Arctic searching expedition : a journal of a boat-voyage through Rupert's Land and the Arctic Sea : in search of the discovery ships under command of Sir John Franklin

Chapter I. Paob

Ptoute assigned to the Expedition under Command of Sir John Franklin.— Names of the Officers. — Erebus and Terror. — Date of its Sailing. — Last Letters. — Sir John Franklin's Last Official Letter. — Last Sight of the Expedition. — Sir John Ross proposes a Search. — Discussion of various Opinions offered respecting the Fate of the Expedition. — Plans of Search adopted. — Main Objects of the Overland Searching Expedition. — Instructions from the Admiralty. ... 13

Chapter II

Overland Searching Expedition. — Routes through the Interior. — Hudson's Bay Ships. — Pemican. — Boats. — Boat Party leaves England. — Arrives at "Winter Quarters. — Volunteers. — Mr. John Rae appointed to the Expedition. — The Author and Mr. Rae sail from England. — Land at New York. — Proceed to Montreal and La Chine. — Canoe-Men. — Saut Ste. Marie. — Voyage to the North. — Reach Cumberland House 30

Chapter III

Pine Island Lake. — Silurian Strata. — Sturgeon River. — Progress of Spring. — Beaver Lake. — Isle a la Crosse Brigade. — Ridge River. — Native Schoolmaster and his Family. — Two kinds of Sturgeon. — Native Medicines. — Bald Eagles. — Pelicans-- — Black-bellied and Cayenne Terns. — Cranes. — Frog Portage. — Missinipi or Churchill River. — Its Lake-like Character. — Poisonous Plants and Native Medicines. — Athabasca Brigade. — Sand-fly Lake. — The Country changes its Aspect. — Bull-dog Fly. — Isle a. la Crosse Lake. — Its Altitude above the Sea. — Length of the Missinipi. — Isle a. la Crosse Fort. — Roman Catholic Mission. — Deep River. — Canada Lynx. — Buffalo Lake. — Methy River and Lake. — Murrain among the Horses. — Burbot or La Loche. — A Mink. — Methy Portage. — Join Mr. Bell and his Party 54

Chapter IV

Clear-water River. — Valley of the Washakummow. — Portages. — Limestone Cliffs. — Shale. — Elk or Athabasca River. — Wapiti. — Devonian Strata. — Geological Structure of the Banks of the River. — vi CONTENTS.

PAGB

Athabasca Lake, or Lake of the Hills. — Meet Mr. M'Pherson with the Mackenzie River Brigade. — Send home Letters. — L'Esperance's Brigade. — Fort Chepewyan. — Height of Lake Athabasca above the Sea. — Rocks. — Plumbago. — Forest Scenery. — Slave River. — Reindeer Islands. — Portages. — Native Remedies. — Separate from Mr. Bell and his Party 77

Chapter V

Pyrogenous Rocks. — Rate of the Current of Slave River. — Salt River and Springs. — Geese. — Great Slave Lake. — Domestic Cattle. — Deadman's Islands. — Horn Mountain. — Hay River. — Alluvial Lignite Beds. — Mackenzie's River. — Marcellus Shale. — Fort Simpson. — River of the Mountains. — Rocky Mountains. — Spurs. — Animals. — Affluents of the Mackenzie. — Cheta-ut-Tinne 94

Chapter VI

Rock by the River's Side. — Shale Formation. — Fort Norman. — Tertiary Coal Formation. — Lignite Beds. — Fossil Leaves. — Edible Clay. — Spontaneous Combustion of the River Bank. — Hill at Bear Lake River. — Hill at the Rapid on that River. — Forest. — Plants. — Birds 113

Chapter VII

Peregrine Falcon. — The Rapid. — Ramparts. — Hare Indians. — Fort Good Hope. — Hares. — Kutchin. — Their Contests with the Eskimos. — A Fatal Dance. — A Hare Indian devoured by a Brown Bear. — Vegetation. — Narrows. — Richardson Chain of Hills. — Fort Separation.— Cache of Pemican and Memorandum. — Alluvial Delta. — Yukon River. — Reindeer Hills. — M'Gillivray Island. — Harrison Island.— Termination of the Forest. — Sacred Island. — Richard's Island.— Point Encounter 127

Chapter VIII

Enter the Estuary of the Mackenzie. — Interview with the Eskimos. — Remarks on that People. — Winter-houses near Point Warren. — Copland Hutchison Bay. — Flat Coast with Hummocks. — Level boggy Land. — Mirage. — A Party of Eskimos visit us. — Point Atkinson.— Kashim. — Old Woman. — Old Man. — Young Men. — Cape Brown. — Eskimos. — Russell Inlet. — Cape Dalhousie. — Sabine Xema. — Liverpool Bay. — Nicholson Island. — Frozen Cliffs of Cape Maitland. — Rock Ptarmigan. — Eskimo Tents. — Harrowby Bay. — Baillie's Islands. — River of the Toothless Fish or Beghula Tesse. — Eskimo of Cape Bathurst. — Their Summer and its Occupations. — Shale Formation of the Sea-Coast 145

CONTENTS. Vii

Chapter IX

Voyage continued along the Coast. — Franklin Bay. — Melville Hills. — Point Stivens. — SellwoodBay. — Cape Parry. — Cocked-hat Point. — Cache of Pemican. — Ice Packs. — Archway. — Burrow's Islands. — Darnley Bay. — Clapperton Island. — Cape Lyon. — Point Pearce. — Point Keats. — Point Deas Thompson. — Silurian Strata. — Roscoe River. — Point De Witt Clinton. — Furrowed Cliffs. — Melville Range. — Point Tinney. — Buchanan River. — Drift Ice. — Croker's River.— Point Clifton. — Inman's River. — Point Wise. — Hoppner River. — Wollaston Land. — Cape Young. — Stapylton Bay. — Cape Hope. — Cape Bexley. — Ice Floes. — Point Cockburn. — A Storm. — Chantry Island. — Salmon. — Lambert Island. — Leave a Boat. — Cape Krusenstern. — Detained by Ice. — Basil Hall's Bay. — Cape Hearne. — Peculiar Severity of the Season. — Conjectures respecting the Discovery Ships. — Resources of a Party inclosed by Ice among the Arctic Islands. — General Reflections 166

Chapter X

Preparing for the March. — Sleep in Back's Inlet. — Eskimo Village. — Eskimos ferry the Party across Rae River. — Basaltic Cliffs. — Cross Richardson's River. — March along the Banks of the Coppermine.— Geese. — First Clump of Trees. — Musk-oxen. — Copper Ores and Native Copper. — Kendall River. — Make a Raft. — Fog. — Pass a Night on a naked Rock without Fuel. — Fine Clump of Spruce Firs. — Dismal Lakes. — Indians. — Dease River. — Fort Confidence. — Send oft" Dispatches and Letters 185

CHAPTER XL

ON THE ESKIMOS OR INUIT.

The four Aboriginal Nations seen by the Expedition. — Eskimos. — Origin of the Name. — National Name Inu-it. — Great Extent of their Country. — Personal Appearance. — Occupations. — Provident of the Future. — Villages. — Seal Hunt. — Snow-houses. — Wanderings not extensive. — Respect for Territorial Rights. — Dexterous Thieves. — Courage. — -Traffic. — Compared to the Phoenicians. — Skrellings. — Western Tribes pierce the Lips and Nose. — Female Toilet. — Mimics. — Mode of defying then Enemies. — Dress. — Boats. — Kaiyaks. — Umiaks. — Dogs. — Religion. — Shamanism. — Susceptibility of Cultivation. — Origin. — Language. — Western Tribes of the Eskimo Stock. — Tchugatchih. — Kuskutchewak. — A Kashim or Council House. — Feasts. — Quarrels. — Wars. — Customs. — Mammoth's Tusks. — National Names. — Namollos or Sedentary Tchukche. — Reindeer Tchukche. — Their Herds. — Commerce. — Shamanism.—Of the Mongolian Stock 202

Vlli CONTENTS

PAGE

Chapter XII

ON THE KUTCHIN OR. LOUCHEUX.

Designations. — Personal Appearance. — Tattoo. — Employ Pigments. — Dress. — Ornaments. — Beads. — Used as a Medium of Exchange. — Shells. — Winter Dress. — Arms. — Wives. — Treatment of Infants. — Compress their Feet. — Lively Dispositions. — Religious Belief. — Shamanism. — Anecdotes. — Treachery. — Contests with the Eskimos.— Occupations. — Traffic. — Beads and Shells. — Tents. — Vapoi Baths. — Deer Pounds. — Oratory. — Talkativeness. — Dances. — Manbote or Blood-money. — Ceremonies on meeting other People. — Population of the Valley of the Yukon. — Same People with certain Coast Tribes. — Kolusches. — Kenaiyers. — Ugalents. — Atnaer. — Koltshanen. — Persons and Dress. — Deer Pounds. — Passion for Glass Beads. — Kolushes descended from a Raven. — Courtship. — Wives. — Revenge. — Murder. — Burn the Dead. — Mourning. — Do not name the Deceased. — Custom connected therewith. — Winter Habitations. — Journeys of the Kenaiyer Inland. — Porcupine Quills. — Slavery . 223

Chapter XIII

OF THE 'TINNE OR. CHEPEWYANS.

Geographical Position. — National Name. — Tribes. — Hare Indians and Dog-ribs. — Personal Appearance. — Women. — Dress. — Disposition. — Wars. — Socialism. — Improvidence. — Suffering. — Affection for their Children. — Hospitality feeble. — Falsehood. — Honesty. — Religious Belief. — Volatility. — Marriages. — Wrestling for a Wife. — Dogs. — Moose-hunting. — Public Opinion the only Rule of Conduct. — Chiefs. — Introduction of Christianity. — Horses. — Houses. — D awnings of Civilization. — Members of the 'Tinne People west of the Rocky Mountains. — Southern Athabascans 244

Chapter XIV. Eythinyuwuk, Or Crees And Chippeways

National Names. — Division. — Tribes. — Territory. — Wars with the Mengwe. — Conventional Character not true. — Persons. — Gait. — Crimes. — Wabunsi. — Wigwams. — Religious Belief. — Vapor Baths. — Everlasting Fire. — Its Rites. — Used in Sickness. — Its Priests. — Its Origin. — Chief Sun. — Policy. — Calumet. — Maize. — Food. — Reindeer. — Bison. — White-Fish. — E arth- Works. — Pottery. — Language.— Half-breeds. — Colony of Red River, or Osnaboya. — Spirituous Liquors 262

Chapter XV. Occurrences In Winter

Fort Confidence. — Situation. — Silurian Limestone. — Lake Basin.— Trees. — Dwelling-house. — Occupations. — Letters — Galena News-

CONTENTS. IX

PAGE

paper. — Oregon "Spectator." — Extent of the Hudson's Bay Company's Territory. — Fisheries. — Venison. — Wolverenes. — Native Socialism. — Provisions collected at Fort Confidence. — Fetes. — Winter Fishery. — Eskimo Sleds. — Reindeer. — Wolverene. — Wolves. — Honesty of the Dog-ribs. — Their Indolence. — Provisions not individual Property. — Indians move off. — An Accouchement. — Coelebs in Search of a Wife. — Might makes Right. — None but the Brave deserve the Fair. — Progress of the Seasons. — Temperature. . — Arrival of Summer Birds : at Fort Confidence ; at Fort Franklin ; on the Yukon 278

Chapter XVI

Mr. Rae's Expedition in the Summer of 1849. — Instructions. — He crosses to the Coppermine. — Descends that River. — Sea covered with Ice. — Surveys Rae River. — Eskimos. — Cape Kendall. — Cape Hearne. — Basil Hall Bay. Cape Krusenstern. — Douglas Island. — Detention. — Dangerous Situation. — August 23. return. — Author and Mr. Bell leave Fort Confidence. — Cross Great Bear Lake. — Descend Bear Lake River. — David Brodie lost in the Woods. — His Adventures. — Fort Simpson. — Methy Portage. — Receive English Letters. — Norway House. — Part from the Seamen and Sappers and Miners. — Continue the Voyage to Canada. — Boston. — Land at Liverpool. — Summary of the present State of the Search for Sh John Franklin 306

Appendix

No. I.— PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY.

General View. — Rocky Mountains. — Their Length. — Their Height. — Glaciers. — Parallelism to the Pacific Coast. — Continental Slopes. — Russian America. — Eastern Slope. — Prairies. — Mississippi Valley.— Its Slope. — Fundamental Rocks of the Basin. — Silurian Strata. — Carboniferous Series. — Tertiary Beds. — Lignite Formations.— Series of Lake Basins. — Transverse Valleys. — Intermediate Belt of Primitive, Hypogenous, or Metamorphic Rocks. — Its Rivers mere Chains of Lakes. — Its Breadth. — Altitude. — Sources of three great River Systems. — Great Fish River. — The Yukon or Kwichpack. — Basins of Excavation. — Glacial Action. — Active Volcanoes »

X CONTENTS.

PAGE

Vallet of the St. Lawrence. — Altitudes of the Lakes above the Sea. — Lake Superior. — Lake Michigan. — Lake Huron. — Lake Erie. — Lake Ontario. — Lake Champlain. — Northern Brim of the St. Lawrence Basin. — Its Geological Structure. — North Shore of Lake Superior. — Structure of the Country at the Sources of the Mississippi 348

WrNiPEG or Saskatchewan Valley. — Height of Lake Winipeg. — Sea River. — Katchewan River. — Thousand Lakes. — Portages. — River Winipeg. — Red River. — Saskatchewan River 359

Missinipi Valley. — Its Lakes. — Frog Portage 363

Mackenzie River Valley. — Methy Portage. — Athabasca, Elk, or Red-deer River. — Lesser Slave Lake. — Peace River. — Slave River. — -River of the Mountains. — Noh'hanne Bute. — Great Bear Lake. 363

Yukon Valley. — Yukon or Kwichpack. — Volcanic Chain of Alaska. — Coal. — Fossil Bones 367

No. II.— CLIMATOLOGY.

Snow Line. — Ground Ice. — Thermometrical Observations in the Valley of the St. Lawrence. — Comparative Temperature of the two sides of the Continent. — Phenomena of the Seasons at Penetanguishene : at Fort William : at Fort Vancouver. — Thermometrical Observations in the Valley of the Saskatchewan.— On the East and West sides of the Continent in that Parallel. — Phenomena of the Seasons at Cumberland House; at Carlton House; at Martin's Falls on Albany River. — Thermometrical Observations on the Missinipi, and in the same Parallels on the East and West Sides of the Continent. — Thermometrical Observations in the Valleys of the Mackenzie, Yukon, and Pelly. — Progress of the Seasons at Fort Franklin. — Thermometrical Observations on the Arctic Seas. — General Remarks. — Nocturnal Radiation 372

No. III.— THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS NORTH OF THE 49TH PARALLEL OF LATITUDE.

Generic and Specific Forms of Plants decrease in Number as the Latitude increases. — Analogy between Altitude and Increase of Latitude.— Culture of the Vine. — Of the Cerealia. — Maize. — Wheat. — Oats. — Barley. — Potatoes. — Botanical Districts. — Their Physiognomy.— Woodland District. — Barren Grounds. — Prairies. — Rocky Mountains. — Sitka. — Polar Plants. — Arctic Zone. — Trees and Shrubs. — Table of Distribution of Species in three several Zones. — Carices ■ 408

CONTENTS XI

PAGE

No. IV.— LIST OF INSECTS.

Note on Hymenoptera in Arctic North America. — List of Coleoptera. — Orthoptera. — Neuroptera. — Hymenoptera. — Hemiptera. — Homoptera — Lepidoptera — Diptera 47 1

No. V.— VOCABULARIES.

Eskimo Vocabulary. — Comparative Table of the Dialects spoken by the Beering's Sea and Labrador Eskimos. — Vocabulary of the Kutchin of the Yukon or Kutchi-Kutchi, with Chepewyan Synonyms.— Chepewyan Vocabulary. — Dog-Rib Vocabulary. — Fort Simpson Dog-Rib. — "Mauvais Monde" Vocabulary. — Chepewyan and Dog-Rib Words 479

WOODCUTS AND DIAGRAMS.

Rocky Mountains at the Bend of the Mackenzie 107

Rock by the River's Side 113

Hill in Bear Lake River 122

Ramparts, Mackenzie's River, Geological Section 130

Diagram of Rocks in Lat. 68° 10' N 140

Sandhills on the Mackenzie, Lat. 68° 50' N 142

Conical Hill near Point Encounter 144

Torso Rock I71

NOTICE.

In the Indian names which occur in the following narrative, u is to be sounded like 00, in " moon ;" yu as in " yule," or like " you ;" and i as in " ravine."

ARCTIC SEARCHING EXPEDITION.

Chapter I

Route assigned to the Expedition under Command of Sir John Franklin. — Names of the Officers. — Erebus and Terror. — Date of its Sailing. — Last Letters. — Sir John Franklin's Last Official Letter. — Last Sight of the Expedition.— Sir John Ross proposes a Search. — Discussion of various Opinions offered respecting the Fate of the Expedition. — Plans of Search adopted. — Main Objects of the Overland Searching Expedition. — Instructions from the Admiralty.

Her Majesty's government having deemed it expedient that a further attempt should be made for the accomplishment of a northwest passage by sea from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the ■' Erebus" and " Terror" were fitted out for that service, and placed under the command of Captain Sir John Franklin, K.C.H. He was directed by the Admiralty instructions, dated on the 5th of May, 1845, to proceed with all dispatch to Lancaster Sound, and, passing through it, to push on to the westward, in the latitude of 74^°, without loss of time or stopping to examine any openings to the northward, until he reached the longitude of Cape Walker, which is situated in about 98° west. He was to use every effort to penetrate to the southward and westward of that point, and to pursue as direct a course tor Beering's Straits as circumstances might permit. He was cautioned not to attempt to pass by the western extremity of Melville Island, until he had ascertained that a permanent barrier of ice or other obstacle closed the prescribed route. In the event of not being able to penetrate to the westward, he was to enter Wellington Sound in his second summer.

He was further directed to transmit accounts of his proceedings to the Admiralty, by means of the natives and the Hudson's Bay Company, should opportunities offer ; and also, after passing the 65th meridian, to throw overboard daily a copper cylinder, containing a paper stating the ship's position. It was also understood

FRANKLIN'S EXPEDITION.

that he would cause piles of stones or signal-posts to be erected on conspicuous headlands at convenient times, though the instructions do not contain a clause to that effect.* The following officers joined the expedition :

Erebus.

Captain, Sir John Franklin, Kt.

K.C.H.

Commander, James Fitzjames.

Lieutenant, Graham Gore.

Lieut., H. P. D. Le Vesconte.

Lieut., James W. Fair holme.

Ice-Master, James Read.

Surgeon, Stephen S. Stanley.

Paymaster, C. H. Osmer.

Assist. -Surg., H. D. S. Goodsir.

Sec. Master, Henry F. Collins.

Terror.

Captain, Francis R. M. Crozier.

Lieutenant, Edward Little.

Lieutenant, George H. Hodgson.

Lieutenant, John Irving.

Ice-Master, Thomas Blanky.

Surgeon, John S. Peddie.

Assist.- Surgeon, A. M'Donald.

Clerk-in- Charge, Edward J. H.

Helpman.

And the conjoined crews of the two ships amounted to 130 souls. The " Erebus," originally built for a bomb-vessel, and therefore strongly framed, was of 370 tons measurement, and had been fortified, in 1839, after the most approved plan, by an extra or double exterior planking and diagonal bracing within, for Sir James C. Ross's Antarctic voyage, from which she returned in 1843. Having been carefully examined and refitted for Sir John Franklin, she was considered to be as strongly prepared to resist the pressure of the ice as the resources of science, and the utmost care of Mr. Rice, the skillful master-shipwright who superintended the preparations, could insure. The " Terror," of 340 tons, was also constructed for a bomb-vessel, and had the bluff form, capacious hold, and strong framework of that class of war vessels. When commanded by Captain Sir George Back, on his voyage to Repulse Bay in 1836-7, she had been beset for more than eleven months in drifting floes of ice, and exposed to every variety of assault and pressure to which a vessel was liable in such a dangerous position. In this severe and lengthened trial, the " Terror" had been often pressed more or less out of the water, or thrown over on one side, and had, in consequence thereof, sustained some

* The instructions are published at length in a parliamentary Blue Book, and all known particulars respecting the expedition have been communicated from time to time to the public by the same channel. The above abstract mentions the leading points which would direct the course of the expedition.

LAST LETTERS 15

damage, particularly in the stern post. All defects, however, were made good in 1839, when she sailed for the Antarctic Seas, under the command of Captain Crozier, the second officer of Sir James C. Ross's expedition. She was again examined, and made as strong as ever, before Captain Crozier took the command of her a second time in 1845.

The best plans that former experience could suggest for ventilating and warming the ships in the winter were adopted, and full supplies of every requisite for Arctic navigation were provided, including an ample stock of warm bedding, clothing, and provisions, with a proportion of preserved meats and pemican.

The expedition sailed from England on the 19th of May, 1845, and, early in July, had reached Whalefish Islands, near Disco, on the Greenland coast of Davis's Straits, where, having found a convenient port, the transport which accompanied it "was cleared and sent home to England, bringing the last letters that have been received from the officers or crew. The following extract of a letter, from Lieutenant Fairholme, of the " Erebus," will serve to show the cheerful anticipation of success which prevailed throughout the party, and the happy terms on which they were with each other :

" We have anchored in a narrow channel between two of the islands, protected on all sides by land, and in as convenient a place for our purpose as could possibly be found. Here we are with the transport lashed alongside, transferring most actively all her stores to the two ships. I hope that this operation will be completed by to-morrow night, in which case Wednesday will be devoted to swinging the ships for local attraction, and I suppose Thursday will see us under way with our heads to the northward. We have had the observatory up here, on a small rock on which Parry formerly observed, and have got a very satisfactory set of magnetic and other observations. Of our prospects we know little more than when we left England, but look forward with anxiety to our reaching 72°, where it seems we are likely to meet the first obstruction, if any exists. On board we are as comfortable as it is possible to be. I need hardly tell you how much we are all delighted with our captain. He has, I am sure, won not only the respect but the love of every person on board by his amiable manner and kindness to all ; and his influence is always employed for some good purpose both among the

16 FRANKLLVS EXPEDITION.

officers and men. He has been most successful in his selection of officers, and a more agreeable set could hardly be found. Sir John is in much better health than when we left England, and really looks ten years younger. He takes an active part in every thing that goes on, and his long experience in such services as this makes him a most valuable adviser. July 10th. — The transport is just reported clear, so I hope that we may be able to swing the ships to-morrow and get away on Saturday. "We are very much crowded ; in fact, not an inch of stowage has been lost, and the decks are still covered with casks, &c. Our supply of coals has encroached seriously on the ship's stowage ; but as we consume both this and provisions as we go, the evil will be continually lessening."

Letters from most of the other officers, written in a similarly buoyant and hopeful spirit, were received in England at the same time with the above. An extract of a letter from Sir John Franklin himself to Lieutenant Colonel Sabine deserves to be quoted, as expressing his own opinion of his resources, and also his intention of remaining out should he fail after a second winter in finding an outlet to the southwestward from Barrow's Strait. The letter is dated from Whalefish Islands, on the 9th of July, 1845, and, after noticing that the " Erebus" and " Terror" had on board provisions, fuel, clothing, and stores for three years complete, from that date, adds, " 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 time arrives, for you know well that, without success in our object, even after the second winter, we should wish to try some other channel if the state of our provisions and the health of the crews justify it."

The following is the last official letter written by Sir John Franklin to the Admiralty. *

" Her Majesty's Ship ' Erebus,' Whalefish Islands, July 12, 1845

" Sir — I have the honor to acquaint you, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that Her Majesty's ships ' Erebus' and £ Terror,' with the transport, arrived at this anchorage on the 4th instant, having had a passage of one month from Stromness. The transport was immediately taken alongside this ship, that she might be more readily cleared ; and we have been constantly employed at that operation till last evening, the delay having been caused not so much in getting the stores transferred to either of the ships, as in making the best stowage of

LATEST OFFICIAL LETTER. 17

them below, as well as on the upper deck. The ships are now complete with supplies of every kind for three years : they are, therefore, very deep ; but happily we have no reason to expect much sea as we proceed further.

"The magnetic instruments were landed the same morning; so also were the other instruments requisite for ascertaining the position of the observatory ; and it is satisfactory to find that the results of the observations for latitude and longitude accord very nearly with those assigned to the same place by Sir Edward Parry. Those for dip and variation are equally satisfactory, which were made by Captain Crozier with the instruments belonging to the ' Terror,' and by Commander James with those of the 'Erebus.'

" The ships are now being swung, for the purpose of ascertaining the dip and deviation of the needle on board, as was done at Greenhithe ; which I trust will be completed this afternoon, and I hope to be able to sail in the night.

" The governor and principal persons are at this time absent from Disco ; so that I have not been able to receive any communication from head quarters as to the state of the ice to the north. I have, however, learned from a Danish carpenter in charge of the Esquimaux at these islands, that, though the winter was severe, the spring was not later than usual, nor was the ice later in breaking away hereabout. He supposes, also, that it is now loose as far as 74°, and as far as Lancaster Sound, without much obstruction.

" The transport will sail for England this day. I shall instruct the agent, Lieutenant Griffiths, to proceed to Deptford, and report his arrival to the Secretary of the Admiralty. I have much satisfaction in bearing my testimony to the careful and zealous manner in which Lieutenant Griffiths has performed the service intrusted to him, and would beg to recommend him as an officer who appears to have seen much service, to the favorable consideration of their Lordships.

" It is unnecessary to assure their Lordships of the energy and zeal of Captain Crozier, Commander Fitzjames, and of the officers and men with whom I have the happiness of being employed on this service.

:■■ I have, &c,

"John Franklin,

" The Right Hon. H. L. Cary, M.P. " Captain.

The two ships were seen on the 26th of the same month (July) in latitude, 74° 48' N., longitude 66° 13' W., moored to an iceberg, waiting for a favorable opportunity of entering or rounding the " middle ice" and crossing to Lancaster Sound, distant in a direct westerly line from their position about 220 geographical miles. On that day a boat from the discovery ships, manned by seven officers, one of whom was Commander Fitzjames, boarded the "Prince of Wales," whaler, Captain Dannett. They were all in high spirils and invited Captain Dannett to dine with Sir

18 TRANKLIN'S EXPEDITION.

John Franklin, on the following day, which had he done, he would doubtless have been the bearer of letters for England, but a favorable breeze springing up he separated from them. The ice was then heavy but loose, and the officers expressed good hopes of soon accomplishing the enterprise. Captain Dannett was favored with very fine weather during the three following weeks, and thought that the expedition must have made good progress. This was the last sight that was obtained of Franklin's ships.

In January, 1847, a year and a half after the above date, Captain Sir John Ross addressed a letter to the Admiralty, wherein he stated his conviction that the discovery ships were frozen up at the western end of Melville Island, from whence their return would be forever prevented by the accumulation of ice behind them, and volunteered his services to carry relief to the crews. Sir John also laid statements of his apprehensions before the Royal and Geographical Societies, and, the public attention being thereby roused, several writers in the newspapers and other periodicals published their sentiments on the subject, a variety of plans of relief were suggested, and many volunteers came forward to execute them.

The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, though judging that the second winter was too early a period of Sir John Franklin's absence to give rise to well founded apprehensions for his safety, lost no time in calling for the opinions of several naval officers who were well, acquainted with Arctic navigation, and in concerting plans of relief, to be carried out when the proper time should arrive.

A brief review of the replies most worthy of notice may help the reader to form a judgment of the plans that were eventually adopted by the Admiralty for the discovery and relief of the absent voyagers. It is convenient to consider first the notions of those who believe that Sir John Franklin never entered Lancaster Sound, either because the ships met with some fatal disaster in Baffin's Bay, and went down with the entire loss of both crews, or that Sir John endeavored to fulfill the purposes of the expedition by taking some other route than the one exclusively marked out for him by his instructions. That the ships were not suddenly wrecked by a storm, or overwhelmed by the pressure of the

VARIOUS OPIXIOxNS. 19

ice, may be concluded from facts gathered from the records of the Davis's Straits whale-fishery, by which we learn that of the many vessels which have been crushed in the ice, in the course of several centuries, the whole or greater part of the crews have almost always escaped with their boats. It is, therefore, scarcely possible to believe that two vessels so strongly fortified as the " Erebus" and " Terror," and found by previous trials to be capable of sustaining so enormous a pressure, should both of them have been so suddenly crushed as to allow no time for active officers and men, disciplined and prepared for emergencies of the kind, to get out their boats. And having done so they would have had little difficulty in reaching one of the many whalers, that were occupied in the pursuit of fish in those seas for six weeks after the discovery ships were last seen. Moreover, had the ships been wrecked, some fragments of their spars or hulls would have been found floating by the whalers, or being cast on the eastern or western shores of the bay, would have been reported by the Greenlanders or Eskimos. Neither are any severe storms recorded as having occurred then or there, nor did any unusual calamity befall the fishing vessels that year.