ever, allow him to go no farther. His thorough exploration of the shores of Committee Bay connects the discoveries of Parry on one side with those of Ross on the other.

The ice broke up late in 1847, and it was not till the 12th August that the boats were launched in open water. Rae safely arrived with all his men at York Factory on the 6th September: there the good health and high condition of the whole party excited unqualified admiration. "By George!" exclaimed a stout corporal in charge of the sappers and miners destined to accompany Richardson in his boat voyage, "I never saw such a set of men." From none of the parties of Esquimaux Rae met with could he gather any tidings of Franklin.

Their fuel was so short that they could afford themselves but one meal a-day, and were obliged to discontinue the comfort of a cup of tea. Being short of oil also, and darkness and cold together being intolerable, they had no resource but to pass about fourteen hours out of the twenty-four in bed. Rae was worse off than his companions; they could smoke at all hours; but that which was their greatest luxury was his greatest annoyance. Honest Jack's jerseys and trousers felt, from frozen moisture, as hard and prickly as any integuments of ascetical invention. When they went to bed their blankets sparkled with hoar-frost; Rae's own waistcoat became so stiff that he had much ado to get it buttoned. When he went to open his books he found that the leaves were fast frozen together, the We have dwelt on the particulars of this damp from the walls having got into them journey interesting however for their own before the frost set in; and every article sake-because they support the idea that bound with brass or silver burst its fastenings. Yet the men were cheerful, enjoyed excellent health, and made light of their hardships. When one poor fellow got his knee frozen in bed he was sorry that it became known, as the laugh was turned against him for his effeminacy. Christmas-day they had all " an excellent dinner of venison and plum-pudding," and on the 1st of January "capital fat venison-steaks and currant dumplings." A small supply of brandy was served out to drink to absent friends; and on the whole, Rae does not think that "a happier party could have been found in America, large as it is."

Franklin and his crews, if detained in some remote region of thick-ribbed ice, might not, even to this date, be reduced to utter extremity for want of food. If Rae, with provisions for only four months, could keep his men in high condition for fourteen, and could weather a winter of great severity almost without fuel, with no other shelter than they could erect for themselves, and with but scant supplies of clothing, it does appear improbable that, with the two well-stored ships of Franklin, some brave fellows may yet be living, animated by the hope that succor will reach them at last. In the course of nature the crews would be much reduced by death, and the supplies be consequently available for a longer period than was calculated on.

By the commencement of March deer began to migrate to the north, and during this month Rae got sledges finished and all preparations made for his spring survey. On the 3rd of While Rae was engaged in this expedition, April the thermometer rose above zero for the attention was painfully excited in England by first time since the 12th of December. He Franklin's prolonged absence. The opinion started on the 4th, taking with him three of of the most experienced arctic navigators was his men and two Esquimaux; his luggage that he had pushed to the south-west after and provisions being stowed in two sledges, passing Cape Walker, and had got inextricaeach drawn by four dogs. He took no tent, bly involved in the ice somewhere south of as he found it much more convenient to erect Banks' Land. Thus Sir E. Parry expressed snow-houses. Those which he built on his his conviction that the ships were directed to outward journey served on his way back. In the south-west between 100° and 110° W. these houses storm and cold were unfelt. On | Long.; Sir James Ross, taking the same view, one occasion, where there was a stiff gale, with the thermometer 21° below zero, he says "We were as snug and comfortable in our snow-hive as if we had been lodged in the best house in England."

expected the ships would be found about lat. 73 N. and long. 135° W.; and Richardson, likely to be informed of his old comrade's views, believed that he was blocked up in attempting, by sailing south-west of Cape Walker, to reach that open Polar Sea, which both of them had observed, east and west of the Mackenzie river, in their exploration of the North American coast. Similar views were expressed before the Committee of 1850.

In this journey he surveyed the whole western shore of the sea until he reached the furthest discovery of Ross to the south. In a second journey, made the same spring, he traversed the eastern coast till he reached Cape Crozier; from hence he could observe the line of coast some miles farther to the north― leaving, as he reckoned, not more than ten miles of shore to be surveyed up to the mouth of the Fury and Hecla Strait: the shortness of his provisions would, how-er, whence

The course indicated was that which Franklin had been expressly directed to take. Sir John Barrow, in proposing this voyage to the Royal Society, had dwelt mainly on the probabilty of a channel south-west of Cape Walk

A distance of 300 leagues on a clear sea, keep- | Bathurst, Parry, Krusenstern, and Hearne, ing midway between the supposed Banks' Land along the coast. and the coast of America, would accomplish an object which, at intervals during 300 years, has engaged the attention of crowned heads, men of science, and mercantile bodies, whose expectations were frequently disappointed but not discouraged.

A third expedition, consisting of the Herald, Captain Kellet, then employed on a survey in the Pacific, and the Plover, under Commander Moore, were to penetrate through Behring's Strait, taking up positions as far north-east as might be consistent with their

The official instructions to Franklin are, how-safety, and two whale-boats were to perform ever, quite distinct on this point:

a coasting voyage to the Mackenzie to meet Richardson's party.

In proceeding to the westward you will not stop These arrangements were judicious, but, to examine any openings either to the northward unfortunately that expedition to which the or southward of that strait [Barrow's] but con- chief service was intrusted was baffled by tinue to push to the westward without loss of those natural causes which so often, in arctic time in the latitude of about 744 till you have regions, defeat the best-laid plans, and, inexreached the longitude of that portion of land on which Cape Walker is situated, or about 98 tricably enclosing ships in mighty fields of west. From that point we desire that every ef- ice, deliver over the most experienced and fort be used to endeavor to penetrate to the south-courageous commanders to the mercy of winds ward and westward in a course as direct towards and currents. Behring' Strait as the position and extent of the The vessels of Ross were not able to cross ice, or the existence of land at present unknown, the middle ice of Baffin's Bay till the 20th may admit. We direct you to this particular July. He did not reach Cape York, at the part of the Polar Sea as affording the best prospect of accomplishing the passage to the Pacific. You are well aware, having yourself been one of the intelligent travellers who have traversed the American shore of the 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 on the 11th September, and on the following than about the 120th degree of western longi- day both vessels were fast shut in by the main tude, and that beyond this and to Behring's pack of ice closing with the land. He emStrait no land is visible from the American shore ployed the winter and spring in all practicable measures for the discovery and relief of Franklin. A house was built at Port Leopold, and stored with provisions for twelve months, in case he might come that way after the ships had gone. Exploring parties searched both shores of North Somerset, down to Fury Point on one side, and Four Rivers Bay on the other.

of the Polar Sea.

That the search for this great seaman and his companions might be as complete as possible, the government, in 1848, fitted out three distinct expeditions—each, however, planned on the probability that he had taken the route prescribed for him, rather than with any special view to Wellington Channel. The principal one, under command of Sir James Ross, consisting of the Enterprise and Investigator, was directed to follow, as far as practicable, in the asumed wake of Franklin, proceeding direct to Lancaster Sound, and scrutinizing the shores north and south. It was supposed that one ship might winter near Cape Rennel or Cape Walker, and that the other might advance to Melville Island. Searching parties were to be sent from each vessel in the spring, some to explore the neighboring coasts, and particularly the unknown space between Cape Walker and Banks' Land; and others to cross, if possible, to the coast of North America, and attempt to reach the Mackenzie and Coppermine rivers, where Sir John Richardson's aids would meet them.

entrance of Regent's Inlet, till the 1st September; and here he had the mortification to find that impenetrable barriers of ice prevented his approaching the entrance of Wellington Channel to the north, or Cape Rennell to the west. He put into Port Leopold

The open season of 1849 was late. The vessels were not released till the 28th August, and three days later the ice closed round them, and defied every effort made for their relief. Helplessly beset, they remained fast until they drifted out of Lancaster Sound. When they were once more free the 25th of September had arrived, and winter had set in with rigor. The harbors on the coast were already closed against them, and, having done all that was possible to contend with adverse circumstances, Ross had no resource but to return home, thankful to the Providence which had so mercifully preserved him when all human effort was unavailing.

It had been his intention, were no tidings heard of Franklin by the close of the summer 1849, to send home the Investigator, continuTo Richardson had been intrusted the task ing the search through another year in the of searching the North American shore be- Enterprise alone. The Admiralty apprecitween the Coppermine and the Mackenzie, and ated his zeal, but feared it might jeopardize of depositing provisions at Fort Good Hope, his safety. Early in the spring of 1849 the on the latter river, at its mouth, and at Capes | North Star was supplied with stores, and in

May sailed for Lancaster Sound, bearing despatches to Sir James Ross, instructing him to keep out both ships, and to make a particular examination of Wellington Channel. The North Star was not to hazard a winter in the ice; but the unusual severity of the season, which had carried Sir James out of Lancaster Sound, prevented the North Star from approaching it. She wintered in Wolstenholme Sound, and hence originated that foolish story of the wreck of Franklin's ships on the north shore of Baffin's Bay, which imposed on the credulity of Sir John Ross. The impudent fabrication is now conclusively exposed.* The return of Sir James Ross' ships at the very time when it was supposed the North Star would have been in communication with them, replenishing them for a prolonged absence, excited some very unreasonable dissatisfaction in the minds of a few noisy people. Even had it been possible for Sir James to winter in some harbor of Baffin's Bay, it would clearly have been unadvisable for him to do so, as a fresh expedition from England would reach Lancaster Sound by about the time he could expect to get released. It is not for one unsuccessful adventure to dim the reputation of this most skilful and gallant officer. The arctic and antartic zones equally bear witness to his high qualities and acquirements. If second to any among Polar discoverers, he is second to Parry alone; and while he may justly claim part in the successes of that able commander- having sailed with him when the Parry Islands were discovered and accompanied him in his wonderful journey over the ice towards the Pole-the merit is all his own of planting the British flag on the magnetic pole, and of discovering an antartic continent.

The other expeditions were more successful in fulfilling the parts assigned them. Preparations for Richardson's journey had to be made in the summer of 1847. Four boats of the most approved construction were built in the royal yards; and, with wise consideration for the commissariat, Sir John had that indespensable article for the arctic voyager, pemmican, manufactured under his own eye. The reader may not be displeased to see an authentic account of its preparation :

The round or buttock of beef, of the best quality, having been cut into thin steaks, from which the fat and membranous parts were pared *Captain Inglefield, in a paper read at the Geographical Society November 22d last, giving an account of his voyage in the Isabel, states that he paid a visit to Ominack, the spot named by Adam Beck as that on which Franklin and his crew had been murdered, and satisfied himself, "beyond all doubt, that there was no truth whatever in the statement of that reprobate Adam Beck, and that no such fate as he had related had befallen their missing countrymen."

away, was dried in a malt-kiln over an oak fire until its moisture was entirely dissipated, and the fibre of the meat became friable. It was then ground in a malt-mill, when it resembled finely-grated meat. Being next mixed with an equal quantity of melted beef-suet or lard, the preparation of plain pemmican was complete ; but to render it more agreeable to the unaccustomed palate, a proportion of the best Zante currants was added to part of it, and part was sweetened with sugar. Both these kinds were much approved of in the sequel, but more especially that to which the sugar had been added. After the ingredients had been well incorporated by stirring, they were transferred to tin canisters capable of containing 85 lbs. each, and having been firmly rammed down, and allowed to contract further by cooling, the air was completely expelled and excluded by filling the canister to the brim with melted lard, then covered with a piece of tin and soldered up. through a small hole left in the end, which was Finally, the canister was painted and lettered according to its contents. The total quantity of pemmican thus made was 17,424 lbs., at a cost of 1s. 74d. per lb.

As the meat in drying loses more than three fourths of its original weight, the quantity required was considerable, being 35,651 lbs. (reduced by drying to about 8000 lbs.) and the sudden abstraction of more than 1000 rounds of beef from Leadenhall Market occasioned speculation among the dealers, and a temporary rise in the price of one penny per pound. — Rich., vol. i., 37, 38.

It is curiously illustrative of the interest excited by this expedition, that Richardson received numerous advances from volunteers desirous of joining him. Among the applicants he enumerates two clergymen, one Welsh justice, several country gentlemen, and some scientific foreigners. Rae was associated with Richardson. They left Liverpool for New York on the 25th of March, 1848, taking with them necessary baggage to the amount of 4000 lbs. They moved with all practicable rapidity. Landing at New York on the 10th of April, they arrived at Cumberland House 14th of June, the distance from New York being 2850 miles. They found their party, which had left England the previous year, a fortnight in advance; it had been joined by Mr. Bell, chief trader of the Hudson's Bay Company, and by sixteen of the Company's voyagers. Their journey down the Mackenzie was favorable. On the 31st of July they reached Point Separation, and here a case of pemmican with memoranda was buried for the Plover's boat party. To indicate the spot to their friends, but conceal it from the natives, a fire was lit over the pit; and, as this signal had been agreed on, the deposit was readily found by Pullen and his men when they arrived in the Plover's boats fourteen months later. From the mouth of the Mackenzie, Richardson's boats turned to the east, passed Cape Bathurst on the 11th of

a dwelling-house for the officers, consisting of a
hall, three sleeping apartments, and store-closet.
Mr. Bell and Mr. Rae quartered themselves
with Bruce in the store-room, and I took pos-
session of my sleeping-room, which was put
I could there enjoy the
temporarily in order.
spatches for the Admiralty, and writing my do-
luxury of a fire while I was preparing my de-
mestic letters. I looked forward to the winter
without anxiety.

August, and soon after rounded Cape Parry. | vanced than we had expected. He had built an The navigation from this point became more ample store-house, two houses for the men, and difficult, the boats having to make way through crowded floes of ice. As they approached Cape Krusenstern, the sea, as far as vision extended, was one dense, close pack, with not a lane of water perceptible. On the night of the 26th of August a severe frost covered the sea and ponds with young ice, and glued the floes immovably together. Progress with the boats could now be made only by dragging them over the floes, when the surface was sufficiently smooth, by cutting through tongues of ice, and by carrying them bodily over flats and points of land. On one morning three hours of severe labor only advanced them a hundred yards. When about a dozen miles from Cape Krusenstern, one boat and her cargo had to be left on a rocky projection. From the cape itself nothing but ice in firmly compacted floes could be seen, and the sorrowful conclusion was forced on Sir John that the sea-voyage was at an end. East of Cape Parry, says he, only six weeks of summer can be reckoned on. All struggled forward, however, to Cape Hearne, and, as from this point the sea was covered with floes, and new ice formed rapidly, the abandonment of the other boats became inevitable. Richardson says:

I had hoped that, by conveying the boats and stores up the Coppermine river, beyond the range of the Eskimos, we could deposite them in a place of safety, to be available for a voyage to Wollaston Land next summer. But, abandoned as they now must be on the coast, we could not expect that they would escape the researches of the hunting parties who would follow up our foot-marks, and who were certain to break up the boats to obtain their copper fastenings.

Preparations for a march to Fort Confidence, at the northern extremity of Great Bear Lake, were now set about. Packages were made up, each man taking with him thirteen days' provision. Six pieces of pemmican and a boat's magazine of powder were buried under a cliff. The tents were left standing near the boats, and a few useful articles, as hatchets and cooking utensils, were deposited in them for the use of the Esquimaux. On the 3rd of September-after solemn prayers, in which all seemed to join with deep earnestnessthey started. At the end of their day's march some scraps of drift-wood were collected for a fire to cook their supper; then, selecting the best sleeping-places they could find among blocks of basalt, they passed, though the weather continued cold, "a pretty comfortable night.' In this way Sir John and his men journeyed on for twelve days, reaching Fort Confidence on the 15th of September:

We were happy to find Mr. Bell and his people well and the buildings much further ad

The main business of the expedition was now ended. The men were sent home, and, on the 7th of May, 1849, Richardson and Bell commenced their journey southwards, leaving Rae as the best qualified to make another effort to reach Wollaston Land from Cape Krusenstern in the summer, with one boat's crew of six men. Richardson landed at Liverpool 6th November, 1849, after an absence of nineteen months. Rae's summer expedition of 1849, however, was a failure. On the 30th of July he arrived at Cape Krusenstern from Fort Confidence, but found the channel so choked with ice, that it was impossible to get a boat through it. He waited at the Cape watching the channel for an opening until the 23rd of August, when, the sea being completely closed by compacted floes, he reluctantly returned by the Coppermine river to his winter-quarters. The boats left the previous year had been much damaged by the Esquimaux to obtain the iron-work, but the tents were uninjured, and the cache of pemmican and ammunition untouched.

Aug. 19. Mr. Rae brought in two fine reindeer. - Aug. 20. Mr. Rae killed a fine buck reindeer. In this quarter a skilful hunter like Mr. Rae could supply the whole party with venison without any loss of time. - Aug. 24. Many salmon were seen. - To the north of Coronation Gulf reindeer and musk oxen may be procured by skilful hunters. With nets a large quantity of salmon and other fish might be captured in Dolphin and have slain hundreds of seals. Union Straits; with percussion caps we might

The experience of Rae, in his exploration of Wollaston Land in 1851, is to the like effect:

Cape Hearne formed our head-quarters, at which | Mackenzie, of proceeding up the river to await place eleven geese, all in fine condition, were the instructions of the Admiralty. killed. On the 9th a large musk-bull was shot, and his flesh was found excellent. Our principal food was geese, partridges, and lemmings. The latter, being fat and large, were very fine

when roasted before the fire or between two stones. These little animals were migrating

northward, and were so numerous that our dogs, as they trotted on, killed as many as supported them without any other food.

On the day following the departure of the boats the ships met with heavily packed ice extending from the shore, as far as the eye could reach, from north-west by west to northeast. This pack was traced for forty leagues, made in a series of steps westerly and northerly, the westerly being about ten or twelve miles, and the northerly twenty." A water-sky was reported north of the pack, which, however, was perfectly impenetrable. Returning to Wainwright's Inlet, "not a particle of the ice seen on our former visit remained.' A boat went ashore, and purWhile Rae was anxiously watching the ice-chased from the natives 800 lbs. of reindeer choked sea from Cape Krusenstern, Captain meat- as much as the boat would carry Kellett in the Herald was discovering land in for a small quantity of tobacco. More was to the Polar Sea far north of Behring's Strait, be had on the same terms. and Pullen in the boats of the Plover was

In his journey of 1849 his party caught as many salmon as they could consume, whenever there was a piece of open water large enough for setting a net.

On the 17th of August, while cruising navigating the coast from Icy Cape to the north of North Cape, packed ice was seen Mackenzie. The Behring's Strait parties from south-south-west to north-north-west, were too late to do more than reconnoitre five miles distant, and soon after land was their destined course in 1848. The Plover reported from the mast-head. A group of arrived on the Asiatic coast only in time to small islands could be distinctly seen, and select winter-quarters just south of Cape further off a very extensive and high land was Tschukotskoi, outside the strait. The Herald reported. went up the strait, visited Kotzebue Sound, the appointed rendezvous, and repassed the strait, before the Plover arrived. She returned to South America to winter.

There was a fine, clear atmosphere (such an one as can only be seen in this climate), except in the direction of this extended land, where the

clouds rolled in numerous immense masses, occasionally leaving the very lofty peaks uncapped, where could be distinctly seen columns, pillars, characteristic of the high headlands in this sea. and very broken angles on their summits, very As far as a man can be certain, who has one hundred and thirty pairs of eyes to assist him, and all agreeing, I am certain we have discovered an extensive land. I think, also, it is more than probable that these peaks we saw are a continuation of the range of mountains seen by the natives off Cape Jakan (coast of Asia), mentioned by Baron Wrangel in his Polar voyages. - Kellett.

The Plover got out from her winter-port on the 30th June, 1848, and in a fortnight reached Chamisso Island at the bottom of Kotzebue Sound. Here, on the next day, she was joined by the Herald, and by the Nancy Dawson, the private yacht of Mr. Shedden, whose name deserves honorable mention in every notice of these expeditions. Hearing in China of the efforts on behalf of Franklin, he at once sailed for Behring's Strait, putting aside his purposed voyage round the globe, to join in the search. Unfortunately his death prevented him from doing more than showing his zeal in the cause. The ships left the An island was reached, four and a half Sound on the 18th July, and, taking an east-miles one way, by two and a half the other. erly course, on the 25th arrived at Wain- Here Kellett landed. It was in lat. 71° wright's Inlet. Here 19′ N., long. 175° 16′ W. It proved a solid The vast number of walruses that surrounded mass of granite, almost inaccessible on every us, keeping up a continual bellowing or grunt-side, and literally alive with birds." "Ining; the barking of the innumerable seals. numerable black and white divers (common to the small whales and the immense flocks of this sea) here found a safe place to deposit ducks continually rising from the water as we their eggs and bring up their young." The neared them, warned us of our approach to the weather was bad; and Kellett, fearing he ice, although the temperature of the sea was still might be caught by the pack, made all sail high. for the south-east. As the commander of the From this point, as the packed ice forbade Plover had determined to pass his second the ships getting farther to the east, the boat winter in Kotzebue Sound, the Herald supexpedition was despatched on a coasting voy-plied all the Plover's wants, and on the 29th age to the Mackenzie. It consisted of two September sailed in company with the yacht, twenty-seven-foot whaleboats, each with a crew of six men. Pullen had with him a hundred days' provisions for each man, and intimated his intention, should he reach the

and arrived at Mazatlan on the 14th November, 1849 - the same month in which Richardson returned to England from North America, and Sir James Ross from Baffin's Bay.