op it. >J 77 bry performances on the blanket-bags, during our late Retention at Whaler Point, in virtue of which he has een formally installed " Tailor to the Expedition." " The Tailor" is accordingly given, con amore, and ||g a remarkable history of a knight of the thimble, yho, burying his goose, like Prospero his books, {"beyond the reach of plummet," becomes "a sailor Ibcld," and in that capacity enslaves the heart of a lovely lady of incalculable wealth, who, &". &c. — I We all know the rest. " Kenneth, you monster, take that clumsy foot of I yours off my stomach, will you?" cries out poor Mr. Bellot, smothered beneath the weight of four-and- twenty legs, upon which the carpenter, in his eager- ness to comply, probably drives his foot into Mr. I Bellot's eye. And so, passing the song and the joke around — Mr. Bellot, occasionally making a sudden desperate effort to get up, and settling down again in despair — with a long " blow " like a grampus — we make what Anderson calls " a night of it." No management, however, can make our solitary candle last out beyond twelve o'clock, or thereabout. Notwithstanding this 78 SECOND VOyAGE OP THE PRINCE ALBERT. \*i\ «. extinguisher to the entertainments of the evem Mr. Anderson,— while some are dozing and hob-» nobbing in their dreams,— may still be heard keeping] it up with unabated spirit in the dark, wakening every sleeper now and then with some tremendous choniil he has contrived to get up among his friends, for the "Bay of Biscay," or some favourite Greenland melody, with its inspiriting burthen of " Cheeri-lioi ah ! cheeri-lie." E^h of us got up, as may be supposed, pretty soon next morning, and certainly not much refreshed by our over-night's performances, and after a rough jour, ney over broken ice, arranged to camp early, in order to give us time before dark to erect a snow-house, and avoid the black hole of Calcutta style of encampment of the previous night. As these snow-houses will figure somewhat largely in the subsequent part of this narrative, I may take this opportunity of at- tempting to give the reader some idea of this noTcl species of architecture. The process of constiucting a snow-house goes on something in this way — varied of course by circumstances of time, place, and ma- terials. First, a number of square blocks are cut tfCE ALBERT. ts of the eve ozing and hob-i be heard kec k, wakening eveiyl 'emendous ciionui is friends, for the urite Greenland nof "Cheeri.H(> )08ed, pretty soon ich refreshed by| fter a rough jour- ip early, in order I snow-house, and e of encampment mow-houses will )sequent part of | iportunity of at- ea of this noTcl I of consti'ucting his way — varied place, and ma- blocks are cut iia:ai_ :f:| out of any rith, adap euerally e bisely the |he donlie^ nensions [eiigth, by breadtl] round n( Qother la awards^ i over those 3ther laye |gradually you, out c hole for a Icomfortab] ffhich you ny chink Poose snow re best de to drive bvers a c] THE SNOW-HOUSE. 79 Dut of any hard drifted bank of snow you can meet nth, adapted for the purpose, which, when cut (we euerally employed a hand-saw for this), have pre- cisely the appearance of the blocks of salt sold in jihe donkey-carts in the streets of London. The di« Qensions we generally selected were two feet in (ength, by fourteen inches in height, and nine inches breadth. A layer of these blocks is laid on the round nearly in the form of a square, and then ttother layer on this, cut so as to incline slightly iwards^ and the comer blocks laid diagonally over those underneath, so as to cut off the angles. )ther layers fc'low in the same way, until you have [gradually a dome-shaped structure rising before you, out of which you have only to cut a small bole for a door, to find yourself within a very light, |coinfortable-looking bee-hive on a large scale, in yhich you can bid defiance to wind and weather. ay chinks between the blocks are filled up with f oose snow with the hand jfrom the outside ; as these re best detected from within, a man is usually sent to drive a thin rod through the «• -»ot where he dis- covers a chink, which is immediately plastered over '■m 80 SECOND VOYAGE OP THE PRINCE ALBERT. ' M :4 h" , by some one from \Tithout, till the whole house is air-tight as an egg. By this addition to our domestic arrangements tj were able to enjoy a comfortable night's rest, and I proceed with spirit on our journey the follow morning. In the course of the day we passed tlit| scene of Mr. Bellot's mishap, which, as already stAtod,! caused his return to the ship, on the occasion of I j second attempt to reach Whaler Point. Ai we dn out, of a hard drifted snow bank the various rehcsi the disaster — now the nmnants of the broken 8leigli,| and now a frozen omnium gatherum of bufTalo robes^l pemmican, beef, biscuit, and dog-traces — we of couml heard the whole story over again; how Mr, Johil Smith, seated majestically in his Esquimaux curricld and driving his flying coursers over the smooth ice,! with all the pride of a victor in the Olympic Gamea^l suddenly found himself paddling for dear life ial twenty fathoms water^^ among barking dogs and! broken fragments of ice. Poor John's recollectioi| of his cold-bath was nothing to the horrible afta- process of stripping him naked on the ice, until hisl companions could muster among them a change of I «lry clot of stock uofortui legs, au ship. We r( and in t] to say, ] old shipi I from son to meet I eager inc party, tt "Is Ken " Lei me I— might we had i [with som I before th( [the disem With a Iclosed all pemed in RiSJOIN THE SHIP. 81 dry clothing, one supplying a shirt, and another a pair of stockings, a third a great coat, and so on, until our uDfortunate Chancellor was once more set upon his legs, and hurried some sixteen miles back to the ship. We reached th . ship next day about 4 p.m., all well and in the highest spirit- and it is hardly necessary to say, received a most cordial welcome from our old shipmates, who, ha».ng descried our approach from some distance, came out in a body on the ice to meet us. We had some trouble to satisfy their I eager inquiries after each and every individual of the party, they had so long, almost, given over for lost. "Is Kenneth here?" " Where is Gideon Smith?" " Lei me see him V " Where is A, and B, and C ?" -might be heard on every side, till one after another, we had all been fairly presented, and our friends, with some difficulty, convinced that we really stood befor- them in proprid person^, and were not merely |the disembodied spirits of their departed companions. With our return to the vessel, may be said to have jclosed all our operations, as far as the sliip was con- ]cemed in the Arctic seas for the year 1851. There 6 82 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. remained now only to make our arrangements for the vessel passing the next six or eight months where we were, and for preparing for our own winter journeys. The first part of the business was soon completeJ. The hold was first emptied of some portion of the stores on board, which were laid out on the ice, alongside; the decks were cleared of lumber, and covered with a housing, extending from near the foremast to the stern, and the whole vessel then embanked with snow as high as the gunwales, leaviiig only a narrow passage for an entrance, nearly amidships. Outhouses were next built of snow, such as washhouses, a carpenter's shop, a forge, &c. All the powder on board was taken ashore, and secured in a snow-house, out of the reach of fire. All proper arrangements were, of course, made from the beginning, for securing the health and comfort of the crew and the cleanliness of the vessel, and then came the apportioning of the daily routine I of duty for each man on- board, for I may as well say at once, that with the extensive winter journeys we contemplated, we could afford no time for tbe| balls, theatrical representations, and other amuse- *! ■r-- WINTER ABRANGEMENTS, gj ments of that nature, which figure so cheerftdly and pleasantly in the narratives of the winter occupations of our predecessors. Eight hours were regularly occupied every day in various preparations, connected with the travelling parties, which I saw no good reason to delay sending out, as had heretofore been the practice, till the spring had set in. Some were accordingly employed in making mocassins and winter clothing, others in turning snow-shoe frames and sledges-all in short engaged " quisque pro suo ingenio" in the general work of preparation. We were indebted to the generous kindness of my esteemed friend, Mr. Barrow, of the Admiralty, for an excellent and well assorted library, supplied to the Prince Albert on her first voyage, and again on this, by means of which, we were enabled to pass our long winter evenings both pleasantly and I trust pro- fitably. We had our Arctic school too, after working hours, superintended by Mr. Cowie, who occasionally enUvened his prelections on the mysteries of the multiplication table, and the curving of '^pot-hooks and hangers," by reading aloud, from some work in j our library, such extracts as were adapted for the G 2 Ik "H M 1 • i 4 r '■ i . , j 84 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. entertainment or instruction of his pupils. Nor did we omit, as the appropriate and befitting conclu- sion to the labours of each day, to oflfer up to Him who tempers the wind to the shorn lamb, our heart- felt prayers that we might be guided by His infinite mercy to the accomplishment of the great object in which we were engaged, and be blessed as the in- struments of carrying relief to our long-lost brethren. A few extracts, from my winter journal, will bring up the narrative of our proceedings to the beginning of the year, when, fo the first time, the state of the ice in Prince Regent's Inlet, admitted of any ex- tended excursion from the ship, being undertaken with safety. Tuesday, October 28th. — Mr. Bellot, and a party of four men, left us for the place, (now called Wreck Point), where the sledge had been lost on the 13tli inst. in order to bring back as much of the property as could be recovered, and which, in our journey from Whaler Point, we had been unable to bring along with us. The crew set to various employ- ments ; some erecting the snow-house to secure the powder on shore, others bringing on board snow and lLBERT. BATTT BAY. 85 .ce. to be melted for a ,„pp,y „f „,^,^ ^, ^^^^^ ^_^ embankment of snow about the mahogany boat. Wednesday. 29tk.-Mr. BeUot and party returned m the afternoon, bringing with them the wreek of the «gc, and other article, for which they had been »t yesterday. Mr. BeUot reports that the ice, in the Inlet, is now all broken up, and setting south- ward. We are fortunately moored in a very excel- lent situation, and have no danger to apprehend from this cause. Batty Bay is unquestionably one of the finest harbours on this coast, being secured from the effcots of wind and ice by a shoal on the south side of the entrance to the harbour, and a [long .pit of laud on the north, with a narrow, but tep channel between, in some parts not less than I teu fathoms. Batty Bay, I may mention, was so named by Sir Edward Parry after his friend the late Lieut.-Cdonel Batty, who, I learn, served in the Grenadier Guards tang the campaign of the Western Pyrenees and »t Waterloo, where he was wounded and suffered h'-aftcr,-a . ,u of most amiable disposition, and hUy gifted mi„d,and particularly skilled as an artist 86 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. ■ m ' lir A conspicuous hill, on the north side of the bay, fre- quently visited by us in the course of the winter, 1 have named Mount Rosamond, in memory of a favourite daughter of Colonel Batty, prematurely removed from a scene she was in every way calcu' lated to adorn, and who had another claim upon our notice as the grand-daughter of Sir John Barrow. The weather has been very boisterous for some time past, with heavy showers of snow falling every day. The sun was for a very short time visible to- day. The Aurora Borealis bright in the south-west about 9 p. M. Monday, Nov. lOth. — On the suggestion of one of the officers, we have, for some days, been trying an experiment to see how far the exposure of our salt provisions to the frost, and burying them in the snow, would have the eflFect of freshening (that is, drawing out the salt from) them : but we have had no reason to put any faith in it. We have been endeavouring, also, to add to our fresh stock, in another and more effectual way. For the last fortnight, much of the leisure time of the officers | has been devoted to hunting excursions in the neigh- i ii POX-PIE. 9^ bourhood, but this locality appears to be unusually destitute of animal life. Occasionally as many as ten ptarmigan have been bagged in a day : but this is rare good fortune. Some foxes have been trapped also, though very rarely, and some of us have enjoyed the delicacy of a fox-pie, which has been pronounced by competent authorities in our mess to be equal to rabbit ; but with the impartiaHty of an historian, I am bound to admit there are others to whom it suggests uncomfortable reminiscences of dead cats, and who generally, therefore, prefer the opposite side of the table, whenever it makes its appearance. A stray Polar-bear or two, and a solitary raven, makeup the circle of our Zoologial acquaintance in Batty Bay. Mr. Bellot makes daily pilgrimages to a hiU in the neighbourhood, where he occasionally succeeds m getting a meridian observation of the sun, and alwa^/s succeeds in getting his fingers frozen in the operation. My own time is almost whoUy taken up in super- I intending the preparations for the winter journeys. Very few on board have ever seen a snow-shoe, or a I dog-sleigh before, and none of them know how they 'V. 88 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. v.- are constructed, John Smith excepted, and even he is not altogether au fait in some essential details. I am at present deep in a course of lectures, " with experiments and illustrations/' as our scientific ftiends in London would say, on the art and mystery of cutting " babiche," lacing snow-shoes, steaming and piercing tough boards of beech for sleighs, making harness for dogs, &c. We have turned out already a very respectable pair of snow-shoes, which the reader wiU have a very good idea of, if he can imagine a cane-bottomed rout-seat, about five feet long, with the legs sawed off, each end tapering to a point, and the toe end curved up about five inches from the frame. A lacing or net-work of thin thongs of| parchment about the thickness of whip-cord (termed by the initiated " babiche,'') takes the place of the cane-bottom in our illustration. You have only now to strengthen your frame-work by transverse bars of j wood, about an inch square, and six or eight inches apart; plant your foot in the middle — fasten your shoe on as you would a pair of pattens or a pair of | skates, and you are ready to march " Over the hills and fai* away ;" ALBERT. PREPARATIONS FOR TRAVELLING. 89 s, which the over endless abysses of snow, where you might often be left to flounder, were you not provided with this most useful and indeed indispensable foot gear for travellers in the Arctic regions. Monday, \st Dec— Our reconnoitring parties re- port that the ice, though still drifting southward in the body of the Inlet, begins to set along shore ; since the last date there has been a continuance of westerly gales, accompanied with heavy falls of snow. The general routine of the duties of the men continues the same, and we are making visible progress in ^ he aU-absorbing preparations for the travelling parties. Our short daily excursions from the ship are furnish- ing us with much useful experience in a variety of ways, which we trust to be able to turn to account in our future operations. Woollen clothes of all kinds we find are not well adapted for travelUng, from their imbibing so much of the fine snow drift; and to obviate this, as far as possible, I have given direc- tions to have all the clothing intended for the winter journey covered with cotton, which we find renders it almost impervious to the snow. Oui' apparatus, again, for cooking by the flame of \ 90 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. spirits of wine, termed a " conjuror^' (for what reason 'twould puzzle one to say), is so complicated by a mechanism of screws and burners, requiring to be adjusted by the naked hand, that we have been under the necessity of substituting (what we have certainly found a great improvement on this part of the apparatus), an open hexagonal-shaped dish, with grooves at the covers for the wicks. An equable and continuous flame is thus produced without the neccessity of exposing the naked hand to the contact of cold metal. Monday, 8 th. — I have observed that the wind •which has continued westerly for a long period, is gradually veering towards the north, and generally speaking, within the last few days, very variable. John and Gideon Smith, while taking a walk yes- terday, found a white fox evidently killed by the dogs. However strange, it nevertheless appears cor- rect, that although Esquimaux dogs may kill a fox, they will not eat him. ' This is the more extraor- dinary, as they are in the estimation of our worthy doctor the most voracious and dirty-feeding animals he ever knew. Nothing they can possibly get at CHRISTMAS-DAY. 91 being safe. Buffalo robes, seal-skins, their own har- ne8s,even boots, shoes, clothes and dish-cloths, being sure to be destroyed. Monday, 22nd Dec, shortest day.— Fine mild agreeable weather, with fine light W.N.W. airs throughout. Shortest day hailed with pleasure, for although time cannot as yet be said, with our constant occupation, to hang heavy ou our hands, yet we shall now gladly count the days that must elapse before we may expect the return of the sun. Thursday, 25th, Christmas-day.— A very fine, calm, mild day throughout. It passed off very quietly, in a manner indeed that our friends in Eng- land would, I fear, consider decidedly flat. Great preparations had been made for a shooting match to celebrate the day; but the darkness was so great, that to avoid the risk of shooting each other, the match had to be put off. A game at foot-ball was accordingly substituted. Music and cards, and such extra good cheer as our stores afforded, helped to enliven the day, and we closed it with what I fear were some very dull speeches from the Commander downwards, upon the cai'dinal virtues expected . j I' jr r 92 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. |! < I, to be displayed by all, after the next week oi- fortnight, when, as it was now finally determined, the long-talked of winter journeys were to com- mence. CHAPTER IV. WINTER JOURNEY TO FURY BEACH. OBJECTS OP THE JOURNEY - EQUIPMENTS OF THF- TRAVELLING PARTY-LEAVE BATTY BAY-A SCENE IN A SNOW BANK~8L0W PROGRESS— TRACES OF SIR JOHN ROSS'S RETREATING PARTY - ARRESTED BY A SNOW-CLIPP-RK^CU FURY BEACH-FEELINGS ON APPROACHING SOMERSET HOUSE — STATE OF THE fury's stores-return to batty bay-continued SNOW storms-excursions FROM THE SHIP-LOST IN A SNOW STORM-FROST BITES-PREPARATIONS FOR THE LONG JOURNEY-PARTING WITH HEPBURN- FIRST STAGE TO FURY BEACH-AVALANCHE-DETEN- TION AT SOMERSET HOUSE. Monday, Jan. 5th, 1852-was ushered in by that heterogeneous collection of sounds, famUiar to the ear of the Arctic voyager, as the prelude to a winter journey in these regions -a general clatter of snow- shoes and dog-sleighs, a cracking of whips, and a Nnarling and howling of dogs, mad with torment and I impatience. The crew of the " Prince Albert," were all on the f - *i ■ 1' 94 SECOND VOYAOB OP THE PRINCE ALBERT. ice, but it was evident that they were not al^ destined for the journey. Any eye might pi^'k out the five travellers ; viz. Mr. Bellot, myself, John Smith, W. Millar, and W. Adamson. Dressed out in our travelling costume, we presented, I have no doubt, a somewhat singubr and original appearance — every man wit] his clothing coated with cotton, some white, some black, and others striped, looking for all the world as if some mischievous Puck, had turned every article of dress outside in, before it had been put on. The first object of the contemplated jo 'mey was of course to ascertain whether Fury Beach had been a retreating point to any of Sir John Franklin's party since it was visited by Lieut. Robinson of the Enterprise in 1849. A secondary object, should our expectations in this respect not be realized, was to form a first depot of provisions here, with the view of carrying out a more extended search as soon as circumstances would permit. It was desirable at the same time to ascertain the state of the roads, by which of course I mean the yet untrodden surface of the snow or ice, in the direction in which we meant to go, before commencing any LBEKT. all destined out the five I Smith, W. out in our I no doubt, a rancc — ever? • , some white, ; for all the I turned every been put on. JG ^mey was ich had been I Q Franklin's )inson of the t, should our lized, was to (dth the viev ch as soon as iscertain the mean the yet the direction nencing any JOURNEY TO PURY BEACH. 9C transport on a large scale between the ship and Fury Beach, and it was thought advisable therefore on this occasion to go comparatively light. A smr" supply of pemmican was therefore all we took with us in addition to our travelling requirements, consisting of a tent and poles, blanketing and provisions for a week, some guns and ammunition, fuel, and cooking apparatus, in all weighing from 200 to 250 lbs. This, with ordinary roads, was what fou. dogs, now with us, could draw on a flat native sleigh, with the utmost ease; but on such ground as that we soon met with, on rounding the south head-land of Batty Bay, to which we were escorted by Messrs. Leask and Cowie, and a part of the crew, we soon found that we required the united eflPorts of both men and dogs to get along at all, and accordingly for the rest of the I journey we pulled together in the most amicable and fraternal style imaginable. The ice on the inlet being still detached from the shore, and moving bodily towards the south, no other path was left us to follow than that along the base j of the lofty cliflPs, that extend in an almost unbroken ' Hne from Batty Bay to within three miles of Fury i»« i ,< ti : 96 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. Beach. This, as may re dily be imagined, was by no means a very easy road to follow. Obstructions beset us at every step, which it required often the utmost exertion of our motley and heterogeneous company of men and dogs to surmount. The path was covered with boulders and fragments of ice, stranded on the beach by some former tempest, which made the dragging of the sleigh amongst them a much more difficult and laborious operation than if the whole weight had been divided and carried upon our shoulders. Sometimes too what is called a " pressure," or a set of the ice upon the shore, would be found to have blocked up the way altogether, and iu such cases, our only resource was to cut a passage through with the axe. The most common form of obstacle, however, arose from the numerous sloping banks of hard drifted snow piled up against the face of the cliffs, and leaving us only a steep inclined plane to scramble over as we best could with the dogs and sleigh. These troublesome inclines we generally contrived, after a great expenditure of time and labour, to get over without any accident, but not unfrequently after toiUng to the top, a lurch MR. BELLOt's MISHAi-. 97 of the sleigh would send us careering in a very lively and unexpected manner to the bottom. Here follows an incident in our first day's journey, which caused us some amusement at the time, and carried a lesson with it, whenever we had to encounter any of these obstacles afterwards. We had got about half-way up one of those I viUanous steeps, when our entire cortege gave unmis- takeable signs of a tendency to seek a sudden descent. There was just time for us to cast oflPthe traces, all but poor Mr. Bellot, who was not sufficiently alert in disengaging his, when away went the sleigh and dogs, and Mr. Bellot after them, into an abyss at the bottom, where the only indication of the catastrophe jtbat could be seen was some six inches of Mr. BeUot's heels above the surface of the snow. We duo- out " a wiser and a better man '' for the rest of |Uie journey, whenever any of these pestilent slopes 1 to be encountered thereafter. The sun had disappeared at the ship on the 30th Oct., and owing to the position of some high hills to lie south of us, did not re-appear before the 15th of |eb. ; it was therefore entirely by moon-light that 3 B 98 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. were enabled to travel at all, and on an obscure night we might rather be said to be groping our way through the obstacles that beset us, in darkness that made itself be felt, than travelling after any recognized fashion known to men, even in the Arctic regions. Owing to the various obstructions now mentioned, we did not make more than ten miles from the ship during our first day's journey, when the darkness compelled us to encamp, and it being too late to con- str\ict a snow-house, we were forced to take shelter I for the night under the tent, which we endeavoured to make as comfortable as we could by embanking the bottom with snow. The dogs were left without to shift for themselves as they best could, and provided they had a sufficient supply of food, Tve found that their strength and vigour were the reversej of impaired by their bivouac in the snow. Tuesday, 6th. — About six a.m., after breakfastingl on tea, pemmican, and biscuit, our travelhng fare| during this, as well as all our other 'ourneys, we r& sumed our course, struggling with precisely the samel difficulties as those we had to encounter yesterday. ^ the course of the day we fell upon two old tent encamp ALBERT. ARCTIC SERENADE. 99 ments, probably those of the retreating party of Sir John Ross in 1833 ; but, beyond this, found no indica- tions of this part of the coast having ever been visited by any foot or boat party. After travelling about eight hours, we put up for the night at the foot of a high precipice, with a perpendicular mass of stranded ice at the bottom, which served for the gable end of a snow-house we erected against it, and in which we reposed for the night, with a far higher degree of comfort than we had been able to obtain the night before from the tent. During the night we were lionoured with an Arctic serenade, in the form of a "pressure,- from the moving ice, which, after grind- mg and groaning, anything but mellifluously in our ears all night, more like *' noises in a swound,- left us in the morning with a pile of fragments of ice at least thirty feet in height, within twenty yards of our encampment. Wednesday, 7M.-Fell upon more traces of Sir John Ross's party, consisting of three cases of pre- served vegetable soup, still in excellent condition, a smaU quantity of coal and wood, and some iron lioops, apparently of a biscuit-cask. H 2 I I ill 100 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. We had some heavy work with the axe through the rough hummocky ice, and more difficult travelling altogether than we had yet experienced. After fighting our way through a host of our old enemies, the snow-hanks, we were about three p.m. hrouglit to a dead halt, by a perpendicular cliff overhanging a mass of moving ice, which swept up to its very base along the shore. While the rest of the party were engaged in constructing a snow-house at the point where we had been arrested, further progress that day being out of the question, I succeeded in getting to the top of the cliff by cutting steps mth the axe as I ascended, my object being to obtain a view of the coast as well as of Fury Beach, and to ascertain whether the remainder of the journey might not be better effected by land. The result of this survey was a determination to leave our sleigh and baggage in chai^ge of two of the men where we were, and proceed with the rest to Fury Beach early next morning. Thursday, Sth. — In pursuance of the resolution come to yesterday, Mr. Bellot, John Smith, and my- self, set out at an early hour for Fury Beach, with a ALBERT. EFFECTS OF THE HAZE. 101 determination to reach it that night. Being now unencumbered with the sleigh, we got over the ground much more rapidly than we had hitherto done, and towards five o'clock found ourselves within sight of it. We had already in our eagerness, aided by the marvellously refractive powers of an Arctic haze, mis- taken, to our no small amusement, when we dis- covered it, a stranded packing-case, that lay on the beach on our way, for Sir John Ross s Somerset House, and on another occasion had well nigh found our way to the bottom of a precipice, that suddenly I yawned beneath our feet, as we marched on absorbed in the exciting feelings of the moment, and utterly I regardless of the sublunary consideration of looking where we were going. But for Mr. Bellot's presence I of mind, and the keener vision of his younger eyes, I verily believe that he and myself would then and there have ended our mortal career. It may be imagined with what feelings, when we really had come upon it, we approached a spot round which so many hopes and anxieties had so long cen- tered. Every object, distinguished by the moonlight , k: ■ m ! I'" hi f '•' I! . ':'! 102 SECOND VOYAGE OP THE PRINCE ALBERT. in the dii^tance became animated to our imaginatious, into the forms of our long-absent countrymen ; for had they been imprisoned anywhere in the Arctic seas, within a reasonable distance of Fury Beach, here we felt assured some of them at least would have been now. But alas ! for these fond hopes ! how deeply, though perhaps unconsciously cherished, none of us probably suspected, till standing under the tattered covering of Somerset House and gazing silei^tly upon the solitude around us, we felt as we turned to look mournfully on each other's faces that the last ray of hope, as to this cherished imagination; had fled from our hearts. It is perhaps necessary for the vigorous prosecution of any difficult object that for the moment, some particular circumstance in the chain of operations by which it is to be effected should seem to us so vitally important that the eye is blinded to all beyond. The spot on which we now stood had so long been associated in our minds with some clue to the discovery of the solution of the painful mystery which hung over the fate of Franklin, and had so long unconsciously perhaps coloured all our thoughts, that it was not without a ALBERT. SOMERSET HOUSE. 103 pang, and a feeling as if the main purpose of our expedition had been defeated, that we found all our long cherished anticipations shattered at a blow by the scene which met our eyes. Thus my friend and I stood paralyzed at the death-like solitude around us. No vestige of the visit of a human being was here since Lieut. Robinson had examined the depot in 1849. The stores, still in the most perfect preserva- tion, were precisely in the well arranged condition, described in the clear report of that energetic officer. His own notice of his visit was deeply buried in the snow, and the index staff he had placed over it was thrown down and gnawed by the foxes= Wearied with a long and fruitless examination we took up our quarters for a repose of a few hours in Somerset House, the frame of which was still standing entire, but the covering blown to rags by the wind, and one end of the house nearly filled with snow. We lighted a fire on the stove which had heated the end occupied by uir John Ross's crew during the dreary winter of 1832-33. After refreshing ourselves with a warm supper. r : i 104 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. and nodding for a few hours over the fire, we set out about 11 P.M. on our return to our encampment, which we reached by 2 a.m. of the following morning. Our return from this point to the ship, which we reached about 5 p.m. of Saturday the 10th, was not marked by any incident worthy of notice. We had deposited at our encampment a 90 lbs. case of pemmi. can, a bag of coals, two muskets, and some ammu- nition, which while it served as a reserve for future explorations in this direction, materially lightened the labpur of the dogs, and allowed us time for a more minute examination of the coast than we had been able to make during the outward jouvney. The result, however, was not in any respect more success- ful. No traces of any kind were discovered which could throw light on the objects of our search. As a fact in natural history, it may be interesting to some to state that durmg our return we met with two ravens on the site of one of Sir John Eoss's old encampments— the solitary denizens of these wastes during the cheerless gloom of an Arctic winter. We met with no other living creatures; hardly even a trace of their existence to break the universal and a' J : ALBERT. RETURN TO THE SHIP. 105 awful solitude which appears to reign over these regions during the depth of mid-winter. Thus ended our first journey to Fury Beach, and its result satisfied us, that in the present state of the ice in Prince Regent's Inlet, the more extended exploration of the coast line, which we had calculated on being able to commence on our return to the ship, could not now be safely undertaken, and must for the present be postponed. We were most reluc- tantly compelled therefore to pass the next month in the ship, occupied in the same general routine duties as those on which we had been engaged during the cnrHer part of the winter. Whether from any unusual mildness of the season, or from other causes, I cannot undertake to decide, but I was much struck by the fact that the cold experienced by us during the months of January and February was not by several degrees so intense as I had observed in other parts of the continent of North America in much lower latitudes. On one occasion the thermometer descended to 48^ but the average indication for the coldest months of winter was not much below 30°. Comparing this with the meteoro- logical observations of Sir John Ross in 183;^, one nf t r '4 106 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. two conclusions seems inevitable, either that the cold decreases in these latitudes with the progress northward, or that the winter of 1851-52 was an unusually mild one. The terrible enemies of our travelling parties were the snow-storms and the furious gales which prevailed with us during the greater part of the winter. A low temperature, even the loweL>t -"ecorded in the Arctic regions, is elysium compared with a piercing nor'-easter driving the sharp keen spiculae of snow- drift, like a shower of red-hot sand in your face and through every pore of your body. The comparison may seem Hibernian, but nevertheless gives a very good idea of one's sensations under the pitiless dis- charge of a hurricane of snow-drift in these regions, where as in Milton^s Pandemonium, " The parched air Burns frore, and cold perforins the effect of fire." I- I have a strong opinion that old iEolus, with his den of ruffianly winds, that so shamefully belaboured the pious ^neas, must have emigrated to North Somerset since the days of Virgil. Such a high carnival of northerly gales as, during the winter months, swept round the poor little Albert, and nearly smothered ARCTIC GALES. 107 U3 under an avalanche of snow, I believe never was heard of in any other known region of the globe. Where they all came from, and how they did not long before the winter was over blow themselves fairly out, was a wonder to us all the year round. " I have known but one gale since we entered Batty Bay," once observed our veteran friend Hepburn, " and that was the gale that began when we came and ended when we went away." It was of no use going out of a morning on the strength of an hour's lull in the elemental war, and trusting to have a quiet view of the ice in the inlet, or a shot at a bear, or a run after a fox ; as surely as you had got a mile from the ship, and were congratulating yourself on a good bracing hour or two's exercise, you would be caught in a swirling deluge of drift, through which it was im- possible to see your way six paces off. Of one of these excursions some of us in the Prince Albert have very substantial reasons for retaining a very lively recollec- tion to this day. About eight a.m in the morning of the 13th February, Mr. Bellot, the carpenter, Andrew Irvine, Henry Anderson (the first mate), and myself. ' I < ,• !Tj::u ""jl i .1 1 108 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. left the ship, taking with us two cases of pemmican and three tin jars, each containing two gallons of spirits of wine, on a sledge, drawn by five Esquimaux dogs, for the purpose of depositing them a short dis- tance on the way to Fury Beach, and returning in the evening. After proceeding for a few hours, and making very fair progress along a tolerably good path, a strong wind arose, which by one p.m. had increased to a perfect hurricane, so thickly charged with snow that, in attempting to cross a bay on our return, we lost sight of the land by which our course homeward had been guided. In short, after wan- dering about for some time, scarcely able to dis- tinguish each other at the distance of a few paces, we found that we had fairly lost our way. In this dilemma, we set two of the five dogs loose from the sledge, in the hope that they would act as guides better than when drawing ; but this proved to be a mistake, as they would not leave the others. At last, however, they all set off together, 'taking the sledge with them, and leaving us to our fate. As we afterwards found, they reached the ship without any difficulty, and, as may readily be supposed, put every one on board in ALBERT. LOST IN A SNOW-STORM. 109 8 perfect fever of terror and anxiety as to what had become of us. In the meantime we had gone on floundering over the broken ice, until we had once more stumbled on the land, but where or what the land was we had fallen upon, nobody knew. It was something certainly, to know we were not marching over the Inlet or out to sea, in which case we would have marched on, and in all probability never re- turned ; but in other respects we had rather lost than gained by getting on terra-firma. With an atmosphere as thick as pea-soup, and no sun, moon, or stars to be seen, there was no keeping the shore (and to go on one side oi the other was to ineuj* the certainty of losing ourselves again, either on the Inlet or on the land), without hugging close up and into a break- neck line of stranded fragments of ice, which indi- cated the direction of the beach. Along this formidable path we floundered on — now coming bump up against some huge fragment of ice, or pitching over the top of it into a hole, excavated in the snow at the bottom, by the whirling eddies of the wind ; now walking, now crawling, occasionally tumbling into the snow, until we were all suddenly 110 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. brought up by a cry of pain from one of the men, who had met with a bouleversement over the edge of a bank of ice. It was a sad accident, but the worst of it was, that after setting him on his legs, nothing could induce him to move a step farther. Here he was, and here he maintained he must remain " coute qui coute." There was no reasoning with the poor fellow, who certainly had sustained a very severe injury, but not anything like so bad as he had imagined it, and it would never do to leave him lying here. So feigning to take him at his word, we pro- posed to bundle him up in a buffalo-robe and bury him in the snow for the night — comforting him with the assurance that we would certainly come back for him in the morning. This Arctic prescription had a magical effect upon our patient— the back and the broken bones were speedily forgotten, and in a short time he was on his legs again, and we all trudging on once more in the old rough and tumble style of progression, till about midnight, we found ourselves standing under the lee of something which looked like a bank of snow, but which, to our great gratification, proved to E ALBERT. REACH THE VESSEL. Ill be the powder-house we had erected on shore in the beginning of the winter. A consultation was now held whether we should cut our way into it and pass the night here, " accoutred as we were/' or make for the ship, which we now knew could not be far oflF. Our decision was for the latter, and the only question now was, how to steer for the vessel. This, too, was de- cided upon at last, by each of the party pointing in turn in the direction in which he thought the vessel lay, and then taking the mean of the bearings. To prevent our separating in the drift (for some of the party had by this time got so benumbed with cold, as to be unable to use their hands to clear their eye- lids, and had thus become literally blind with the ac- cumulation of the snow on their eyes), it was agreed that at certain intervals we should call and answer to each other's names, and that those whose eyes had suffered least should take the others in tow. In this order we proceeded for the vessel, and fortunately by the guidance of a solitary star, that could be faintly distinguished through the drift, got near enough the ship to hear the wind whistling through the shrouds, and were thus guided, rather by the ear than by the V\ Meiij 112 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. eye, to her position, and soon afterwards found our. selves on board, where we were received once more as those from the dead. It is hardly necessary to say that we were all dreadfully frost-bitten. With such precautions, how- ever, as we took, carefully restoring the circulation of the affected parts by rubbing them over T^ith cold water and snow, before going below, we escaped with no worse consequences than some very ugly. looking scars, and two or three days of snow-bliad- nessi with, of course, the doctor's best attention for the first fortnight thereafter. Amidst such incidents as these, relieving the mo. notony of ship duties, and varied by an occasional bear-hunt, or a chase after a fox, the months of January and February wore on, till, towards the end of the latter month, our preparations for the long contemplated " grand j ourney" were completed. This journey, as it forms the leading feature of our Expe- •dition, and was, indeed, the main object in view on our leaving England, will require a fuller detail than within the limits to which I have restricted myself in this little book, I could afford to our proceedings TRAVELLING ARRANGEMENTS. US «P to this date. The partic„l„ direction our route ought to assume, was of eourse a matter to be re- Hated verymueh by the nature of theeircumstances to might arise in the course of it. On one point only we were decided-viz. that it should embrace Cape Walker, to which, aa the point of departure of S. John FrankUn for the- unknown regions to the ff. »d S.W., had he decided upon this course, and !.ot gone np WeUington Channel, much interest naturally attached. There were fourteen of the crew disposable in the A.P, of whom four pickrl men were to go with Mr. Ballot and myself to Cape Walker, while the rest r *» accompany us, aa a fatigue party, as far as fTBeaeh, which was to form the starting point of fe journey. Parties sent out on different occasions '«nng the last two months, had taken in advance six -ofpemmican, six muskets and a bag of coals, •ecaseof pemmiean, as already mentioned, had been 'eposited in January a few miles north of Fury Point '"provisions, clothing, and bedding, drawn upon '« ind.an sleighs by our five dogs, had, of course, been «l»ced whatever was strictly indispensable. Five I I 114 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. »Hf gallons of spirits of wine were taken as a substitute for fuel. With proper management and economy, we hoped to make this last us till the spring, when, by the plan we proposed adopting, of travelling during the night instead of the day, we trusted, should a necessity arise for so doing, to be able to j dispense with the use of fuel altogether. On the morning of the 25th of February, a scene of general bustle and excitement shewed that all our i arrangements had been completed, and that the long deferred start for the grand journey was about to take place. A detachment of five men, Mr. BellotJ and myself, were all that could leave the ship at this time; the others appointed to join us being still under the Doctor's attendance for slight and tem- porary inconvenience, frost bites, &c. The wholel crew however had mustered to see us as far as the] south point of Batty Bay, all but our dear Hepburn, i. who unable to control his manly emotion at parting! with so many old friends, and above all at being unable to accompany us, took a touching farewell cf us the vessel : " God bless you," said he, grasping myl hand with aifectionate warmth, " I cannot accompany ALBERT. PARTING WITH HEPBURN. ' 115 you, and I cannot let aU these men witness my emotion : let me part with you here, and may God grant that we meet again in life and health, after the long and hazardous journey you are about to undertake.- Though this veteran hero saw much hardship and hazard in store before us, he would have seen none whatever had he been allowed to accompany us, but I could not for a moment entertain the idea of employing him on a journey, when there were so many younger men all emulous to be engaged on it, and more particularly when his services on board ship ^ere so indispensable; and, by his kindly consenting to remain, I was relieved of all anxiety as respected the Prince Albert. Reaching the south point of Batty Bay, with our friendly escort, our two parties once more separated with many kindly and touching farewells, and then with three hearty cheers, diverging in our diflFerent routes, we were soon lost to each other in the mist and snow. The incidents of the first stage of our journey up to Fury Beach, need not be particularly described, as the reader has already been conducted over this part I 2 rf ii 1 ■ ■ 1 ■p 1 1 1 1 1 IIG SFXOND VOYA'iE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. of the route during our first excursion. Mr. Bellot accompanied us only for the first day, and was then instructed to return alone to the ship, and bring up a reinforcement of men and stores, as early as it might be found practicable to join us at this point. Owing to the violence of the equinoctial gales preva- lent at this season, which kept us a whole week on one occasion detained in an encampment, I did not reach Fury Beach vnth the remaining five men before the 5th of March. Of our " experiences " during our week's detention at our encampment, I find the following notices in the rough notes of my journal. The gale of Saturday (28th February), continuing during three days, we were of necessity compelled to remain in camp. During a short interval on the 2nd of March, the weather appearing to get more moderate, we were enabled to return for what cargo had been left behind during our former trip. It was taken onward as far as wt dared, and we returned to the camp against a wind so keen that no face escaped being frost bitten— the strong wind in this instance being the cause, rather than the degree of temperature^ AN AVALANCHE. 117 for this was comparatively moderate. On the morning of the 3rd a lull of an hour or so, enticed us to bundle up and lash our sicigh. No sooner, had we done this and proceeded a short distance than the gale came on with redoubled fury; in consequence of which we had to hasten back to our snow retreat, and were glad enough to have been still so near a slielter when caught by it, as we had much difficulty in keeping on our feet from the violence of the whirling eddies, that came sweeping ?;ong an exposed headland near us. Such was the force of the wind, that column after column of whirling spray was raised by it out of a continuous lane of water, more than a mile broad, which the present gale had opened out along the coast, at the distance of only a few yards from I our present encampment. As these successive columns were lifted out of the water, they were borne [onward with a speed scarcely less rapid than the "wings of the wind" it .elf. Whilst detained here Ue narrowly escaped being buried by an infant avalanche. A hardened mass of snow of several tons m weigl^* having been disengaged from the summit of the cliff above us, by the sweeping winds, came '^Mji 118 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. rolling down with a noise that told fearfully of its approach. In its descent it carried along with it several fragments of rock that lay in its path, and at length, being able to advance no farther, lodged itself within a few yards of our present dwelling, after ploughing up a bed for itself in the hard packed snow before it, and doing us no other hai^ than scattering a few harmless masses of snow about the base of our encampment, which brought forth the words from one of our party, " Come, boys, let us riJi,"--to the no ismall merriment of the rest. Since the commencement of this gale the entire sheet of ice on Regent's Inlet, as far as it could be seen, was noticed to be in a state of motion to tuc southward ; how this may be accounted for I am at a loss to say, unless on the supposition that a vast! number of "pressures" were taking place in the southern portion of the Inlet, and thus making room for the large quantity of ice that was invariably seen going south. On the 7th March, Mr. Bellot joined us at Fuiyl Beach with seven men, making in all fourteen now collected at this spot. DETENTION AT FURY BEACH. 119 Such was the state of the ground between the ship and this point, added to the violence of the weather, and the obstructions arising from the numerous lanes of open water along the shore, sometimes two miles in breadth, that this short distance xuade greater havoc in our equipment than all the rest of the sub- sequent journey put together. The damage to the sleighs, snow-shoes and canvas mocassins, was so ^eat, that we had in fact to begin our preparations anew, and send a party of eight men back to the ship for fresh supplies, before we could undertake to continue the journey. We had helped ourselves very liberally from the old stores of the Fury, which we found not only in the best preservation, but much superior in quality, after thirty years of exposure to the weather, to some of our own stores, and those suppUed to the other Arctic Expeditions. This high state of preservation, I cannot help attributing in some measure to the strength and thickness of the tins, in which the preserved meats, vegetables, and soups had been placed. The flour had aU caked in solid lumps, which had to be re-ground and passed through a sieve ^^^H ^-.^ ^^^^^^^^M *' H^K^i ^^Hi. 120 SECOND VOYAGE OF THK PRINCE ALBERT. before it was fit for the cook's hands. In other respects it was fresh and sweet as ever, and supplied us with a stock of excellent biscuit. Owing to these various causes of detention, it was the 29th of March before we were able finally to set out upon our march southward. As we now enter upon new ground I shall in future give the daily incidents of our route from the rough notes of my journal. ALBERT. CHAPTER V. THE LONG JOURNEY. LEAVE FURY DEACH FOR THE SOUTH -EQUIPMENTS FOR THE JOURNEY—CONTRIVANCES FOR THE PRO- TECTION OF THE FACE AND EYES-MASKS-GUTTA- PEllCHA NOSES— GOGGLES— ROUTINE OF A DAY^S MARCH — PROGRESS ALONG THE COAST - REACH BRENTFORD BAY-DISCOVERY OF A PASSAGE LEAD- ING TO THE .VESTERN SEA— NUMEROUS TRACES OF REIN-DEER, MUSK OXEN, ETC—CROSS THE WESTERN SEA— PRINCE OF WALES LAND— LEVEL PLAINS- SNOW STORMS— SNOW BLINDNESS — CHANGE OUR COURSE NORTHWARD— TRAVEL AT NIGHT INSTEAD OF DAY — STRIKE OMMANNEY BAY — CHANGE OUR COURSE EASTWARD — INDIAN MODE OF HUNTING HEIN-DEER-A SUPPER ON RAW PARTRIDGES- STRIKE peel's INLET-ARRIVE AT CAPE WALKER- RETURN HOMEWARD ROUND THE NORTH SHORE OF NORTH SOMERSET— DETENTION AT WHALER POINT -BREAKING UP OF THE ICE-RETURN TO THE SHIP. After the various accidents and detentions which had delayed our journey up to this period, we were 122 SECOND VOYAGE OP THE PRINCE ALBERT. heartily glad to be able at 9 a.m. of the 29th March, to take our final departure from Fury Beaeli. It had been arranged that our whole party, consisting as already stated of fourteen men, should proceed together as far as Brentford Bay, whence eight were to be sent back to the ship, while the remaining six proceeded on the journey. Our object in this arrangement will be readily understood. To husband the resources of the long party, who had probably three montl s of travellinj before them, and upwards of ^ thousand miles to get over in that time, was obviously an object of the utmost importance. The supply of provisions which six men could carry along with them, would be utterly inadequate to the per- formance of so long a journey, but by making Brentford Bay our starting point, and bringing the relief party thus far with us, the consumption for that distance at any rate would be saved. Our equipments from Fury Beach, upon which so much of tho succ^.:s of our undertaking depended, were as follows. EQUIPMENTS FOR TUB JOUHNEY. 123 8^ cases of pemmicau, each 90lb. weighing 4 ba^s of biscuits, each 75lb. 1 small sack of flour 3 small bags of coal, each 40lbs. . Several I ndles of firewood, about 3 tin caf . .f spirits of wine, say 5 gallons A case of ammunition, knives, files, hooks, &e. intended for the Esquimaux, weighing about .... ' • • 1 bag containing our astronomical instru- ments, books, &c. . . . Several bags containing our bedding, sugar, and tea, guns, axes,saws, cutlasses, kettles, pots taid pans, weighing in all not less than Total weight, about Ijf. 750 300 SO 120 112 25 60 30 200 1627 If to this be added the weight of the sledges and tackling, the total dead weight of our equipments might be estimated at about 2000lbs. The whole was lashed down, to the smallest possible compass, tf' \ *.-! 124 SECOND VOYAGE OP THE PRINCE ALBERT. '((■I . ■•\.yf: on four flat-bottomed Indian sleighs, of which our five Esquimaux dogs, assisted by two men to each sleigh, took tv -^ while the rest of the men took tie other two. The weather for this season of the year was unusually mild, the thermometer rising as high as — 12 at noon. The land as we proceeded from Fury Beach became lower and lower, and in many places was indicated only by a few black spots appearing through the surface of the snow. After travelling six miles, we came to a flat point, where the beach was found a little broader, with a fine smooth floe along the shore, aff'ording a good track for the sleighs. At 7 P.M., having walked from sixteen to eighteen geographical miles, we halted for the night, and set about the preparations for our encampment. This was the first time, since the memorable trip fi-om Whaler Point to the ship, that we had had so large a party to accommodate for the night, and it was soon seen that one snow-house could not contain us alL So it was decided to build two, and to save trouble they were to be built end to end, with a party wal! : ALBERT. RIVAL SNOW HOUSES. 125 between — John Smith and myself acting as chief architects in each division. The lower tiers of the rival buildings were run up in famous style, and we had a neck and neck race of it, till the important process of arching the roof began, when that fatal party wall became a bone of contention, each party maintaining that they were crimped of their fair proportion of support for the arch. In the midst of a hot argument on this point down came one of the houses, amidst a general execration of the Smithites. A second time it was run up and a second time it came down, and before it was at last finished, and ffe were all in bed, it was past midnight. 30^/^. — A keen frosty morning, which followed our late repose of last night, found us marching on for Cape Garry, over a succession of level floes and low-lying points, with some striking and original additions to our travelling costume since yesterday. We had all been exercising our ingenuity in the contrivance of various Httle arrangements for the protection of the face against the eflFects of the frost, and this morning a curious observer might have studied with some interest the idiosyncracies of indi- \ 126 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. vidual genius as exhibited in the variety of grotesque appendages to noses, cheeks, eyes, chins, and every vuhierable spot of the human face divine. For the eyes we had goggles of glass, of wire-gauze, of crape, or of plain wood with a slit in the centre, in the manner of the Esquimaux. For the face some had cloth masks, with neat little crevices for the mouth, nose, and eyes ; others were muffled up in the ordi- nary chin-cloth, and for that most troublesome of the facial members, the nose, (which I verily beheve was made only to be frozen), a strong party, with our always original carpenter at their head, had gutta- percha noses, lined with delicate soft flannel, which warmed one's heart to look at. What powers of cold could penetrate such a rampart as this ? Frost- bites? pooh! Who fears to encounter anything and everything in the armoury of King Frost, behind such seven-fold shields as these ? But alas ! for the' vanity of human wisdom. The masks were found in a- few hours to be completely coated with rime, from the congelation of the breath, and the warm air from the face, and were forthwith discarded as a nuisance. The gutta-percha nose from ROUTINE OF A DAY's MARCH. 127 the same cause stuck fast to the skin, which it pulled away with it whenever it required to be unshipped, and forthwith it shared the fate g^ the masks. The chin-cloths and the goggles held their ground to the last, and did yeoman's service throughout the journey. While on the subject of these little personal ar- rangements, I may as well take the opportunity of attempting to give the reader some idea of the routine of our day's march. At six o'clock, generally (although from various circumstances this hour was not always strictly ad- hered to), all hands were roused by myself, and the preparations for the march began. Breakfast was the first operation, and then came the bundling up of the bedding, cooking utensils, &c., the lashing of the sleighs, aud the harnessing of the dogs, which, alto- gether on an average, occupied the next two hours. Then came the start, I leading the way, and selecting the best track for the sleighs, and Mr. Bellot, with the rest of the party, following in regular line with the four sledges. At the end of every hour five minutes were allowed for resting the men and breath- 128 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. ing the dogs. When the weather permitted, sights for the chronometer were taken at any convenient hour in the forenoon, and again for latitude, at noon. The proper corrections had been prepared the previous night or morning, so as to enable the observation to be worked off on the spot, without the trouble of referring to books. Half an hour on each occasion generally sufficed to get through all the necessary operations for ascertaining our latitude, or longitude, as the case might be. The construction of tl^e snow-house and the preparations for the even- ing meal and our repose for the night, concluded the labours of the day, which were seldom over before nine or ten at night. Thursday, 1st April— Made the south shore of Cresswell Bay in the afternoon, in thick snowy weather, about five or six miles to the W. of Cape Garry. In the evening we encamped on the point we supposed to be Cafpe Garry, the land being very low, and no conspicuous head-land in sight, deserving the name of a cape. IS umerous tracks of rein-deer and musk oxen were observed immediately on making the shore, in general going northward. BRENTFORD BAT. I2d During this and the three following days, we con- tinned OTir route, without any incident worthy of notice, along a similar low-lying country to that we had hitherto passed; the tracks of rein-deer, wolves, musk-oxen, and bears continuing to increase as we proceeded southward. Monday, 5th.-^We were now approaching Brent. ford Bay, a point of much interest in our route. I After passing in the forenoon the remains of a dozen Esquimaux huts, with their usual accompaniment of bones, we halted at noon (the day being unusuaUy clear), to get a meridian altitude, which gave Lat. ?2» or 37" N., var. 140 W. Shortly afterwards we arrived at a rising ground, from which Brentford Bay with its numerous islands, could be distinctly seen and recognized from Sir John Ross's description. About three p.m. we came to the entrance of the bay, and on rounding the north point, struck jfor a conspicuous island a few miles within the entrance (Brown's Island of Sir John Ross), be- lyond which a dense column of vapour was issuing japparently from some open channel of water. Camped ' the north side of the island at six p.m. At dusk '■ i\ 'I il 130 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. a bear came quite close to our snow-house, and was chased away by the dogs. \ Tuesday, 6th.— At eight a.m. the fatigue party who had accompanied us thus far left us to return to the ship; Andrew Irvine, John Smith, Richard Webb, and Wm. Adamson, remaining with Mr. Bellot and myself to continue the journey, as had been previously arranged. By the return party I bent instructions to those in charge at the ship, to forward more pro- visions to Fury Beach, and if possible to have Mr. Cowie exa-nine CressweU Bay, with the view of ascer- taining whether there was any passage leading out of it to the westward. The remainder of the day was devoted to the I examination of Brentford Bay in two parties. Mr. Bellot and John Smith going southward, and Adam- son and myself northward, in the direction of the column of vapour observed yesterday. On coming up to it, we found it to issue from a space of open water, extending for upwards of a mile along a channel leading westward, that might have an average breadthj of about two miles. About four miles farther up, second piece of open water was discovered with piece BELLOT STRAIT. 131 of loose ice floating through it, carried up and down by the tide. From a high hill in the neighbourhood^ I could plainly distinguish a sea stretching westward, to an estimated distance of about thirty miles, with the channel through which we had come so far, apparently leading into it. Other passages, or what seemed to be passages, were also observed running amongst the hills to the southward, but I was unable to trace their connexion, or to satisfy myself whether they were in reality channels or inlets ; on arriving at the encamp- ment we found Mr. Bellot and John Smith returned, who reported having likewise discovered a passage leading westward. Wednesday, 'Jth. — Started early, and took the northern channel, partly explored by myself yester- day, and continued along it until six p.m. when we reached its western extremity, a distance of not less than twenty miles, including its various windings. From a high hill near our encampment at this spot, we observed a broad channel running N.N.E. and S.S.W., true (variation 140), which was at first taken for a continuation of Brentford Bay, until its great extent convinced us that we had fallen upon K 2 \ 132 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. a western sea or channel, and that the passage m had just gone through was in reality a strait, leading out of Prince Regent Inlet. It appears on the map of our discoveries as Bellot Strait-a just tribute to the important services rendered to our Expedition by Lieutenant Bellot. The island which forms its southern shore was named Levesque Island, in accordance with the wishes of Lady Franklin, ex- pressed to me before my departure, that I should naipe some place in honour of this esteemed friend and generous supporter of the original Prince Albert's Expedition. The Western Sea, into which the ehan- nel opens, w. have ascertained since our return to be | the northern extremity of Victoria Strait, partially^ explored by Dr. Bae, from another direction. The hill on which we stood was probably a portion of thej high land seen from Sir James Ross's farthest inj 1849, and retains, therefore, the name of Cape| Bird, given to it by that distinguished and accom. pHshed officer. On the south side of the entrancel of the channel is another conspicuous head-land, to which I gave the name of Cape Hodgkin, ii honour of my esteemed friend Dr. Hodgkin oil TBACES OF REIN-DEER, ETC. 133 London, who, I trust, will permit one of a race he has so largely benefited, to express this recognition of his unwearied exertions to elevate the condition of the native inhabitants of the Hudson's Bay territories. In the course of the day we met with innumerable traces of rein-deer and musk-oxen, both old and recent, which led me to the conclusion that this is probably one of their principal " passes," in their annual migrations northward. The country on each side of the passage is of pri- mitive formation, bold and rocky, and rising towards the west and south into very high land. Having satisfied ourselves that we were now upon the west side of North Somerset, it became a ques- tion how far the sea or channel before us might prove continuous with the opening laid down in our chart between Cape Walker and Cape Bunny. We had arrived at a point where, in pursuance of a plan I had the privilege of submitting to Lady Franklin before leaving England, the future direction of our I route must be regulated by the appearance this I western sea might present. If such as to afibrd a ■ k 134 SEf ,D VOYAGE OP THE PHINCE ALDEaX. rcasonaUxo prospect of Franklin's having passed through to the south, our proper course would have been south also ; but on examining the coast line to the northward, nothing could be seen but a con- tinuous barrier of land extending from North Somer- set to an extensive land which we could distinguish on the other side of the channel, and which we have since ascertained to be the Prince of Wales Land of Captain Ommanney. Having made it a rule to lay nothing down on our chart as land which had not been actually travelled over, the connexion between North Somerset and Prince of Wales Land does not appear in our map, in which the conspicuous head- lands only have been inserted ; but that a connexion does exist, or if it be broken by any passage or passages out of Peel Sound, that such passages aie not navigable we had no doubt, and accordingly had no alternative but to proceed westward with the view of ascertaining whether any more promising channel existed farther west, through which Franklin might have penetrated from Cape Walker. Thursday, 8t/i.—ln pursuance of the decision come to yesterday, we struck due west across the channel, SNOW-STORM. 135 but owing to the rough ice, made very slow progress, and did not reach the opposite side till the 10th, after camping on the 8th and 9th on the floe. We had not been able, owing to the thickness of the weather, to make any extensive examination of the channel over which we had passed, but from the rough ice on each side appearing as if lodged by the tide, we in- ferred the existence of a current running north and south. Whether this current is derived from Prince Regent's Inlet through Bellot Strait, or from the Inlet between Cape Walker and Cape Bunny, through any passage or passages which may lead out of it, is a question of which we had no means of obtaining a satisfactory solution. Saturday, lOth. — ^About noon we reached the west side of the channel, and found the land so low as scarcely to be distinguished from the floe we had been travelling over for the last two days. About an hour after striking the land we were arrested by a violent snow-storm that compelled us to camp at 2 P.M. in the middle of a wide plain. The difficulty of preserving a straight course, in an atmosphere tbrough which earth, air, and sea appear all of a 136 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. colour, and in tbe total absence of any guiding land- mark, can only be appreciated by those who have had experience of such travelling as we had during this and the two previous days. A compass, even if it can be depended upon in latitudes so near the mag- netic polo, cannot always be kept in the hand. In our own case our course was guided almost entirely by the wind, the direction of which was indicated by a dog-vane carried in the hand. The weather had been exceedingly cold for the last few days, and to- day excessively so, and we were all suffering severely from snow-blindness ; the pain from which, aggravated by the sharp particles of the snow- drift dashed against our eyes by a furious head-wind, was absolutely excruciating. Svnday, 11 M.— Continued in the encampment. The storm raging without, with unabated violence. Monday, \2th. — A lull in the storm induced us to venture out about twelve o'clock. Our course wp still due west, in hourly expectation of falling upou a western sea which might conduct us round to Cape Walker. The country hitherto a dead flat, began to shew an occasional elevation or rising ground, never, B ALBERT. DETENTIC*- ON ARROWSMITH's PLAINS. 13/ however, entitled to the nar-e of a hUl; with the exception of one solitary peak to hich the name of Mount Washington was given, in honour of Captain Washington, R.N ,, a warm supporter of Arctic search a generous contributor to the outfit of the first Expe- dition of the Prince Albert, and the compiler of the very useful Esquimaux vocabularies supplied to the Arctic Expeditions. We camped in the middle of a plain, a few miles to the west of it. To this plain and the extensive level of which it formed part, and over which we had been travelling for the last three days, the name of Arrowsmith's Plains was given, in honour of the eminent geographer to whom Arctic discoverers are so much indebted. Wednesday, 18^/^.— Still snowing, and the weather very thick, which added to our snow-blindness, com- pelled us to camp at two p.m., after making a very inconsiderable distance from our last encampment. Uth, I5th, 16th, and 17^^.— After several abortive atiempts to make head against the storm, found our- selves compelled to remain where we were. Although the loss of so much valuable time was a subject of much regret to us all, the relief from exposure to 138 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBIKT. p If** t i ' li the glare of the snow was of great benefit to those affected with snow-blindness. During this detention, and indeed on all other occasions of a similar nature throughout the journey, we restricted ourselves to one meal a day, and to save fuel ate our biscuit or pemmican with snow or ice instead of water, and by this means were enabled to make twenty-five days provision and fuel last thirty-five. The luxury of a cup of hot tea, and it was a luxury which we would not have exchanged for the, wealth of Ophir, was reserved for our marching days. The flame of a gill and a half of spirits of wine was sufficient to boil a pint of tea for each of our party, and this quantity was duly measured out with the most scrupulous exactitude every morning and evening for breakfast and tea, excepting, of course, the banian days of our detention. Sunday, IQth, — The weather clearing up, proceeded about eighteen miles ^still due west, through a some- what hilly tract, intersected by ravines. The ground in detached spots was covered with heather and dwarf creeping willows. Numerous tracks of foxes were observed, all apparently proceeding northward. iS ALBIKT. )enefit to those THE ESQUIMAUX DOGS. 139 A gaunt half-starved wolf followed us during the greater part of the day, but was eventually scared m&y by the repeated shots fired at him, none of which however, as far as we could see, took efi'ect. A meridian altitude, the first since coming on this new land, gaxc us the lat. 72° 1' 48"var. 155^58' 10." lue thermometer at noon indicated + 22. A temperature which, to our sensations, was absolutely pressive. One of our dogs through over-exertion, combined with the unusual heat, fainted in his traces, and lay gasping for breath for a quarter of an hour, but after recovering went on as merrily a^, ever> These faithful creatures were perfect treasures to us throughout the journey. They were all suffering like ourselves from snow-blindness, but did not in the least relax their exertions on this account. The Esquimaux dog is in fact the camel of these northern deserts—the faithful attendant of man, and the sharer of his labours and privations. Monday, 19arty. The stores landed theie however from the Fury still safe. In the month of i^ebruary, 1852, fourteen hands left the Prince Albert again for Fury Beach, whence after some E ALBERT. NOTICE LEFT AT WHALER POINT. 153 I preparations for a long journey southward, they took I their final departure, on the 29th March. Their intention was, to have gone first to Brentford Bav I and then cross to the west, with a view to strike the supposed western sea of Sir James Ross, and then I follow the coast down to the magnetic pole. After, however, travelHng for about 100 miles into the inte- I rior, in a due west course, they found nothing but one uniform level plain, which it was supposed might lead to Banks' Land. As they had no means to enable them to reach this distant point, they turned north- ward (expecting to find a channel leading to the S.W.), up to Cape Walker, which they reached on the Uth of May; they found the land continuous, and gave it the name of Prince Albert Land. From Cape 1^'alker, being short of provisions, they steered for this point, which they reached on the 15th of May. During the journey, not the smallest trace of Sir John Franklin was found. Cape Walker was carefully examined, but bore no evidence whatever of its having ever been visited by Europeans. "Of the fourteen hands (including officers), which I left Fury Beach, eight formed a fatigue party as far H\ I iU i«' 11 '1l ! !■ .*» 154 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. as Brentford Bay, from which they returned to the ship. The party, that performed the above journey, was composed of the following individuals: W. Kennedy, Lt. Bellot, John Smith, Andrew Irvine, Richard Webb, and W. Adamson, with five Esqui- maux dogs. "When they reached this point, they were all suflPering so much from scurvy, that they had to delay here over a week in order to recruit. They are now (on the 25th May), ready to return to the sh^p, and only waiting for a change of the present boisterous weather. Regent's Inlet and Barrow's Strait, being quite open, as far as the eye can reach, they wiU proceed in the gutta-percha boat by water, as far as they can. "After re:.ching the ship, the examination of the bottom of Grinuell Inlet (the Inlet west of North! Somerset),* will form a first object—then probably • It should be observed, that the namingp - tlis Inlet west of North Somerset, was superseded by the j^revious diso^-'ery of this Inlet by I Captain Ommanney, unknown of cou;st, to me, ard so with many other j names I had given to remarkable -pot ,, ,11 of wh' . h are now espuiig from my chart. )E ALBERT. NOTICE LEFT AT WHALER POINT. 155 ;, they were all hat they had to ) recruit. They o return to the B of the present t and Barrow's le eye can reach, a boat by water, ellington Channel — that is, provided Sir John Franklin has not been traced in that direction. "Any one finding this is respectfully requested to send a copy of this notice to Lady Franklin. W. Kennedy, Commanding Lady Franklin's private Arctic Exp- xtion." « amination of the j ; west of North — then probably 16 Jiilet west of Nortli I ."ery of this Inlet by j nd so with many other j J -h are now expunged I'm Rpi ;t%: m CHAPTER VI. HOMEWARD BOUND. EXPLORATION OP CRESSWELL BAY, BY MR. COWIE— PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING WINTER HARBOUR- SAWING OUT — LEAVE BATTY BAY HEAVY DRIFT OP ICE FORCED INTO ELWIN BAY — GET A-GROUND— PROCEED TOWARDS WELLINGTON CHANNEL — SIR EDWARD belcher's SQUADRON — PROPOSAL TO RE- main with the north star bear away for england arrival at aberdeen ^^ults of the Expedition — position and pr< of sir john franklin and the missing sk. , There was nothing in the occurrences at the ship in the interval of our absence calculated to be of much interest to the general reader, who is by this time aware of the unavoidable monotony of a daily routine life in winter quarters in the Arctic regions. Suffice it to say that honest John Hepburn had answered all my expectations while in charge of the Prince Albert. The fgrtigue party sent back from Brentford Bay had returned in safety, and had been engaged from that time chiefly m .hip duties, and I regretted to find that many of them had suffered like EXPLORATION OF CRESSWELL BAY. 157 ourselves from scurvy, and were now still on the sick- list. In pursuance of my instructions, Mr. Cowie had examined Cressv, ^U Bay, in order to ascertain whether any communication existed between it and the western sea ; but after a careful survey of the coast I line, both within and on each side of the bay, no passage of the nature in question could be discovered. Being now satisfied, from the long and laborious explorations in which we had been engaged, that the missing Expedition could not have been arrested within any point attainable from Regent's Inlet, we looked forward impatiently to the time when we might be liberated from our present position, and be enabled to enter upon a new field of search. As yet there was little in the appearance of the ice or land around us to indicate that the month of June had arrived, beyond the falling in of some of the snow- houses we had erected around the ship, and a shght crustirg of snow in situations exposed to the sun. Gradually, however, the snow began to yield before the fierce glare of the dog-days. Dark spots of land shewed here and there on the hills, through tJie geiieral covering of white, and pools of water ill to 158 SECOND VOYAGE OP THE PRINCE ALBERT. began to form in the hollows of the ice, and to eat their way through th^ holes and cracks. By the beginning of July the snow had entirely cleared off, and little rivulets pouring down constantly from the hills were discharging their waters into the bay, and lifting the ice bodily all around us. Seen from the shore, the inlet presented the appearance of a sea of dull-coloured glass, with long ridges like the waves of an agitated ocean suddenly congealed, and the whole rising and falling slowly with the tide. An ingenious, though simple contrivance, enabled us to measure the rise and fall of the tide throughout the winter, for the ice had never been permanently attached to the shore. A rope was lowered through a fire-hole under the bowsprit, and anchored to the bottom, while the other end was rove through a pulley fixed above, with a weight attached, which, as the ship rose and fell with the ice, indicated the number of feet, by the descent of the weight. The height of the tide, as thus indicated, ranged from four to seven feet. The most healthy of the men were in the mean- time employed in bringing to the ship various rCE ALBERT. B ice, and to eat Lcks. low had entirely J down constantly ir waters into the iround us. Seen I the appearance long ridges like idenly congealed, ^ly with the tide, rivance, enabled tide throughout icn permanently lowered through anchored to the 'ove through a iched, which, as !, indicated the e weight. The 1, ranged from 3 in the mean- ; ship various PIIEPARATIONS FOR LEAVING. 159 articles and remainders of deposits placed along the coast in the course of the winter and fall. Mr. Bellot made an excursion to Elwin Bay, to bring the little dingey left there on our journey from Port Leopold; but it had apparently somehow excited the wrath of a Polar bear, for, on arriving at it, the planking and timbers of one side were found com- pletely torn away. This had been done apparently from pure wantonness, poe/r passer le temps, as no provisions, had been placed under it, or any where near it, either for man or beast. The excursions for these objects over, some days were devoted to bringing on board a supply of water and ballast, and then followed a busy week or two of scrubbing and scouring, repairing and double stitching sails, trimming the rigging, caulking and pitching the deck, &c., until the little Albert looked once more as clean and bright as a new pin. Last of all came a general washing on shore of aU our clothing and bedding, which whitened the rocks far I and near with rows of blankets, and all the heteroge- I neous items of anArcticwardrobe,-.and now behold us I ready once more for sea, on the first peep of open water. l4 c short distance to EIwinBay, in which we anchored in the evening of Sundav the 8th. Here a »udden set of the ice u.to the bay drove us ashore, and for two days wc lay aground, exposed to immi- nent danger from the constant stream of ice, which at last entirely filled up the harbour. Although we .ucceeded in getting the ship off without anv evU n^sults from our mishap, we were detained here a "hole week, completely blocked in by a dense accu- mulation of ice across the mouth of the bay. On Saturday the 14th, observing a narrow line of open wat .r between two extensive floes, we ventured .«t of Elwin Bay, out had scarcely entered the lead before we got entangled amongst the ice, and for the next two day. were driven about at the mercy of the pack, without making an inch of advance northward but rather the reverse. On the nth, by one of those »«dden and inexplicable movements, so common in the navigation of these seas, the ice had in a great M 2 ^. IMAGE EVALUATrON TEST TARGET (MT-3) /. 1.0 b&|2J |2.5 Ui 1^ 12.2 ^ Bi I.I lii lAO 1.25 1^ U 11.6 Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 '/. 0. ^ iV \ 164 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. measure cleared away, and we found ourselves beating up against a strong head wind, through comparatively open water, for Beechey Island, which we reached on the morning of the 19th. Shortly after 6 a.m., being then a little to the S. E. of Cape Riley, a ship was reported in sight, which proved to be H.M. Ship North Star, from England, sawing into winter- quarters. From Commander Pullen we learned, with infinite | gratification, that a squadron of five vessels, of which the North Star formed one, under Sir Edwaid Belcher's orders, had be'-;n despatched by the Admi- ralty, during the present season, to follow up the important discoveries of traces of Sir John Franklin's Expedition at Beechey Island. The two divisions of I the squadron, under Sir Edward Belcher, C.B. and | Captain Kellett, C.B. had passed on through clear water a few days before, — the one— consisting of Sir j Edward Belcher's own ship the "Assistance," with the " Pioneer," steam 'tender. Commander Sherard| Osborn,— to explore the promising Queen's Channel discovered by Penny, beyond the Wellington Chan- nel,--and the other— the " Resolute," Captain Kel- V \ " I ALBERT. SIR EDWARD BELCHEr's EXPEDITION. 165 i. If lett's ship, with the "Intrepid " steam tender, Com- mander M'Clintock. to proceed towards Melville Island. Dr. M'Cormick, that most enterprising of Arctic voyagers— who was with PaiTy in the north, and with Sir James Ross in the south — had gone up the Wellington Channel in a boat, to Baring Bay, in- tending thence, if possible^ to cross the land to the eastward, and strike upon Jones' Sound to the spot where the ' Prince of Wales ' had reported a cairn to have been seen, with foot-prints, &c. His return was shortly expected. By the North Star I had a letter from Lady Franklin, left for me by Sir Edward Belcher, in which she requested me to place myself and her httle vessel under Sir Edward Belcher's orders, if he desired it, and the health of the crew and the quan- tity of my remaining provisions permitted me to do so. This was of course now impossible, and in his absence I made the oflfer of the Prince Albert to Commander PuUen, who felt himself, however, pre- cluded by the general orders to the squadron from availing himself of it. I pi" ,m m '\ I mill 166 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. M t I Relying, however, upon the general instructiona of the Admiralty, that we were to receive every necessary assistance from Sir Edward Belcher which we might stand in need of. Captain Pullen very kindly placed at my disposal an officer and three men, as soon as he found that Mr. Bellot and myself were anxious to remain out another season, in order to complete the remaining part of the search, which I had originally planned, for myself. The greater part of my own men were not sufficiently recovered from the effects of their former labours and privations to be fit for renewed exertion, till after a farther period of rest and restorative treatment. I determined, therefore, to send the Prince Albert back to England, imder charge of Mr. Leask ; since to spend the whole of that remaining season and next winter idle would be a wasteful expenditure of provisions, for which there was no equivalent advantage. Two of the men, John Smith and Kenneth Sutherland, volunteered to remain behind, and start afresh with me and Bellot, on our projected exploration; and with this view a supply of food and ftiel, and other needful things commensurate with our expected E ALBERT. H.M.S. NORTH STAR. 167 ffants, was put on board the North Star, sufficient I to last us another year. We had at this time abundant provisions to last the whole ship's com- pany for a twelvemonth. But our plans were not destined to be realized. On being made acquainted with the nature of the Admiralty regulations, to which they would be subjected by their removal to the North Star, first Sutherland, and subse- quently Smith, withdrew their offer, alleging, as a farther reason for their change Oi purpose, their fears, which I found were shared by the Prince Albert's crew in general, that the fresh men from England would not be able to bear the same fatigue as themselves, some of wli »m had been all their lives more or less at this hard exploring labour. Mr. Bellot and myself were thus most reluctantly com- pelled to abandon our enterprise, and the disap- pointment seemed to be scarcely less felt by that fine young oflBlcer, Mi. Alston, of H.M.S. North Star, who had so nobly desired to be the companion of our future adventures. The provisions we had placed on board the North Star were again shifted to Beechey Island, to be iii|lii"itiili I 'it' ill i ■tj^-. 11 16a. SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBIRT. Stored in the house there being constructed, and to he at the disposal of the squadron. We left behind! the gutta-percha boat, which had been so invaluable | to us, the small boat, or dingey, some tons of fuel, pemmican, biscuit, preserved provisions, and othfer stores in considerable quantities, sufficient for the rations of four men for a year and more, our Esqui- maux dogs, and lastly, the organ, which had been so graciously presented by H. R. H. Prince Albert, and which had so often cheered us during our icy imprisonment. Feeling that the loneliness of the North Star as a depot, and therefore comparatively inactive ship, gave her claims upon our sympathy, I left this precious r-ft, on condition that it should be carefully returned. We had brought out in the Prince Albert from three to four hundred letters, addressed for the most part to the officers and men of Captain Austin's squadron, which in' the mean time had returned home. A portion of these, for such of the crews of the late squadron as- had returned with Sir Edward Belcher, being deposited with Commander PuUen, we bore away for Britain on the 24th of E ALBERT. istructed, and to | We left behind I en so invaluable le tons of fuel, I ions, and othfer ifficient for the lore, our Esqui- rhich had been . Prince Albert, during our icy ueliness of the 3 comparatively ur sympathy, I lat it should be ij *' r • ce Albert from ed for the most iptain Austin's had returned L of the crews rned with Sir h Commander a the 24th of i 1 y.''^: fill J , IS!- i 2 n > □ CD a c: 3 o U3 -.1 n X < > a m£££ LEAVE BEECHEY l^ AND. 169 ' August, under three hearty cheers from the North Star, carrying with us the latest despatches to the Admiralty from Sir Edward Belcher's squadron, and the most cheering intelligence of their prospects of success. We, left Commander Pullen still busy with the j work of securing himself in winter harbour, and in \t^e construction of a wooden house on Beechey X nd for the reception of stores. This Arctic I dwelling was to be called Northumberland House, and if of less noble proportions than the mansion of his Grace the late First Lord of the Admiralty at ' ^'^ ^ring Cross, it will be unapproachable in size and munificence in those regions, standing ''alone in its glory;" and instead of one proud lion erect on its summit, there are inexhaustible quarries of Aiotic alabaster all around, from which they may Icarve as many as they please to encircle and guard it. From Beechey Isla-ad ^ e steered for Navy Board [Inlet, with the hope of being able, on our arrival in lEngland, to report to the Admiralty the state of the I stores there. After two unsuccessful attempts, how- lever, to reach it, we were compelled to abandon our m^''' 1 il P' til I I't LEAVE BEECHEY It AND. 169 August, under three hearty cheers from the North I Star, carrying with us the latest despatches to tho Admiralty from Sir Edward Belcher's squadron, and the most cheering intelligence of their prospects of success. We, left Commander Pullen still busy with the work of securing himself in winter harbour, and in \t^e construction of a wooden house on Beechey i ,nd for the reception of stores. This Arctic I dwelling was to be called Northumberland House, and if of less noble proportions than the mansion of his Grace the late First Lord of the Admiralty at I ^'' Ting Cross, it will be unapproachable in size and munificence in those regions, standing ''alone in its glory;" and instead of one proud lion erect on its summit, there are inexhaustible quarries of Aictic alabaster aU around, from which they may jcarve as many as they please to encircle and guard it. From Beechey Isla-ad ^ e steered for Navy Board ihilet, with the hope of being able, on our arrival in lEngland, to report to the Admiralty the state of the I stores there. After two unsuccessful attempts, how- lever, to reach it, we were compelled to abandon our iPil f W 170 SECOND VOVAOE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. iatention juid resunir our course homeward. Com- mander Sherard Osbom had previously attempted, j but was unable to discover the spot where Mr. Saun- ders had landed the provisions from the North Star. And here I may be permitted to remark upon the j futility, as T fear it will prove, of placing dep6t8 of | provisions upon the south, instead of upon the north | shore of Barrow Strait; an opinion entertained andj clearly stated by Sir Edward Belcher. A succession of favouring gales bore us rapidly across the Atlantic, notwithstanding some vexatious j obstructions from the middle ice in Baffin's B By the 2l8t of September we were off Cape Farewell, I and in twelve days more had sighted Sc. KildaJ Thence we bore away round the north coast of Scotland by the Pentland Frith, and on the after- noon of Thursday, the 7th of October, anchored in I Aberdeen harbour, exactly six weeks from the com- mencement of our homeward-bound voyage, ani? after an absence altogether of sixteen months from England. I cannot close this brief narrative of a voyage, accomplished under unusual difficulties, and in the C£ ALBERT. RESULTS OF THE EXPEDITION. 171 absence of many appliances possessed by 'en I engaged in the prosecution of an extensive explora- tion of the Arctic Seas, without according here, first my gratitude to the Almighty for the protection He has in His mercy vouchaafed to us; and my obligations to the officers and crew of our little Tessel, by whose hardihood, preseverance, and uniform good conduct alone vre were enabled to effect what we did. To Mr. Bellot, my constant companion, not only do I owe the most valuable assistance from his scientific attainments, but his amiable quaUties have cemented a deen personal regard which can end only with my life. «.ut of 330 days, during which we were detained in winter-quarters, many of the men were out nearly one half the time, and this in the depth of mid-winter, journeying through incessant snow-storms, and a temperature auch as I believe no marching party has ever before been caUed upon to encounter in the Arctic regions. During this time some of them must have travelled fuUy 2000 miles. After such severe and protracted exertion, it was with inexprsssible satisfaction that I had the happiness of seeing every one of these brave feUows retuxn to "I •<; 1/ m I |i.f,li! J. Ill "f-f'mmimm ir J "^172 r«:CON^ VOYAOK OK THE PRINCE ALBERT. their native country, in as robust health as whei they left it sixteen months before, with the exce] tion of three urimportant cases on our sick list, Although, as the reader is awjire, some of th exploiations were carried on over parts previous!; visited (though unlnown to us) by others of Captaini Austin^s squadron, I am glad to believe, for the sake of those by whose arduous labours they were accom plir.hed, that the results of our Expedition will not, eve:: 'a a geographical view, be without some inte- re^ t, as a contribution to the charts of the Polar Sea» and Regions, our whole knowledge of which has been gained during the last three centuries, step by step, by indomitable perseverance, singleness of purpose, and the most noble spirit of enterprise— to which, in our present Arctic researches we may add, the -sacred call of humanity. Our chief acquisition in geography may be stated in « few words — the discovery of a passage from Begent's Inlet to the Victoria Channel of Rae, thereby supplying an important link in establishing the existence of a north-west passage along the northern shores of America, actually accomplished by the united labours other ci ours wai the iate successf tions, as is not. M contribu deeply-i] tions of directior but littl Walker, the Que ceeded tc be sougl Of the ii of searcl into whic rC£ ALBERT. RESULTS OF THL EXPElxi/fON. m jof British navigators. To this may be added the de- j termination of the physical aspect of the extensive land lying to the west of North Somerset, and the contribution of some additional facts regarding its jvarious coast lines. Geography, however, as I need jhardly say, was not our object. Important, as ur. ^ r jother circumstances such would doubtless have been, lours was indeed a far nobler one, -to rescue, or solve Ithe iate of our long-absent countrymen. Although un- jsuccessful in its attainment, the result of our explora- jtions, as shewing at least where the missing expedition jis not wiU, I trust, not have been without its r.se as u contribution to the solution of this important anu deeply-interesting question. Added to the Explora- jtions of those who have precedr.d us in the same direction in the field of search, T think there can be but Uttle doubt that Franklin has not gone by Cape I Walker, but has taken the northern route, through the Queen's Channel and Penny Strait, and pro- ceeded to an advanced west longitude, and is now to be sought for fiom the westward, or Behring Strait. Of the interest and importance of the immense field of search opened to us by recent discoveries, and into which Franklin has no doubt proceeded fai- to 'v. l74 »BCOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. [i- the westward, we are only now becoming aware. Itj seems, indeed, that the very conditions under whichi an opinion favourable to the safety of the missingl Expedition can be sustained, are its having advancedl to a remote position in some high latitude, and its detention there, either by wreck or imprisonment in the ice, and continued up to this time, by the absence of means to overcome the distance to be traversed, before inhabited, or frequented regions, can| be reached. As regards the means of sustaining life in these I regions, perhaps no fact has been better estab- lished by the observations and experience of the various Expeditions which have left England within ! the last few years; — while the worst founded] apprehensions in relation to our missing countrymen is that based upon the imagined want of food. On this subject I cannot foibear quoting the following excellent remarks (with which I entirely concur), from a lecture delivered at Washington by my valued j and accomplished friend Lieut. Kane, of the United States' searching Expedition, fitted out by that prince of merchants, Mr. Grinnell of New York. " Nor is there any reason to apprehend that the or disc maux i servant to the -^ Polar r Manchi dently ; certain] general the lat ofWeU 'region I of the bird ab derful. known [warm i some ai bear, ai even ir this, th carried verbial :E ALBERT. FOOD IN THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 175 ming aware. It! ons under which f of the missing! liaving advanced) ;h latitude, and or imprisonment lis time, by the! distance to be nted regions, can ig life in these I better estab- )erience of the England within ! worst fomided | ing countrymen at of food. On 5 the following itirely concur), >n by my valued ] , of the United t by that prince ork. ehend that the I missing party has perished from cold, or starvation, or disease. The Igloe or snow-house of the Esqui- maux is an excellent and wholesome shelter. The servants of the Hudson's Bay Company preferred it to the winter hut; and for clothing the furs of the Polar regions are better than any of the products of Manchester. The resources which that region evi- dently possesses for the support of human life, are certainly surprisingly greater than the public are generally aware of. Narwhal, white whale and seal, the latter in extreme abundance, crowd the waters of Wellington Channel, indeed it was described as a 'region teeming with animal life.' The migrations of the eider-duck, the brent goose, and the auk — a bird about the size of our teal — were absolutely won- derful. The fatty envelope of these marine animals, known as blubber, supplies light and heat, their furs warm and well adapted clothing, their flesh whole- some and anti-scorbutic food. The rein-deer, the I bear, and the fox, also abounded in great numbers even in the highest latitudes attained; add to all j this, that the three years provisions which Franldin carried out, was calculated according to the pro- verbial liberality of the British Admiralty, and was iittiiii ilW •^' 176 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PRINCE ALBERT. U I indeed abundant for a support during four years and I a half, and that he was the man of all others whom necessity had taught the lesson of husbanding,: his resources, and of adding to them when occasion per- mitted, and we have a summary of what might be I made a conclusive reply to the apprehensions on the] score of a want of food."* With such an array of encouraging facts and rea- \ soning, we have everything to stimulate us to a con- 1 tinuance of those eiforts for the relief of Franklin | and his devoted followers, to which the wonderful j proofs continually acquired of the existence of aniraal life, in regions so long supposed to be destitute of it, are imparting a character of ever-increasing hope. Nor is it the least gratifying circumstance to the friends of Arctic search that such views are finding a wide and general acceptance among the most eminent of our men of science. In a speech of the Rev. Dr. Eobinson, Dean of Armagh, (while reviewing the business of the different sections) at the late meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of • Quoted from the " Papers and Despatches relating to the Arctic Searching Expeditions," collected and arranj^ed by Captain Mangles one of the most valuable publications which has appeared on the sub- ject of Franklin's Expedition. WE ALBERT. POOD IN THE ARCTIC RKGIONS. 177 Science, at Belfast, I find the following observations, in reference to a paper on the Zoology of the Polar Regions by Mr. Petermann :— • ''From the abundance of animal life in those re- gions, there is no reason to doubt the safety of men so energetic, so fearless, and so true to their officers pjid themselves, as that noble band of our country- men, about whose welfare or whose existence every right.minded man is anxious, who accompanied Franklin on his last expeditiou, unless they have been the victims of some casualty by which both the ships of the expedition were instantly destroyed; for they were certain to find an ample and abundant means of sustaining life with both fuel and food. It was an exceedingly interesting paper, and not rendered less so by the discussion which it produced. One of our naturalists was rather disponed to doubt t^' high probabiUty to which I allude, and I was glad when I the discussion called up Owen and Murchison, and pur President, Colonel Sabine~one who had passed through all the perils of the Arctic voyage, and is perfectly aware, by his own experience, of all the I dangers of an Arctic winter. Perhaps I can add N 178 SECOND VOYAGE OF THE PftlNCE ALBERT. I; nothing to what Colonel Sabine said, when asked, did he think our countrymen could exist in tho rigour of those Polar regions ? ' The Esquimaux/ said he, * live there ; and, where they live. English- men can live '/ That contained the whole solution of the question. These men would have energy, some resources, and, above all, nothing could deprive them of the unconquerable courage and warm- hearted devotion to each other which ever was, and ever will be, the character of British sailors. And, wl^en these gentlemen expressed their assurance and conviction, that it was the bounden duty of the Government never to rest till they obtained certain information of the death of Franklin and his fol- lowers, or certain evidence of their existence — when they said that public opinion would never cease to impress and force the necessity of this their bounden duty on the Government — I felt, from the cheer that echoed the sentiment, that it was impossible but that the expectation would be realised to the fullest extent." APPENDIX. Correspondence with the Admiralty, and with THE French Board op Marine and Colonies, RELATIVE TO THE EXPEDITION IN THE "PrinCE Albert." letter from Mr. IF. Kennedy to the Secretary cf the Admiralty. Sir, Admiralty, in waiting:, 9th October, 1852. I BEG to inform you of my arrival with the " Prince Albert" from the Arctic seas, having reached Aberdeen on Thursdayjevening at 6 p. m. I left the « North Star," Captain PuUen, at Beechey Island, taking up her winter quarters, aU well on board. Dr. M'Cormick had just launched his boat in open water, with a party I think of four men, and was pro- ceeding to Baring Bay, to ascertain if there was any opening to the eastward into Jones's Sound, with a view of examining tlie cairn and cooking-place seen by tlie "Prince of Wales" in 1848. N 2 180 APPENDIX. I arrived at Beeeliey Island on the 19th of August, and quitted on the 21th. Sir Edward Belcher, with one tender, the " Pioneer," Lieutenant (now Commander) Sherard Osborn, had pro- ceeded up the Wellington Channel in open water a few days previous to my arrival, while Captain Kellett with the other tender, Captain M'Cliutock, had gone in clear water up Barrow Straits towards Melville Island. The " Prince Albert " wintered in Batty Bay, Prince Eegent Inlet. In January, accompanied by M. Bellot of the Prench NaVy, I proceeded witli a sledge and three men, alike to visit Fury Beach and to form a first depot. Eoturning to the ship, we again started in February, myself in charge of an advance party of five men, and M. Bellot the week following in charge of a party of seven men, having left Messrs. Hepburn and Leask iu cliarge of the ship. On M. Bellot coming up with me at Pury Beach, I found it necessary to^send him back again to the ship, in order to bring down further supplies, and it was not until the 29th of March that we were enabled to proceed on the extended journey. A fatigue party accompanied us as far as Brentford Bay ; here we found an opening Ml \i of August, and AMM-\'DIX. 181 running in a general course of about S. W. and N. E, of about fifteen miles to Cape Bird ; on attaining Cape Bird crossed a bay of some twenty-five miles in width, when we struck a low-lying beach, and pursued our course on it over gentle undulations, in a direction due west, of the estimated distance of 100'' W. longitude. On the third day we got on flat table-land until the latitude of 73o N. when we turned east, and struck the Inlet west of N. Somersei. Our course was now generally along the sea-coast until we reached Cape Walker, when our provisions compelled U8 to retreat to the ship round N. Somerset and Leopold Harbour. I cannot find words to express my admiration of the conduct of M. Bellot, who accompanied me throughout this trying journey, directing at all times the course by his superior scientific attainments, and at the same time taking an equal share with the men in dragging the sled, and ever encouraging them in their arduous labours by his native cheerful disposition. During our absence of three months, we ever slept in snow houses, having dispensed with tents. With the blessing of God, we returned in safety to our ship on the 30th of May. On the 6th of August we cut out of winter quarters .1' > i, \ 1^2 APPENDIX. p. hi] f!' , t 1 .1 and proceeded to Beeohey Island, as ciroumstanceH be«t directed. , I may mention, that out first journey was in mid-winter, when we had to avail ourselves of the moonlight, in the absence of that of the sun. I have, in conclusion, the satisfaction to remark, that although our crew suffered somewhat from scurvy, they have all returned to a man in comparative health, which I attribute in a great measure to the strictly teetotal principles on which the expedition was carried out, and the consequent harmony and good conduct of the men throughout. It id to the supply of pemmican, which the Lords of tlie Admiralty liberally supplied to the " Prince Albert," that our sled journies were enabled to be carried out ; I left 18 cases of pemmican at Beechey Island, and two at Fury Beach, and four tons of coal I put on board the « North Star." During my absence on the extended journey, Mr. Cowie, the medical officer, searched the bottom of Cresswell Bay, to see if any passage existed there, but found none ; to this office I also feel greatly indebted for his care and attention over the health of the crcM, and kind and skilful treatment of them. APPENDIX. 183 umstanceH be^t B in mid-winter, jonlight, in the ;o remark, that )m scurvy, they e health, which strictly teetotal arried out, and act of the men bhe Lords of the Prince Albert," be carried out ; Island, and two >ut on board the d journey, Mr. the bottom of dated there, but greatly indebted 1th of the crcM, Though every search was made in all parts wo have visited, we have found no record or trace of the pro- ceedings of Sir John Franklin's expedition. I have, &e. (signed) Wm. Kennedy, Conimnnding^ Ltidy Frankiiii'H I'rivute Arctic Expedition. Letter from the Siecretary of the Admiralty to Mr, W. Kennedy. Admii-ttlty, 15 October, 1852. SiK, I HAVE received end laid before my Lords Com- missioners of the Admiralty your letter of the 9th inst., reporting your arrival from the Arctic Seas, and I am to acquaint you that my Lords are greatly obliged for the valuable information you have been the means of con- veying to them from the squadron under Captain Sir E. Belchfcr's orders, and their Lordships have further to thank you for the interesting detail of your own pro- ceedings. My Lords would wish to express their sense of the exertion made by you, and your arduous efforts to discover traces of the missing expedition, and would be 184 APPENDIX. glad, should the opportunity offer, if you would convey to your gallant comrade, M. Ballot, the like assurance of their Lordships' edmiration of the generous ardour with which that officer's valuable services were devoted to the humane and honourable enterprise in which you were both engaged. I am, &c. (signed) W. A. B. Hamilton, tetter from the Secretary of the Admiralty to H. U. Jf/dimjton, Esq., Foreign Office. Admiralty. 15 October, 1852. Sib, I AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to send you herewith, for the information of the Earl of Malraesbury, copies of a letter from Mr. W. Kennedy, dated 9th instant, reporting his arrival from the Arctic Seas, and of one which I have this day by their Lordships' commands addressed to him ; and I am to request you will inform Lord Malmesbury that my Lords have transmitted the same, in order (if his Lord- ship should see fit) that the French Government may be made acquainted with M. Bellot's generous exertions in »ft J would convey ike assurance of )us ardour with I devoted to the vhich you were Hamilton. ally to H. U. ce. 5 October, 1852. ommissioners of the information Letter from Mr. bing his arrival I have this day to him ; and I lesbury that my 3r (if his Lord- 3mment may be lus exertions in APPENDIX. 185 behalf of British officers and men, and the opinion enter- tained of him by their Lordships. I am directed to add that M. Bellot is Lieutenant de Vaisseau in the French navy, and Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. I have, &c. (signed) W. A. B. Hamilton. Letter from I >. W. KenTtetJy to the Secretary of the Admiralty. East Islin^n Institution, 18 October, 1852. Silt, I HAVE had the honour to receive your letter of the 15th instant, conveying to Lieutenant Bellot of the French navy and myself the thanks of the Board of Admiralty; for the information which we have had the happiness to communicate in respect to the proceedings of Sir Edward Belcher's squadron, and the expression of their Lordships' approbation of our humble exertions to afford assistance to our long absent countrymen in the expedition under the command of Sir John Franklin. 186 APPENDIX. H ' If [in 11- 41 J,; 8f May I request tlmt you will assure their Lordsbipi, on the part of Lieutenant Bellot and myself, thai , feel deeply gratified at so honourable a mark of obeir Lordships' approbation, which is in itself a high reward to us for the arduous service upon which we have been engaged. I have, &c. (Signed) Wm. Kennedy, Late commanding Lady Franklin't Private Arctic Expedition. Ladi/ Franklin to the Secretary of the rldmiralfy. Lady Franklin presents her compliments to the Secretary of the Admiralty, and begs to enclose the copy of a letter which she has had the gratification of receiving from his Excellency the Minister of Marine of France, in compliment to Lieutenant BeUot of the French Xavy. 37, Bedford Place, 1 November, 1852. APPENDIX. 18/ (Tranalafion.) Pai-w, 26 October, 1862. MadXm, I HAVE received the letter which you did me the honour to address to me on the 20th instant. The French Government could do no less than give its cordial assent to the desire expressed by M. Bellot, Lieutenant de Vaisseau, to join the expedition in search of the noble and unfortunate Sir John Franklin, which proceeded in the ship « Prince Albert." In rendering himself worthy of receiving from you, Madam, whose devotion is the admiration of the whole world, the expressions of esteem conveyed in your letter, and in earning by the energy and usefulness of his par- ticipation in an enterprise as perilous as honourable, the safFrages of the British Admiralty, M. Bellot has gained fresh claims to the consideration of his uperiors, whose trust he hao so fuUy justified, and to the esteem of the corps to which he belongs, and which he n&s so worthily represented. In the name of the French Navy, I sincerely invoke success for the new expedition wh'^h has succeeded the !:.:! t^.ttS (V ^^ APPENDIX. "Prince Albert," and that it „,ay attain the object ImE which you foUow with so much courageous persevc ranee. Accept, Madam, the homage of my profound respect. The Minister of Marine and Colonies, (Signed) Theodore Duces. LatJtj FruHlilin, Lovdmt. N i . 1 APPENDIX. 18.1 ^y attain the object |mETEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL ON BOARD THE courageous perseve.| PRINCE ALBERT FOR JULY. 185L 11 J profound respect, and Colonies, 'heodore Ducos. Jbermoni. Date. «' I - I as iTuesi. I Jtt'pd. 2,' llburs. 3 I Wind, Ut. iKrid. »at. Siind. iMuti. lUM. 11 bur. I U Ihiil. II |8a'. 12 Suhd.I3 lAioii. 14 iTu.s. 15 IWed. 16 IriM.r.l? iFrid. 18 Ifat. 19 pnil.20 JMoD. 21 |'iue8. 22 M 31 33 4ii M 39 44 4i 55 42 3«j 4.) 45 41 441.. 60 57 30 36 34 34 46 37 41 3/i3U 40146 4b 37 33 iWVd. 23 143:46 iTliur. 24 JFrid. 25 pat. 26 |Suiid.27 |Mon28* lues. 29 4«i55 39 37 37 33 36 39 37 41 4bl42 49'43 8. & 8.W. B.N.E. E..\.E. N.w.&var. N.N.W. j N.N.W. I N.N.K. S.S.K. varjiibie. 8.8.W.&K. S.S.W. (•aim. calm. ligLt var. s.w. iresli. ligbt var. s.w strong Long. off Hare liemarks. 71° 09' iHland. off Law Apperna offSugar- near Hni at same son Id. vich. 37 calm. 33 h^«'i.3U 39 ['"iur.3l !36i39|33 4B42 4039 3a 40 33 45 43 34|N.K light, ^ariablf. N.K&calm calm, cnlm&var s.F. ligl variable 37 28 34 33 37 io 31 Baffin's Baffin's N. of bal pffVVilcojt ill sight ot off Devil's loaf. fin's Ids. place. Islands. Islandb. tin's Ids. Point. Dev, thb, tiiumb. -.s.E.gale, ■s.K. freslt. S.E.&S.S.K Southerly. foggy and clear, dense fog workg. nrthd. greater part foggy, cloudy and clear, clear wea'.her. clear and cloudy, clear and fine. serene pleasant weather, generally clear, hazy and raiu. generally overcast, fine serene weather, clear. generally clear and mild, cloudy. cloudy and clear, cloudy and rain, clear, overcast, clear, clear. foggy and overcast, ram and cloudy. S heavy ruin and cloudy i suneclip. but not seen, generally clear, clear throughout, occasion, snow showers. I (lav '"III naa much heavy rain. stood at 330 all 190 APPENDIX. METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL FOR AUGUST, 1851. Date. Tbermom. Frid. Sat. Sund. Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs, Frid. Sat! 8und Mon. Tues. W.'d. 13 Thur. 14 Frid. 15 Snt. 16 Sund. 17 Mon 18 Tues. 19 Wed. 20 Thur. 21 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 II 12 29 38 39 38 37 37 37 37 36 40 36 32 43|37 45 43 4] 41 41 40 39|43 {7 41 39 29 29 35 35 28 31 27 46, 435 42 38 40 47 42 41 41 38 Wind. Lat. 29 23 24 25 i.:l Frid. Sat. Sund Mon. TuH8.26 Wed. 27 Tl)ur.28 Frid. 29 Sat. 30 Sund 31 30 29 30 28 26 38 36 36 34 Mi i\ 43 30 30 40 41 29 31 28 38 36 34 33 30 3h 37 36 33 34 11 39 30 32 40 47 30 2^ 29 35 38 36 34 32 38 35 38 35 35 35 31 32 33 35 36 36 41 34 36 43 44 31 29 30 38 41 29 30 29 32 southerly, northerly, ditto, ditto. N.&E.S.E. s.m.fAn.n.w variable. N.N.E. p. & 8.B. N.R.N.&N.W. N.W. N.E. variable. 8. 8.8.W. southerly. v.E. variable, variable. 8.S.W. off Devil's Long. rhumb. 31 32 30 30 28 36 36 36 26 32 33 S.B & E. N. & \.W. variable. northerly. calm. calm. calm & vtfV. viiriable. "J.N.K. W.N.W.i&N.W westerly. off Baf 72o 30' gng. thro' o;ng. thro' ) trotthr. f 73o 15' 73° 15' 73o 10' fin'sSIdV. offC.Grn off Cape off Poas off My. M off iXavy . . C.'vVai mid. ice. mid. ice. mid. ice f 640 57' J 64o 4' 64o 00" Moore. Hurney. essioiiBay arteu In. lid. In. ■ • • * • • < render. Kemnrks. clear fog & snowsliwij clr.clm.& light N will variable and clear. cloudy. cloudy. rain and snow. clear. rain and fog. hazy and clear. clear. clear. dense fog. frequent snw.sbowfl fog and ram. clear. clear and fogo:y, hnze and snovr ^lklrrl fog and snow showen hHze&lightsnnr.sliwi clear weather, clear and foggy, fhitk fog and clear- generally cloudy, generally clear, fog and heavy rain, clear, rain and fog. &titrunp;gaM hazy snow atid tileel.| APPENDIX. 191 ^RNAL FOR n&. nb. Ids, ce. CI S y- ri. clear fog & snowshwi clr.clm.& light Nwii variable and clear. cioudjr. cloudy. rain and snow. clear. rain and fog. bazy and clear. clear. clear. foggy.. dense fog. frequent snw'.sbowi fog and ram. clear. clear and fogo:y. hnze and Hnovr hhiri fog and. snow showei bHze&ligbtsnw.sbw clear weather, clear and foggy, fbitk fog and clear, generally cloudy, generally clear, fog and heavy rain. clear, rain and fog. &titrung^al( bazy snow «tid slefl. METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL FOR SEPTEMBER, 1851. Kemnrks. loatt^. Tberraom. Ion, ■aeH. N. "burs, 30 32 6 lit. 6 Lod. 7 K |uee. 9 W, 10 ur.ll I, 12 It. 13 ind.14 loD. 15 fapg.16 ed.l7 W.I 8 rid. 19 It, 20 irid.2l Ion. 22 'w3, 23 ed.24 'bur. 25 frid. 2fi k 27 ind.28 Inn. 29 iif8.3U'n 31 28 29 28 29 3i 30 28 28 22 26 32 19 33 22 20 21 21 21 19 18 11 19 33 34 33 35 33 33 30 31 30 3031 32136 3133 30!31 29130 E a. 00 'i9 .30 29 30 29 30 30 28 29 26 Wind. 25 31 2927 29130 37l26;23 25129129 34|32;25 26|24 22 22:22 17 B. by 8. easterly. N.E. N.E. calm. N.N.W. w. and var. N.w. sJrong, w.w. strong, northerly. variable. westerly. V.V.E. W.N.W. N.w. by w. Lat. Long. 24124 20 25 24 22 W.N. w. 27 29,261 variable. 17119 W.N. w. '4[l3! W.N.W. 23,19 light N. 18 17 32 20 26 18 24 off Admi • ••••••• enter Re off Point enter Ft. at Point •••••••a '•ross for off Cape \ entBat t to win Remarks. ralty Inl. • • « • gent Inlet Leopold Howen. Bowen. • • . . • • Pt. Leop. "^eppings, ty Hay. ( tfT. S stronglgale. cloudy andstrong gale • ' 'og and bazf. [shws. cloudy, clear, & snow generally clear. •••••.••• clear and cloudy, clear and cloudy, frequent snow sbwrs. cloudy and snow shwa. clear. clear. clear, mild weather. dark, cloudy weather. rain and snow shwrs. heavy snow drift. strong 1918 2621 1518 1712 I4|13l0lv. Il| 8 6 v. 1211 10 V. s.i:. light. 8.F. and N. variable. N. stronggale. gale. strong I mod. aiidlstrong. !moderate.| I light. I I moderate clear. cloudy andsnow drift, clear. cloudyand snowdrift, clear. clear. heavy snow, fine and clear, clear and niiow drif'. fine and clear, light snow showers, hazy &sfjow»ibowen». 192 APPENDIX. if METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL FOR OCTOBER, 1852. v Date. Wed. I Tburs. 2 Fnd. 3 Sat. Sun. Mon. 'J'hcs. Wed.) Tbur. Frid. Sat. ] I SuQd.l2 Mon. 13 Tuea. 14 Wed. 15 Tl.ur.16 Frid. 17 Sat. 18 Sund.iy Rlon, 20 Tue8.2l Wed. 22 1hur.23 Frid. 24 Sat. '25 Suik1.26 Moil. 27 'lues Wed 1 hur. 30 Fnd. 31 28 29 Tbermom. 00 c o o 13 10 9 7 5 13 13 13 12 7 10 6 3 *i 15 12 16 7 2 7 20 26 25 21 8 16 - 3 — 2 -10 s d. 12 11 11 8 9 7 15 15 20 18 9 12 10 6 3 16 14 12 5 5 9 24 24 25 21 13 18 —8 —4 -10 Wind. 10 10 li 9 5 6 10 13 25 23 7 8 3 4 — 1 5 18 16 12 4 4 II 26 24 25 23 14 15 — 5 —7 —5 B d. 00 7 6 5 7 3 6 8 10 15 9 3 .•) 2 -3 8 16 8 13 1 4 17 27 24 23 15 17 in — 1 — 8 -6 larliS. northerly. ditto. ditto. southerly. north. ditto. ditto. ditto. N. and calm varahle. VV.N.W.&W. N. & W. N. N.- westerly N.W. N.W. variable, ditto. S.£. F..8.E. 8.K.. S.I', strong. tl.S.E. 8.S.F. variable. easterly, ditto. E.N.J&N.N.E F N.l-. easterly. Gloomy and downcast. Fine and clear. Clear. (loudy. Fine and clear. (Jenerally clear. Clear throughout. Clear and cloudy. Fine and clear. Clear and cloudy. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Fine clear weather. Dull and cloudy. Cloudy and snow showers. Snow and drift. Cloudy and snow drift. Cloudy and overcast, [drift (!lear and cloudy with siiow Cloudy, snowing, and drift. Snowing all day. Thick haze and snow drift. (Hear and overcast. Dull, liazv weather. CIdudy. Cl()ud drift. and snow drift. and overcast, [drift ind cloudy- with siiow , snowing, and drift. f? all dny, aze and snow drift, [)d overcast. azy wciither. and snow drift, and snow drift, nd drift, liruugbout. METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL FOR NOVEMBER, IS'iL Date. Sat. Suad. Mod. ues. Ved. Tburs. 6 'rid. 7 fst. 8 Suod. 9 MoQ. 10 ues. 1 1 Ved. 12 bur. 13 'rid. 14 Sat. 15 Sun, 16 Mon, 17 Tues, 18 Wed, 19 rhur, 20 'rid. 21 Sat. 22 Sun, 23 Mon. 24 Tues. 25 Wed. 26 rbur.27 'rid. 28 Viat. 29 )un. 30 Thermom. • S • a o a • a a o a. o. 00 >5 6 CO —2 — 1 —2 —3 —7 —6 —2 4 8 8 R 2 4 1 —3 —7 —5 —8 —6 —5 —4 _2 —2 —2 —2 —2 —2 —2 —4 —5 10 12 —10 —8 -3 —5 -3 0.5 10 —2 —10 -10 1 2 2 —7 —8 —6 —4 —4 —4 —5 +2 —0 10 —10 4 -6 —10 -10 —2 —5 —7 —9 —8 —4 —4 —8 —8 —9 —7 —6 —5 —5 —3 3 3 3 5 —10 —12 —13 —5 3 4 6 —6 —12 — 14 —8 -3 —4 — 12 -12 —15 — 15 -17 —19 -25 —28 —27 —23 -29 —30 -31 —32 -36 -36 —38 -38 Wind. Easterly. N.E. Variable. S.E. 8.E. N.E. N.E. N.E. B.S.W. N.W. N.N.W. W.N.W. S.E. N.E. N.E. S.E. E.N.E. N.W. N.W. Westerly, s.s.w. s. Variable. S.E. Calm, w.s.w. Westerly. W. & N.W. West. West. Remarks. Dark cloudy weather. Cloudy. Clear and cloudy. Snowing and drift. Cloudy and snow drift. Heavy snow drift. Heavy snow drift. Fine and clear. Hazy and dull. Clear. Clear. Thick and hazy. Heavy snow drift and cloudy Cloudy aud snow drift. Generally clear. Hazy and cloudy. Generally clear. Clear, fine weather. Fine, agreeable, and clear. Clear and cloudy. Gloomy and dull. Occasional snow showers. Cloudy and overcast. Snowing all day. Fine and clear. Snow and drift. Constant snow drift. Heavy snow drift. Heavy snow driit. Heavy snow drift. 194 APPENDIX. n : f ' f If '*''! % METEOROLOGICAL JOURNA.L FOR DECEMBER, 185L Date. Thermotn. Mon. 1 Tues. 2 Wed. S Thurs. 4 Frid. 5 Sat. Sund ^|on. Tues. Wed. 10 Thur.ll Frid. 12 Sat. 13 Sund. 14 Won. 15 Tues. 16 Wed. 17 Tliur.l8 Frid. 19 Sat. 20 Suad.21 Mon. 22 Tufs Wed Tl.ur Frid Sat. Sund.28 Mon. 29 Tues. 30 Wed. 31 a 00 .23 .24 .25 26 27 34 26 —15 -18 -9 —13 —6 —13 — 12 —25 -22 —21 —11 -10 —8 -23 -19 -IJ -15 ~9 -10 -15 —9 -18 -15 -25 20 -23 -28 -12 — fi Q O o —84 —26 —15 —8 — 12 —12 —9 —II —12 25 —22 —16 -21 —8 —6 -22 — 17| — 15 —16 —8 —9 —20 — 11 -20 —15 —23 -18 -23 -25 -10 —5 a. S d. 00 -30 —25 —20 8 — 12 —11 -9 -9 — 14 —24 -23 -13 -22 -10 —9 -22 -16 -17 -20 —8 —5 -19 -15 -20 -20 -23 -17 -28 -23 -9 —31 —25 — 18 —8 —15 -11 —7 -6 —18 —21 24 16 —22 -10 —13 -13 —23 15 — 14 -8 13 — 18 18 —20 —26 23 -18 —30 —22 —7 Wind. —5 -8 Westerly. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. w. & N.W. N.W. N.W. SE. E.8.E. N. N. & V.W. N.W. W.N.W. Variable. N. N.W. W.N.W. Variable. N. K.N.K. W.N.W. W.N.W. W. Cnlm. Calm. 8.E. W.N.W. 8.K. S.E. S.B.E. Remarks. Snow drift and cloudy. Snow drift and cloudy. Clear. ' Cloudy and lowering. Much snow falling. Quite ovprcast. Fine and clear. Clear and snow showetj Snow drift and clear. Heavy snow drift. Ditto. Ditto. Snow drift and clear. Gloomy. Cloudy. Snow and drift. Fine and clear star and moonJ Fine and clear, [light bydajj Snow and drift. Heavy snow drift. Clear starlight. Clear. Clear and snow drift. Generally clear. Beautifully clear. Overcast. Hazy and overcast. Haze. Dull, lowering weather. Snow showers and drift. Cloudy. APPENDIX. 195 RNA.L FOR ^51. Remarks. iw drift and cloudy. iw drift and cloudy. ar. udy and lowering. ch snow falling. te ovfTcast. s and clear. ir and snow showeu. w drift and clear. vy snow drift. :o. 0. w drift and clear. amy. idy. w and drift. ! and clear star and moon- f and clear, [light by da; v and drift. vy snow drift. r starlight. r, r and snow drift. jrally clear. itif'ully clear. ■cast. r and overcast. , lowering weatlipr, !■ showers and drift. Ay- METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL FOR JANUARY, 1852. II Date. 'i'hermom. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Pur. ["• pt. Bun. kon. luP8. red. iiur. rri. pt. pin. kloii. 12 Jues. 13 (Ved. 14 I'bur.l5 [ri. 16 lat. 17 fun. 18 f on. 19 |'ue.s. 2t) [led. 21 [iiur. 22 in. 23 24 25 ,26 .27 N.28 riiur.29 30 bt. 31 s 00 —6 s a. <. ■^ -6 -4 -2 — •8—20 20 20 [—22 1—15 — 15 — 15 —24 —10 —22 —23 —20 —20 — 2i) — 13 -13 —17 —23 —7 —22 —22 —25-26 30—30 -34-34 -34 -10 -20 -M -32 -37 -10 —6 —4 -20 -20 -22 —22 — 12 -12 -21 —22 — 1| —24 -23 -27 —29 —36 —35 —15 a oo Wind. Ilt'niarlis. —23—25 — 12-10 -33 lai. fun. lion, ruea. -44—40 -30-2!) -33—25 -3i -35 30 -25 -2o— 2, — 27— 5 -21-21-16-1 -15-17—15—1 in, 30 — —22-17-] — 17 —18 —12 -20 —15 -12 S.B. Kasterly. West. West. West&ccplm Easterly. s.E.&caliD. S.S.E. Variable. N.W. Variable. i*w. gale N.W. gale. North. North. N. & N.E. N. & N.W. Variable. N. & N.W. N-w. gale. N.W. mod. Westerly, V^irinble, Variable. N. giile. Variable. N.W. N. gale. N. ^ N.W. Variable. Variable. Dark and gloomy. Dark and p'oomy. Fine and clear. Fine and clear. Overcast. Gloomy and overcast. Snow and cloudy. Cloudy. Cloudy and clear. Clear above head & snow drift Snow all day [„eio„.. Snow and drift. Snow and drift. Snow drift & clear above head Snow drift. Snowing and drifting. Snow drift and clear. Cloudy and clear. Clear. Snow drift and clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear and cloudy. Snow drift and sky clear. Clear. Overcast. Snow and drift. Snow and drift. Cloudy. Cloudy. lA 19G APPKNDIX. m ' METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL FOR FEBRUARY, 1852. r IK ' »' i [I V f ■ 1 ' i 5 r Date Sund, ftlon. Tues. Wed. Tbur. Fri. Saf. Sun. I\Mn. Tuep. 10 Wed. 1 1 Thur.l2 Fri. 13 Sat. 14 Sun. 15 Mon. 16 Tues. 17 Wed. 18 Thur. 19 Fri. 20 Sat. 21 Sun. 22 Mon. 23 Tues. 24 Wed. 25 Tbur. 26 Fri. 27 Sat. 28 Sun. 29 Wind. B.8.E. 8.E. East gale. Estronjrgal* Variable. Variable. N.W. N.E. N.V.E. Variable. N.E. N. & N.E. w. N.W. gale w.N.w. gale N.W. Westerly. Westerly. Westerly. N.W. Variable. N. & N.E. Calm. Variable. N. & N.F. Variable. N.W. Variable. E. &E.N.E. Variable. Remarks. Cloudy. Snowing throughout. Snowiry throughout. f^nowing and drifting. Cloudy and hazy. Clear and cloudy. Clear. Cloudy and haze. Cloudy and clear. Cloudy and snow drift. Clear and cloudy. Generally clear. Snow drift. Snow drift. Fine and clear. ( lear. f'lear. Clear. Clear. (^If'ar. Clear. Clear. Clear and cloudy. Frequent snow showers. Clear. Clear and cloudy. Gloomy and overcast. Cloudy and clear. Clear weather. APPENDIX. 197 rUNAL FOR i2. ^ METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL FOR MARCH, 1852. Remarks. idjr. «'ing throughout. vir^ throughout, fing and drifting. dy and hazy. r and cloudy. • iy and haze, ly and clear, iy and snow drift. ' and cloudy, rally clear. drift. drift, and clear. and cloudy. ent snow showers. and cloudy. ly and overcast. f and clear, weather. Date. Mon. 1 TuHs. 2 Wed. 3 Tliiir. 4 Fri. 5 ' Sat. 6 Sun. 7 Alon. 8 lues. 9 Wed. 10 ! Tbur. 1 1 Fri. 12 Sat. J 3 Sun. 14 Alon, 15 Tups. 16 Wed. 17 Thur.18 Fri. 19 Sat. 20 Sun. 21 Mon. 22 Tues. 23 Wed. 24 TLur.25 ! Fri. 26 Sat. 27 Sun. 28 Mon. 29 Tues. 30 Wed. 31 Winds. N.N.E. gale N.N.E. gale Variable. Variable. Variable. w.N.w. mod. W.N.W. Calm. Calm. Clear. Variable. Westerly. Westerly. Variable. Variable. N. strong. N.w. mod. E.N.E. gale K.N.R. gale E.N.E. gale, Remarks. s.s.R. strong • by N. gale, Variable. West. E.N.E strong N.E. strong W.N.w. Variable. East, N.w. Variable. Snowing and drifting. Snowing and drifting. Snowing and drifting. Snowing and clear. Clear. Cloudy and clear. Cloudy. Cloudy. Cloudy. Fine and clear. Cloudy and haze. Cloudy and haze. Cloudy. Fine and clear. Clear and snow drift. Clear and cloudy. Cloudy. Snow drift. Thick weather. Same weather. Snow and drift. Heavy snow and drift. Heavy wet snow. Clear. Cloudy and snow drift. Heavy snow. Cloudy. Cloudy. Cloudy. Clear. Cloudy and hazy. 3 m. K-' 198 APPENDIX. Kritu^ METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL FOR APRIL, 1852. , Theimom. Wind. Date. Remarks. B c o e E « o Ci. c^ 00 ;s * oc • Thur. 1 Zero +6 +3 +1 N.w. mod. Cloudy. Cloudy. Cloudy. Fri. 2 Ze.o + 13 +2 +1 N.w. mod. Sat. 3 1 15 1 1 N.w. Sua. 4 —10 6 —4 — 15 N.w. strong Snow drift. Mon. 5 -18 20 — 12 —13 N.w. light. Clear and cloudy. Tues. G —5 13 — 12 —12 Variable rine clear weather. Wed. 7 —7 —3 — 14 — 1^ N.vv. mod. Cloudy and overcast. Thur. 8 Fri. ' 9 •^7 — 4 —9 — 17 N.w. light. Hazy. Fine and clear. -1(( 12 -11 — 17 N.w. mod. yat. 10 —10 23 -11 -16 Calm. Fine, clear and pleasant. Sun. 11 —3 7 1 Zero s E. mod. Cloudy. Fine clear weather. Mon. 12 Zero «8 _2 —8 West. Tues. 13 Zero 29 -3 —9 Vnriable. Clear. Wed. 14 Zero 16 2 2 Westerly. Thick and hnzy. Thick and close. Tliur.l/j Zero 12 12 lo s.E. light. Fri. 1.6 19 29 20 12 S.E. lijjht. Cloudy. Beoutit'ul and clear. Slit. 17 16 37 2 -7 Variable. Sun. 18 Mor. 19 16 16 41 18 12 14 1) 11 N. N.W. mod. Overcast and threatening. Dark, cloudy, and hazy. Dull heavy weather. Cloudy and clear. Tw'.i. 20 14 21 12 n N.w. mod. W,d.2l 16 16 12 10 N.W. light. Thur. 22 11 20 15 14 East. Snowing throughout. Hazy and snow. Fri. 23 16 22 16 15 s.E. mod. Sat. 24 15 40 18 15 s.E. light. Fine and clear. Sun. 25 18 46 20 17 Variable. Fine and clear. Mon. 26 20 41 13 2 N.w. Heavy fall of snow. M s-r'' ^ •^'■KuJi 199 NAL FOR LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS Remarks. TO THB LATE BHANCH EXPEDITION TO REGENT INLET IN 1851. riff. id cloudy, ar wetitlier. and uvercaat. 1 clear. ^ar aiiil pleusant. ar weatber. id hazy. id close. I and clear. ; and tlireateuing. oudy, and hazy, vy weather. Jiid clear. throughout, d snow. . clear. clear. II of SHOW. Admiral Sir Francie Beaufort, K.C.B. Capt. W. A. B. Hamilton, R.N. John Barrow, Esq., Admiralty The Rev. Dr. Scoresby Lieut. Halkett, R.N. Lieut. Dayman, R.N. Henry Harvey, Esq., Brighton . Collected at Portsmouth Lieut. Henderson, R.N., ditto Lieut. Simpkinson, R.N., ditto Charles BraBgue, Esq. Capt. Ward, R.N. . Sir WUliam Wiseman, Bart., R.N., H "Excellent" Lieut. Burrows, R.N., ditto Lieut. Tottenham, R.N., ditto Capt. 0. Dalrymple Hay, R.N. . Sir R. H. luglis, Bart., M.P. Miss Inglis ,M.S, £. *. ff. 20 20 15 6 10 5 6 1 4 1 3 2 1 1 10 10 1 1 5 r> 200 LIST OF SOBSCHIBKRH. ill John Halkett, Esq. Hudson Guriiey, Esq. (2nd donation) Miss Gumey Hon. Henry Elliot Lady Simpkinson . Mrs. Majendie Miss Guillemard Subscription at Orkney Eev. T. W. Franklyn Sympathiser Eev. E. W. Sucklirg . Charles Dayman, Esq. M^ss Dayman G. Ditman, Esq. . Eichard Eogers, Esq. — Eeed, Esq. Mrs. Eainsford A. K. Isbister. Esq. Mrs. "Watson — Cresswell, Esq. Liverpool : — Thos. B. HorsfaU, Esq. W. J. Horsfall, Esq. J. D., per ditto Miss Horsfall . - Mrs. C. H. Horsfall Miss Horsfall llobert Ean]'?n, Esq, Henry Steele, Eaq. ^■. s. d. 5 ktion) . 20 10 50 10 10 loo 6 10 (f 5 10 r * . 1 2 .2 loo 110 5 10 10 5 3 2 2 C' 10 10 10 5 1 110 10 10 ■•I £ 8. d. 6 . ^ 20 10 oO 10 10 1 6 10 : tHE END. G. NORMAN, PRINTER, MAIDEN LANE, COVBNT GARDEN. S. 9. d. 6 1 18 3 6 2 2 0, 3 3 10 10 0- B. N. 8 0(^ 1 ' . 2 5 0. 6 d bj 18 10 ow'8 Voyage of the, ENT OARDBN.