The Franklin Expedition

F E P R E A C .

A LETT ER of thanks for a past search by

Great for John o s the Fish River Sir R s , a nd an earnest appeal for a f utu re search by the Great Fish River for Sir John

an l an du du e m lf Fr k in , is intro ction to yse and H ad ast as an to the press . the p ,

a of utu re a —had e rnest the f , been ccepted the app ea l in behalf of a tried servant on

a and of u ff u ma the one h nd , s ering h nity on

a Th e a n Ex e the other , been he rd , Fr nkli p

u ma a n u dition , h nly spe ki g, wo ld now be a u a effort a a a live , occ pied in the gre t g inst

fu n m power l e e y .

The Times 1 8 th O c tobe 3 5 . , r, (Advertisement ) To the Subscribers to the Land Jou rney

a f in se rch o Sir John Ross.

It is most gratifying to the committee

a R E E P FAC .

a a a a m u to be en bled to st te , th t l ost witho t

6 6 m u u a ﬁ m of exception , the ost nq li ed eed approbation seems du e to the exertions

G‘ of v an a e ery one concerned . In especi l

6 6 m a n m du e n er, however, is this testi ony

a m f to Sir George B ck hi sel , to Dr. King,

a and a m a his physici n , only cco p nying

6 6 fﬁ and a m en— am o cer, to eight br ve J es ‘ Mc Ka a a y, George Sincl ir, Peter T ylor , ” a a am John Ross , Ch rles M ckenzie, J es

am a an d u Spence, Willi M lley, H gh — Carron who proceeded with their gallan t

( C fﬁ a a Se a o cers in single boat to the Pol r .

a fﬁ u and a The d ngers , di c lties , h rdships to which they were thu s exposed were greatly beyond what h ad been anticipated ;

b u t n ot as h , it proved, beyond t eir power

u m u to s r o nt .

all h mm To concerned , t en , the co ittee takes the liberty of now tendering its

wa m s a . a u r e t th nks These , perh ps , o ght

f a u to be irst ddressed to the s bscribers, withou t whose prompt and generou s

1 M T . These three gallant fellows accompanied r .

m ra e ourn Simpson in his me o bl j ey .

’ 2 ar Now one of H er Maj esty s Yeomen of the Gu d . liberalit y th e scheme m u st have fallen to

the ground when ﬁrst proposed . They

are af a s ial du e terw rd , however, espec ly to

Sir ac and h e George B k , Dr . King, t os actu ally employed in the expedition ; an d they are also re spe c tfuuy tendered to all - co Opera tors with it ; in particular to the

e u - and s gov rnor, dep ty governor, director of the H udson Bay Company ; to th e generou s citizens of the United States his E ll m to xce ency Lord Ayl er, Governor General of the two Canadas ; and others m who pro oted its objects in Montreal.

E WILLIAM BOWL S .

Cha irma n .

2 1 Re ent Stree t Oc t . 9 . g , .

’ The A tlaenwa m 13 th Novemb e 4 7 , r, .

The silence which h as enveloped the proceedings of Sir John Franklin and his gallant party of Northern explorers having extended now beyond all limits consiste nt

t a nﬁ u the wi h co dence in their sec rity, anxiety of the Admiralty is awakened in the ir behalf ; and if a fe w days more shall

a wit u of r a u t p ss ho t tidings their whe e bo , E E PR FAC .

a party will be dispatched to seek them

ou t m u a of fa , or co e pon the tr ces their te . Coin cidently with this renewal of the fears which have followed these se a ex pe ditions for the solu tion of the polar problem comes the intelligence of the

m u of a a u whi co plete s ccess l nd jo rney, ch h as increased the peril of the Franklin

a m and u a tte pt , heightened the ne siness

u n h a f as to its res lt. As Dr . Ki g s or

a u u ou r um ye rs been rging, thro gh col ns

an d a a elsewhere , geogr phic l views which the progress of discovery h as now c om

ﬁrm e d — as as a a , well pr ctic l Opinions on the best means by which Arctic discovery

w a s u u a a n u to be p rs ed, th t h ve been si g larl u ﬁ of y j sti ed by the series events , an d as he entertains certain views as to the direction and methods in which a party seeking Sir John Franklin should

n ow a a al romu l proceed , th t h ve so been p

a in a f du e to g ted this p per, we eel it only him to point ou t that his opinions are

at a u a entitled the le st to serio s ttention , in view of the test which they have already ff u fu . a u s ccess lly stood We h ve s ered Dr . PRE FACE.

King from time to time to argu e his case in ou r columns withou t taking any part of our own in his argu ment or against it b u t it is incu mbent on us now to direct attention to the conﬁrm ation which his views have already received from events — and the right which that circum stance u nqu estionably gives h im to a hearing wherever the measu res best adapted for the recovery of Sir John Franklin an d his

a of n u a us b nd adve t rers h ve to be disc sed .

a a v of u u b In the n rr ti e his jo rney, p

a Th e lish ed in Dr. King st tes su ccess of the Polar land jou rneys h as very sa tisfactorily shewn that to su ch a service only England will in all proba b ility be indebted for the su rvey of the

a u and for w co st now nexplored , the kno

’ d of an a a a u l le ge y p ss ge bo t Regent In et .

u of m a m and The s rveys Mr . Tho s Si pson

R a e are m u m u of Dr . on ents to the tr th

h ma Dr. t is re rk . King did not content him self with mere vagu e or au thoritative

a r - sse tion . The last thirty nine pages of

‘ King s Journey to th e Arctic Oc ean by the G rea t "

F River V 303 . is ol. ii. . h , p a 3

R E E P FAC .

w e n t ere to e m ar in a vesse t at ne w m h h , b k l h I k y — whole force to be incapable of managing very far from

e x e ctin to ac ie ve more t an t ose omcers ave on e p g h h h h d ,

v s ion if c u effe mu I e ry m uch qu e t I o ld ct so ch .

In se e c tin m win terin rou n ave not on l g y g g d , I h ly hom e in min d th e appalling calamities which hefel the n ative s at F ort R e iance occasione th e rese nce of l , d by p

’ Sir e or e ac s art bu t th e on and a orious G g B k p y , l g l b

f n ve in o t and a a e to Mus -Cx i du ty o co y g b a b gg g k Rap d . Neither was it likely I shou ld forget the transport of the a a e across the reat S ave La e and of the b gg g G l k , boat over Portage la Loche ; n ot m erely because those u ndertakings were conc eived and accomplishe d after Sir Ge orge Back had consigned the e xpe dition to my c ar e bu t ecause e ieve t em to ave been it erto h g , b I b l h h h h

ne u alle u q d . In t he sele c tion of my vessel I have taken care to provide myself with one that two men are su fﬁcient to conv ey over any obstacle that the pre viou s E xpeditions

ave it erto had to conte n wit — on e t at is in u se h h h d h , h amon th e natives an d one in w ic the fur-traders g , h h , from on ex erience ave fou n to be m ost a e uate l g p , h d d q in rav ersin u n n wn r It w on t g k o g oun d . as n ot ly the v esse l in u se with Sir Alexander M ‘ Kenzie and

earne but it was in su c a vesse Sir o n F ran in H , h l J h kl surve e the o er Mine River an d trace the c oast y d C pp , d

ine to oint Tu m a ain whic s ot since m ore l P g ; h p , u n wiel v esse s ave een u se has not een a ain dy l h b d , b g reac e a t ou two ex e itions ave sai e from h d , l h gh p d h l d

n an for t at ur ose th e one at an ex ense of E gl d h p p , p a out fort t ou san ou n s and the ot er at se ven b y h d p d , h ” n thousa d . P CE REFA .

P Tu a ai our r a has oint rn g n , e ders know ,

a and a n since been re ched , the l nd betwee it and the Great Fish River Estu ary " u a sma ll la nd a r s rveyed by p ty.

B the an ro ose time as wel as man ua y pl I p p , l l labou r will be saved ; and those obstacles which have

fa s ﬁss ures mountains and masses of ice no an u ll , , . l g

resent insu rm in s i p ountable barrie rs aga t arct c research. It is by av oiding those errors into which former con» man ers ave fa e n and ta in a vanta e of d h ll , by k g d g su es tions ictate ex e rien ce t at o e to effect gg d d by p , h I h p more t an m re ecessors and it is se om t at h y p d , ld h by " v any other course great obje c ts can be achie ed . ’ mmu a of a The co nic tor Dr. King s p per

to a a u t the Geogr phic l Society , p the

w of f m as a a vie s the or er , to the pr ctic l

a of u u a fe w p rt the q estions in iss e, in

l a ma ra h s c e r p g p . The researches of our cou ntryme n have already greatly redu ced the extent of the n orthern coast of

America respe cting which doubt or ignorance exists . The in vestigation of this remaining portion may be un e e sea en ca to dertak n ither by or by land. Wh I ll mind how large a portion of the sea expedition s have been eit er unsuccessfu or atte n e wit ro i ious oss or h l, d d h p d g l — risk how great an expense they unavoidably incu r compared with the amount of real advanta ge to be e x ecte it dew seem we wort the consi eration of p d . ll hy d PR EFACE.

the eo ra hica Societ w et er it be ri t to recom G g p l y, h h gh m end to the Governmen t the e quipmen t of a fresh e x e ition of t is in unti on e or more oints av e p d h k d , l p h bee n settled by th e more econ omical as well as the m r r mi in rn o e p o s g agen cy of a lan d jou ey . Although a land j ourney towards the northern c oast of North Ameri ca may be regarded as less expe n sive an d ess an erou s t an a sea ex e ition an d at l d g h p d , th e presen t mome nt more likely t o obtain accessions to scien ce an d commerce t e ma reat var am on st , h y y g ly y g t e mse ves in all t ese res ects accor in to the mo e h l h p , d g d in w i t e ma b n n T e m a h ow c e u erta e . h h h y y d k h y y,

e ver be all om ri i c se n two c asses . , p d l

To the ﬁrst c ass belon sma com anies trave l g ll p , l

in wit the east ossi e e ncu m rance and strict ' l g h l p bl b , ly adopting the mode of proceeding an d the means of subsisten ce in u se amongst the natives of the country

an d the tra ers who visit em n ivi uals unitin d th . I d d g

h sica a i it ot for oin an d sufferin ne cessar p y l b l y, b h d g g , y t o m eet th e dangers an d fatigu es of this mode of

t rave in wit ta e nts an d ac uirements ne cessar to ll g, h l q y re nder their j ou rney availin g for the pu rposes of

scien ce ave a rea effec te m u c at a v er tri in , h l dy d h y ﬂ g

ou tlay . Hearne an d Mackenzie prove the tru th of this

asse rtion .

Th e second class consists of those expeditions w ic ossess a m ore or anise an d s stematic form h h p g d y , being composed of a company of m e n an d ofﬁcers ac

c ustome to mi itar or n ava service se om or ne ver d l y l , ld am ou nting to a smaller n umbe r than two or three

ofﬁce rs an d e i teen or twent men and conse u ent gh y , q ly PREFACE.

con veyance of these men and their stores the small

canoes of the cou ntr w ic are rea i ma e re aire y, h h d ly d , p d ,

and trans orte are uite ina e uate . Boats of an u p d, q d q l g

imensions are t e refore had recourse to w ic are d h , h h

easi ama e are wit diﬁ cnlt re aire and are too ly d g d , h y p d , c umbrous to be con veyed across the portages whe n the

istanc e is rea t or the rou n u neve T s v d g g d n. he e e ils are not theoret ical ; the y have be en proved by fea rful

e x erie nce a nd av e een the cause of imme nse p , h b

i om nies of d fﬁc ulty or fail ure . C pa the size now under consi eration th ou t e form but a sma mi i d , gh h y ll l tary

troo are too ar e to t rav e wit a van ta e t rou a p, l g l h d g h gh coun try in which the means of subsisten ce are ve ry

a m u scanty nd still ore precario s . The diﬁ cu lties whic h they have to encounter are inﬁnitely increase d when the individuals com prisin g the company are not practically acquainte d with the mode of travelling

t rou th e is trict to he crosse and ce nse uentl h gh d d . q y cannot be separated from each oth er without the greatest danger of fatally losing their way ; on whic h account

the cannot see ame an d ot er sources of su siste nce y k g h b . From want of e xperie nce the y are unable either to bear the burde ns or travel the distance which a Canadian or

an n ian woul isre ar . Time the most im ortant I d d d g d , p e ement in n ort ern ex e itions is ine vita ost and l h p d , bly l , - neither the energy nor the genius of the com manding

oﬁc er can rctrie ve the erroa' whe n the season is

t ad vanced upon hem .

The e e ition of w D i has s xp ic r. K ng e tch ed d h—h k the accompanying ou tlin e for which he has already E E PR FAC .

ma e man n ecessar re arations and in w ic an d y y p p , h h ade qu ate nu mber of his former companions are anxious — t o accompany him falls under the ﬁrst or small class

n i i ave a u e Th ex n of la d j ou m es to wh ch I h ll d d . e pe se w ic it wou rbbabl incur is small com are wit h h ld p y , p d h — that of any expe dition of the second class so small

i uac has een ca e in in ee t at ts a e uestion . d d , h d q y b ll d q

It mu st owe ver be reco e cte t at the ex e ition , h , ll d h p d has to pass throu gh a country in which money is of no avai t at wit the exce tion of artic es to be use in l ; h , h p l d

arter wit th e n ians the s i and ex erience of the b h I d , k ll p

ea er and the stren t and rowess of his com anions l d , g h p p , are the only availing resources . In such a j ourney the experience and ability of the leader is the desideratum of th e ﬁrst importance and it is scarcely to be

measu re or re resente mone . T is esi eratum d p d by y h d d ,

Kin h c m anion of Sir eor e — h Dr . t e o ac t e g , p G g B k

oint an d for a consi era e time the so e con u ctor j , , d bl , l d of his com an —is not on rea to offer but he is p y ly dy , also generously willing to bear a considerable part of th e pecuniary expense .

’

. a are w as Dr King s p per, we told, not acknowledged either to him se lf or to its comm u nicator ; nor was it read before

a a u the Geogr phic l Society, nor p blished — in its jou rnal thou gh commu nications

am u and at on the s e s bject, the same m a and u f m ti e , were both re d p blished ro

a Sir J. Ross, Sir J . Fr nklin , Sir J . d . ar . a an B row, Sir J Rich rdson , Sir F ‘ B au f r o a al e o t . Why the Ge gr phic Society l u a u a . sho d h ve th s tre ted Dr King, we know not ; b u t we be lieve it is a fact tha t on the retu rn of the expedition in

ff re sea of Sir . R om rch J , Dr . King di e d mate rially from Sir George Bac k in regard to the su rve y which that gallant oiﬁ had m ma a e ha w ade. He int in d t t

a H a w as as e C pe y not, Sir Georg had awn r m of dr it, the No thern extre e the We ste rn boundary of the Gre a t Fish — Rive r Estu arf th at the Polar Sea to the North of Lake Garry formed a great " b ay and th t North w as a

u All e e n s a now Pe nins la. th s opi ion h ve

he m a lis e as u t est b h d tr ths . The exis ence

of ea Ba ort of a a the Gr t y N h L ke G rry, and the continu ity of the land North of

a e H a we re ve b m . a C p y, pro d y Mr Tho s

“ ourna of the Ro a eo ra hical Societ J l y l G g p y .

‘ King s Journey to the Arc tic Ocea n by the Great " Fis v v Ri er ol. ii . . 26 h , p . P R EPA CE.

8— Simpson in 1 830 and the Peninsularity of North Somerset is now at length

m e R ae deter in d by Dr. .

' The ve n ﬁcation of these important

f u a . as a e t res entitles Dr King, we h ve

a a i as a ﬁ s id , to h gh position scienti c

a e geogr pher. For instance ; the x isten ce of su ch a coast as encloses the Great Bay m u ch facilitated the progress

f m a o Mr. Tho s Simpson ; and it w as

’ a of u se the prob bility its existence, to K ’ . u Dr ing s own words , which ind ced him to be so sangu in e of su ccess as to volu nteer to the Secretary of State for

for m a the Colonies the ti e being, ye r

af a u u an di ter ye r, to cond ct s ch expe tion

as m a m u and Mr . Tho s Si pson ndertook su ccessfu lly carried ou t ; for if several j u tting points of land h ad occu pied the

a of a b a s a bu t sp ce th t y, not one e son ,

s a a u a re ever l se sons , wo ld h ve been

’ u for u q ired its s rvey . The discovery of land North of Cape H ay w as even

3 Des atc of Mr. Sim son in the A thenamm p h p , N o. 6 52.

R E E xviii P FAC .

a u a . a a e r r Penins l Dr King, in p p ead

f h c a at o be ore the Britis Asso i tion Y rk ,

and u E in p blished in the London , d

u and u urn l b rgh , D blin Philosophical Jo a

’ of for m 1 844 sa Science , Dece ber , ys Considerable importanc e h as be en at

e a of S m e t ched to the l nd North o ers t,

f m a b elief a an a h ro th t it is isl nd ; whic ,

if w u at a d proved , o ld once solve the gr n — problem of three centu ries the dis

cove r of - a a e s y the North West p ss g . Thi

an for if u a its is evidently error ; ins l r, separation c an be b u t of triﬂing extent — otherwise there wou ld be a strong cu rrent setting throu gh the Fu ry and

a a a a Hecl Str it ; where s , ccording to Sir

a a u Edw rd P rry , there is no c rrent while the absence of a cu rrent throu gh that Strait is a powerful argu ment in ’ favou r of its being a Peninsula.

u a a s F rther, in letter ddre sed to Sir

a w as a A d John B rro , Secret ry to the

mi l J n 8 ra t a a . . y, d ted , Dr King says

1° See Admiralty Chart of Baﬁ n Bay . 11 98 . See A thenwum, No. 8 R E P EFAC .

You implicitly believe North Somerset to be an is an and the F ur and ec a Strait to e the At antic l d , y H l b l

“ a e f c s ? Sir ou tlet of the Polar Sea . Where re th a t

war arr who iscovere the F ur and ec a Strait Ed d P y, d d y H l , and it h no een visite since his time has istinct as t b d , d ly stated that there is no current in the F ury and Hecla

Strait Sir o n Ross has u is e an E s uimaux . J h p bl h d q

art of Nort Somerset w ere in it is shown to he a Ch h , h

enin su a . T at ou wi sa re sts u on In ian P l h , y ll y, p d

information . It oe s and so did the existence of the d ,

o ar Sea the F ur and ec a Strait the st mus of P l . y H l , I h

oot ia and Me vi e en insu a And who ou ts the B h , l ll P l . d b accuracy of these Polar ﬁshermen in these respec ts ?

On thf contrar t eir eo ra ica n ow e e is the y , h g g ph l k l dg admirati o A re ou t en ustifie in on f the world . y h j d doubting the m in this solitary instance The same — woman women are the geographe rs a t the Pole who fi u r t at extraor inar st mus the st mus g ed h d y I h , I h of Boot ia fi ure t at an over w ic ou are h . g d h l d h h y atte mpting to throw a dou bt . When I conte nde d for

' t is oin t in 1 886 ou referre to Sir eor e Bach s h p , y d G g “ de cided opinion of the te rmination of the Easte r n boundary of the Great Fish River Estuary at Cape H ay

-in w ic be ief the a lant comma n e r to do onour h h l g l d , h to the ar of Ri on the c ief romoter of the ex E l p , h p

dition name an is an in off the a e Ri on pe , d l d , ly g C p , p

s an . But a e H a has n ow ost its im ortanc e I l d C p y l p , and Ripon Island 18 not in e xistence ; Cape Bri tannia

' eo ra ica Societ s ournal vol vi 36 G g ph l y J , . . p . . ' Beck s N r 0 a rative . 4 8 , p . b 3 PREFACE .

occ u ies the ace of Ri on Is an and ou are t u s p pl p l d , y h informe t at reat trave er Sim son w ose eath d by h g ll , p , h d all e ore that was ri t and t at Sir Geor e ac d pl , I gh , h g B k

was wrong .

a a r to a r as L stly , in lette E rl G ey, “ a s loh of a a t u . l tely the J ne l st , Dr King

a m a P u a st tes , North So erset is enins l forming the North-Easte m com er of

m a of A eric , the Western shore Regent

and Ea of a Inlet , the stern shore the Gre t

’ Fish River .

a u eat We h ve tho ght it right, we rep ,

u a fa s in j stice to Dr . King, th t these ct ‘ u a b u t e sho ld be known . They c nnot giv weight to the opinions which h e h as explained to Earl Grey as to the probable ’ position of Sir John Franklin s Expe ” f u dition and the best means o resc ing it .

’ The Tim s 1 h e 4t Jun . , e, 4 7

u a a i We nderst nd th t Dr. K ng, the

m a fﬁ and for a edic l o cer, , considerable

mm a period, the co nding ofﬁcer of the

a u n a of l nd jo r ey in se rch Sir John Ross,

h as a a Ea ddressed letter to rl Grey,

1‘ See A thanwum a nte 6 1 . 2 , , p . PREFACE. volu nteering his service s in search of Sir

n m a a n John Franklin. Dr. Ki g int i s

a a a Ex edition ' it th t , to s ve The Fr nklin p , would he fu tile to attempt to convey

a him. provisions overl nd to He proposes ,

f to m ou t there ore, the Govern ent to send

m a n one or ore ships l de with provisions,

Land of next Spring, to the Western

m ma a n for North So erset, where he int i s ,

ral a a ll seve re sons , Sir John Fr nklin wi

he f u and at a m m can o nd , , the s e ti e, to u pon the H u dson Bay Company to store u p provisions in their trading hou ses on the Mackenzie River and the Great

a a . r Sl ve L ke He then p oposes , in c ompany with an y ofﬁcer the Govern

m n m a a he m n e t y ppoint, to the esse ger

of u a and s ch news to Sir John Fr nklin , ,

at th e am m to a him a s e ti e , t ke with Indi n guides for the conveyance of the veteran fﬁ and a o cer his p rty, either to the pro vision stores on the Mackenzie River or

a a a n the Gre t Sl ve L ke , or to the provisio vessels at the Western Land of North

m m a m s a l So erse t as y he o t desir b e. He maintains that he is the only person who

PR EF A CE .

The S unday Times copied the precedir a rticle .

' The ic to ia l i s P r T me , 4th December , 4 7 .

We take considerable interest in ti

a c for a i bu t lil se r h Sir John Fr nkl n , ,

ma u u f m ny others , t rn with disg st ro i

u f m u fa e s wit disc ssion , ro the gross n irn s

i of wh ch the claims Dr . King to be r cognised as the most correct au th ori' u pon the geography of the A rctic Region and the be st qu aliﬁed to condu ct at expedition in search of the missing a

u are me t au thoriti vent rers , with by the in whose hands are placed the e rrang ments for pu rsu ing the conte mplatc

a se rch.

‘

d 1 h un 4 . Th e N a u tica l S ta nda r , 2t J e , 7

’ of Be The whole Dr . King s letter to Grey so a bou nds in tersely stated fa ci and these facts are of a na tu re so it portant to the recovery of Sir Jat

a k w e ai don Fr n lin , hile the principl s l d are so e ssential to the prosecu tion of a

fu a fe rther Arctic discovery, th t we PR EFACE. ou rselves called u pon to state our con

’ vi ti n a a c o th t Dr . King s pl ns deserve the f m immediate attention o Govern ent . They are pu t forth by a gentleman well known

a a of a h in the nn ls rctic discovery, hig ly

f and m respected in his pro ession , ost

m s ﬁ deservedly estee ed by cienti c societies , t to whose interes he is devoted . Sir John Franklin and his party will have entered u pon their third year before su ccou r can penetrate amid the wastes of w e i n all a are which , in prob bility , they

m u e m a e bedded , to g ide th long the

am a of a f n a and p p s roze oce n , restore

m e a a n h as the to rth . Sir John Rich rdso proposed a plan which h as been accepted

m a ask a by the Ad ir lty . We , is Engl nd to be content tha t ou r cou ntrymen should only be sou ght by a heavy arctic caravan sary u nder the condu ct of an ofﬁcer " already in the wintry region of life !

v u of f am h as a whose igo r r e dep rted, thou gh not the vigou r of that mind which " w on for him a j u stly high repu tation !

’ N 0 ! a m n let her M jesty s i isters, with out distur bing the expedition of which

R E E xxviii P FAC .

u u a him a e arin nq estion bly gives to h g, wherever the measu res best ad apte d for the reco very of Sir John Franklin and his band of adventurers have to b e dis

’ cu ssed . Tw o y ears and a half have now passe d

’

. a and n o on e since Dr King s w rning, know s whether The Franklin Expedition

h as a ve w h at been st r d , or wrecked, or

h as m of m tru h f beco e the . To the t o

a . w as a w es as their d nger, Dr King itn s , he w as to the fact of the geographica l mistakes and u seless pu rposes of pre

a Se a ceding Pol r Expeditions .

w as a A themeum 24th Nov It st ted ( , . that the Cou ncil of the Royal Society h ad m emorialised the Admiralty as to the expediency of su mmoning all

oﬁ cers u w the Arctic to its Co ncils , ith the view of learnin g from them the b e st cou rse to be pu rsu ed in resu ming th e

u a for h a interr pted se rch Sir Jo n Fr nklin .

Ma we u now u stice b u t y rge not the j , the exp ediency of its not h aving forgotten

am n u m of s Dr. King ongst the ber tho e ” consu lted . x Pe ar s on. xxi

I proposed to th e G overnment in 1 836 to desce nd the Great Fish River to complete the su rvey of the u nexplor ed coast of North

m a a la nd ou rne ha A eric , to do by j y t t which Sir John Franklin w as dispa tched to do by a sea ex edition a a su u a d p , pl n bseq ently c rrie

' ou t a a mma of by priv te expedition , in co nd

a d u a mas th t isting ished tr veller, Mr . Tho f im m . Si pson The ollowing test ony is , there f a m os for a for ore , p p the se rch Sir John

’

S e c ta tor 1 9th N ov ember 3 6 . p , ,

’ a That Dr . King s pl n is bold will be readily admitted ; b u t it does not follow

a d a . a an u th t it is r sh With c re pr dence , dangers from man are not to be ap prehended ; n u mbers have no power over the rigou r of the climate ; and if the gross qu antity of food and other n ece s

saries a can a th t be c rried is less, so is the nu mber amongst which they are to

a ma his be divided . He rne de discoveries by plu nging u n attended amongst the Indians ; Macken zie pla ced himself and

fe w fo l a a u as his l owers in c noe , s ch

i u s nd a Dr . K ng proposes to e ; a the e rly X CE XX PREFA .

a a rs w ose x o a on later ex n vig to , h e pl r ti

editions a e sa to ﬁrm or fall p h v iled con ,

of adl v ualled in com short , were b y ict ,

arative s. in h e se as p cockle shell For t ,

affair mater al means and in other s, the i appliances are of trivial conse qu en ce compared w ith th e qu aliﬁcations of the ” are to a m me n who pply the .

’ in 20th Nov E xa m er, emb er, 36 .

n al Dr . Ki g is likely to re ise an in tention he h as formed of resuming the research along the Northern coast of

m a North A eric . We think him more than j u stiﬁed in some of his most hopeful

and an u a —and s g ine expect tions , we wish

u him every possible s ccess.

’ Mor nin Post 23 rd D ecember 3 6 . g , ,

a W e sincerely hope th t Dr. King may be enabled to prosecu te his hype rborean researches after his ow n economical and f n adventu rou s ashio . There can be no dou bt of the zeal and capability of — i . n a s a uara ee for Dr Ki g, the p st g nt

fu u the t re .

’ h ovem r Globe, 20t N be , 36 . We wish the au thor e very su ccess in ’

A tla s 20th N o embe 3 6 . , v r,

’ ad‘ Dr . King s plan presents evident vantages over all those that have been

v u a m t pre io sly tte p ed , not only in the small amou nt of expenditu re it will

a b u t u a i a ent il , in the s perior pr ct c bility

f a n l o its oper tio s . We hope he wil be able to carry ou t a plan w hich seems so ” u likely to eventu ate in s ccess .

Na va l a nd Milita r Ga zette 1 9th F eb ua 3 6 . y , r ry,

’ a m u s i We h ve in tely in pected Dr. K ng s

a and ﬁnd a aceom anied propos l, th t he p Sir George Back down the Grea t Fish

and m of medip River , , oreover, being the

m a of a a a a the nners the C n di n Voy gers , and the means of propitia ting the native

' ra a a l ua ﬁ Ind ns, he ppe rs we l q li ed to make the attempt with every p rospect of uc W e a th e s cess . h ve more conﬁdence that he will su cce ed from the knowledge ll P E CE Xxx R FA .

expedition have volu ntee red to ac compan y

him .

’

S un 1 sth Februar 3 6 . , y, We h ave very minu tely examined and cross-examined all the circumstance s c on d h e d . an ave n cte with Dr King, we conscientiou sly come to the conclu sion that he h as established the very best

a m u far as u s is cl i s to s ccess , so s cces

a a a m a a m e d tt in ble by nly d ring, deter in

an d a u a of e r enterprise , bsol te disreg rd p

a u n a e n son l conseq e ces . Dr. King is g tle man who u nites in his own person some of the best essentials for an u nder taking of this adventu ro u s natu re ; he

u a m a and possesses yo th , he lth , edic l

n ﬁ of scie ti c knowledge , experience the

u and n a a a a co ntry its i h bit nts , concili tory

n and a all a u a dispositio , , bove , b rning ze l to have his name enrolled among those who have already signalised themselves in f ” exploringthe stormyregions o theNorth.

f all best testimon a can A ter , the y th t be addu ced is that which comes from my com panions in adventu re down the Great Fish 1 “ i a of ver in se rch Sir J . Ross . It is PR EFA OB.

and Pe ter Taylor are now numbered with th e a b u t of m s a n and de d, one the o t t le ted pu blic spirited proprietors and editors of the Press c an vou ch for the testimony ; and I

’ have that gentleman s permission to pu blish it .

York F ctor Nova nber a y , MY DEA R KI NG -Here I am once again ” i u of Far r in the sol t des the West, chee fu lly taking u p the pen to write to you m f ! according to pro ise . London li e is over Where now are the snu g parties - the — — theatres you r reﬂec tion and the rest 1

— u u All gone s nk into endless night . S ch are

a i u e of ﬁtful the str nge vic ssit d s this world . When I pa rted with you at London Bridge I little anticipated the heavy forfeit

a u a for a n I w as bo t to p y winter in Lo don. The place of my dest ination is Cu mberla nd

u an a tm h a Ho se, ppoin ent with w ich I h ve

a f ev ery re ason to be ple sed . My amily have

a a me h r and m lre dy preceded hit e , to join the

' I ll have to travel the whole distance on

m a add t e snow shoes , which I y to the o h r l u f m m evi s res lting ro y jou rney to London . Grea t changes have happened here since

R E V P FACE. XXX

o and f a l a av s a e Y rk, , I e r, wil cost he y po t g , withou t affording an y adequate re turn. a ou Bu t I have fulﬁlled you r wish . H ve y ” ar a of u a and he d nything Heron, or St rt , what is doing in the political world ?

e me all and u ou s a l Writ this , in ret rn y h l

a f m me all ou a fr m a s u l h ve ro y w nt, o c l down to a periwinkle ! I hav e hardly room

to sa a a wa am m a y th t I l ys , y de r King , u s m ul yo r ost tr y, oss CHAS . R .

To Dr . Knee , MD .

Grea l e l a ke u l 2 1 8 86 . t S av , J y ,

Mr nu n Km o — u l of , Both yo r etters la m e am u a and st Septe b r c e d ly to h nd, I w as extremely happy to learn of you r f Ma ou i wel are . y y long enjoy that bless ng m is y sincere wish . You r determination to acc omplish the discovery of the North-West Passage in spires me with the hope of seeing you the

u a and if u la a m of c rrent se son , yo r p ns d it your coming this length to pass the ensuing

winter, it will be to me most agreeable. “ Even if the u pper establishment should be

' The discove ser s River rer of Fra .

At abasca La e h k . xxxvi PREFACE.

u n s me v a am u s t yo r reside ce , o ery c l ito even mu st intervene to prevent m e from going to see you .

m a a fa u of u It y, perh ps , be in vo r yo r

a ma a h as a enterprise , the l te inti cy th t t ken place betwe en the Chipewyan and Esqu i m au u of a x tribes , in the co rse the l st ” umm on Thl w - m e e e . s er, the A ongst the latter there we re m any inhabitants of the Thle w-e e b u t the m ajority were those t a f u u a u a h t req ent Ch rchill nn lly, to prove which they produ ced the articles they obtained from the H u dson Bay Company

w a of a an d a e x in the y tr de, re dily

a am u ch nged the s e with their g ests, by w a of m f y ce enting their riendship . There c an be no dou bt of a su ccessful issu e to

u u a n of f yo r ndert ki g , which I eel so con ﬁde nt that I hail with pleasu re the moment

a ou m am u s th t will bring y once ore ong , as I am equ ally certain that every attention w m u w and ill be directed to pro ote yo r vie s , be assu red none shall more w illingly con

u a u u m a trib te thereto th n yo r h ble serv nt . I have not s u cceeded in obtaining the

of a m - b u t a skeleton oose deer, I h ve bright

9° “1 F i r Gr a F s R iver. ish R ve . e t i h 0 .

as as a l of hopes of getting it, well ske eton n ; and if a mu sk ox , by the ext spring

ma u a a a all you do not ke yo r ppe r nce , I sh e ndeavou r to forward them to England to your address . I am m u ch obliged to you for you r kind

m elf and fa m e are a wishes to ys ily th y , th nk

prosperity.

m e m a N G Believe , y de r KI ,

u f Yo r sincere riend , A EX ‘ . M LEOD L R . .

e MD . To Dr . Kin ,

Norwa H om e 1 2th A u ust 1 836 y , g , .

E R SIR — I was r a D A , ve y h ppy to receive

u r a n a at yo r lette l st spri g, when I rrived

a u a a Norw y Ho se , lw ys expecting to see

w as for you here again . I here abou t a

m an d a alf a for onth h , looking e rnestly

a w as at a l you r arriv l . I l st ob iged to join “ a a and am now with the expedition g in , I

i Re d a ma go ng to River , where I sh ll re in

u ﬁ and a ntil the rst ice , then tr vel to

a a a i M‘Ka Ath b sc to jo n with the rest . y

and a a Of Sincl ir h ve joined it . the birds

’

r. S s s ourne e o ar . M T. imp on J y to th P l Sea EF E xxxviii PR A C .

and insects you re qu e sted me to prese rve

for ou a e as ma as could y , I h v got ny I .

a Sir u a e e e a De r , I sho ld h v be n v ry h ppy a se ou and e t to h ve en y here , join d wi h you h all m a b u t ann t be wit y he rt, since it c o , I

f m u a ou w m there ore st le ve y , ith y be st

s for u m al and t a elfar wi hes yo r te por e ern l w e .

ma I re in ,

u f and u m an Yo r sincere riend h ble Serv t, E ER LO P T TAY R .

r G D . To D KI M . N ,

thab t th Ma 1 8 7 A asc F or 28 3 . a , y ,

E R SIR — I w as ar a D A , very sorry to he th t you cou ld not get into the cou ntry last

for w as at a u w ai spring, I Norw y Ho se till you shou ld be there ; and when I saw

ou m w as te r y were not co ing, I obliged to en

of Bu into the service the expedition. t I w as most sorry when I received you r last ” letter that you sent by the last ship thou gh I hope I shall have the pleasu re of

if ou m seeing you in the North y do co e.

u u f Yo r ever tr e riend , ER PET TAYLOR.

r KI G MD . To D . N ,

93 ’ Informing him of Sir George Back s ill-starre d voyage ” r in ieu of m o ar L Terro an ourne . in the , l y P l d j y THE FRANKLIN EXPEDITION.

’ 12th 44 oa of A m a Dec . , the B rd d ir lty , re solved u pon another expedition by se a

ar of or - a a and in se ch the N th West P ss ge,

a to mma SirJoh n a kl ppointed the co nd Fr n in , f - f then ﬁty eight years o age .

The u and r of 378 and Ereb s Terro , ships

326 n m a to s, were selected by the Ad ir lty for a a a u a this service , h ving e rned rep t tion in the Antarctic as well as Arctic Regions

m a di a m c om by no e ns cre t ble to the , in mand of Sir James Ross an d Sir George

Th e t u a ins r ctions to Sir John Fr nklin ,

a f of dmi a H ad signed on beh l the A r lty,

i o u . a d ngtou ; G . C ckb rn ; W . H G ge ; ’ 5th Ma 45 m r 316 l di y, , co p ise ines vided into 23 paragraphs ; b u t all we have to deal with runs thu s : Lancaster Sou nd and its c tinnation TH E FRANKLIN EXPEDITION

u a a a ee thro gh B rrow Str it, h ving b n fou r times navigated by Sir Edw ard

a and al w ill P rry , since by wh ing ships, probably be fou nd withou t any obstac les f m a and a arr ro ice or isl nds , Sir Edw rd P y h aving also proceeded from the latter in

a a u ll a it str ight co rse to Melvi e Isl nd, is hoped that th e remaining portion of

a a a u 900 m in the p ss ge , bo t iles , to Behr g

a m a a f u u a fre e Str it, y lso be o nd eq lly from obstru ction ; and in proceeding to

a f ou not the Westw rd , there ore, y will stop to examine any openings either to the Northward or Sou thward in that

a b u t u u Str it, contin e to p sh to the West w ard withou t loss of time in the latitu de of abou t till you have reached th e longitu de of that portion of land on

a al u a m which C pe W ker is sit ted . Fro that point we desire that every e ffort be u sed to endeavou r to penetrate to th e Sou thward and Westward in a cou rse

as a a as direct tow rds Behring Str it, the

and of position extent the ice, or the

of a ma a m But existence l nd, y d it. should you r progress be arrested by ice 5 FR OM r msr TO LAM .

of a rma a a an and a pe nent ppe r ce , th t

m u of a when passin g the o th the Str it,

a d all an between Devon n Cornw is Isl ds , you h ad observed that it was open and

C a of i a ou w u le r ice , we des re th t y ill d ly consider whether that channel might not offer a more practicable ou tlet from the Archipelago and a more ready access to ” s the open ea. Fully satisﬁed that Sir John Franklin w as

n a a f ad desti ed to le d orlorn hope , I

s a dres ed Lord St nley , now Lord Derby,

a of a for l then Secret ry St te the Co onies , in

1 Sa Row 20th F brua r 1 8 4 . 7, mlc , e y , 5 — MY Lonnf A s it is determined to prosecu te the discovery of the North-west

a a sea f om as “ l can P ss ge by r E t to est , I fairly approa ch you r Lordship to propose for adoption the following plan for a land jou rney :

a a a of fﬁ I propose th t p rty two o cers,

of m a f a a one the edic l pro ession , bo t

a an d men fu u c rpenter, thirteen lly eq ip

for s c u a a ped the ervi e , sho ld le ve Montre l A 3

a u F IRsr ro F o LAST . 7 — western party having secu rely hou sed

m u at a a the selves , sho ld once d pt their means to their ends in getting through

and for fu u the winter providing the t re .

and b oard and To collect provisions , to

a w a la Sea as p ve the y to the Po r , so to be on its shores as early as the navigation

l m and to all and wi l per it, observe every

i in a ﬁ f m are th ng the v st eld be ore the , the m ain featu res of an A rctic winter

a with a land p rty. The western party will be fu rther occu pied in transporting — — as the traveller Simpson their boat

rm and a to the Coppe ine River, the e stern

a a a i i p rty their bo t to the Gre t F sh R ver . As soon as these rivers are open the Expedition mu st be in progress ; the one detachment for Cape Britannia or Ripon

a as w as a and th e Isl nd , it once c lled ,

for a a — other Victori L nd , the one to ascertain the connection of the mainland with tha t of North Somerset or of P ula and if f m Melville enins , the or er , the character of its western land ; and

t a a a the o her to tr ce Victori L nd westerly , with the view of testing its valu e re 8 THE FR A N H IN EXPED ITION

lativel - s a a y to the North we t P ss ge . To enter further into detail is u nnecessary u ntil the service is determined u pon ; b u t in order that my ability to su pply the

m u e t ta m a u in t s de il y not be q estioned, I take leave to state tha t I led the mission in search of Sir John Ross not only into

b u ou t of a t the Pol r Regions . It cannot be qu estioned that the knowledge of su ch a jou rney as I propose

fr m Ea being in progress o st to West,

u a m a ul ma nder deter ined le der, wo d inly assist in raisin g that moral cou rage which is requ isite in pu shing an adven

n w a u an u s tu ro s y thro gh nknown ea. In

a u a a two inst nces , jo rneys by l nd h ve been

in motion aid n se a set . to expeditio s by .

a a k As it now st nds , Sir John Fr n lin — will h ave to take the ice as the pu sh ing throu gh an ice-blocked sea is termed in u tter ignorance of the extent of his

a u and a of fﬁ u l bo rs ; , in c se di c lty , with G6 certainly no better prospect before him

an a i b efel th th t wh ch Sir John Ross , whose escape from a perilous position of

’ four years standing is admitted by all to R F IR sr 9 F OM TO LAST .

a e m m a h ve b en al ost iraculou s. I h ve contended against the present attempt by se a from an honest conviction of its impracticability in the present sta te of ou r of A i a and knowledge rct c l nds ; , except the jou rney which I propose is u a fﬁ ul ma ndert ken , it is no di c t tter to foresee that the grand problem will a ua a a ct lly be in bey nce . My position

ff of 1836 now is very di erent to that . I w as then u nknown and from the sim plicity and economy of my views con side red a a ea a vision ry . Nine y rs h ve al a of t tered the st te hings . The views pu t forward by me in 1836 in favour of a land jou rney have been veriﬁed ; the Sea Expedition in the Terror h as failed ; and a of a u the little b nd dvent rers , led by the most su ccessful of the Polar

a t m —aft tr vellers , the in repid Si pson , er m own m al fa i — a a n y econo ic sh on , h ve sto ish ed t h e most san gu ine geographers of

da l as u the y. Wel ple ed sho ld I have been if that intelligent traveller had

v d m l as a li e to co p ete his t k, so bly begun ; and then he who is now ad 1 0 TH E F RAN KLIN EXPEDITION

dressing your Lordship wou ld not have

u m f u u I intr ded hi sel pon yo r notice . t cannot be denied that I w as mainly instru mental in directing the spirit of

a a at a enterprise g in to the North , period w hen Sir John Ross and Sir George Back were fresh before the — Government an d in face of their testimony that there were fewer temp tations than ever for m aking an y fresh attempts at solving the great geo graphical problem of three centu ries and my restless activity on this su bject continu ed u ntil the ill-starred voyage in

’ mm a of the Terror, in co nd Sir George

a and u fu a u n B ck , the s ccess l l nd jo r ey f m in mman o . co d Mr Si pson , were deter

a e ffort in a mined u pon . My l st reg rd to the Expedition in the Terror Closed with the words That those who were sangu ine as to the su ccess of that enter prise wou ld be grievou sly mistaken ; an d should that insane portion of the

u mu instr ctions , the crossing the isth s dividing the waters of Wager Bay from

a m m Regent Inlet, be tte pted, the ost a n F rR sr ro 1 1 F o LAST .

’ i as u ul s m d s tro s res t ight be expected . How far I w as correct the Government

has sad f u proo . Altho gh I do not cherish the most distant idea of again having an opportunity of plea ding in favour of a

a u u m a L nd Jo rney, nder y own ch rge , seeing that I have pleaded nine years in

a — I am as al as v in , ive ever to the pro gress of arctic dis covery ; and I do hope tha t you r Lordship will ente rtain the

a u m u i pl n here s b itted. Yo r Lordsh p will have no difficulty in ﬁndin g volunteers for su ch a service ; b u t in order to meet

an fﬁ ul of a u am a y di c ty this n t re, I re dy

to u l omma a vol nteer the who e c nd, or p rt of the command with any ofﬁcer you r

m a a a Lordship y ppoint, provided th t he ' is of my own age and in possession of the

sam am u of a a a e o nt physic l c p bility . I

v &c a u . h e the hono r to be ,

RICHARD KING .

To The Right Honourable L OR D STANLEY .

Sir John Franklin was last heard of on th e 26th of July of the year of his depar 1 2 TH E FRANKLIN EXPEDITION

° ° ture in latitu de 74 and longitu de 66 of ’ afﬁn Ba . l0th u 47 e B y On the J ne, , ther f u a Ea ﬁ d ore , I th s ddressed rl Grey, who lle th e post of Secretary of State for the Colonies in the place of Lord Stanley

1 7 Sa vile Row loth u , , J ne , 1 847 .

MY LCR n — u and - , One h ndred thirty eight me n are at this moment in imminent danger

f m f m ir of perishing ro a ine . S John Frank ’ d 1845 lin s Expe ition to the North Pole in ,

as far as h as a we know , never been he rd of

m a from the oment it s iled . An attempt to

a ou r u m if all s ve co ntry en , not by the

ful ff of m r power e orts Govern ent, by the eve

fu u l m a Th e watch l British p blic wi l be de . exploring party were well aware of this when they started ; for they knew that Sir John Ross w as not allowed to die the death

f fam and a a o ine , nor Colonel Conolly C pt in

a a of w u an ff Stodd rt th t the sword , itho t e ort

f u i m a for . m be ng de their relie I tr st, y

m are fu Lord , the British Govern ent now lly aware of the wishes of the pu blic in regard to the lives of their men of travel and of

ar If u e a s u n w . the co rs dopted ince Q ee R R m ar 13 F OM FI ST TO .

’ a m a a Eliz beth s ti e , in reg rd to Pol r Dis

c over e i i h as one y Exp d t ons , hitherto been of profound secrecy scarcely worthy the honou rable service in which they have been — engaged and no one knows whither the one hu ndred and thirty-eight lost me n were

d to a e for all at intende w nd r, is this moment conj e ctu re beyond the walls of the

m a —in fu u rv Ad ir lty , t re let the se ice be one of pu blic competition ; an d let the attempt that is to be m ade to sa ve Sir John Franklin

f m a fa a a ro his h rd te , in Christi n ch rity , be

m a fu u a a s de lly p blic , th t the proposed pl n ,

— for u a — ma there will do btless be sever l , y

u and a a a se be disc ssed , therein be r ised pr i

m at all worthy co petition , which will ,

a m a of an av u events , h ve the se bl nce ende o r

u a to follow the right co rse . It is gre tly to be regretted that Lord Stanley did not ente rtain the plan which I proposed for acting by land in concert with Sir John

’ a n se a Fr nkli s expedition by . It is scarce ly possible that the two services could have m issed each other ; therefore there would not have been that a nxiety for the fate of

an Sir John Fr klin which now exists , nor

1 5 FR OM FIR ST To LAST .

o cu t w a s sa lin a sh rt west rd , in tea i g sothward along the western land of

u -erse t and e m f Lu , wreck d hi sel on and ast a —h e h as run hM lon Woll on L nd , g into that dange r of whic h I expressly warne d him in the following words If we dir

' our atten non to the movements of the

6 ‘ a Sea E di h c Pol r xpe tions, w i h

a e n a a 1 818 ﬁnd h ve b e set ﬂo t since , we

that in e very instance the dimenl a t

ar se ﬁom am au — l n n o the s e c se , the c i gi g

to an a an r Sir l ds h ving easte n aspec t.

E a a his ed n dw rd P rry, in Second Exp itio , made attempts for two su ccessive n u to penetra te the entrance of the

ur and c la ra — and fa le 70 F y He St it , i d ;

T E e s ur in his hird xp dition , he lo t the F y

lan of th Somem t. n ss d Nor Sir Joh Ro ,

in his Bem u Ex editi was four d p on, Y 1 6 TH E FRAN KLIN nxrnm 'rron

inqu irer‘ is this general difﬁcu l ty t o b e avoided ? By taking the road w h i c h is

fai u s — a a h rly open to , the l nds th t a v e a. ” western aspect .

If a an d a on L an d , however , B nks Woll st shou ld form the resting-place of th e E r e b u s and a of th e Terror, it will not be th t E x

i on If a a o pe d ti . the p rty h ve kept t ge th e r (and woe be to them if they have not t h e y will take to their boats an d make for th e

a of m for western l nd North So erset, t h e dou ble pu rpose of reaching Barrow Str ait in a of w al as se rch the northern h ers , S ir

u fu an d e John Ross did s ccess lly , the Gr a t Fish Riv er in search of Esqu im au x for

n — or for a th provisio , letter convey nce to e

a m u m a Copper Indi ns , with who the Esq i u x

w in are no friendly relation . It is to th e w estern land of North Somerset that w e — m u st direct ou r attention to that spot w e m u ou r u st bend co rse.

m a u a f mi North So erset is penins l , or ng

- a n of m c a the north e stern cor er North A eri ,

n of n and t the wester shore Regent I let , h e

a n of th e a u ar e ster shore Gre t Fish River est y .

a u u s S At le st, s ch it is represented to by ir Pe on 1 7 FIRST TO LAST .

—and u John Ross , s ch I believe it to be ; for the evidence in favour of it is very

a h as convincing , while th t which been

a u a a m u dd ced g inst it is ere conject re.

a a a of In pr ctic l point view, however, it is of very little moment whether the character of North Somerset is insular or penins ular ; and I can therefore spare your

’ Lordship s time by avoiding to give you proof

of — ul ﬁll a u m this , which wo d vol e , in con sequ ence of the importance that h as been put

u u of of a pon it, in s pport the theory North

a a at m of West P ss ge the botto Regent Inlet . The western land of North Somerset can easily be reached by a party travelling over land from Canada ; and it cannot be denied

' that a land jou rney aﬂords the only su re mode of emtending ou r geographical kn ow

d and f u ladder le ge , there ore the only s re by

h a a k r c w ich to re ch Sir John Fr n lin . In p a

i a t ce , however, it is necess ry to know whe ther the qu estion mooted h as science or

u ma for f m a h nity in view , in the or er c se , it is argu ed that expeditions by sea are the

and a u a best, in the l tter jo rneys by l nd ; although there is always tacked on to these 13 3 TH E FRA NKLIN EXPED ITIO N

even larger promises of advanceme n t to geo a a a ma in th e o gr phic l science th n is de th er. I confess I could never u nderstand th e logic of th e argu ment ; b u t it is not less a m a tter — of tru th for the scientiﬁc expedition w h ich Sir John Franklin now commands w a s set aﬂoat in the face of the following fa c ts that seven of the ten Polar Se a expe dition s

’ u u ri e a co ld be th s b eﬂy d scribed. C pt. Lyon s expedition w as modestly called by him A n u nsu ccessfu l attempt to reach Repu lse Bay

’ in of a a of r B the body the n rr tive Sir G . ack s expedition will be fou nd the same tale w hi ch - a . a a C a C pt Lyon g ve on his title p ge pt .

u af f u a rin Ross ret rned ter o r ye rs winte g , withou t advancing a step towards the obj e c t

in a a fa in a view ; C pt . P rry iled his ttem p t to reach the Polar Se a by Regent In le t

a Bee ch e sa w a Sea an d C pt. y the Pol r , th a t

all nd a u an w as for is ; a C pt . B ch not so tu

a as Be e ch e — a ur n te Capt . y while short s v e y of the polar land jo u rneys affords a standa rd

of m a and u n co p rison develops the tr e positio . The jou rney of Heam e proved the existen c e

of a a Sea and m a a Pol r , de onstr ted th t it could be reached overland by way of Canada ; ' 19 m e n r i as r TO LAST . and u s c a n the s cce s whi h , tte ded Sir John

’ Franklin s ﬁrst polar land jou rney proved that the opinion which h ad been formed w as in every w ay correct . The distance between the Coppermine River an d Point Tu rnagain

u ma A a w as th s de known to u s . second pol r land jou rney added to ou r knowledge of the coast line the distance between the Macken

and m and as far zie the Copper ine Rivers , westward of the Mackenzie as Foggy Island ; which far su rpassed in extent the prosperou s voyage of Sir Edward Parry in 18 19 and

1 820 i a a u l . A th rd pol r l nd jo rney ec ipsed

all and le ft u b ut a ma , to be s rveyed s ll por tion of the North America n bou ndary of the

f ui of Polar Se a . The r ts the ten Polar Sea Expeditions will not balance with those of one of the Polar Land Journeys ; and the harvest of the ﬁr st and the least su cc essfu l of these interesting missions is greater than ha ma n to at r t t which re i s be g he ed . Even the little that h as been done by the Polar

a E is of u fu a Se xpeditions do bt l ch racter .

Baaks La a u of nd, the North Georgi n Gro p

are still re bhems in fact so n e p ; , ma y 1 sser 20 TH E FRANKLIN nxr anrn on

pu zzles as additions to the great geographical u z of u p zle three cent ries . It is not so w ith the labours of the commande rs of th e P olar a L nd Journeys . The footing which t hey mad e is permanent ; while Croker Moun

a a and a t ins h ve dissolved, isl nds threa ten

and an to be continents , continents isl ds

a u a u of in s the n t r l conseq ence discovery hips. It is altogether illogical to su ppose th at a

a a f m w d p rty isol ted ro the kno n worl , as

a at m m c Sir John Fr nklin is this o ent, an reach civilization with as great facility as a a f m w can a h im p rty ro the kno n world re ch .

a if can a r Sir John Fr nklin , he keep his p ty and ai o together, will rest where he is , d ly l ok m for assistance from his ho e. This w as a subject which the promoters of the Expedi tion in search of Sir John Ross h ad to prov e in 1833 ; and nothing h as since occu rre d t o

create a different opinion . There are manifestlytwo modes of attempt ' — ing to aﬁord Sir John Franklin relief to convey provision to him an d convey him to the provision ; bu t I shall have no difﬁcu lty in proving to you r Lordship that there is b u t ne m d ra a l — a of e o o e p ctic b e, th t conv y

3 m om FI R ST TO LAST. 2

twen ty men ; and consequ ently req uiring

am u of a a a considerable o nt b gg ge . For the conveyance of these men and their

the sma l a of u stores l c noes the co ntry,

i are e a ma a and wh ch r dily de , rep ired ,

a are u e nad u a . a tr nsported , q it i eq te Bo ts of large r dim ensions are therefore had

ou are as ama rec rse to ; which e ily d ged ,

are ifﬁ ul a and are with d c ty rep ired, too cumbrou s to be conveyed across the portages when the distance is great or

the u u gro nd neven . These evils are not theoretical ; they have been proved by

f a fu and a e r l experience , h ve been the cau se of immense difﬁculty or failu re for though they form b u t a sm all military

r are a a t oop , they too l rge to tr vel with advantage throu gh a cou ntry in which the means of subsistence are very scanty

u and still more precario s . The dith cu lties which they have to encounter are inﬁnitely increa sed when the indivi duals comprising the company are not practically acqu ainted with the mode of travelling through the district to be

and n u an be crossed, co seq ently c not ‘ 24 r m: FR A N KLIN e nm r rox

se parate d from each other withou t th e gre ate st danger of fatallv lo sing th eir w ar ; on w hich accou nt the v c annot seek

am and oth r s u of su st g e e o rces bsi ence . From w ant of experience th e v ar e u na ble eithe r to h e ar the bu rdens or tra vel the dista nce which a Canadian or an Indian

u s a m m st wo ld di reg rd . Ti e . the o impor

a m rn d t s is t nt ele ent in northe expe i ion .

vi a and h the g ine t bly lost, neit er ener y nor th e geniu s of the comm anding ofﬁce r can retrieve the e rror when the season is advanced u pon Th e evidence which I have brou ght for w ard I most conscientiou sly believe to b e co u a m e a s a for ncl sive, th t the n to be dopted reliev ing Sir John Franklin w ill be for th e Governm ent to despatch one or m ore vessels with provision to the w e stern land of North Somerse t by Barrow Strait in the su m m e r of 1848 and al u u s n Ba , to c l pon the H d o y Company to u se their best exertions to ﬁll

h ir n r o m a d t e orthe n dep ts with pe ic n , drie

a f m meat and ﬁsh bv th e same d te . In or a

Jou rney to th e Arctic O cean by the Great Fish - M D . 9 in 293 2 8 . b Dr. y K g, pp I To S 25 FRO M F R ST LA T . tion of su ch provision having been made

u b e u of sho ld conveyed , in the co rse the su mm of 1848 a ma a i er , by s ll p rty prov ded — with Indian guides in case it shou ld be desirable to convey the lost party to the Hu dson Bay depots on the Mackenzie or

e a a a e a of the Gr t Sl ve L ke, inst d to the sou thern boundary of Barrow Strait in

a of r u a se rch the p ovision vessels . S ch

a m u a a p rty , y Lord , I will ndert ke to le d , in company with anv ofﬁcer the Govern m n ma a i r of m e t y ppo nt, p ovided he be y own age and in possession of the same am in amou nt of physical ca pability . I du ce d to volu nteer my services becau se I believe that I am the only person in whom the requ isites for su ch a jou rney are to be f un Sir n c a u w o d. Joh Ri h rdson co nts t ice

um r of a a and the n be ye rs th t I do , he is not acqua in te d with eithe r the cou ntry or the A meri can Indians to the extent that I - am and I should disgrace myself as an Englishman if I did not step forwa rd to sav e a veteran in the service like him from the neces sity of fulﬁlling his promise to th e A dmiralty of going in search of Sir John

c 26 TH E FR AN KLIN EXPEDITION

Franklin in March next in case of ou r receiving no tidings of him in the au tu mn of a m ure c an this ye r . The Govern ent s ly

a ar son not consent th t Sir John Rich d , arrived at an age mu ch better su ited to

u a u ar shi receive hono r th n to end re h d p, shou ld expose himself to fresh dangers an d

a are u an d priv tions , when there the yo ng

m a u a r u rn the co petent nxio s to t ke thei t .

If a in l e d i Sir John Fr nkl is to be re iev , t

48 H e mu st be in the su mmer of 18 . m u st — be spared the winter of that year and th e Government will incu r a heavy re spon sibility if every effort that experienc e c an su ggest is not m ade to save him from su c h — an ordeal which can scarcely be con te m

a u th e m ainfu f l n s pl ted witho t ost p l ee i g .

’ Sir John Franklin s expedition shou ld n ot

a a fa of fa lai h ve set s il, in ce the cts I d before the late Government ; and the le as t that the present Government c an do is to lessen the evils that their predecessors have allowed the veteran to heap u p on

m f a not hi sel . And it will cert inly b e taking the best means to send one veteran

a of a in se rch nother. Fnon To S T 27 FIRST LA .

c lu n m or u all ou In onc sio , y L d, I wo ld c y r attention to the opinions of the medical ofﬁcers ofthe second expedition of SirEdwa rd Parry in answer to the query of that gallant commande r As to the probable effect that a third winter pa ssed in the Arctic region s would prod u ce on the health of

fﬁ ame and ma es u his the o cers , se n , rin nder ”

a . E a and k ch rge . Mr dw rds Mr . S eoch

a u a and report, th t d ring the l st winter

u u l a of of s bseq ent y, the spect the crew the

u al t a d F ryin gener , toge her withthe incre se

um and a a of m a n ber ch r cter the co pl ints , strongly indicated that the pecu liarity of the climate an d se rvice w as slowly effect ing a seriou s decay of their constitu tional ‘ and a a ma powers C pt in Lyon re rks , that He has for some time been of opinion

’ that the Fury s passing a third winter in

the cou ntry would be extremely hazardou s . He is indu ced thu s to express himself from the great change he h as ob se rved in the constitu tion of the ofﬁcers and m e n

of e s and a a a of the He l , by the ppe r nce some very severe cases of scu rvy since the u mm r has mm u s e co enced . Long contin

Perr s Secon Vo a e . 47 1 . y d y g , p 28 TH E FR ANKLIN R xF R DITION

a on a ula a m t to al nce one p rtic r diet, l os t deprivation of fresh animal and vegetab le f for a a and n e c e s ood bove two ye rs, the sary and close conﬁnement for several

m of a are n u onths e ch severe winter, dou btedly the cau ses of the general altera tion of constitu tionwhich h as for some tim e

as en f e s p tb e so evident . He there oreconceiv that a continu ed exposu re to the sam e

a an d ﬁ m and th e depriv tions con ne ent, painful monotony of a third winter to

m en a a u u d whose he lth is prec rio s , wo l in all probability be attended with v ery seriou s Notwithstanding

x Sir these opinions so strongly e pressed, John Franklin m u st pass a third winter in the polar regions if there are no tidings of him in au u m b u t u m r d the t n ; I tr st , y Lo , that you will not allow him to contend with a f u u me an u t o rth , witho t giving opport ni y of rendering him the only su ccou r whi c h h as a li of u — a of the prob bi ty s ccess, th t being the messenger of the information

are for him where provisions stored .

a u m &c I h ve the hono r to be , y Lord , . NG RICHARD KI .

8 ’ arr S con Vo s e a e 4 73 . P y d y g , p . o 29 FR OM u s er T LAST.

Asais

o th i rl T e R ht H on . Ea Gre g y .

ovem 1 84 . 1 7 , Ba sile Row, 25th N ber, 7

The last ray of hope h as passed when Sir John Franklin by his own exertions c an save himself and his one hundred and thirty-seven followers from the death of

a a u f u st rv tion . I tr st, there ore , yo r Lord ship will excu se my calling you r a ttention

m of l0th of u a to y letter the J ne l st,

ac b u t ma u a which is knowledged , re ins n n sw ered u a m f . I Sho ld not h ve intru ded ysel

’ again on your Lordship s notice were I able to believe that you r Lordship is fu lly sen sible of the hea vy responsibility which the

m h as u ou Th e cala ity placed pon y . Admiralty Board m ay send assistance by — the Atlantic an d Paciﬁc Oceans they may set in motion every mariner who has assisted

u i a — in plo gh ng the northern se s , yet it will not relieve you from responsibility as the principal Secretary of State for the Colo

e Th a . e ni s service which I h ve proposed,

as a ma of u man a tter precedent, sho ld e te

m d w as f m a fro the Colonial Boar . It ro th t

c 3

3 1 F a on FIR ST To LAST .

u m au — or of to winter with the Esq i x, having to m ake th e jou rn ey along the barren ground to winte r quarters on snow

. u m a u shoes How, yo r Lordship y inq ire , is this Herculean ta sk to be performed ! Upon what grou nds do I rest my h0 pe of

u ? u a a s a s ccess I wo ld st te , in n wer, th t it is necessary th e leader of su ch a jou rney should have an intimate knowledge of the cou ntry and the people through which he

h as a — a to a ou to p ss , the he lth st nd the rig r

of m a and u the cli te , the strength to ndergo the fatigu e of mind and body to which he

ll u au a wi be s bjected. It is bec se I h ve

u i i c u l these req is tes , wh ch I cons ientio s y

are f u a a believe not to be o nd in nother, th t

ff m u i lis I hope to e ect y pu rpose . The nc vi e d — man and u pon the service u nder con sideration we m u st have large dealings with — him ia choosing his su bjec t looks for

al m a u al ﬁ a and if physic , not ent l, q i c tions ;

are a a au u and these not pp rent , he is c tio s

u e — and m ou u him ndecid d , the ore y h rry the less certain you are of m aking him m m m u u . i answer yo r p rpose Ti e , the ost 32 TH E FR AN KLI N EXPEDITION t w a a th e lan d his y be lost to the str nger in , and the jou rney rendered u navailing ; w h ile m a a of u a c e an d y gre t ctivity , power end r n ,

u as a a u m ou rne s ccess physici n , d ring y j y

a of mu f e sh in in se rch Sir John Ross , st be r the recollection of nine-tenths of the In dian popu lation throu gh which su ch a mission as a w ll a a — an d I h ve proposed i h ve to p ss , cannot fail to secu re to me every c c -op e ra tion . It is a well ascertained fact that th e medical tra veller su cceeds where all oth e rs

If you r Lordship will take a glance at

ma of m a and ou r the p North A eric , direct y attention to b u t three places ; Behrin g ai th e a ﬁ a a on th Str t on P ci c , B rrow Str it e

a and a of me s Atl ntic , the l nd North So r e t

m ou at t o between the , y will perceive th render assistance to a party situ ated on tha t land there are two ways by se a and one b y

a Of se a a u b l nd . the two w ys , the ro te y

a ﬁ a ou t of u on the P ci c is ltogether the q esti . It is an idea of by-gone days ; while th at by the Atlantic is so dou btful of su cce ss

a m a u t th t it is erely necess ry , in order to p

a as far f m er a t o assistance side ro c t in , o S Pe on FIR ST T LA T. 33

ra l the summ r of 1832 and St it c osed in e ; , as ra has e t d six im the St it be n visi e only t es, m it may be far from an u nu su al circu stance . To a la u al can l nd jo rney, then, one we ook for suc cess -for th e failure of a land

u u l jou rney wo ld be the exception to the r e,

be u lf a of the r le itse . To the western l nd

m ma ai Sir North So erset, where , I int n,

h Frankh n l be f u the at Jo n wi l o nd, Gre Fish River is the direct and only rou te ; and althou gh the approach to it is throu gh a country too poor and too diﬁ cult of ac a mi of ra of r s n cess to d t the t nsport p ovi io , it may be made the m edi um of commu nies tion between the lost expedition and the civilised world ; an d Indian gu ides be thu s placed at the ir disposal to conve y them to

W thout such gu ides it is impossible tha t

e can r ac u t r u th y e h these h n ing g o nds . It w as by tha t intricate and dangerous river that I reache d the Polar Sea w hile acting as sc cond otﬁe er in se arch of Sir John Ross ; and as there were but two ofﬁcers on that TH E FRA NKLIN EXPEDITION

ura le s v e ur Lords i c an b ut hono b er ic , yo h p look to those ofﬁcers for th e ele m e nts of su c ss if a m at r ver i r l c e , ission by th i s e so ved

u o . All a can as one p n th t I do, of those ofﬁ rs so ul a i umstance d is o ce pec i rly c rc , t place my views on record as an e arne st of m E if m ralt y sincerity. ven the Ad i y sh ould determine to try to force provision-v essels

u and a w S raits and thro gh Behring B rro t , scour the vicinity in boats for th e lost ex

edition — and m u —and su p , try they st, cceed, it will be satisfactory to know that su ch a mission as I have proposed was adopted ; while if they should fail in their atte m pts and I am sorry to say that I fully b elieve — they will fail and the service un de r con

a u t a w ll be a sou r sider tion is p side , it i c e of regret that not only the nation at large will f b ut the l . eel, whole civilised wor d W h en r f and r soul this egret is elt, eve y h as

u a m as av e ro perished, s ch ission I h p p osed w ill be u rged again and again for adoption ; for it is impossible that the cou ntry w ill re st satisﬁed u ntil a search be made for th e remains of the lost expedition by a p erson in W m u h as nﬁ nce ho the co ntry co de . No Fnon S To FIR T LAST . 35

errand . The efforts of the Danish Govern m for of la ent the lost colonies Green nd , the efforts of the Portugu ese Gove rnment for

' Cotereal an d e ﬁorts of the brothers , the the French Government for the u nfortu nate

La u a fa a ou r a al Pero se , c nnot il to r ise n tion pride when placed in similar circum»

It h as been stated in the periodical litera tu re of the day that a party of sappers and miners sailed last June in charge of pro

n s for a as visio s de tined the M ckenzie River , supplies for the lost expedition ; and that Sir John Richardson is to leave England in i February next to head th s party . I hope

m a m u an ex e this y be ere report. S ch p dition would be one of relief from a diﬁcu lty

u ful a i a the which, to be s ccess , ntic p tes difﬁculty to be overcome ; for if the lost

x can a a i R e pedition re ch the M ckenz e iver , or even the Great Bea r Lake by the Cop they have solved the pr oblem of more than

scarcely e xpect to be rea lised. 36 TH E FR AN KLIN EXPEDITIO N

f R ae T he recent su rvey o Dr. is sa tisfac tory only so far as it conﬁrms the Esq uim aux chart fu rnished to Sir John Ross ; and as it

u m at s rn h o s pports y views , th the we te s re of the Great Fish River estuary is c on tinuou s with the western land of N orth

m — or u se m or s of So erset, , to y own w d

1 836 a f m a H a an tre n , th t ro C pe y the l d ds Wh when it dips the horizon , e re — a sm all space intervenes ia all proba — bility a deep b ay to a land gradu ally f a n rising into boldness , ollowing orth

u m of w westerly co rse, the extre es hich are named Points Ross and If

f R ae u the su rvey o Dr . co ld be depen de d u a a pon . the view I h ve t ken is the c orre ct

b u t at a u s i one, present it is v l eles n a

a a of w e geogr phic l point vie . The p n in su larity of North Somerset is still a prob lem for far f m a it is ro evident th t Dr. R a e

a Ma Ba of n os re ched Lord yor y Sir Joh R s . He not only neglected to search for th e - wreck of the Victory steam ship or som e

’ of f b u t c o token Sir John Ross s ooting , he m m enced his jou rney withou t providing him

ou rne to th e Arctic Ocean th e Grea J y , by t Fish

v l. n o ii . . Dr i 26 . by . K g, p R To 37 FR OM FI ST LAST .

m a c tu self with the e ns to orrect his longi de , — which he calculated entirely by dead

u m a h is reckoning . F rther, he not only de su rvey when all natu re w as clothed in ice — and snow which placed it ou t of his power

at all m o a f m a ti es to rec gnise l nd ro w ter , mu ch more to distingu ish that water which — w as salt from that which was fresh b u t he made short cu ts to save a jou rney round

a and a and u s of c pes b ys , th s lo t sight the

u of a an contin ity l nd , which experienced

a traveller would not h ve done . Even u nder the most favo urable circum

a it m u t an st nces , is i possible to p y other than a low val ue u pon a winter su rvey in

a n i m ﬁ the Pol r regio s . Th s is exe pli ed in the jou rney which Sir James Ross m ade

a mu of o a cross the isth s Bo thi , when he not only traced a large portion of land u nde r an impression tha t he was travelling

a on of m a aft l g the continent A eric , which , er sev eral years was found by a su mmer su rvey

a an a bu t ac u a to h ve been isl nd, he t lly passe d by the estu ary of the Great Fish

a o u na a of i River, lt gether w re the ex stence

’ of a ma n ﬁ am P Ba th t g i cent stre . oetes y

FRe n FIR ST To LAST . 39 the norther n conﬁgu ration of America will — be completed for it is by huggin g the weste rn land of North Somerset only that we c an e xpect to fall u pon the traces of th e n if we are to for lost expeditio , look it in

u d sta c lu a the I wo l te, in onc sion , th t variou s surveys which have been se t aﬂoa t since I came forward in 1836 as a volu nteer have bu t cleared th e w ay to render th e m soun dness of my views the ore appar ent . The several expeditions which have Since

under a e a re been t ken , wheth r they h ve sulte d u fa lu a aff in s ccess or i re , h ve orded so many successive links in the chain of evidence whic h dem onstrates the scientiﬁc cha rac ter of the views advanced by m e in

1 836 —and for a r n e to i a , dhe e c wh ch I h ve been refu se d all chara cter as a scien tiﬁc

of ﬁ ithful service to m cou ntr . I am not y y ,

' mm d to Her Magesty the bestowing u pon me a marh of appmba ﬁom as a rew ard for the soundnms of e h as thes views , which been bmtowed upon those who contradicted 40 TH E FR AN KLIN EXPEDITIO N appoint me to a service for whi c h I am

u lia u aliﬁe d — a of e pec rly q , service x tre me

a a and a u b u t b e h z rd l bo r, which , to su c ce ssful m u u a m e , st be ndert ken by so on e of a m li gre t experience . I a wil ng to lab our still for that recognition which will giv e m e equ ality with those who are n ow my su periors and when I state to you r Lordship tha t I stand alone as a sin gle u a a f m of individ l , isol ted ro the heroes th e

a a for c e s Pole in reg rd to rew rd servi , I tru st you r Lordship will consider tha t I

a a m for u a e h ve strong cl i s s ch servic . Th e

m h as a sa am a e ti e rrived, I y , when I bl to refer you r Lordship to my past services and my present character as a gu aran tee tha t I am m ff and as an arn sincere in y o er, e e st that I will faithfu lly discharge the duties which will devolve u pon m e if I shou ld b e honou red with the service I am seeking at

’ u a u m r yo r Lordship s h nds . S rely, y Lo d , I

a a ff should now have pe ce o ering . A considerable portion of the m ain contin en t of North A merica bears the ou tline which I

a it — in ff Sir g ve to , which I di ered with

a a Ba of m George B ck . The Gre t y Si pson d the trending of the land north-east of To 4 1 Fa un FIRST LAST .

a H a are ma u and a t ou h C pe y so ny tr ths , l h g the trending of the land na med Points Ross — W u . an d Booth which I maintain r ns N . and S E and a and as , not E st West Sir George Back has m apped it an d the

su a of m r for penin l rity North So e set, which

a for a a I h ve twelve ye rs contended , h ve to

are e a l be proved, they render d highly prob b e f b u o R ae . y the jo rney Dr . That I have labou red throu gh this dif

ﬁcult su for ma a and at a bject so ny ye rs, l st — su ccessfully that I have been the ﬁrst to shew how the great pu zzle of three centu ries — could be u nravelled and that I have con stantly offered for a period of twelve of

a e e an u those ye rs , wh nev r opport nity

u m a of u a occ rred , to be the e ns nr velling it — inspire me with the hOpe that I Shall at last ﬁnd j ustice at the hands of you r Lord

and h a m a a o to a m ship, t t I y be ll wed h ve y

' pla ce in the great e ﬁort which mu st be m ade for the rescue of the one hundred and thirty-eight me n who compose the lost — io I a u &c. Expedit n h ve the hono r,

RICHARD KING . 42 TH E FR ANKLI N EXPEDITION

the R i h H on To t . E arl Gre g y .

1 7 Savile R ow ec , , D . 8 , 1 8 4 7 . — MY Loa m Since my letter to you r L ord

of 25th of m A them e ship the Nove ber, the um

' h as u au p blished , on high thority, the e ﬂort which the Board of Admiralty h as resolve d to m ake in search of the Polar Se a Expedition

u mm a of an l n nder the co nd Sir John Fr k i . By that effort the ﬁeld which I have prop ose d to you r Lordship is by no means rende re d u nnecessary while it is shewn to b e im

a f m fa a if o port nt ro the ct, th t Sir J h n Richardson fails in ﬁnding the lost Expe di tion along the coast of North America c om prised between the Mackenzie and the Cap

ermine a a w i p Rivers , or Woll ston L nd , h c h

a a a i is opposite to th t co st, he is to se rch V c

umm of 184 toria Land in the s er 9 . Victoria Land c an as easily be rea ch e d from the Great Fish River as the weste rn

f r m n a o . c a a l nd No th So erset I se rch , there

f a a in ﬁ a if ore , th t loc lity the rst inst nce , it — be considered necessary especially as it is known that ou r lost cou ntrymen Will hav e snow r xassr ro am . 43 ceased to exist be fore Sir John Richardson can m ake the proposed search . I see no

a al e m re son , however, to t r y Opinion , ex pressed to your Lordship in my letter of the loth of u a t If J ne l s , in these words that land should prove th e resting-place of

E u an d wi ha the reb s Terror, it ll not be t t

of E di If a a the xpe tion . the p rty h ve kept

r a a togethe , they will t ke to their bo ts and make for the western land of North

m — for u u of So erset, the do ble p rpose

a as u full wh lers , Sir John Ross did s ccess y , an d the Great Fish River Estuary for prov isions or letter conveyance to the

a m u m au Copper Indi ns, with who the Esq i x ” are f dl n now in rien y relatio .

fa a all a a a The ct, th t l nds which h ve — west ern aspect are gen erally ice-free which I dwelt largely u pon when the Expedition — sailed m us t have h ad weight with Sir

h a r f Jo n Fr nklin ; he will , the e ore , on ﬁnding himself in a seriou s difﬁcu lty while pu shing along the eas tern side of Victoria

a at fa f L nd, once ll u pon the western land o

ome et as a fu North S rs re ge . THE FRA NKLI N EXPEDITION

The effort by Behring Strait an d a a a w a e m t B nks L nd is pr ise orthy in tt p , b u t ” f —and m a ealt orlorn in hope , y be d w ith f m ff brieﬂy . In the or er e ort it is assu m ed that Sir John Franklin h as made th e

as a and a a st is etw P s ge , th t his rre b ee n the Mackenzie River and Icy Cape in

a a am R s ll r e the l tter , th t Sir J es os wi ach

a a and a its u B nks L nd , tr ce contin ity to — Victoria or Wollaston Land and thus m ak e the Passage .

ﬁ a a reaso In the rst pl ce, we h ve no n to believe that Sir John Franklin and Sir James Ross will be more fortunate th an their predecessors ; and if we can in dulge u f a ru s s ch ond hopes , we c nnot t t to m la w . e the In the second p ce, are u nable to assume that Sir James R oss

ir will reach Banks Land . S Edw ard

a was u a a and m r P rry n ble to re ch it, e ely viewed it from a distance ; mu ch less are we able to assume that the g allant ofﬁcer will ﬁnd a high road to Victoria

a w a a terra inco nita L nd , hich is ltogether g . The ma for ra in point, then , conside tion

ff of am s ss alon is, the e ort Sir J e Ro g sr 45 r m r inse To u .

the western land of North Somerset from his station in Barrow Strait ; for it is that alone which can su persede the nece ssity for the plan I have proposed . It is not in

' Sir a mu John Rich rdson s power, it st be

m a c s a borne in ind, to se r h the we tern l nd

of ma m s om . North S erset Mr. Tho s Si p on, who surveyed the arctic coast comprised between the Coppermine and Castor and

u h as a u at Poll x Rivers , set th t q estion rest, -and he is the only au thority u pon the ” u f . u a ma s bject A rther explor tion , re rks m Mr . Si pson from the most e astern limit of

u ul a m a his jo rney , wo d necess rily de nd the whole time and energies of another Ex

edition a m of rea p , h ving so e point ret t mu ch nearer to the scene of operations — than the Great Bear and Great Bear Lake is to be the re treat of Sir John

W a a m oul m h t retre t, y Lord, c d Mr. Si p — son have meant b ut Great Slave Lake the retreat of the land party in sea rch of Sir — John Base l and what other road to the

Narrative of Discovery on the North Coast of “ America Mrl T Sim . son Bvo. 3 77 . , by p , p.

- sidere d that any fu rther fool hardy per severance could only le ad to the loss of — the whole can more be expected of Sir John Richardson at his period of life ? al m le fo t a It is physic ly i possib , there re, h t Sir John Richardson can occupy the ﬁeld

f r which I have proposed o myself. This is

e ue of m a c evidently, th n , the q stion i port n e — in rela tion to my proposal Do the a ttempts of Sir James Boss to se arch the

a of m r a western l nd North So e set in bo ts , from his station on the sou thern shores of

ar a d r a a um B row Str it, ren e th t propos l necessary ?

m fa t ll a for Here, y Lord , the c s wi spe k

lst. a a themselves . B rrow Str it w as ice — bound in 183 2 ; it may be ice-bou nd in

m is u 1 8 2nd. a 84 . Sir J es Ross sing the same means to relieve Sir John Franklin which h as led th e gallant ofﬁcer into dif

ﬁc u lt r l f a t t m ma y ; the e ie p r y he selves y,

ref m a a . 3rd the ore; beco e p rty in distress . The land th at is made on the sou th shore of

' h of M im son to th u on s tc T. S e s s B De pa r. p H d ay

m an ublishedin The M of A ri 1 8 1 840 . Co p y, p p l . TH E FRAN KLIN EXPEDITION

a ra i of u ful arac te r B rrow St it w ll be do bt ch , -the natu ral consequ ence of discovery in ships ; the searching parties at the e nd of

u mm — of v the s er, with the close which e e ry

u of a h so l the lost Expedition will h veperis ed, m ay ﬁnd they have been coasting an isla nd m any miles distant from the western land of

m a a a b a North So erset, or n vig ting deep y, as Kotzebu e navigated the sou nd nam ed m after hi . These difﬁculties have so repeatedly oc

u d a u l ﬁnd am e c rre , th t yo r Lordship wi l pl facts in the narratives of the several Polar Se a Expeditions to testify to the truthfuln e ss

m a a of these re rks . The pl n which I have proposed to you r Lordship is to reach th e

a Se a a of m r Pol r cross the continent A e ica , and thu s to proceed from land known to

f u r be continent, where every ootstep is s e .

If a a a a of th t pl n be l id side, the lives our lost cou ntrymen will depend u pon a single throw in the face of almost ce rtain failu re if the difﬁculty in which the lost Expedition is involved is the same which (not to go farther back than 1 8 1 8) h as driven away

v oﬂi cer u Pa ms lf ery , incl ding even rry hi e , r xnsr r o m sr 49 r m .

if h as m a a m . u who de the tte pt F rther, that plan should u ltimate ly prove to have

th e l a ou e of been right one , it wil be s rc regret that you r Lordship will feel m ost

m a intensely. It is i possible Lord St nley c an help regretting he did not set in motion the service I proposed to him in conj u nction with that of Sir John

a — a u a a w as Fr nklin , ltho gh in th t c se it

m a u of e and a fu l si ply q estion scienc , the w

a am h as all a li b e c l ity , which in prob bi ty fa i w as m a llen the lost Exped tion , erely

m a m u e a su . pposition on y p rt How ch gr ter,

ll th e of u r if then , wi be regret yo r Lo dship , at a n of a a the expir tio two ye rs , it sh ll be

a m u a proved th t y s pposition , reg rding the

li f a — a re e to Sir John Fr nklin , which is

u of b u t of fe an d a q estion , not science , li de th

a re a a — was ual fou on g t sc le , eq ly well nded — To su m u p in a fe w words The Board of m al ff uall Ad ir ty , by their e ort , virt y relie ved u nless the Passage be discovered ; ” mu s ﬁ th e a a and we t rst discover P ss ge , x then seek ou t th e lost E pedition . To this de claraﬁou m a a e for , y Lord , I c nnot ss nt ;

E 50 TH E FR ANKLIN EXPED ITION

f l ou t m a can a all by o lowing y pl n , I se rch that is known of the western land of North

m — and u a of So erset , be s re th t every inch discovery beyond it is so m u ch good work for the safety of the lost Expedition and for the furtherance of geographical and natu ral

a w a di c an historic l kno ledge . In d tion , I trace Victoria Land north with the same

u — and h res lts , yet not discover the Nort

a a u of an west P ss ge , nor inc r the risk y extraordinary difﬁculty ; while Sir Jam es

f he a f Ross, be ore gets single ooting

of a mu a on either these l nds , st h ve solve d the problem which h as hamed all our in . genu ity in ships for a period of three and a

f u hal cent ries .

u f u i I tr st , there ore , yo r Lordsh p will give full consideration to my offer of service in

a of se rch the lost Expedition . It is a service in which I can act independently of Sir

am and of J es Ross , independently Sir John Richardson ; and Sir James Ross and Sir

a a r a a a John Rich rdson , it is l e dy rr nged, are act of a to independently e ch other .

’ Sir James Ross s knowledge of Barrow — ’ Strait Sir John Richardson s knowledge of m sr 5 1 m m ro . the Mackenzie and the Coppermine Rivers — an d my knowledge of the Great Fish

and s u a ll m a River its e t ry, wi be so ny gu arantee s that the work to be done will be done well ; and this state of independence

u a a am u of ff e will ins re l rge o nt e ort, ev n thou gh it were merely in a spirit of emu la tion .

u as a Yo r Lordship , Lord Howick, g ve the Expedition in search of Sir John Ross

u a u a a a and if ou ll u yo r v l ble ssist nce, y wi b t give the same encou raging a ssistance to the

ff a of a i and ﬁll e ort in se rch Sir John Fr nkl n , u p the blank which the Board of Admiralty

a f u a a h ve le t , the co ntry will h ve re son to be satisﬁed that all th at could be done w as done for the safety of the one hu ndred and

i - a la me n th rty eight g l nt , who nobly volu n te ered their services in spite of the danger and difﬁculties they were certain to m eet

me au a with , rely bec se they were sked to d o so.

& c a . I h ve ,

RICHARD KING . 52 TH E FRANKLIN EXPEDITION

a A g in .

The R i ht H on E arl Gre To g . y .

1 7 S a vile ow De , R , c . 1 6 , 1847. — MY Loa m I have the honou r to ao

’ of H w knowledge the receipt Mr . a e s s

8 a . of . aw a letter the th inst nt Mr H es st tes, I am desired by Earl Grey to acknowledge the receipt of you r letter of the 25th

u m ou m m lti o , in which y solicit e ploy ent in connection with the Expedition which you state is abou t to be sent ou t in search of Sir John Franklin ; and I am to acqu aint you in answer that it does not fall within

’ as a f his Lordship s province , Secret ry o

a for f a St te the Colonies , to con er ppoint

m of a u b u t a ou ents this n t re, th t y should address any application you may desire to make u pon the subject to the Lords Com ” i s of m al m s ioners the Ad ir ty . I can scarcely express to you r Lordship the deep sorrow which I felt at receiving — su ch an answer especially at the eleventh hou r ; for you r Lordship h as been in pos session of my views of the position of Sir ’ a l E and John Fr nk in s Arctic xpedition , the S 5 3 m om FIR ST TO LA T. mea of aff r l f a u ns o ding it re ie , since l st J ne ; and r ua a a , in Feb ry, the service th t I h ve

if a m u proposed , it be dopted , st be in

e progr ss . You r Lordship is labou ring altogether u nder a misconception of the views expressed

a am em in th t letter. I not soliciting ployment in connection with the Expe dition which is abou t to be se nt ou t in am search of Sir John Franklin. I endeavou ring to indu ce your Lordship to take measureswhich I believe to be necessa ry for saving the lives of one hu ndred and

- f f - a u far thirty eight o our ellow cre t res . So — from soliciting employmen t so far from de

u a P a a - I a siring to contin e ol r tr veller , h ve long since ceased to be a candidate for su ch an mo m a of o e , y services in se rch Sir John Ross n ot having been even ac knowledged by th e Colonial and Admiralty Boards and it is on ly for the sake of hu manity that I am indu ced to come forward again in su ch a

h a a u u c r cter . It wo ld not be in yo r Lord

' ship s power to make good the loss which I should sustain in going in search of Sir — John Franklin a loss which cannot be

a 3

s r T T 55 FROM u e o LAS . vince to originate expeditions of the nature

a u d for a a u s which I h ve s ggeste , E rl B th r t despatched the overland journeys in com m a of an and u nd Sir John Fr klin , Visco nt Goderich the Expedition in search of Sir — John Rosa so that all the Polar land jou rneys have eman ated from the Colonial

Board. For the sake of ou r su ffering fellow

u tr m mi es and a hi co n y en , whose seri h rds ps I can perhaps above most men conceive and

’ a a u h ppreci te, I deeply regret yo r Lords ip s mi n deter natio .

a &c I h ve, .

RICH ARD KING .

I did not long consider over the cou rse I

s u u u bu t ad a of ho ld p rs e , dressed the Bo rd Admiralty in these words

1 7 Sarita R ow F ebruar 1 848 . , , y

Mr LOR D s u of a , The old ro te P rry , throu gh Lancaster Sou nd and Barrow

a t as far as to a a Str i , the l st l nd on its

u r and a so the n shore, thence in direct 56 TH E F RAN KLIN EXP EDITION

a r u te line to Behring Str its , is the o ordered to be p ursu ed by The gallant officer h as thu s been de s patched to pu sh his adventu rou s w ay

l a and a a between Melvi le Isl nd B nks L nd, which Sir Edward Parry attempted for two

u u fu f mu nd years ns ccess lly . A ter ch toil a

a and a at h rdship , the best consider tion th

a m an u u gre t co ld give to the s bject, he r at m m of a in in ecorded , the o ent retre t , delible characters these impressive thou ghts We have been lying near ou r present

a an a w n st tion , with e sterly wind blo i g

f for - u and resh, thirty six ho rs together,

a u w as a off ltho gh this. consider bly the

an h ad u l d, the ice not d ring the whole of that time moved a single yard from

aff a f a h the shore , ording proo th t t ere w as no space in which the ice w as at

l m a iberty to ove to the westw rd . The n avigation of this part of the Polar Sea is only to be performed by watching th e occasion al openings between the ice and

and a f a the shore, th t, there ore , con tin uity of land is essential for this ’ i arrow s Arct c Vo a es 1 1 . B y g , p . FR OM FIR ST To u sr . 57

u s u a u of a ic p rpo e ; s ch contin ity l nd , wh h

w as h r a u fa u s m u a l e e bo t to il , st necess ri y be furnished by the northern coast of

m a a a u ma A eric , in wh tsoever l tit de it y ” f u u min f Sir . A be o nd ss g , there ore, John Franklin h as been arrested between

l ll a and an a Me vi e Isl nd B ks L nd, where Sir Edward Parry wa s arrested by difﬁculties

n su m u a and which he co sidered in r o nt ble , he has followed the advice of that gallant

fﬁ and mad for of o cer, e the continent

A m a a u of eric , he will h ve t rned the prows

his l u and a as vesse s So th West , ccording Banks Land trends for Victoria or W ollas m a . It f a ton L nds is here, there ore , we y e ﬁnd i n xpect to the exped tio wrecked , whence they will make in their boats for

e a of m if a th western l nd North So erset, th t

l u far a and sho ld not be too dist nt . In order to save the pa rty from the ordeal

of a fou a a o mu rth winter, when st rv ti n st be

e lot u a th ir , I propose to ndert ke the boldest journey that h as ever been attempted in the

r t e s of A m a no h rn region eric , one which is t l j us iﬁab e only from the circu mstance s. I pmpose to attempt to rea ch the western land 58 TH E FRAN KLI N EXPEDITION of m a r r North So erset , or the e ste n po tion

of a a as m a m Victori L nd , y be dee ed ad

a of a a vis ble, by the close the ppro ching

su mm a m fa on er ; to cco plish , in ct, in e summer that which has not been done

u nder two . I rest my h0 pe of su ccess in th e perform ance of this Hercu lean task u pon the fact that I possess an intim ate knowledge of the country and the people through which I

all a a a a sh h ve to p ss, the he lth to st nd the

r u of ma and h igo r the cli te, the strengt to u ndergo the fatigu e of mind and body to

mu u which I st be s bjected . It is becau se

a u c I h ve these req isites, which I on scie ntiou sly believe are not to be fou nd in ff m a a u e. nother, th t I hope to e ect y p rpos

a at m a of m a A gl nce the p North A eric ,

di a a ﬁc rected to Behring Str it in the P ci ,

a t a a and the B rrow S r it in the Atl ntic, a of m m w ll l nd North So erset between the , i

ma a a a a a ce ke it pp rent th t , to render ssist n

a a ua a a are to p rty sit ted on th t co st, there

a d f two w ys by sea an one by land. O the

two se a- a u a ﬁ i w ys, the ro te by the P ci c s altogether ou t of the qu estion it is an idea F IR sT To . 59 FROM LA ST , of by-gone days ; while that by the A tlantic

u fu of u s a is m is so do bt l s cce s , th t it erely

ar ut i as s a a as far necess y, to p th s si t nce side

m a m n a s fro cert in , to e tion th t Sir John Ro s found Barrow Strait closed in the su mmer

1832 a u of . a a To l nd jo rney, then, lone we c an look for su ccess ; for the failure of a land jou rney wou ld be the exception to

u h fa u of a se a the r le, w ile the il re expedi f tion would be the rule itsel . To the

of m r western land North So e set, where Sir

a l is l l f u John Fr nk in ike y to be o nd , the Great Fish River is the direct and only route ; and althou gh the appr oa ch to it is throu gh a country too poor and too difﬁcult of access to admit of the transport of pro

it ma m a m u m of visions, y be de the edi commu nica tion between the lost expedition

and v an d u the ci ilised world, g ides be thus placed at their disposal to convey them to

u u of a s the h nting gro nds the Indi n . With ou t such guides it is impossible they can

u u w as reach these h nting gro nds. It by the Great Fish River I reached the Polar Se a while acting as sec ond ofﬁcer in sea rch

r John R os I i m du t of Si s. fe el t y y there TH E FR ANKLIN EXPEDITION f as of fﬁ ul a ore, one two o cers so pec i rly

u m a a m w r circ st nced , to pl ce y vie s on reco d

n a of m r a s a e rnest y since ity . Even if it shou ld be determined to try and force pro

u a a and vision vessels thro gh B rrow Str it, scou r the vicinity in boats for the lost ex

e dition and u u ill be p , sho ld it s cceed , it w satisfactory to know su ch a mission as I

a w as a if se h ve proposed dopted while, the a m u fa and v u e tte pts sho ld il , the ser ice nd r

a u t a w a u ce consider tion be p side , it ill be so r of regret that not only the nation at large

l f b u t wi l eel , the whole civilised world .

f an d u h as When this regret is elt, every so l

u a m as a e e perished , s ch ission I h v propos d will be u rged again and a g ain for adoption ; for it is impossible that the cou ntry will rest satisﬁed u ntil a search be m ade for the rem ains of the lost expedition by a person

m u h s in who the co ntry a conﬁdence. The fact that all lands w hich have a w n a are a f ester spect gener lly ice ree, which I dwelt largely u pon when Sir John

a a mu a h ad t Fr nklin s iled, st h ve weigh

a a fﬁ f re with the g ll nt O cer he will , there o ,

ﬁ n ms f a u fﬁ u on ndi g hi el in serio s di c lty, FR OM Enter To LAST. 6 1

i o a a at O fall u r V ct ri L nd , nce pon the Weste n

a of m r t as a fu u L nd North So e se , re ge gro nd , i a u ff f he h ve the opport nity. The e ort by Behring Strait and Banks Land is praise

a m b u t f . worthy in tte pt , orlorn in hope In

f m ff a um a the or er e ort, it is ss ed th t Sir ” a li has ma a a John Fr nk n de the P ss ge , an d that his arrest is bet ween the Mackenzie

and a a a River Icy C pe ; in the l tter, th t

Sir a me a a a J s Ross will re ch B nks L nd , and trace its continu ity to Victoria and

lla a and u ma Wo ston L nd, th s ke the

a a . r a a P ss ge Fi st, we h ve no re son to believe Sir John Franklin an d Sir James Ross will be more fort unate than their

re and ca u p decessors , we nnot tr st to their m uc s . are u a a u s ce s Secondly, we n ble to ss e that Sir Jam es Ross will rea ch Banks Land ; Sir Edward Parry w as u nable to

ach and l f m a i a re it, on y viewed it ro d st nce ; much less are we able to assu me that the gallant ofﬁcer will ﬁnd a high road to

ria a a a term Victo L nd , which is ltogether

The ma for . a o in point, then , consider ti n, F

64 TH E FR AN KLIN EXPEDITION

u s n of This , then , is evidently the q e tio

m a a m of Sir a i port nce . Does the tte pt J mes Ross to search the Western Land of North Somerset in boats from his station in Barrow Strait render that proposal nu necessary ? Here facts speak for them

l st a r a w as - ou selves . , B r ow Str it ice b nd

1 832 m a - u 1 848 in it y be ice bo nd in .

2nd am u th e same , Sir J es Ross is sing means to relieve Sir John Franklin which led that gallant ofﬁcer into dif ficu lt — f a m a f e y, the relie p rty y, there or ,

m 3rd a a . a beco e p rty in distress , The l nd that is m ade on the Sou th shore of Barrow

a of u fu a a th Str it will be do bt l ch r cter, e natu ral consequ ence of discovery in ships ; the searching parties at the end of the sum m er ma f ﬁnd av n y , there ore, they h e bee coasting an island many miles distant from

W a of m or the estern L nd North So erset ,

a a a b a as u n av n vig ting deep y , Kotzeb e i

a u am af him and g ted the so nd n ed ter , as Sir John Franklin navigated the se a calle d Melville Sou nd ; these difﬁcu lties have so

a u a am fa repe tedly occ rred , th t ple cts w ill b e found in the narratives of the several

Fm I o 67 F RST T LAST .

and u sa a Gre y ; , in concl sion , I beg to y th t I am indu ced th u s to u rge it u pon the con

of a f m fa a sideration the Bo rd, ro the ct th t I have given it the most matu re and

a ra and a am deliber te conside tion , th t I convinced it will eventu ally prove to be the only effectual one for discovering the i lost exped tion .

a & c . I h ve ,

RICHA RD KING.

R II GE RGE WARD Es . HRN O , q

AM ira lt 3rd Marc h 1 848 . y, .

SIR —In l u of s , rep y to yo r letters thi

’ da a and of l 6th u m ff n y s d te , the lti o , O eri g your services to proceed to the Western Land of m e th e r a North So ers t by G e t Fish River , in search of the Expedition u nder Captain

a k li am mma m Sir John Fr n n, I co nded by y Lords Commissioners of th e Admiralty to a cqua int you that they h ave no inten tion of al e n i n a a m n of t ri g the r prese t rr nge e ts , or 68 TH E FRANKLI N ExFEnITION a a f ou ma th e acr ﬁces ssist nce , or orce y to ke s i

ou a a m which y ppe r to conte plate .

am SIR I , ,

u m u m r a Yo r ost obedient , h ble Se v nt,

. W A . H . G RD

S vi To DR . I G 1 7 a e Row K N , , l .

With the view of indu cing any of the

w a i a a h l ng ships , which resort to D vis Str it

and afﬁ Ba m a ff a of B n y, to ke e ort in se rch the expedition u nder the command of Sir

a a a k th e 2oth John Fr nklin , L dy Fr n lin , on

a 1848 ff an of M rch , , o ered to y the whaling ships ﬁnding the above expedition

in di and an a di al su m of stress, d tion

to an hi u at an e a y Ship w ch sho ld , rly

er of a ma a din p iod the se son , ke extr or ary

e s for a an d if xertion the bove object, ,

re u a kli and h q ired, bring Sir John Fr n n is l party to Eng and. I thought proper in consequ enc e to addre ss Lady Franklin as follows

I To 71 PROM F RST LAST . to Search the polar coast between the

zi and m e s Macken e the Copper ine Riv r .

A S u u a to res lts , it wo ld not be necess ry to allu ff h u a de to the e ort t ro gh Behring Str it, wer e it not to brin g into notice the exer tions of an Ofﬁcer who h as earned for himself

la a a am for a and in po r rese rch , n e t lent enterprise that calls fort h ou r highest ad

miration a u u . f Pim . I ll de to Lie t Bed ord , who le arn t in this barren ﬁeld his ﬁ rst lesson in polar discovery .

ff of ar u The e ort Sir John Rich dson , tho gh a u as far as w as l bly cond cted it went , on y

a a ou t an d u in p rt c rried , th s yielded no fru u fa a d it . Nor co ld, in ct , Sir John Rich r son be expected to gather fru it when he had a a a bi s , with respect to the Gre t Fish

. u an River He did not think , nder y um a a l circ st nces , Sir John Fr nk in would

atte m t a u m h t ro te . I wish I could say one kind wor d for

am for w as a Sir J es Ross, it to his se rch , following as it did in the wake of The

an E h a a na Fr klin xpedition , t t the n tion , y,

l w as l o the who e world , o king for su ccess .

is l ant ofﬁcer is now in the Ba tic in com Th ga l l , M i un- mm d of the agp e g boat . TH E FRAN KLIN EXPEDITION

n If on m I ca not . ever e an sacriﬁced

a t am a r ﬁ no her , Sir J es Ross s c i ced Sir John

a and n ot nl an Fr nklin , o y Sir John Fr klin , - b u t one hu ndred an d thirty seven n oble

a him . am he rts with Sir J es Ross , like

n a a a Sir Joh Rich rdson , st rted with bias against The Franklin Expedition bein g at ” a . a n e the Gre t Fish River I c nnot co ceiv ,

a an e he s ys , y position in which th y could be placed from w hich they would m ake — for the Great Fish River they would assu redly endeavou r to reach Lancaster This is stated in a le tter addressed to the Admiralty again st my views of the position of The Franklin

an d of m of aff in i Expedition , the ode ord g t relief; denying in vulgar langu age th e wh ole of m m and t u - di ne y pre ises , , h s ill con tio d, Sir James Ross ru shed headlong u pon a shoal and wrecked himself at once an d for ever . Addressing Lord Au ckland as First Lord of m a u e the Ad ir lty, Sir John Ross, the ncl ,

on of a u of says , the eve the dep rt re Sir

m w can a Ja es Ross , the nephe , he h ve no

11 R eturn to an a ress of the ouse of ommons dd H C ,

to be rinte 1 3th A ri 1848 . ordered p d p l , 73 FR OM FIRST To LAST ,

in tention of searching for Sir John ’ a l t Pa a Fr nk in , his objec is the ss ge , by su rveying the western coast of North m So erset . His Lordship replied , I Shall take ca re of that and order him to

of a a and his the north shore B rrow Str it, second in command to the western shore

of m u a North So erset . Lord A ckl nd in

his orders w as as good as his word .

am RO S as h ad Nevertheless Sir J es S , I

a a f u an u u nticip ted , o nd exc se to occ py the ground laid ou t for his second in command (from whom he kept the

a of orders secret) , in direct viol tion the " m a u Ad ir lty instr ctions .

an a a am u of a By extr ordin ry o nt del y,

u ac u for hitherto n co nted , he lost the

a ff his ﬁ a an d ch nces O ered by rst se son ,

s a u ff in his econd se son his p ny e orts ,

m a th e i s of a co p red with necessit e the c se , are m m too conte ptible to invite criticis , and b u t for the stern and tragic asso

ciations of m e the expedition , ight provok u i ridic le . It s melancholy to contemplate

u u Narrative &c . of Sir JOIID R08 8 L OD W ‘“ , , , S Lon on 18 55 2 3 ° d . 0 P

To u ser 75 F EOH FIR ST .

nobly perille d everything in the ca use of

na o a l—na of u r a r and ti n y, nive s l p ogress — knowledge of me n who evinced in this and other expeditions the most dauntless brave ry that any men can Thu s three priva te expe ditions were dispatche d in command of Sir John Ross and Com m a alf of ri nder Forsyth, on beh the B tish

u and li u a a p blic ; e ten nt De H ven , on f a behalf of th e citizens o th e United St tes . And becau se of this voluntary effort the

A m a a m n u at ﬁ a fau d ir lty, p rsi o io s rst to lt, ran and i a c a riot, d sp t hed whole ﬂeet not,

u a a of a b u t all however, pon b sis ction , in on e t th e r i e direc ion , in ve y oppos te dir ction to that clearly pointe d out by the recent

a -in O hu a se rch the direction, Sir J Fr nklin, if h e had was f u obeyed orders , not to be o nd.

Th e t a a a M‘Clure and Inves ig tor, C pt in , the

a a l n Enterprise , C pt in Col i son, were dis

a a . u p tched by Behring Str it The Resol te ,

a a n u a a ai O m C pt i A stin ; the Assist nce, C pt n ma e r u a r nn y ; the Int epid, Lie tenant C te

u a a the Pioneer, Lie ten nt Osborne ; the L dy

a l a a and a Fr nk in , C pt in Penny ; the Sophi , “ 5 m 4 1 m . 76 TH E FR AN KLIN EXPED ITION

Captain Stewart ; were dispatched by

a w a a a B rro Str it. Ag in the Pol r coast line between the Coppermine and th e Great Fish Rivers w as left ou t of th e search ; for m f a d e ssed the second ti e, there ore, I d r

a of the m a the Secret ry Ad ir lty,

h b 1 7 avile Row 1 8t F e ruar 1 850 . , S , y,

SIR — a a e w en a , The period h ving rriv d h Search may be made for The Franklin Expe dition by an overland jou rney across th e

of m a am a u to ef continent A eric , I nxio s r er m mm of m a t y Lords Co issioners the Ad ir l y, for a n m an ated reconsider tio , to y pl , d

u a 1 848 and u a u rn Febr ry , p blished in ret to an address of the honou rable the Hou se of Commons of the 21st of March fol lowing .

° The Opinion of Captain Sir Edward

a u a u w as hl P rry , p blished in th t ret rn hig y favou rable to the position I Rssi gned to th e

— n a of N r lost expedition , the Wester L nd o th

m and m ro So erset, to the ode in which I p posed to reach it (by the Great Fish River) ; b u a a and oﬁicer a ee t the g ll nt intrepid , gr

u far w as m ff w t ing th s , co pelled to di er i h R N To F o FIRST LAST . 77

m e as to the readiest mede of reaching

h a a f a ﬁe ha t t co st, be cause he elt s tis d t t with the resou rces of the expedition then

u u am ss eq ipping nder Sir J es Ro , the

s and of a energy, kill, intelligence th t Ofﬁcer would render it a m atter of n o very difﬁcult enterprise to examine the

c a u i a o st in q est on with his Ships, bo ts , or

In the plan to which I am now askin g

’ he o e a u t ir L rdships r consider tion , this q es

i c r m s m a t on , whi h I p e i ed ight be r ised , is th u s argued by me Does th e attempt of Sir Jame s Ross to reach the Western Land of North Some rset in boats from his

s a i a a t a t t on in B rrow Str i , render th t pro posal u nnecessary ! (to reach the Western Lan d of North Somerset by the Great

r fa a for Fish Rive . ) Here cts will spe k

m : 1 st a a w as the selves , B rrow Str it ice bou nd in 1832 ; it m ay therefore be

i -b d in 1848 2 ce ow e . nd am , Sir J es Ross is u sing the sa me means to relieve Sir John Fran klin which led the gallant ofﬁcer

n fﬁ u f a ma i to di c lty ; the relie p rty y,

t re f m a a s. he ore , beco e p rty in distres

9 FROM r ra sr ro m ar . 7

’ of replying to the gallant ofﬁcer s rem arks

x r s o s mea~ e p es ed to their L rdship , in no

u m u a a fa s red ter s , pon th t pl n which , in ct,

ir E wa a has for me — an S d rd P rry done , the pl of one who learnt his lesson in ac tive dis covery in an overla nd jou rney in search of the gallant ofﬁcer when the whole civilise d world w as as anxiou s for his fa te as it is

for a a Sir a now the g ll nt John Fr nklin. A ll that has been done by w ay of search

si u a 1 848 a a nce Febr ry , tends to dr w ttention closer and closer to the West Land of North Somerset as the position of Sir John

an l and a as Fr k in , to the Gre t Fish River

a a u a a as the high ro d to re ch it . S ch pl n I

proposed to their Lordships in 1848 is con.

sequ en tly of the u tmost importance . It would be the happiest moment of my life (and my delight at being selected from a long list of volu nteers for the relief of Sir — John Ross was very great) if their Lord ships w ould allow m e to go by my old

mut the a to a m e, Gre t Fish River, tte pt to save hu man life a second time on the shore s

of the P a See a a of ol r . Wh t I did in se rch TH E F R ANKLIN EXPED ITION

Sir John Ross is the best earnest of w hat I

u in a of n a l n co ld do se rch Sir Joh Fr nk i . That the rou te by the Grea t Fish River

a un a se arch will sooner or l ter be dert ken , in of a a o Sir John Fr nklin , I h ve no d u bt. That high road to the land w here I have all along maintained Sir John Fran klin

u f u and wo ld be o nd , in which opinion I am

a a m a u now ssoci ted with ny others , incl ding

a a m f a m u Sir Edw rd P rry hi sel , c nnot ch m longer be neglected . For so e time

a h as n in th p st it bee the cry, even e

fﬁ a u a a em highest o ci l q rters, th t the Gov ment will not again attempt the discov ery

of - a a and fa e the North west P ss ge , the t of Sir John Franklin is invariably referred to as an example of the fruitlessn e ss of

u an a m s ch tte pt .

’ The fruitlessness of Sir John Fra nklin s attempt ou ght not to discredit the se rvi c e

n a b u t a r to in which he is e g ged , r the awaken u s to the grievou s error c om

mitte d u e d in the instr ctions which he receiv , and u pon which it is impossible to look

a u m a fu f l s b ck witho t the ost p in l ee ing . A 8 1 r xom F iner TO L ST .

The alla fﬁ fa u g nt o cer is , in ct, instr cted ” to a a f r of le d orlorn hope. The discove y the North-west Passage is the ce rtain result of mi a ata so overwhel ng c strophe . In the absence of au thentic information of fa of a a a of a u the te the g ll nt b nd dvent rers , th e term inc ognito of the North Coast of

m a ll a bu t North A eric wi not only be tr ced , m u u and u of in tely s rveyed , the sol tion the problem of centu ries will engage the marked a ttention of the Hou se of Com mons and the Legislative A ssemblies in other parts of the

d r af t worl . The problem is ve y s e in heir

a af i a u h nds , so s e, ndeed , th t I vent re to a ssert ﬁve years will not elapse before it is

m a all ed a e u i m I y be ow to st t , in rg ng y claims to condu ct an expedition down the

a u a Gre t Fish River, whenever s ch service

m r ha is deter ined by their Lo dships, t t, in addition to my intimate knowledge of that s am te - a for tre , I persis d , single h nded, s a ea r ever l y rs prio to the discovery, in maintaining the existence of three most

The North-West Pas sage problem was solved by tain ' i l 3 Cap M Clure n 85 .

83 s nort FI R ST W m ar .

e d nt a a The A tt n a , ever re dy to lend

a The Frankh n helping h nd to Expedition , sent forth to th e ﬂeet of explorers in the Arctic se a this tou ching appeal There is som ething intensely in teresting in the pictu re of those dreary

a am a and u a se s, id whose str nge nspe k able solitu des ou r lost countrymen have been somewhere imprisoned for so many

a a m u m a f a ye rs , sw r ing with the h n li e th t m f w is risked to set the ree . No hunt as — ever so exciting so full of a wild — grande ur and a profou nd pathos as that which h as j ust arou sed the Arctic echoes ; that wherein their brothers and com panions have been beating for the track by which they m ay resc u e the lost ma riners from the icy grasp of the geniu s

h a e men of the Nort . F ncy th se in their

adama e s it ma be ntin pri on , wherever y

a ne u la r ch i d p by the Po r spi it, whom — they had dared lingering through years of cold and darkness on the stu nted ration

a a e f th e and th e th t sc rc ly eeds blood , feeble hope that scarcely su stains the — he art and the n ima gine the ru sh of “ e mot ions to greet the ﬁrst cry from that TH E FR A NKLIN EXPED ITION

wild hu nting grou nd which shall reach their ears ! Throu gh many su mm e rs h as

a for no ou t. th t cry been listened , d b Something like an expectation of the

e u u a u e h as r sc e , which it sho ld nno nc , revived with each retu rning sea son of

m a a of its o n co p r tive light , to die w baffled intensity as lon g as the dark months once more settled down u pon ” a u their dre ry prison ho se . The resu lts of the fleet of vessels sent f 1 850 are m orth in briefly told . Co m ander Forsyth and Lieu tenant De Haven were altogether u nsu ccessful ; they fa ile d in

a a w and est blishing even intering , m erely ma a a Se a and de the voy ge to the Pol r back.

u Sir John Ross sec red his wintering, and

a all. a a A u e th t is C pt in sten , howev r, on on his arrival at winter qu arters in Barrow

a u and a Str it, set vigoro sly to work , pl nn e d a winter search for The Franklin Expedi tion u a al u a m pon sc e eq l to the e ergency, u pon a system of organization which reﬂects th e highest credit u pon this distingu ished fﬁ a a as . o cer, now ctively eng ged Captain

u r of f S pe intendent Dept ord Dockyard. Both in conception and execu tion the an n IR m sr 85 o F ST TO .

Au sten Winter Search for The Franklin Expedition will ever ﬁl m an epoch in Polar

a a i History . Tr velling p rt es in sledges over

a d far and a the ice , se rche wide long the shores of Barrow Strait and Wellington

h a l and as fa r as C nne , West Melville Island ; b u t not a trace of the lost adven

ture rs w as a a discovered. The P rry S nd P fﬁ of stone , the ost O ce the North Pole ,

w as am b u t f u ex ined no record o nd . The

h ad Franklin Expedition not bee n there . This is not the place to give the natural historical knowledge brou ght to light by the gallant c ﬂice rs charged with carrying

’ ou a a u a of m t C pt in A sten s noble err nd ercy . The fu ture historian of the North Pole

i u ll fa w ll have that pleas re . He wi not il

df and . a u to recognise in Mr Br ord , Lie

a and M‘ Clintock m e n of ten nts Osborne ,

and u a Th u nbo unded energy reso rce. Th t e Fra nklin Expedition died of ofﬁcial pig headedness and Admiralty w as

not their fault. Captain Penny has the merit of having

’ discovered Sir John Franklin s ﬁrst win — e n 1846 7 at a . t ri g in , Beechy Isl nd He

1' A tla s 28th O cto er 18 5 4 . , b , H

r nou R To ° 8 8 FI ST LA T. 7

a of a l di h ad closed w ke The Fr nk in Expe tion , the sea rch a d and am in th t irection , Sir J es

’ R ose s perversion of his errand of mercy h ad left Op en the search in the direction of the

a . Bu t m al Gre t Fish River the Ad ir ty , m anifestly the most inefﬁcient of all the m a m Govern ent Bo rds , were deter ined to go

n and a an u a u wro g ; , go ded by o tw rd press re, for the English Hou se of Commons and the Unite d States Congress had now taken u p

he u al an A t s bject, c led into existence rctic Cou ncil to give a colou ring to their own

a and me n a t cts deeds the ppoin ed , with one

n havm alr ad ms l exceptio , g e y pledged the e ves

a u a to p rtic l r views . The Arctic Council comprised

crs EAUF RT . OLoxaI. ABIN s SIR F RAN B O C S .

S IR DWARD A RRY . A PTAIN A MIL T E P C H ON .

J n N R ICR A l O N APTA IR D B . SIR o . C IN

AME R oss . AP TAI az aa r S IR J S C N B .

c ac c x MR B w a a BA . A RR o . S IR G .

O f the u of m Co ncil ten , to who the

m al m h ad com A d ir ty, in their extre ity,

fa of a l E w itted the te the Fr nk in xpedition ,

a a am l a a n i and . C pt in H i ton , C pt i B rd, Mr

Ba rrow have not recorded their opinions.

Sir Pla nets Bea ort If h ad nf , they 88 TH E FR AN KLIN EXP EDITION

reached mu ch to the Sou th of Banks Lan d they would su rely have commu nic a te d

th e a Th with the tribes on M ckenzie . e

al u a are o gener concl sion is , th t they l cke d

u a e s p in the Archipel go , to the W t of ” a Melville Isl nd .

Sir Edward P a rr an l n g, We know Fr k i

n if u a did i tend , he co ld not get westw rd ,

u a W e a to go p Wellington Ch nnel . h ve f m f i it ro his own lips . My belie s still

a af ﬁ o u th t, ter the rst winter, he did g p .

S ir John R icha rdson e to , With resp ct

a hi the Gre t Fish River, he did not t nk ,

u an u m a n nder y circ st nces , Sir Joh

u a m u Franklin wo ld tte pt that ro te .

S ir James R oss a n e an , I c nnot co ceiv y position in which The Franklin Expedition

u a f m w ul co ld be pl ced , ro which they o d — m ake for the Great Fish River they wou ld assu redly endeavour to re ach ” Lancaster Sou nd .

Sir Geor e Back a Se e ar g , ddressing the cr t y f m a Y ou will as o the Ad ir lty, be ple ed, m m mm o rs Sir, to i press on y Lords Co issi ne

a wholl a ll and ever a of th t , I g reject y ide a ny attempts on the part of Sir John Franklin to send boats or detac hm e nts 89 FR OM FI R ST To LAST .

over the ice to a ny point of the mainland ” s in the vicinity of the Great Fi h River . Colonel Sa bine conceived that the crews m ay have been at length oblige d to quit

a m a a not their ships and tte pt retre t ,

a beca use too distant tow rds the continent , ,

u a b t to Melville Isl nd.

r a a Why we e not Sir John Ross , C pt in

Mc ormick A u a a P . C sten , C pt in enny, Mr , a nd m f u mm u ysel , s oned to the Arctic Co ncil , and why w as a seat in Cou ncil permitted to

am and a Sir J es Ross , Sir George B ck , seein g that they were both committed over an d over again to very grave errors l It is highly creditable to the intelligence of a a h a al a C pt in Beechy , t t he one took

m of u co prehensive view the s bject. The

a a oﬁ cer a 1 847 “ u g ll nt st ted in , It wo ld

a m l if a a u render the pl n co p ete, bo t co ld be sent down the Great Fish River to range ” a f u a a o m . the co st , to the e stw rd its o th

A a 1849 “ a m of a g in , in , I Opinion , th t nothing should be neglected in the dire c

i of a of m a t on the northern co st A eric ,

for m m e a m a a it see s to l ost cert in , th t Sir John Franklin h as abandoned his m f ” ships and ade or the continent . H 3

R RS To T F OM FI T LAS . 9 1 7

H u dson Bay Company have their stations

t m f m se a- oa so li tle re oved ro the c st, and have so m u ch intercourse with the

n ia and u mau and e I d ns Esq i x, b sides Sir John Franklin m u st have su ch a painful

r of a a as a ecollection th t co st, to void it in ﬁ a an d if f the rst inst nce , orced on it , to ” m u i lose no ti e in q itt ng it .

If u ever ma a the Arctic Co ncil de Report , the Admiralty never pu blished it ; and tha t

man a l w as good , Sir Robert H rry Ing is , f i not in health to en orce it . As f to pu t an — end to a troublesome service trou blesome — only to the Admiralty Incapables to a ser vice which has given birth to horde s of th e

a l A d best s i ors the world ever beheld , the miralt a a of y now desp tched , in se rch The

a a of f u Fr nklin Expedition , ﬂeet o r ships to follow the exact course of Captain Au sten f m a a a ro B rrow Str it to Melville Isl nd , wi th the exception Of the search by Wellin g

a 1e ft to a a E d u ton Str it, bo t xpe ition entr sted

MfCormick and a m a to Dr . ; pl ced in co m nd

E a an Oﬂice r a a Sir dw rd Belcher , dv nced in a h ad a if ye rs , who spent whole l e in provin g himself to be the very last man ﬁtted

ou a l a for so hon r b e service . 92 TH E FR ANKLIN EXPEDITION

’ Sir Edward Belcher s Expedition w as to form itself into two divisions ; while th e one

a w as to proceeded to Melville Isl nd, the other

u a O u t of e vil pass p Wellington Str it . som e

m m ood w as s an ti es co es g so it in this in t ce .

a f m a m The Melville Isl nd division , ro e mo ran du m deposited in the ca che at M e lville

a a P a rr S andstone e a Isl nd , c lled the y , l rnt that Captain Mc Clu re w as hard ﬁxed in th e

at a a a Ba m e di ice , pl ce c lled Mercy y, so s tance to the westward ; and that he inte nded to desert his ships an d to divide his par ty One half to proceed to the Mackenzie Rive r and a f a a u the other h l to L nc ster So nd. Fortu nately there existed an Oﬁ c e r Of suﬂicien t energy of character an d pow e r of endu rance to u ndertake one Of the boldest jou rneys that has ever been attempted a t the season of th e year it w as necessary to m ake

a a a McClu re it, in order to Sp re C pt in the awfu l tragedy that awaited so despera te an

m a a McClu re a of atte pt . C pt in s ys this jou rney Of Lieu tenant Bedford Pim

All escri tion must fal elow the rea it d p l b l y . Only ima ine if ou can a w o e crew w ic had g , y , h l , h h to this momen t no idea of any ship but their own bein g within

“ the imit Of t ese rear re ions cut 0 3 fro l h d y g , m the M R 9 F R O FI ST TO LAST . 3

wor t eir iso a te ituation and in eﬁance of all ld , h l d S ( d exe tion a itt e es on e nt w e n acci enta a stran e r ), l l d p d , h d lly g . remar a e and so itar ﬁ u re is seen ra i a vancin k bl , l y g p dly d g, chewinggesticulations of friendship similar tothose use d

the s uimaux ac as re us from the smo e by E q , bl k E b k

M s r rise—I ma created by cooking in his te nt . y u p y — almost add isma was reat in the e xtre me . I aused , d y g p in m a vance who Or w at cou it be w et e r a eni y d , h ld , h h d ze n of t is or the ot er wor owever the sur ri se h h ld H , p

was momentar . am Lie utenant e for Pim ate y I B d d , l ” of Herald ) And as the apparition was thus in dubitably

iscove re to be so i rea n is es and b oo to d d l d , l E gl h ﬂ h l d, rush at and se ize him by the hand was the ﬁrst im

Th fu pu lsive gush of feeling . e heart was too ll for the ton ue to articu ate as t is ar stran er communicate g l , h d k g d

Th e part which Sir Edward Belcher

la w as us a p yed , j t wh t everybody clearly a a and as t of nticip ted ; , ge ting rid a ser vice which they were wholly incapable Of a a ma a u a ppreci ting or n ging, j st wh t the

m a l a A d ir lty evident y w nted. Not sa tisﬁed with the destru ction of all and everything

’ The gallant ofﬁcer had served in the Herald in a previous expedition in search of Franklin by way Of

’ ac iﬁc and as fﬁcer of the H erald was a most the P , , O , l the last man see n by McClure when he en tere d the

It was somew at sin u ar t at he s ou Polar See . h g l h h ld be also the ﬁrst man seen by him u pon his being about

v to lea e it .

T S 95 FR OM F IR ST o LA T .

these seas opened into the Polar Ocean . The experien ce he h ad gained in former

a bu t voy ges, not only to the North to the

u a and al a fﬁ So th Pole, led this h rdy g l nt O cer

s for a al a and for to elect his vessel wh e bo t ,

w me n da his cre six . Clothed by y in the m m a and ost si ple ttire , covered by night

a f b a a r with elt g, into which e ch c ept ,

a - and a u ffa and Chrys lis like , b lo robe , pro visioned for a month with the mere naces sa ries Of f i t a m a li e , th s lit le b nd e b rked on

1 9th of u u 18 5 2 adven the A g st, , on their

’ u a mm at turo s err nd . Co encing Beechy

a d Of a a a i Of Isl n , B rrow Str it , the co st l ne the eastern shore Of the Wellington Channel w as m u am and a a in tely ex ined , sever l b ys and headlands named as far as the northern e r mi Of a n Ba a xt e ty B ri g y, c lled Point

t u ﬁ a ra of Owen , wi ho t nding t cing The

a u Fr nklin Expedition . The jo rney through out w as one of great difﬁculty the lau nch ’ of am ing the Forlorn Hope , the n e he

a to f ai a f g ve his little r l bo t, over the dri t

’ Oﬂ at mm ice Lovell Point, the very co ence m of u and u u ent the jo rney, s bseq ently the running it under the lee O f two icebergs a- u a f m f u u gro nd , to s ve it ro o ndering nder 96 T H E FR AN KLIN EXPED ITIO N a a se a u u a oo he vy , to chingly ill str ted by w d

u f m own l c ts ro his pencil on the spot , c early demonstrate his practised hand in Arctic

a h ad a fa ti n tr velling. He the s tis c o of determining that no commu nication e xisted

a n Ba and u n between B ri g y Jones So d . In the history Of physical scien ce it is

a a m e h a u gener lly d itt d t t, tho gh our highest praises may be awarded to su c

c e ssfu l av u all f ende o r, we sh not ail to give honou r du e to cou rageou s and w ell

m a m a fa in a e nt exertion , which y il re ching

-f a the wished or goal. To d re peril and death in the attempt to ﬁnd a North-East

a - a a n or North West P ss ge, or to pe etrate

Of f a into the interior A ric , is to establish

a a m u and ati cl i to p blic respect gr tu de . It is something even to shew that in this or that direction no pathway is to be

l at s He proposed , whi e still Beechy I land,

m u if to explore S ith So nd , Sir Edw ard Belcher wou ld place at his disposal the

a a and a u a y cht M ry, g tt percha boat lying u th e seless on the spot, crew Of the Forlorn H Ope having again volu nteered to b e his

”9 uarter Re view for Octo er 1 845 a e Q ly b , p g 1 08 . R FR OM FI ST TO LAST. 97 t a l a a al r vel ing p rty ; propos , however,

a a mma which the g ll nt Co nder declined . Considering the importa nce of Smith Sou nd and that on the spot existed the means

O f it — a i u e exploring vessel ly ng sel ss,

a u an mma vol nteer crew, intrepid Co nder,

m a e a and possessing indo it ble pers ver nce , combining the special qu aliﬁcations of sea

m an i and m e i a a sh p d c l knowledge , r rely — found -u nited it is deeply to be regretted

‘ a MZCormick w as o th t Dr. not permitted t ” m a u ke the s rvey . Sir Edward Belcher passed rapidly u p the Wellington Channel to an expa nse Of

t- se a am him u m isle covered , n ed by North

a u berl nd So nd , where he wintered . A sledging party in the winter visited the western division of the expedition at Me]

il a and u a v le Isl nd , th s Sir Edw rd Belcher became acqu ainted with the discovery Of - the North West Passage . The discovery that Jones Sou nd formed an ou tlet of the Polar Se a into the Atl antic

Dr. ane w en t is was writte n had n ot dis K , h h , covered Smith Sound to be the inle t into a vast Polar

8000 ve n con tem Sea of square miles . H e had not e

d ma in the s ve plat e k g ur y .

r a n r x ' o asr TO LAST . 99

' '

Dr. h r M s Report to t e D . Rae s Rep ort to the

Admiralty .

Bar ul Yoax F xo'ro r A R e r uns]; a u . , J y , g

— D m 1 — v L9 1 854 . urin 4 854 . I arri e ere , g y , d h

ourn e over the ice and on the Slst ult . wit j y , h

snows t is s rin wit m sma art in exce h p g, h y ll p y , l

ent ea th but I am l h l , sorry to say withou t coast of Boothia I met having effected our obj ec t A t the same time , infor

Ba from one of w om mation has ee n o taine y, h b b d I learnt that a party of and articles purchase d ” w ite men Kabloonans from the natives w ic h ( ) , h h had pe rished from want places the fate of a por

of foo some istance to tion if not all the t e n d, d , , h th e westward and not far survivors of Sir o n , J h ' beyon d a large river con Franklin s miserable par — ty beyond a doubt a fate h m i s . Su se uent t e ost e ora e rap d b q ly, d pl bl

eat from starva tion d h , received and a number after ha v in g had récoursa to cann ibalism as a me ans

fa of ro on in if I which places the te of p l g g l e .

a ortio if not of all of reac e m old uarters p m . h d y q

the t en survivors of Sir at Re u se Ba on the h p l y,

' o n F ran in s on -ost 15th ofAu ust 1 853 and J h kl l g l g , . — art be on 's ou t a t e e nd of Se te m e r p y y d d b hy h p b .

ﬁts as te rri e as the 1 09 eer l mus ox 6 4 bl d , k , race of tarmi an and b p g ,

had een s ot one seal b h , of the informstion ob ' an d the n ets produced 100 TH E r a a xxt m Exr s n rrmrv

tain ed at various times 1 90 sa m n O l o . n the Slat and from variou s sources of Marc 1 854 m s rin , h , y p g was as fo ows ourne comme n ce but ll j y d ,

“ In the s rin four in conse uen ce of l p g, q ga es w inters ast s rin of win ee and p ( p g d , d p soft

a art of ‘ white snow and fo weath r p y , ggy e ,

’ me n amou n tin to a out we ma e but ver itt e , g b d y l l

40 were seen trave lin ro ress . We did not , l g p g sou thward over the ice enter Pelly Bay until the A and dragging a boat with 1 7th . t this pla ce we t e m b some s ui met wit s uimaux one h y E q h E q , maux who were i in of w om on ein as ed , k ll g h , b g k seals n ea r th e north shore if he ever saw white of Kin i liam Lan e o e re ie in the g W l d , p pl , pl d i n e ative but said w ic h is a ar e s an . t at a h l g l d g , h Non e of the party could large party (at least 40 speak th e Esqu imaux pe rson s) had perished

an ua e inte i ib bu t from wan t of foo some l g g ll g ly , d ’ by signs the natives we re 1 0 or 1 2 days j ou rney to h made to understan d that t e westward . Th e sub t eir s i or s i s had stance of the information h h p , h p ,

een crus e the ice obtaine at variou s times b h d by , d and that they were n ow an d from various sources going to where they ex was as follows pected to ﬁnd deer to In the sprin g four

shoot. F rom the ap winters past (spring

earance of th e men all a art of p , p y white

of w om exce t one oﬁi men amou ntin to a out h p , g b

cer oo e t in t e were 40 were see n trav e in l k d h , h y , ll g

t en su ose to be sou t war over th e ice h pp d h d , getting short of provi and dragging a boat with

iions and t e ur t em , h y p h , by ' 101 m om masr TO LAST . chased a small seal from

n sea s on the n ort s ore the atives . A t a later l h h

ate the same seas on d , but revious to the w ic is a ar e is and p ly h h l g l .

rea in u of the ice name Kehik -tak the b k g p , d by the o ies m 0 s ui None of b d of so e 3 E q maux. persons were discove red the party could spe ak the on the continen t and five native an ua e intelli . l g g on an is an near it ibl but b si ns he l d , s y. . y g , t ' about a lon g day s j our natives were made to ne W un to e . f y th N . o a derstand that their ships or ship had bee n be no ot e r t an reat crushe in the ice and h h G d , ’ F ish River (named by that the white s were the Esquimaux Oa t-ko now going to where they e xpecte d to find dee r to scri tion and t a f the s From th a p h t o hoot . e ppear low s ore in the nei ance of the men all of h gh , bourhood of Point O e w om e xce t one office r gl h , p andMontrea Islanda ree c ief oo e t in t e l g ( h ) l k d h , h y exactly with that of Sir were supposed to he get

Geor e Bac . Some of tin s ort of rovision s g k g h p , the bodies had bee n and they purchased a small seal from the na

» A the ﬁrst victims of fa tives . t a later da te of mine some we re in a the season b u re vi ) ; , t p ous tent or tents ; othe rs to the disruption of the un er the oat w ic ice the bo ies of a out d b , h h , d b had bee n turned over to 30 white persons were form a sh e ter an d se vera iscovere on the conti~ l , l d d la scattere a out in nen t and ﬁve on an y d b ,

diﬁ r n t irections . Of is an near it about a e e d l d ,

R r i s sr To F OM LAST. 103 of which appear to ha ve many of the corpses and be en ro e n u as I the contents of the ket b k p,

’ saw ieces of t ese diﬁer t es it is e vi en t t at p h l , d h e nt articles with the Es our miserable countrymen

uimaux and to et er had ee n drivdn to the q , , g h b — with some Sil ver spoons last resource canniba and for s urc ase as lism— as a means of k , p h d m n ro on in ife T a as . ere y I could ge t . A p l g g l h list of the most important appears to have been an of t ese I enc ose wit a un ant stoc of ammw h l , h b d k a rou s etc f the nitic a as the ow er was gh k h o , p d crests and initials on the e mptied in a heap on f o the roun the orks and spo ns . The g d by na articles themse lves shall tives out of the kegs or be an e over to the cases containin it and a h d d g ,

Sec retm' of the H on uantit of a and ot y . q y b ll Sh H udson Bay Company w ere found below high on m arriva in Lon on water mar . avin een y l d . k h g b l eft on the ice close to

the a with whom I conversed be c h. There must

' had see n the ‘ w ite s a ve een a n umber of h , h b n or had t e e ver watc es te esco es com h y been h , l p , at the ac w asses uns severa dou pl e here the p , g ( l ble- o ies were foun but arre le , &c . all of b d d, b l d) i had their information wh ch appear to have from t ose who had een ro e n u as I saw h been b b k p, i f there and who had seen p ece s o these differen t artic es i the party when travel l w th the E squi i rnaux and to et er wit l ng . , g h h

some silver s oons and O ne silver table for]: p m et, m i nimum h ead with

as I coul o a i A d bt n . 104 TH E FR ANKLIN EXPEDITIO N

silver ta le orks—cre st a ir ist of the m st b f , b d l o impor with win s exten ed one g d ; tant of t ese I en close h , ilver ta le s oon—cre st with s b p , - - with a rough pen an d ink ‘ ’ i F . . M a tain nitials R . C . ( C p sketch of the cre sts and rozier error . C , T ) initials on th e for ks and One silver table spoon T spoons. he articles and one or -c rest ir with f k , b d themselves sha ll be laurel ranch in m ou th b , ’ anded over to the se m t o S er o me liora . h o t , p retar of th e c y H . B . One silver ta le s oon b p , om an on m arri C p y, y -s oon an one desser one tea p , d t

’ val in Lon on . None r — cre st a ﬁsh s h ead d fo k , l okin u w ar wi la el of the s uimaux with o g p ds, th ur E q

ranch es on each si e b d . whom I con v erse d had ’ seen the whites nor One Silver table fork , ’ had t e e ver e t initials H . D. S . G. H arr en a , ( y h y b - D . S . Goodsir assistant sur the ace w , pl here the dead

eon Ere u s . g , b ) were foun bu t h d , ad their

information from t ose One Silv er table fork h ‘ ’ d e n in itials . M D. lexan who ha e t ere and , A (A b h , ‘ der M Donald assistan t-sur , those who had seen the

eon Terror . g , ) art w en alive F m p y h . ro

he ea of e B One silver table fork t h d P lly ay

’ initials G. . M. Gillies w ic is a ba s ite o , A ( h h y , p f Mac ean second m aster ’ A. , , uf b Sir F . B ea ort s opinion Terror ) . to the contrar I crosse y, d On e silver table fork 60 miles of lan d in a ‘ ’ initials . T . , wester irection trace J ly d , d

th e west ore from Cas One silver de ssert spoon Sh — ’ r nd ol ux R iv initials . S . P. oh n S . to a er to , J (J P l

Pe ie sur eon , Ere u s. t r S dd , g b Cape Por e of ir James R oss and I c ou have r late , l One round silve p , d

en raved Sir ohn Franklin ot wit in 30 or 40 miles g , J , g h To 1 FR OM FI R ST LAST . 05

£03 3 ; a star or order with of a ot Strait but I , B ll , ‘ motto N ec as e n torrent , p , thought it useless pro ’ G . . D I B DCCCV. M ceedin furt er as I g h , lso a num e r of ot er A b h could not complete the articles with no m arks y b e arrive at whole . W d which th ey could be rec og R e pulse Bay on the 20th " “ “ RA E . Ma . Joa n JOH N R AE . y

That The Franklin Expedition h ad died

a m an for m m u to was not a o ent do bted , b u t that ou r wretched cou ntrymen h ad — been driven to the la st resource canni baliam as a means of prolonging ”

e w as . existenc , wholly rejected The ” ” Times and the Examiner not only e xpressed their own dou bt u pon this part of

’

. a a a b u t adm i Dr R e s n rr tive , itted nto their

o u m f c l ns the ollowing letters , which I

au f f m R ae reprint bec se it drew orth ro Dr. a f l un a reply, to which I e t bo d to give r ejoinder .

T Editor o the Time o the f s.

— A u Sir, ltho gh the opinions which I

’ u of R a hold on the s bject Dr. e s report go something beyond what you you rself

a u a ou a h ve expressed , I tr st th t y will llow

a a u a if this letter to ppe r in yo r p per, it is

T A 107 FR OM FI R ST o L ST .

2 f — as . When they were orced , no

u a — a a do bt , they h ve been to b ndon their

c an an a u ships , y one believe th t they wo ld have encu mbered themselves with forks

and and i a a of spoons s lver pl tes , inste d reserving every inch of available Space for stores and articles absolu tely necessary for su bsistence ?

3 u a t a . S pposing th t hey died by st rve

a a a of me n tion , is it likely th t l rge body would ha ve died all together ? Would

a one a they not h ve yielded one by , e ch

u as far as u str ggling on he co ld , in the hope of either ﬁnding some store of pro visions or meeting some party sent ou t for their rescu e ?

for one a u all I , Sir, , h ve long given p expectation of seeing my brother again in

But are ma this world . there ny who still cling to the hope of regaining their

la . f a i re tions My own belie is , th t the sh ps have be en abandoned and plu ndered by

u mau u Esq i x . I wo ld only pe rsu ade my self that I am not com pelled to behav e

a fu a l R ae h as the p in l det i s which Dr.

m u a a a u Bu t ost nw rr nt bly p blished . others believe that the crews m ay yet be su b 1 08 T H E FR ANKLIN EXPEDIT I ON

’ m and u n a sisting so ewhere, , til D r. R e s

o be e ﬁ a t rep rt v ri ed , they will not p r with their belief for anything which h e has

sa d. m a and a m i I enclose y c rd, ,

u rvan Sir, yo r obedient se t ,

E . J . H . Octob r 2 e 0.

To the Editor o the E xamine r f .

’ — ma k u In u . a s Sir, yo r re r s pon Dr R e

e ou sa a ou m u ef r port, y y th t y li it yo r beli f of an d to the proo s identity death.

u for a am of s la am Anxio s gle con o tion , I strongly impelled to a more fa vou rable conclu sion Accepting the whole story of the Esqu imau x who were in posse ssion of the property of the exploring party

bu t e r aw who , it will be observed , n ve s

m a a ﬁnd a a in the , live or de d), we th t Fr nkl

at th e ame abandoned his ships, both s

m u as a ou t ate ti e , so leis rely to c rry pl and a large qu antity of books ; th at he

a a b u t w as s of travelled with bo t, hort

and u al a m ll provisions , bo ght one se s a ’ — seal amongst forty men) yet suffered the natives to leave him ; that his party were T T 1 09 FROM F IaS o LAST .

afterwa rds found by the Esqu imau x (same tribe) lyin g dead on th e ground for want of food (althou gh the Esqu im au x h ad

kept body and sou l together) . That they had been eating dead bodies (it does not ‘ 6 a a l an for u e ppe r they ki led yone the p rpos ) ,

bu t a m and only to li ited extent, not seriatim and methodically down to th e

8 ‘ a m an a had fu and ﬁre and l st ; th t they el ,

CC were still carrying abou t with them their

a a a u a of and e m pl te , l rge q ntity books ,

6 ‘ mu ma mm on a nition . I ke no co ent story

( k so inconsistent . The only fact we h ave proof of is the

CC of a identity the property , which h ppily dismisses from our min ds the fearfu l catas trophe so wonderfu lly escaped by other — Arctic navigators their instantaneou s — destru ction in the ice sh ips and crew

6 6 ’ withou t a vestige . Dr . Rae s report

f aff hi m u there ore ords , I t nk , so e gro nd

( 6 for a m hope . Fr nklin ay be considered 6 6 to have h ad ample stock of food when b e

C ‘ a a u b ndoned the ship , the stock bro ght 6 8 out being actu ally h u sbanded in those regions where ﬁe sh provisions are m e t

’ and tha t reat man s knowled e o with , g g f K

To 1 1 ] FROM FIRST LAST .

liebing his report withou t veriﬁcation ; thathe Should havekept silence altogether and not have excited su ch pa infulfeelings in many persons on su ch insufﬁcient

’ a ﬁ grou nds . To h ve veri ed the reports

u m u which I bro ght ho e wo ld, I believe ,

a diﬁ cult m a b u t u h ve been no tter, it co ld not possibly be done by my party in any other way than by passing another winter at Re u Ba and m a a p lse y, king nother jou rney over the ice and snow in the sprin g of 1855 a for u n f m . My re son ret rni g ro Repulse Bay withou t ha ving effected the

u h ad e m a w as s rvey I cont pl ted , to prevent the risk of more valu able lives being sacriﬁced in a u seless search in portions of

a u of m a the Arctic Se s , h ndreds iles dist nt from the sad scene where so many of the

- a m a a long lost p rty ter in ted . It is st ted

u r Es uimaux by yo r correspondent , whe e q

’ can v — a a u li e where Dr . R e s p rty co ld ﬁnd abundant means what shou ld prevent Sir John Franklin an d his party from su bsisting too l No man b u t one perfectly u nacquain ted with the su bject

o u ask u a u s a i c ld s ch q e tion . Th t port on of u t a and a co n ry ne r to , on which portion 1 12 TH E FR AN KLIN EXPEDITION

’ of a a w as s is Sir John Fr nklin s p rty een , ,

u m a in the spring, notorio sly the ost b rren

of a ma f of an O f A ni l li e y the rctic shores, and the fe w deer that m ay be seen are generally very shy from having been hu nted du ring the winter by Indians on

Of a . ain the borders the woodl nds Ag ,

u a a yo r correspondent s ys , the ships h ve been abandoned and pillaged by the

’ Esqu imau x In this Opinion I perfectly

a as far as a a m of gree, the b ndon ent the

b u t n ot a ships , th t these ships were pil

la e d a H ad g by the n tives . this been the

a u a a u a c se , wood wo ld h ve been b nd nt

am . w as ong these poor people It not SO, and they were redu ced to the necessity Of

m a d of mu -ox king their sle ges sk skins, — folded u p and frozen together an alter native to which the w ant of w ood could

alone have redu ced them . It m ay be as

a for f m a Of well here to st te , the in or tion

u and a the yo r correspondent others, th t

u Ba m a a m H dson y Co p ny h ve, in the ost

m a m m e o m kind nner, per itted to dev te y

w m as as u a f hole ti e , long req isite , to s tis y

u as far as m and the q estions, in y power, to reply to commu nications from th e rela FR I LA sT 1 13 OM F RST TO .

vsa and f s Of -m n a ti riend the long issi g p rty, instead Of to complete my chart and write u p the report Of my expedition for their

f ma u a an Of a in or tion. I tr st th t y the rel

tive s of a a ma the lost n vig tors who y, in

fu u ma ma t re , wish to ke severe re rks on

m a a the ode in which I h ve cted, in the very perplexing position in which I w as

a l ﬁ me fa u of pl ced , wi l rst do the vo r

mm u a wi me and if a co nic ting th , , I c nnot

a f u u s tis y their do bts , it will then be q ite

m u ti e enou gh to m ake their opinions p blic .

October 0 O N R AE 3 . . J H

t iner To he Editor of the Exam .

” - and Sir, The letter signed S , the

f R e o . a u ou a letter Dr , q oted by y in nswer,

s f m me a fe w mm de erve ro co ents .

Dr . R ae deservedly takes ra nk with th e

and a a afte m Arctic heroes , he is tr veller r y

fa — m and own shion si ple inexpensive , bold

nd n u erso ri l a e d ring in his p nnel and maté e .

ou f sa a I sh ld be sorry, there ore , to y nything i to give h m pain .

H ad R a e m f as ou Dr. li ited his belie , y , ” Sir fs Of and a , to the proo identity de th , mu ch pain and anxiety would have bee K 3 !

FR OM FI R ST To LAST . 1 1 5

c an a um f I sc rcely pres e , there ore, to think he h as ever read the humble narrative of a jo u rney by m e to the Polar Sea by

a a H istoi of Gre t Fish River, or y the

E uimau me u a of sq x , by , in the Jo rn l the

a i of n Ethnologic l Soc ety Lo don .

u a a ua F rther, th t he is not cq inted with

“ m cache at a s a n otwith y Montre l I l nd , standing constant referen ce h as been m ade

a cache not a to th t , only in the d ily press , b u t within the walls of the Geographical

and Society ; notwithstanding Mr . Thomas Simpson visited it to correct his longitude

a m m of and raise e orial his visit. m m ’ These are Mr. Tho as Si pson s words

l6th e ou r u On the we direct d co rse , with

a s al s a ﬂ g ﬂying, to Montre I l nd . Directed by ou r people soon fou nd a

am a deposit ong the rocks , cont ining two

a of m a a u d of b gs pe ic n , sever l po n s choco

a a t of u a l te , two c nis ers g npowder , box

o u i a and a a f perc ss on c ps , j panned tin - a ulu m n a ﬁsh k . v sc , inclosi g three l rge hoo s

m a ta urea u as th e a The pe ic n , or , voy gers

al w as a a and w as c l it, liter lly live ; it

’ ma l Isle de Montrea l sem wittily re rked , m My Steers au . 1 16 TH E FRAN KLIN EXPEDITION

’ bi nt t eu lée de eu nes ta u rea ux e o . , p p j The d m a . a an inor rticles , Mr De se I took pos session of as m emorials of having break fasted on the identical spot where the tent of ou r less su ccessfu l precu rsor (Sir George Back) stood that very day ﬁve f m years be ore . Finding it i possible to

’ i a n u reconc le Sir George B ck s lo git de, I

a a m a s h ve dhered to y own observ tion , and thu s the extent of ou r discoveries is diminished by twenty-ﬁve

n u R ae I c a ass re Dr . that he is wrong in

all m . u m au his pre ises First, the Esq i x

a u se for for u se h ve no wood, they do not

for fu se a- fu for wood el , the oil is their el ;

u se for a - u the they do not wood bo t b ilding ,

a u - a an d as e w lr s skin is their bo t ; , the littl

u se a u r wood they , together with w lr s ivo y, in the manu factu re of implements of the

a as u the ch se , is so contrived to ret rn to

ma a m sa u se owner, we y l ost y they do not wood even for the manu factu re of implements

R ae f a . m to o . the ch se Moreover, Dr see s forget that the Esqu imau x describe the f m en as a a a and of orty white dr gging bo t , ,

“5 Narrative of Discoveries on the North Coast of

Lmerica T omas Sim son 8th Jan . 1 843 . 370. , by h p , , , p F IR 1 1 7 R OM F ST To LAST .

u its m m of a and m a co rse , co ple ent o rs sts ; and as f m en u , orty co ld not get into one

a at a u a a as a u bo t , le st , s ch bo t Fr nklin wo ld

as u a nd a a s select to p s p r pids a c sc de , there

m a a e and were ost likely two bo ts , y , even

a s u for e a three bo t , eno gh wood sev r l gene rations of the Esqu imau x of that locality .

a r am f There is lso the Victo y ste ship , le t by Sir John Ross , close by .

R ae a : a of Then , Dr . st tes Th t portion

u a and a i co ntry ne r to , on which port on

’ of a w as Sir John Franklin s p rty seen, is ,

r n u m a in the sp i g, notorio sly the ost b rren

of a m f n f ni al life o a y o the Arctic shores , and the fe w deer that m ay be seen are

e a f m a g ner lly very shy , ro h ving been h u nted du ring the winter by Indians on

f a R ae o . the borders the Woodl nds . Dr m u st exc use my saying this is mere assu mp

d a an a u u a . tion , ltogether gr t ito s on his p rt

He is not j u stiﬁed in sa ying any su ch thing .

R ae h h as . as m Dr , it to be borne in ind, never pu t his foot on a Single inch of the

u u a k gro nd nder consider tion . He nows o of a e nly Gre t Fish Riv r by hearsay . The only three travellers who have visited th e Polar coast line between Copper mine

To 1 19 FR OM FI R ST LAST .

m a u w u ﬁre Ogle , who were ost ss redly itho t a m and ma a r m — ﬁve r s , ss c ed the only — esca ping and then blockading Montreal

la a ou t a k and f u Is nd , st rved Fr n lin his o r

a comp nions .

th 4 R RD N 1 7 Sa vile R ow Nov . 8 1 85 . C A , , , I H KI G .

u u l R ae The S n th s rep ied to Dr . in a leadin g article

i -da a f m R ae W e u . p bl sh to y letter ro Dr , in answer to the letter of the brother of one of The Frana Expedition . We confess that we do not like the tone

’ a f n a him c of Dr . R e s de e ce . We re d on C tober 30th thu s : I tru st that any of the relatives of

a a m a fu u the lost n vig tors , who y in t re wish to make severe rem arks on the

m a a ode in which I h ve cted , in the very perplexing position in which I w as

a ﬁ m e fa pl ced , will rst do the vour of

mmu a n m e and if an co nic ti g with , I c not

a f u u s tis y their do bts , it will then be q ite time enou gh to make their opinions pu blic Su ch wou ld be the more fair

n d a i fa u a s t s ctory co rse .

on th e 26th f u a u And , o r d ys previo sly, 120 TH E FRANKLIN EXPED ITION

" in the plan which he h ad submitted to

a of m al a the Bo rd Ad ir ty, down Gre t ﬁ sh River to the spot where he says the tragedy of a d w as a The Fr nklin Expe ition en cted, we read him thu s Permit m e to impress u pon you the n ecessity of haste in setting these e xpe ” i s d tion in train .

k R ae N ow u s as . , let Dr whether the devoted brother of on e of the crew of The Franklin Expedition is not as mu ch entitled

R ae to haste as Dr. is entitled to ” f R ae a a haste ? I Dr . pl ces so high value u pon his own j u dgment that he h as a right

m u a a . R e to stand p r o nt we do not Dr. a

a a s m m y be in h ste to go , or get o e f for all am n riend to go , it is the s e thi g,

a u ma by Gre t Fish River, to b ry the re ins

of The Franklin Expedition . Yet h e is pained beyond m easu re becau se a devoted

a a of brother is in h ste to cle r , not one

and b u t 1 37 his own ﬂesh blood only, other

u f m m of m an noble so ls , ro the horrid cri e

R ae sa m . a eating . Dr goes on to y It y a for f m be as well here to st te , the in or a

u a d s tion of yo r correspondent, d res ing

s and a au The Time , others, th t the thorities 121 FR OM FIR ST To LAST .

of . u Ba m a a the Hon H dson y Co p ny h ve,

m s ma m me in the o t kind nner, per itted

m m as as to devote y whole ti e , long

u a f u i as far req isite , to s tis y the q est ons ,

as m and com in y power, to reply to mu nica tions from the relatives and

f of -m s a n a riends the long i sing p rty, i ste d

of c m m a and u to o plete y ch rt, write p the report of my expedition for their

information .

R ae at c and Let Dr . set to work on e

m e and a co plet his report , le ve it to others to answer questions as to whether he w as ju stiﬁed in saying that from the m u ti

a a of ma of s and l ted st te ny the corpse ,

n of evident the co tents the kettles , it is tha t our wretched cou ntrymen h ad been — driven to the last resource cannibalism ” — m a of l as a e ns pro onging existence .

a f m a m i h ar Ap rt ro the st te ent , wh ch is

u is m a u rowing eno gh, there so ething bo t ” a u a c u m the l ng ge wretched o ntry en ,

t ar fu to which we s rongly object . We e lly

of all and r R ae h as aware eve ything Dr . — don e we award to him all credit for boldness of character and u nwearied im d r bu t we av m u of his nst y, h e so e do bt

R To 1 2 F OM FIRST LAST . 3

and . u Dr. King These disting ished travellers may possibly h ave the ir eye u pon

R ae a i Dr. . Dr. Sir John Rich rdson w ll

h a m a a u rdly let his old co p nion in dvent re ,

a a a a u Sir John Fr nklin , die c nnib l witho t

m f a for ore distinct proo . We will nswer

’ A s a a for Dr . King . to Dr . R e s re son retu rning from Pelly Bay withou t having

ff u h ad m a e ected the s rvey he conte pl ted , to prevent the risk of more val u able lives

a ﬁ a u ea being s cri ced in seless s rch , we

m u our u a a st express do bts . Pelly B y is Gordian Knot which we mean to have a hand in unravelling at a more convenient

u opport nity .

My letter in the E xa miner wo uld not have

’ if a a m been written Dr. R e s st te ent to the H udson Bay Company h ad been in existence

at m Th e man u the ti e . who co ld write on so sacred a su bject as the fate of The Franklin

E i a m xpedit on , one st te ent to the Govern ment and another to the commercial Com

a m him u at p ny who e ployed , the one tterly

a a w as o a u v ri nce with the other, t t lly nworthy of m a him had the ti e I then w sted u pon . I 1 24 TH E FRAN KLIN EXPED ITION

all a a a R ae m em long ssoci ted Dr . with the bers of the medical profession who have

u m as a u disting ished the selves tr vellers, s ch

as a O u dena ar MfCormick P rk , y, Rich dson , ,

a a and an b u t n ow D niel , Leich rdt, K e ; I

ﬁn d and in a , I rejoice the discovery , th t — he is what h e signs himself a that

sa a h f a a trader in is to y C ie . F ctor , the

of u Ba m a service the H dson y Co p ny .

’ far as a m So Dr. R e s letter to the Ad i

ralt c an u i y is concerned, there be no q est on that the general constru ction pu t u pon that

t w as h a homewa rd out let er , t t in his , not

ward u h e h ad a a u a s jo rney , le rned the p rtic l r

u s he h as given . He not only accepts this

s u bu t u a a a con tr ction , ses it to his dv nt ge.

a m The Times In sending his st te ent to , he introduces the su bject to that paper by a letter in which he states Du ring my

u rom u Ba a jo rney f Rep lse y, Ag in , I have no dou bt from the careful habits of these people (Esqu imau x) that almost every article which these u nhappy su f

fe rers h ad u preserved co ld be recovered,

’ 38 “ The Times, 23 Oct. 54 . RO S To 12 F M FIR T LAST . 5

bu t I thought it better to come home direct

ith the intelli ence I had obtained than w g , to r un the risk of ha ving to spe nd a nother winter in the f “ a a o . . Ag in , in nswer to the letter E J H .

The Times and a of Ear in , th t in the aminer a : 0 a ﬁ , he st tes T h ve veri ed the

u m u reports which I bro ght ho e wo ld , I

a diﬂicu lt m a bu t believe , h ve been no tter , it cou ld not possibly be done by m y party in any other way than by passing another

at u Ba and m a winter Rep lse y , king another jou rney over the ice an d snow in

i of 1 5 a for re the spr ng 85 . My re son tu rning from Repulse Bay withou t having effec ted the su rvey I had contemplated w as to prevent the risk of more v alu able lives being sacr iﬁced in a u seless search

of a u in portions the Arctic Se s , h ndreds of miles distant from the sad scene where ” m a of - a m a so ny the long lost p rty ter in ted .

' f r a o a . a My re son pl cing Dr R e s letters ,

A m alt and the one to the d ir y , the other to

u Ba m a the H dson y Co p ny, side by side , is

’ ' 87 n dem . 54 . The Times , 23 O ct . 54 . I , 26 Oct

’ “ xaminer 4 Nov. 54 . E , , L 3

R R To 127 F OM FI ST LAST . demanded an express expedition for its

ﬁ a u u a a veri c tion . He wo ld th s h ve sp red Sir James Graham one of the m any blots with which he is bedau bed as a minister of

a and u a a m f Engl nd, he wo ld h ve sp red hi sel

ra The Times the disg ce which his letter in ,

a e a l a Oc t. d t d T vistock Hote , Covent G rden ,

’ 30 54 u him ha ! , , reﬂects pon . W t deeply pained and not a little su rprised at some rem arks in a letter p urp orting to come from

of of th e fﬁ of a brother one o cers H . M. S. ? m Terror Sir George Si pson , when he

’ a a m pu blished Dr . R e s st te ent in the Mon

trea l H era ld of 2 m 1854 the l st Septe ber, , little knew the mischief he w as bringing

of é é Bu t for u pon the head his prot g . Sir

’

m . a a George Si pson, Dr R e s nswer to ” u av d c . . a urrent as E . J H wo ld h e p sse it has pa ssed current u p to the time of the

a of a a pu blic tion this N rr tive. Counterfeits

a current for a m u a ﬁ p ss ti e , ntil little ngering

u a u m . us is bro ght to be r pon the Let ,

a ﬁ a u n then , bring little ngering to be r po the following qu otations 1 28 TH E FRANKLIN ExF EDITION

’ ’ r Dr R ae s tatemen in R a e s tatement in . t D . S S

h e the Montrea l H erald. T e Tim s.

To have veriﬁed the F rom th e head of Pelly reports which I brou ght Bay I crossed sixty miles home would have been of land in a w esterly n o ifﬁcu t matter but it irection trace the est d l , d , d W cou ld n ot possibly be Shore from Castor and don e by my party in any Pollux River to Cape ot er wa t an assin orter and c ou ave h y h by p g P , I ld h another winter at R epu lse got within thirty or forty

Ba and ma in an ot er mi es of e ott Strait y , k g h l B ll , j ourney over the ice and but I thought it useless snow in the rin of rocee in furt er as Sp g p d g h , I

1 5 cou not com ete the 85 . ld pl

e whol .

u ou t u for a M rder will , tho gh hidden

m at m of a l as A d ti e the botto wel , the miralt h a a if y ve le rned to their horror, the

a word horror is in their diction ry , in relation to The Franklin Expedition ; so

R ae U a m with Dr . . ntil his st te ent to the

u Ba m a u u H dson y Co p ny t rned p, he went m f on very well . He reined hi sel u p an d rode the high horse . f ” o . . dee l a i The letter E J H . p y p ned a nd not a little sur rised him H e p . cou ld ha ve easily p assed another winter a t R ep u lse

Ba and made a nother ou rne over g, j y the R u s er 1 F OM To LAST . 29

ice and snow in the s r in o 1 855 withou p g f , t exp osu re to more p riva tions tha n p ersons a ccustomed to the H udson Bay Compa ny servic e are in the ha bit of enduring ; bu t he had a deep er motive in returning from R ep u lse Bay withou t having ej ected the

surve he had contem la te It was o y p d. t p revent the risk of va lua ble lives be ing sacriﬁced in a useless sea rch hundreds of miles dis ta nt f rom where the lives of the

lon -lost a rt termina te g p y d. Althou gh I had always my misgivings of

’ R a a as a a a a a Dr . e s bility tr veller, I lw ys g ve him credit for ente rprise and m anly bearin g I am therefore astonished beyond measu re tha t he cou ld have written su ch langu age “ ” f f m . a o a to E J. H . in the ce his st te ents to Sir George Simpson that he h ad made the ourne to Castor a nd P olluw R iver and j y ,

hence to Ca e P orter and he could ha ve p ,

ot within 30 or 40 miles Bellott Strait g of , but tha t he thought it useless p roceeding ” u rth r h ou ld n t com l te th whole e as e c o e e . f , p Then his reason f or returningfrom R e p ulse Bay withou t ha ving ej ected the survey

he had con tem la ted to revent the risk o p , p f

lua le li s t va b ve is not the fact. His objec was ac a bu t a a to re h Bellott Str it, th t s

R R To 1 1 F OM FI ST LAST . 3 desirou s of being particul arly intelligent b ut I fou nd it a hard m atter to turn pa n tomime to su fﬁcient account even to satisfy

a these cr vings . That he should have stood on the shore of

a an d u R C stor Poll x iver, his right eyedirected to Point Ogle and his left eye to Montreal

a n a fa of ra Isl nd , k owing th t the te The F nk

x w as a and in lin E pedition to be re d there , stea d of directing his steps to the tragedy

f him a u a u be ore , th t he sho ld h ve t rned his

a u a fu t a b ck pon these p in lly interes ing l nds , and a u a h ve proceeded pon hisp ltry discovery,

if u a ma a which he co ld h ve de it discovery , w as u a m tterly worthless , is proble I will not

r wa s a th p etend to solve . I ble to solve e

m of u - s proble three cent ries, the North We t

a a 1845 a u was P ss ge , in , ltho gh it not proved un 1 854 w as a ou t til . I ble to point the D eath-spot of The Franklin Expedition in

18 45 a u w as di u il , ltho gh it not scovered nt

1 854 R ae a m ; b ut Dr . is proble I cannot

n ndru m v u . a co u i e solve He is I g p . I only hope he made the jou rney to Castor and l d “ u an a . Po l x River, hence to C pe Porter

Refer ac to a e 36 for an unt of a revious b k p g . acco p

IR To 1 33 FR OM F ST LAST .

m a R ae am The e ns by which Dr . bec e possessed of the relics of The Franklin Expe dition will ever be m atter of dou bt in my mind ; b u t I have no doubt a grea t cala m if at all of a ity , little , , short de th overtook a remnant of the gallant party at the mou th of e a s Gr t Fi h River.

A nd can u h ad there be no do bt, the Board of Admiralty conscientiou sly dis charged the du ty imposed u pon them by

a a a a a the N tion , th t the g ll nt b nd, who

a a u a re ched Gre t Fish River, wo ld h ve been

fam and f an d restored to their ilies riends , the historian spared the necessity of record

a fu a of i a ing the w l tr gedy, wh ch the Bo rd of A dmiralty most assu redly are the cru el au thors. I have arranged the several Boa rds of Ad m al a a fa of Th e ir ty, who h ve de lt with the te

a a a t a f m Fr nklin Expedition , in st tis ic l or , in order to m ark the exact amou nt of gu ilt ’ — which lies at each m an s door a very

a a fa . . . l rge sh re lls to Sir M F F Berkeley ,

a m a and W . A . B . H ilton , Alex nder Milne,

W. F . Cowper.

To S 1 FROM FIRST LA T . 35

a l if of Alex nder Mi ne, they desire to be

r u se vice to their co ntry. Captain Grover brou ght the deaths of Colonel Stoddart and Ca ptain Conolly home

A d and l narrw to Lord ber een, entit ed his ” a a ic m and as a tive The Bokh r V ti s , , I h ve brou ght the dea th of The Franklin Expe

m a of A mi a dition ho e to the Bo rd d r lty, m r e mi I ight very p op rly, entitle ne

a m The Pol r Victi s . We are indebted to the London Press for the light which brou ght the horrors of the Crime a face to face with those who enacted — them which led the Hou se of Commons to hu rl them ﬁ' om the posts which they held with so mu ch discredit to them selves and to

a We are al th e N tion. so indebted to the London Press for their powerfu l advocacy

of a a and for the se rch by Gre t Fish River, their no less powerful condemnation of the

a a neglect of that se rch . I h ve recorded

m of the a a f the ter s dvoc cy, here ollow the terms of the condemnation

’ x in 28th O to r 64 The E a m er, c be , .

There is no longe r any dou bt of the melancholy dea th of Sir John Franklin and 1 36 TH E FRAN KLIN EXPEDITION

- f his companions . To the roll call o pe rished

l n ow ai w l i heroes , to the ists d ly s e l ng with

am of a men a li a a t noble n es, br ve b tt ng g ins

f a fu and rf man e r l odds, dying in the pe or ce

of u are a ames of their d ty, to be dded the n

a sad as u a c the Arctic voy gers . The s r n e might have reached u s at a mom ent less

a a and s distr cted by other nxieties sorrow , b u t it comes not u nﬁtly while the pu blic sympathy is keenly awakened to the claims of all who imperil life for high and u nse lﬁsh

m m mul a u t fa e ai s . Al ost si t neo sly wi h the t of so many who left u s six months sin ce to

s at a a on e i s peri h in the tents V rn , the h ght

of A ma f wa of as the l , or be ore the lls Seb

a fa of an topol , we le rn the te the devoted b d wh o departed ten years ago to face a far

foe and af mo an ee more terrible , , ter re th thr

of u a a u ff a ft years nspe k ble s ering, h ve le behind them b ut the memory of that un

in and u a e at ﬂinch g enterprise end r nc , th

a a m al and resolu te persever nce , th t or phy

u a a a u a a l d sical co r ge, th t h rdihood n pp l e and discipline u ndistu rbed by the most frightfu l dangers which we take to be

am peculiar to English se en . f of te m oral O the correctness the sti ony, 1 37 FROM FI R ST To LAST .

h as and u m a al . R ae circ st nti , which Dr

u m l m our l f bro ght ho e, we i it be ie to the

f of d a proo s identity an de th . The evidence is qu ite imperfect as to th e m anner of the

a as de th , or to the shocking incidents assu med to have preceded it ; b u t for the

of a rest , the pieces silver pl te, the crests and al a e and initi s , the w tches , tel scopes ,

u u fﬁ . g ns , tell s ciently the terrible story It is also borne ou t by the Esqu imau x

a un s an a cco t , which neither is there y re son

u of au a of i to do bt, the exh sted st te the l ttle

a ma us and m f n b nd. At once rvello orti yi g

a a at a a so is it, th t , in vicinity so t in ble ,

as the known , so likely to be visited

of ma s position the gnetic pole, the lo t wanderers cou ld neither hav e been met

a a su with, or directed tow rds re ching p

B f u plies . u t u n ort nately every effort at

u discovery or help, p to the period when

all su a u s fu was ch ce sed to be e l, directed

sea and a u to the its Shores , ltho gh the abandonment of the ships and betaking of the crews to land passage w as a cir

cu m stance a u al for so n t r ly to be looked . The Admiralty people were too romantic

he u e . and men in t ir conject r s Ships , it M 3

R To T 139 F OM FIRST LAS .

’ pe nde ntly of each other. Sir James Clarke Rosa s — ' kn owledge of Barrow Straits Sir John R ichardson s kn owledge of the Mackenzie and the Coppermine Rivers - and my knowledge of Great Fish River and its

es tuar wi be so man uarante es t at the w or to be y , ll y g h k don e will be done well ; an d this state of independence

wi insu re a ar e amount of effort e ven t ou it were ll l g , h gh f m merely in a spirit o e ulation .

Two years later (some six or eight months before the date of th e now ascertained

a am a a c l ity) he renewed his pplic tions . He wrote letters to Lady Franklin to tell her

° w as ill a an d all she dvised, , with the

m of al a vehe ence person entre ty , besieged su ccessive Secr etaries to th e Admiralty ;

a . m b u t . a and all Mr W rd , Mr H ilton , the

r u n him a as and est , ret r ed nswers cold u m a i n as f and nsy p th si g their chie s , the opport unity w as lost which never w as to

u a a a a of ret rn . He r the C ss ndr this ill fa ted b u siness ! We qu ote one of his last appeals

“ All that has be en done by way of Search Since

e ruar 1 848 te n s to raw c oser and c ose r to the F b y , d d l l west land of North Som e rse t as the position of Sir John

Fran in and to reat Fis R ive r as the i road kl . G h h gh - S uc a lan as l ro osed to t en Lor . to reach it . h p p p h d ships in 1 84 8 is conse quen tly of the u tmost importance . 1 40 TH E FRANKLIN EXPEDITIO N

It would be the happiest mome nt of my life if their

L wou a ow me to o m old route ordships ld ll g by y ,

reat F is River to atte m t to save uman ife a G h , p h l ” f r secon d time on the shores o the Pola Sea.

It is deplorable to think that in every instance the Admiralty attempts to ﬁnd our cou ntrymen have been by far the least su c c essfu l and . Kennedy poor Bellott were

a u a b u t w as a ne r pon the tr ck, theirs

a an d u a l priv te expedition , not ndert ken ti l a a u ye r too late . When we disc ssed the

u u a at of 1849 s bject in this jo rn l the close , we u rged the necessity of then m aking a

ﬁ a ff an d n a a n l e ort , , co sidering th t the ch nces wou ld not warrant the risk of another ex

edition a u a p , we held th t it sho ld h ve been planned on su ch a scale as completely to

u a a an d se a sco r the tr ck, both by l nd , in which the clearest j u dgments might see the

of u probabilities s ccess . More than two years h ad then passed beyond the time to

u a and which the ships were vict lled , we believed it to be ou r last gleam of ra tional

. v a hope It is now pro ed to h ve been so . On the details of what ou r lamented cou ntrymen have su ffered we forbear to d w as well . It into no u nknown perils Sir F i as'r TO 141 r m LAST .

a a John Franklin ventu red . Ne rly thirty ye rs

a and a a af an a of e rlier, g in ter interv l six or

a m a h ad seven ye rs, his indo it ble spirit been

m u tried in the sa e disastro s scenes . The langu age contains no records of enterprise and endu ra nce su rpassing those of his two

u s the of a Se a and jo rney to shores the Pol r , to them we have b u t to tu rn to obtain no dim or imperfect image of th e terror of hi s

ﬁ a u of a m a n l jo rney, or wh t we y hope to ha ve been the m ercifu l assu agements vou ch

d c “ a d s d to it . At this period we voi ed as mu ch as possible conversing u pon

s of our i u a and the hopelessnes s t tion , generally endeavoure d to lead the con versation towards ou r fu tu re prospects

if . a of our in l e With the dec y strength,

fa our m e a and in ct, inds d c yed, we were no lon ger able to bea r the contemplation

of u u u s the horrors that s rro nded . Each of u s excu sed himself from so doing by a desire of not shocking the feelings of the

’ others . We were sen sible of one another s

a s of u our we knes intellect, tho gh blind to

our fa a m u mu a us to te , not r r esc ped ,

er 4 m u Fine r so m . 1 3

ordinary anxiety for the safe ty and re tu rn ” u of Sir John Franklin. S ggestions were made for sending the search directly

f a a a a ter Franklin by D vis Str it , or by Gre t r Mac k nz e ; b u t Fish Rive , or by e j River we remembe r how these steps were delayed

a a a out and a con or p rti lly c rried , how troversy was ca rried on at a su bsequ ent " a as mu d te , to whether the expedition st not

a a have perished en tirely. We now le rn th t a con siderable nu mber of the party at least su u th e r a u rvived ntil sp ing, prob bly ntil

Ma 1 860 a a f y . We h ve yet no cert in proo

a a h ad d th t the whole p rty expire . It is evident that if the qu est h ad been prosecu ted by those who h ad been sent ou t to assist them early an d widely enou gh their

path h ad been crossed . Dr. King pointed ou t 1847 a a a , in , the ex ct p th t ken by Franklin as the one in which he might be

Frankh n h ad made some w ay towards that m e part of the globe in which he

d a a w as h a previou sly br ved de th . There

a pe riod in 1 821 when some of his com . panions a ctually su ccu mbed to that death by star vation and hardships which th e 144 TH E FRANKLIN KxFKnITmN

others escaped when they believed the m selves beyond hope ; and now a band of E m ad sam fﬁ er nglish en , he ed by the e o c ,

a m am retu rn ed l ost to the s e Spot . They w ere near the mou th of that river near whose sou rce w as their rendezvou s of Fort 1 82 Enterprise in 1 . How many changes h ad taken place in the interval ! Franklin w as a generation older ; he h ad grown

af bu t h ad an r u ti de ; he not lost y esol on.

h ad ff m a b u t t He di erent co p nions , hey

a ha fai fu H e appe r to ve been not less th l .

h ad m se a and la et co e by the not by nd, y

m am he w as doo ed to the s e hardships.

m aff at the same Nothing is ore ecting, or

m m a a a rati of ti e ore elev ting, th n the n r ve m en travellin g sometimes knee-dee p in

for m m for a and snow iles on iles , d ys

m f n m ar u the onths , eedi g on the ost prec io s, basest kind of food ; sometimes depe nding

u u n f m r the pon the g , picking ro the ocks

u tri e de rocks a n noxio s weed p , g theri g

a of a a n a c rrion the p st se son , or goi g b ck to the old hau nts to feast on the m arrow

of a a a f e bones thrown w y in the ye r be or , on pieces of hide and their own shoes ; deliberately measu ring ou t these horrible R F m s'r LA W 1 45 F OM TO .

su s al u a t n t for a pplie , c c l ting their s re g h d ys u pon su ch s u stenance ; an d all the while su st aining each other throughou t with com

f u u a m ort , with religio s tho ghts , with ex ple . — They fo und themselves and the confession comes with an unspeaka ble dignity of — dou r growin g at times u nder the pressu re

of ﬁ m m a in r ity hasty and irritable. The n who felt ﬁrm in his own cou rage w as dau n te d at the gau nt face and deep se pul

a f hi m a a chr l voice o s co p nions . We h ve yet no certain proof th at the whole party

h ad a um b w as expired . The origin l n er one hu ndred an d thirty-eight ; three were bu ried at Beechy Island ; forty were seen

a u m au -ﬁve i live by the Esq i x , thirty bod es — are fou nd at Grea t Fish R iver a sta te ment which still lea ve s ﬁve of th e forty u naccou nted for ; and some eighty or ninety

m of ar are u me ore the entire p ty n ntioned .

Atla s 28 th O ctobe b4 . , r,

If the pu blic h ad not made u p its mind th at Sir John Franklin and his com

a u ma panions h ve been beyond h n help , the acc ount recently comm unicated of the d le ge d fa te of part of his expedition would

1 47 FR OM FIRST TO LAST .

u an u t u e ma c o ntry holds inq es pon their r ins , it can only ﬁnd the verdict that they died of ofﬁcial pigheadedness and A dmiralty

e n glect.

’ D a il N e ws 26 th O c tober 54 y , , .

a of The propos l Dr . King to explore the shores and seas to the sou th of the line of research pursu ed by the naval expeditions

was ma a l - syste tic l y pooh poohed . The cir c umstance that Franklin and his crews

a t m u h ving los their ships , ight be str ggling

u was fu over the ice to the So th , wil lly and system atically ignored ; yet the state d f ments which have been collecte rom the.

E u mau and a u sq i x , the rticles picked p

am m ma a a an v ong the , ke it cert in th t o er - land boa t expedition descending Great

h ad ou t m Fish River, it been sent in ti e, wou ld in all probability have saved at least

m a of w a h as a re n nt the cre s. To wh t the ? ﬁ t a error been owing In the rs pl ce, to the tardiness of the perm anent Admiralty

u ofﬁcials in instit ting the se arch . In the

a a and ex second pl ce , to their obstin te elu sive preference of large and costly n aval

d n la the d s u n expe itio s, which p ced i trib tio 1 48 TH E FRAN KLIN EXPED ITION

of a a a and r dis p tron ge in their h nds, thei

cou ra emen t of u i ns g less pretentio s exped tio , which wou ld not thu s have gratiﬁed their jobbing propensities or vanity . In the

a a a h u third pl ce , to th t ped ntry whic wo ld not even listen with cou rtesy to any but professional advice ; meaning by pro fe ssional au a n the , not even n tic l opinio in w a ta of m b u t idest ccep tion the ter , the

i of m ﬁ n au a opin on ere ghti g n tic ls . What is now known shews that in the controversies of the last seven years the landsmen have been n earer the m ark than the soldiers the sailors of the merchant service than

ffi of a a Bu the o cers the Roy l N vy. t the — favou ritism of the Admiralty its perm anent — ofﬁcials entru sted the research almost ex e u fﬁ of a a l sively to the o cers the Roy l N vy,

a v for listened only to their propos ls, reser ed

m all u and m u m the hono rs e ol ents . Th us have the p erma nent ofﬁcials of the Admiralty

a k f m a His prevented Fr n lin ro being s ved . blood and the blood of his brave companions is on their heads !

’ er ve r 29th c tob er 54 Obs , O , .

All the hopes and fears that for the FR ou iner ro A W 1 F L . 49 last se ven years h ave existed on ac co unt of Sir John Franklin and his cr ews are

a m if a t at s . now l ost, not ltoge her, set re t It appears that the very spot insisted u pon

. am by Dr King , is the s e spot where the

a f u e bodies h ve been o nd . He consid red ,

a a fa l ff th t Sir John Fr nklin i ing in his e orts ,

and a a not being ble to extric te his ships, would implicitly follow the instru ctions of

m al and u the Ad ir ty , proceed So th ; whilst the majority of the expeditions which have

ou t a of m a been sent in se rch the issing p rty,

a h ad u i t as h ve their ro tes d rec ed , on the sumption tha t Sir John Franklin h ad dis

a r h is u u f reg ded instr ctions . It wo ld there ore

’ a a a h ad al n ppe r, th t Dr . King s propos bee a 1 847 all u ma a dopted in , in h n prob bility , Sir John Franklin might have be en sa ved. m Dr . King has shewn that he knows ore a u a o a an one e bo t Pol r Disc very th n y els , for as a as 1 847 a a e rly , in letter to E rl

a a a u a Grey , he s ys To l nd jo rney lone can we look for su ccess ; for the failu re of a land jou rney would be the exception of

m le fa u of a se a ex e the , while the il re p f the dition would be the rule itsel . To

a of m s where Western L nd North So er et, N 3

1 5 1 m om m er ro LAST . the expectation of the su ccour and comfort

r ha they were never destined to ece ive . W t stores of important and interesting infor m a m ha if v tion ight we not ve received , e en a fe w of these adventu rou s men h ad been

Bu t restored to their expectant fri ends . alas ! a more awful heart -rending catastrophe than any that ever occu rred u nder similar

m w u a c ircu stances as abo t to h ppen. One by one they perished by the most fea rfu l of all d a t h ad en e ths . The streng h which they de avou re d u a a u a a a a to s st in , gr d lly w sted w y , and th e a u and l st s rvivor drooped died ,

a u mm 18 prob bly in the s er of 50. - The evidence by whic h this heart rend ing narrative h as been established is so clear and distinct as to lea ve no possible dou bt

u forma a u all as to its acc racy . The in tion c s y obta ined and the articles pu rchas ed from

Es u ima x a a d vexa ta the q , h ve pl ce the questio respecting the fate of Sir John Franklin and his followers beyond the

b of u e a - possi ility do bt . Thes he rt rending re lics will be endowed with a melanch oly " inte rest . 152 m s FRAN KLIN EXPEDITION

’ Th n e S u 25th c o 4 . , O t b er, 5

We revert to the awful tragedy of the a of 138 Fr nklin Expedition , consisting souls ; a small portion only of the dreadful scene is before u s ; a mere moiety of the gallant band of adventu rers is accou nted - for. a of s me Point Ogle is the resting pl ce o , and a a of r Montre l Isl nd others . We efrain from harrowing the feelings of ou r readers by repeating the condition in which their honou red rem ains were fou nd ; we wou ld

a h m and t f u a r sp re t e heir riends s ch ecital.

a - a m re There is , however, blood st in so ewhe . H as every effort been m ade for the rescu e of a ask l— for be this noble b nd , we let it distinctly u nderstood that there were m any noble souls inv olved in the fate of Franklin

- Fitz ame s a Goodsir are Crozier, j , St nley, , the names of ofﬁcers well know n for their

n d a u m a a talents a cq ire ents . M ny tear for years to come will be shed over the memory

f n o those brave m e .

ou r as m has Even own pen , stern ti e — made u s for we were acqu ainted with some

“ f — the gallant crew loses somewhat of its di ness as . a r as we write Pe ce, eve l ting R R LA W 153 P OM FI ST TO .

a m as ff a pe ce , to the ! H every e ort, we repe t , been m ade for the rescu e of this noble band ? Too happy should we be to answer

es b u t no au at m y . The thorities ho e and by the au thorities we mean not only

the a of m a b u t al Bo rd Ad ir lty, the Coloni — Board ha ve sacriﬁced The Franklin Expe dition to a perverse attachment to their own

a i m fr m of speci l v ews , i bibed o one the

m u of men a ost prej diced , the l te Sir John

a av B rrow . We h e several time s warned

au a a a sea n the thorities g inst l rge expeditio s , and u rged small land jou rneys in the prose f cu tion o a e a . . the Pol r r se rch Dr King,

a m a a e cco plished Pol r tr vell r, who went down Great Fish River in search of Sir

1833-4-5 u at John Ross , in , p blished , the time the search for Franklin was u nder

a a am a consider tion, p phlet, entitled Pol r

’ i and a a u Se a . Expedit ons . Pol r L nd Jo rneys Every newspaper in England su pported

’ us u n a a in rgi g Dr . King s Pol r L nd

a u Journey down Gre t Fish River , in lie

’ a A nd of Franklin s Pol r Sea Expedition . when he found the Board of Admiralty we re de termined to send ou t Franklin by sea b e su m o a ne w , b itted to L rd St nley (

R I 'r LA W 15 F OM F Rs TO . 5

’ A u r ma the rctic Co ncil, who we e de , not

l b u t w u e on y once, t ice, to report the tt r impossibility of Franklin being anywhere in

u h o of a the neighbo r o d Gre t Fish River .

’ fu a of ﬁ ff The re s l Dr. King s rst o er bears

a 3rd of a 1848 and d te M rch , , the second

' oﬁe r 28th u a 1 850 a a Febr ry, . Wh t p rt

’ a m a did Fr nklin s old co p nion , Sir George

a a of A B ck, t ke in this decision the rctic

u l for was of members l Co nci , he one its We are acqu ainted with a print entitled ’ A t u a of me m the rc ic Co ncil , portr its the be rs of the council called together u nder — that name let each m an now tell his own

al a u t a m a a u t e . We c nnot p per nent v l e on l that cou ncil u nti we know this . Wha t monster evil haunts the imagination of Sir

a a u and a George B ck , th t he sho ld ever non l a u s f m a m a ﬁ m e d ro th t gni cent river , tee ing

of a ma l f u with every kind ni l i e , even p to the great hu man family ? We think we see the poor fellows atPoint

and a a a u Ogle Montre l Isl nd, d ily looking p Great Fish River in expectation of assist

of 1850 w as ﬁr ance . The spring not the st spring journey they h ad made to Grea t

Th e n f 1848 su re ly is . o F h River spri g , ; 156 r m : FRANKLIN EXP ED ITION

th e r of 1849 als f u m on sp ing o , o nd the the

of a am banks th t stre . They were evidently

ou t for a a a on the look ssist nce. Fr na certainly followed ou t his instru ctions to the

and as a for letter, cert inly looked help in

u a n m the direction it sho ld h ve bee ade.

a — u u n ac c ou nt How str nge , then how tterly — able how perfectly inexplicable it is that

’ the Effort in Search should have be en

bu t everywhere in the right direction .

' ’ fa e ﬁort h as m a u In ct, the been de pon

a u m h ad contra the ss ption he gone ry,

din and a ccor . con not g, to orders We o u of a l de , not only with the words contemporary Thu s have the p erma nent ofﬁcials of the Admiralty prevented Frank

fr m n a d—his o and he lin o bei g s ve blo d , t blood of his brave compan ions is on their

’ a — b u t th e a a u so he ds , with ddition th t j st m u ch m u st be hom e by Earl Grey as Colonial

Secretary .

’

n S er 54 . Th e S u , l st O c tob ,

The more we reﬂect u pon the fate of

’ a are The Fr nklin Expedition, the less we inclined to believe that this noble ban d of

a al sm adventu rers resorted to c nnib i . No FROM F i nsr TO m an 15 7

t hey never resorted to s uch horrors . We

mu a f a st h ve stronger proo , cle rer evidence

of u a a of f ca n s ch st te things , be ore we

ou r m f bring inds to this belie .

a a i d a Th t The Fr nklin Exp edit on is e d ,

a m a man a t u l ost to , we h ve li tle do bt.

u m a l and S rvivors , however, there y be stil ; ,

“ m da m u as a so e y or other, so e relics, s ch h ve

f u u u mau m a ar been o nd pon the Esq i x , y be

u m m m a k m of a pon the so e r , so e token

prolonged existence .

’ To ou r minds the relics bear evidence

m u a a a the ost indisp t ble , th t The Fr nklin

’ Expedition -at lea st the remnant a t th e — mou th of Grea t Fish River h as died a dea th of violence ; and it is deeply to be

a R ae u u regretted th t Dr. , pon s ch slender

u a u mm a evidence , sho ld h ve so s rily decided

nd their fate . a turned from Castor and Pollu x

a him and River, when the dist nce between all that w as mortal of our gallant immortal

u r i co ntrymen w as sca cely for ty m les . — Cannibalism the gallant Sir John

a l a a a — u me n as Fr nk in c nnib l s ch Crozier,

Fitz ame s a Goodsir c an uibals ! m an j , St nley, , — eating m an civilis ed m an daring to meet h is Maker in a cou ntry in which cannibalism o

R R 1 59 F OM FI ST TO LAST.

a o e as u th t rep rt , r sting they do on gro nds

t a fa h ad far mos weak and u ns tis ctory . He better have kept silent altogether than have

u s a a given story which , while it p ins the fe of ma mu u fﬁ n elings ny, st be very ins cie t

’ f r o all.

u 28th 1 834 De scrie a art of s uimaux J ly , , d p y E q , te nte on the eastern oun ar of a fa who as soon d b d y ll , , as t e erceive us comm ence runnin to and fro in h y p d , d g

e r i n it was ur the greatest confusion . P ce vi g o in ten tion to and the a roac e the oat nine in num er and l , y pp h d b , b ,

avin forme t emse ves into a se micirc e commenced h g d h l l . an a ress in a ou tone of voice e e vatin and de dd l d , l g

ressin ot t e ir arms at the same time a si n of p g b h h , g

motione us to ut 0 3 from the s ore eac e . The p y d p h , and at the same time utte re some uninte i i e wor s d ll g bl d , with a wildness of ges ticulation that clearly she wed they

er the i es t state of excite me were und h gh nt. A t the sou n of tima eace kabloons w ite eo e —t e d , p ; , h p pl h y cease e in and one and all aid own t eir s ears d y ll g, l d h p . and commence d alternate ly patting their breas ts and

v fte r t is manif pointing to hea en . A h estation of their

eacefu in tentions we la n e and s oo t e m earti p l , d d h k h h ly by the a a u of a f l A gr phic cco nt this r ce o lows , b u t our present pu rpose compels u s to pass on to more important notices of this race ” m n of ﬁsher e .

a v of a o rn wn Gre at ish R iver in se arc h Narrati e j u ey do F , - o n Boss in 1888 44 . Dr. Kin . Vol. it . 68 . 0 ! S ir J h , By g , p 1 6 0 TH E FR AN K LI N EXPED ITION

R h F ’ Au ust 22nd 1 834 . eac e t e al w ere g , h d l h

m x re ﬁrst iscovere To our the Esqui au we d d . great

a ar T i w h astonis men t t e had is e ed. s as t e more h , h y d pp h

sin ular as we arte wit t e m on th e m ost frien g , p d h h dly

4 Re ac r cache of Au ust 26th 1 83 . e ou two ba s g . h d g

I had e vi en t e en o ene an h of c nu d u . t d t e p c d ly b p d ,

con te n ts e xa min e t ou carefu covere u a ain d , h gh lly d p g , “ which was attributed to the E squ imau x

“ h vie w of a A u ust 22 . O e n in t e L e F ran in g p g k kl , the E squ im au x we re perceiv ed ﬂying in the u tmost

con ste rnation to the far- istant hi s w ere t e cou d d ll , h h y l be ust ma e out wit ou r te esco es as ivin o j d h l p l g bj e c ts . The ir ten ts we re de se rted an d their canoe s se crete d ; conduct so differen t from th at of ou r ﬁrst in tervie w that we were con vinced som e thing extraordinary mu st have

n Nor ou take place . c ld this b e in any way acc oun ted for u n ti ou r arriva in n an w e n it was ascertaine l l E gl d , h d the th re e men es atc e to Mou nt arrow w ose d p h d B , h e vasive m an ner at the time gav e indication s that some thin u n u sua had occurre fe l in urin t eir march g l d , l , d g h , w it a art of Es uima u x an d for i h p y q an nstant re treated .

The n atixe s in fo owin t e m fire a few arrows u on , ll g h , d , p whic the me n tu rned an d isc ar e t eir u ns i e h d h g d h g , k ll d th re e of the art and robab wou n e ot ers it ein p y , p ly d d h , b g th e practice with th e voyagers to load their fowlin g-pieces wit t wo a s so as to ive t e m a ou e c ance of h b ll , g h d bl h secu rin ir The natives thorou h dis ma ed g the game . g ly y at see in t eir countr men fa aroun t em fle d in the g h y ll d h , s martest isorder an d the me n e ua alarme etook d , , q lly d , b Iselves to flight al

‘3 - ‘4 . I m . 67 . Id m . 4 6 de e , pp , p R 1 6 1 FRO M FI ST TO LAST .

It is a lamen table fac t that this ill-fated people have hitherto met with not hin g but merciless warfare It is to from those whites who have visite d their lands . be hoped this sad e xample will Operate as a warnin g to future travellers n ever to send a party of me n for any

istance in a new - iscovere countr wit out one or d ly d d y , h othe r of the Ofﬁce rs composing the party accompanying

r i xists wit the s uimaux to fire the m. A p act ce e h E q blunt arrows in token of their peaceful in tentions w ic in all ro a i it was the case in t is ins tance h h, p b b l y , h , and their fri endly cond uct at our first in terview j ustifies

n e n the corre ctn ess of the as sumptio . A d pressio of s irits remar s Sir eor e Bac in the men p ( k G g k , ) who visited Mount Barrow was observed for some days pre viously to our leaving the coas t ; and it increas ed as they approached the site Of the Esqu imaux en campment to so great an ext ent that a gloom spread itself as if infection over the res t of the art nor , by , p y, could it be dispelled without a glass of

The s uimaux had t e e en in c ine mi t a ve E q , h y b l d , gh h murde red u s in our be ds with the greate st ease for we

we re so litt e a re e nsive of an er t at the n i t l pp h d g . h gh

watc had for some time ee n iscontin T at some h b d ued . h of the party we re in a far less happy state of mind was evin ce d by the gloom Sir G eorge Back perce ived amongst

t e m . norant of t is circu mstance and consi erin h Ig h , d g

no oo cou arise from an fu rt e r interview we neit e r g d ld y h . h crossed over to that side of the rive r where the natives

we re e ncam e nor ma e the least si ns to attract t eir p d. d g h

notice w ic must ave ve r m uc increase t eir , h h h y h d h

‘6 ‘ k s ourne to e olar Se B uc J y th P a.

0 3

r a om IR 16 3 F ST TO LAST.

a a . and a m cle r views t ken by Dr King , on c l reﬂection deny the gu ilt that lies at the

m al u of th e Ad ir ty door, nder the reign ‘7 — Admiral of the Black Se a l for it w as

u re ime t a a a nder his g h t the cold , p thetic neglect took place ; an d m any that heard

’ u e l m m m an Dr . King s lect r s wi l re e ber the y predictions that since 1 849 have come tr ue respecting th e fate of Franklin ; and that

ﬁ ﬁ for by the jobbing sel shness , the ghting — honou rs poor Franklin would be left in

run fa of a a the long to his te to die st rv tion .

’ In the annals of w cu lpability

a k u . n this is the bl c est pict re . Dr Ki g pointed ou t the ease w ith which comm u nication

ou m a b a to c ld be de y Gre t Fish River, — those going ou t in search by se a and all

s m u ine x the e were so si ple in the sing, so

a a u a pensive , th t no b rrier co ld h ve been mad b u t a u of a - e , the dire je lo sy self con c eite d of m e n m u a body , who st h ve their own w ays a nd ignorant theories against the energetic and practical views of m e n of e a m u as xp nded ind , s ch Dr . King. His

n l a u writi gs now wi l be v l ed by every good , u u m e a b u t a nprej diced ind who r ds ; , las !

‘ 7 m ira De ans Du n Ad l das. 164 TH E FRAN KLI N EXPEDITION

’ f u am r u like the rotten ood nder the s e le , it

u a and a me n l will be q shed , de d tel no

’ a t t les , or woe be ide those who were in power when The Franklin Expedition left on their

’ -f a of a . a ill ted trip The tin c ses c rrion ,

f of a n h u n like the kni e the sl yer, lyi g in

r an d u a u d eds , the tho s nds s nk since in the

a m u u oce n , to thinking inds is q ite eno gh .

Bu t a m e to ou t a , sir, llow point th t those m e n appear to be b u t a portion of

’ Franklin s crews ; for there cannot be a dou bt in my mind b u t they h ad div ided

m w a and the body, so e going one y

m a a if a w as so e nother, so th t, one p rty

u fu u f s ccess l , it wo ld send relie to the others ;

d u \Vh r a n that sho ld stim u late u s. ate ve h e m a n ow W a m a u y do , cost h t it y , tho gh m n n w a off the illio s , it will never , ever sh cru el stain that now blackens the Admiralty of I n ot W Lord John Ru ssell . do ish to Spe ak h arshly of m e n in ofﬁce ; b u t I c an not hide the tru th n ow or be afraid to speak ou t against those w h o have so recklessly d a a l m u u as isreg rded so e n d ty to the p blic , the a n and a ar y h ve do e , llowed p ties to inter fe e for va w I w as r pri te jobbing , hich know done (an d the Blu e Books c an shew several m a r m er 1 65 FROM s TO .

’ ma a o tters in corrobor tion f Dr . King s as as as a of sertions , well other c ses gross and cu lpable negligence in not sending ou t

men a i a w as and proper e rl er th n done) , the rejection of means an d plans offered to th e

m a b u t u n fﬁ a Ad ir lty ; with cold , ins lti g , o ci l

’ b u ﬁoone r e a a a y , thes pr ctic l phil nthropic m n e were coolly insulted and derided . How long con du ct su ch as this the British nation

u O u r will s bmit to remains to be seen . country is falling to piec es by party jobbing — ﬁlling places and appointing ofﬁcers from

’ ’ a a and -ou t m e n inc p bles old worn , kept on the staff when they ou ght to have retired

a —for ul even on pension , tr y , the pension

is b u t the ﬁrst and last expense .

u u Yo rs tr ly,

N D T H E UR A N one BE HI C T I .

' ’

ss l s l d mil Pa e r 2nd D ec . 54 . Ca el I laslra te F a y p ,

' H ad v a Dr . King s ser ices been ccepted m a u a by the Board of Ad ir lty , he wo ld h ve gone straight to w here the rem ains of The Frankh n Expedition h ave since been fou nd

— a at th e of th t he did not, lies door Sir

e r G o ge Back .

r a n r ra sr 16 o TO LAST . 7

if their Lordships would allow me to go by my old ro ute Great Fish River to at tempt to save hu m an life a second time ” of a on the shores the Pol r Se a . Though rather ou t of the scope of a

a u a of Medica l Medic l Jo rn l, the Editor the Times devoted a leading article in 1849 to

’ n a of la of a advoc cy Dr . King s p n going

a a f a down Gre t Fish River in se rch o Fr nklin . ‘ The time will come when su ch facts as these will convince even the most obstinate of Government ofﬁcials that the advice of medical me n cannot be disregarded with

ou t u i a a a f p bl c loss . There is gre t de l o tru th in the following remarks in the

Exa miner

The F renc sa o serves the a e writer “ t at h y , b bl . h the medical profession has achie ve d for its elf no

a e uate onour or re utation in n an . In France d q h p E gl d ,

u rin th e ast a f-ce ntu r t ere is no ounci oar d g l h l y , h C l B d . n o A ministration no Societ in w ic the me ica d , y, h h d l profession has not found its e lf represente d whether at the ou t of the Soverei n or amon the ee ra e or in C r g , g P g .

of the nstitu te e ir the Legislature . Physicians I tak the place naturally among the ﬁrst of the land . Their vie ws t eir iscov e ries t e ir cu res t eir rofessiona , h d , h . h p l i eas and su estions must be iste ne to cannot be d gg , l d , ne lecte and may never be treate as in trusive g d. d 1 68 T H E FRAN KLIN EXPEDITION

had Na o e on fewe r sicians and sur eons for frien s p l phy g d , coun ci ors and i nitarie s of State than he had of an ll , d g , y

f B t in n an all s ot er ro e ssion . u uc in te re sts h p E gl d , h

ﬁnd t e mse ves eit er u nre rese nte or not re resente h l h p d , p d

wort i and the est of h er sicians is oo on to h ly , b phy g d ly

he i h amass m on e or at t est et a arone tc . W at y , h g g b y h importa n t or salutary medical in ﬂuence has made itself felt in the public administration since the wou n ds of

ater oo wei' s eale an d w e re in all t ose ears W l h d h , h y ,

e xce t to orn or s or aron e ts ave we h ad th p b l d b , h e means of looking for sanitary wisdom or sugge stion

F or answer we are referre to th e w o e histor of , d h l y our

e ica a min istrat i sanitary and m d l d on . Provide d on ly a

m an be orn aron et or or we are rea to b b l d , dy ac cept him for a born scavenger and born physician as well ; n or can any amoun t of scien ce or learning be e steemed

r mou nt in our re ar e xce t th e science of pa a g d , p address

in and mana in constitu en cies or the n g g g , k ack of ” palav e ring either House .

The absolu te necessity of sending an expedition to the m ou th of Grea t Fish

w as now and as a River evident , , it ppeared to m e to be not possible that the Board of Admiralty cou ld by any pretext whatever pass m e over as the person best ﬁtted to

search Point Ogle an d Montreal Islan d for

th e re m a of a a ins The Fr nklin P rty , seeing

that I h ad always m arked ou t that spot as

a a of a I l st resting pl ce the p rty, for M R T 1 FRO FI S TO LAST . 69

a t r of A m a w rded to the Firs Lo d the d ir lty,

Si r am a am as l a as J es Gr h , with litt e del y

a of of m possible , copy the whole y corre spondence with the Government on the fate of a a a u the g ll nt dvent rers , together with f the ollowing note .

To the ecreta r to the A dmira lt S y y .

—I a of m Sir, beg to enclose copy y correspondence with the Government on the Fate of The Franklin It is my intention immedia tely to offer m a a y services to the Coloni l Bo rd , to descend Grea t Fish River in search of the remains of a and if a The Fr nklin Expedition ; , th t

a ff Bo rd declines the o er, then to the

m a A d ir lty Board.

I a u h ve the hono r to be,

u fa fu l a Yo r ith serv nt, ' N 1 7 Sarita R ow 96 October 6 4 . RIC ARD G. , , , H KI

And in order still fu rther to impress my Lor ds Commissioners of the A dmiralty with the position in which I stood in relation to th e a la u al a m Gre t Po r Q estion , I so tr ns itted

Se e ac for Corres on ence . 5 to 82. h k p d , p P

1 62 TH E F R AN KLIN E XPEDI'rIO N

sus i ions of our amica e in t n O p c bl e tions. n leavin g the rapids a n umber of iron hoops were place d on a pile of

stone s to e t er wit ri an s of various co ours aw s , g h h b d l , l ,

ﬁsh - oo s rass rin s an d ea s w ic of cou rse h k , b g , b d , h h , ,

wou be construe into treac er on our art for the ld d h y p , p urpose of alluring them across the river that they might

D urin th e fall an eas ier prey . g whole of th e 23rd

A u u st the s uimau x we re istinct seen th e aid of g E q d ly , by our te esco es watc in ou r m otion s and i in l p , h g h d g their ” kie a cks can oes the si n of war y ( ) g .

u st 29 h A t a e Ma A ug t . L k cdougall several fresh mar s ti e wit n ew - a t ere moss we re erc k , pp d h ly g h d , p ep tible on shore ; we landed an d foun d se vera l tracks of m e n and o s im rinte on th e san We had d g p d d . scarcely e mbar e w en the s uimaux s ow raise t emse ves k d , h E q l ly d h l

itt e furt er n from behind the rocks . A l l h o we c am e in si ht of te n tents surroun e and g , d d ch i ren a to et er amountin to a i ht ld , l g h g g y so s Th women an d chi re n ﬂed t ul . e ld y o the roc s for rotection but the m e n awaite us a on the k p , d l g shore u tteri n some u ninte i i e words and ma in , g ll g bl , k g

n as th e form r th e same frien dly motio s e party . Sir Ge orge Back de cline d the intervie w as was his practice

—tactics n ow t at we are aware of the unfort unate , h attac u on th e ﬁrst art th e ver worst t at cou k p p y , y h ld

T is was the ast time t e se h ave bee n adopted . h l h pe ople were seen and it is mu c to be feare we eft t e m wit , h d l h h a ve ry unfavourable impression

To th e E ditor of th e S un 28 th O c tob er 1 , , 8 5 4 .

— Can an a a m a Sir, y pr ctic l ind re d the

4 6 Narrative of a ou rn e down Gre a Fi h j y t s River, in se ar ch of -- - ir ohn Boss in 1833 4 6. Dr. Kin . Vol. ii. 66 67 s J , By g , pp . . R R To 16 3 F OM FI ST LAST.

a a . and alm cle r views t ken by Dr King , on c reﬂection deny th e gu ilt that lies at the

m al u of Ad ir ty door, nder the reign the " — Admiral of the Black Se a l for it w as

u r e ime a a a e nder his g th t the cold , p th tic neglect took place ; an d m any that heard

’ u m m m Dr . King s lect res will re e ber the any predictions that since 1 849 have come tru e respecting the fate of Franklin ; and that

ﬁ ﬁ for by the jobbing sel shness , the ghting — honou rs poor Franklin wou ld be left in

r un fa of s a a n the long to his te to die t rv tio .

’ In the annals of the Admiralty cu lpability

u this is the blackest pict re . Dr. King pointed ou t the ease with which comm unication

u m a b a to co ld be de y Gre t Fish River, - those going ou t in search by se a and all

m us in these were so si ple in the ing , so e x

a b arric r u a pensive, th t no co ld h ve been m a b u t a u of a - de , the dire je lo sy self con c eite d of men mu a body , who st h ve their own ways and ignorant theories against the energe tic a nd practical views of m e n of

a m u as exp nded ind , s ch Dr. King. His

ll a u writings now wi be v l ed by every good , u r u i m a b u t a as np ej d ced ind who re ds ; , l !

7 ‘ r D Admi al ei ns Duu das .

R IR T o 16 3 F OM F ST LAST.

ea a . and alm cl r views t ken by Dr King , on c reﬂection deny the gu ilt that lies at the

mi al u of Ad r ty door, nder the reign the ‘7 — Admiral of the Black Se a l for it w as u r e ime ha a a nder his g t t the cold , p thetic neglect took place ; and m any that heard

’ u m m m a Dr . King s lect res will re e ber the ny predictions that since 1 849 have come tru e respecting the fate of Franklin ; and that

ﬁ ﬁ for by the jobbing sel shness , the ghting — honou rs poor Franklin would be left in

ru n fa of ta a n the long to his te to die s rv tio .

’ In the annals of the Admiralty cu lpability

u r i this is the blackest pict e . Dr. K ng pointed ou t th e ease with which comm u nication

u m a b a to co ld be de y Gre t Fish River, those goin g ou t in search by se a -and all

m e u in these were so Si pl in the sing , so e x

a no a u a pensive, th t b rrier co ld h ve be en m a b u t a u of a sel o de , the dire je lo sy f c on c eite d of me n m u a body , who st h ve their own ways and ignorant theories against the energe tic and practical views of m en of

a m u as exp nded ind , s ch Dr. King. His w a u ritings now will be v l ed by every good , u u m a b ut a nprej diced ind who re ds ; , las !

i Adm ral De i ns Du ndas . 1 72 TH E FR ANKLIN a R n ITION in the body of the narrative of Sir George

’ Back s Expedition will be fou nd the same tale which Captain Lyon told on his title page ; Sir John Ross retu rned after fou r

’ a r w u a a a s ye rs winte ing, itho t dv ncing tep towards the object in v iew ; Sir Edward Parry failed in his attempt to reach the Polar Se a by Regent Inlet ; Captain Beechy saw a Se a and a all and the Pol r , th t is ; Captain Bu chan w as not so fortu nate as

a a C pt in Beechy . To the rem aining three I call you r par — icu lar a . F irst a of t ttention , To th t the Isabella of 385 tons and the Alexander of

252 mma of Sir n tons, in co nd Joh Ross . ' Sir John Ross rou nded Bafﬁn Bay from East to West withou t discovering an

' ‘ Second — l o a of opening to the West. , th t the Hecla of 375 tons and the Griper of 1 80 s mm a of a ton , in co nd Sir Edw rd Parry with the same object in View as

a of u Sir John Ross . Inste d ro nding

afﬁ Ba w a a ma an B n y, Sir Ed rd P rry de attempt to cross the Atlantic in the

ara of 58 de and af ar in p llel g , terw ds

u b u t 73 . a a deg He s cceeded , the p ss ge

f a u w as one o gre t risk . The res lt of this R R T 3 F OM FI ST o LA ST . 1 7

Expedition everybody knows and appre

a Se a ciates . We became acqu ainted with f f d d o 3 1 . o u bou n e deg longit de , on the North by broken land called the North

a u and u a Georgi n Gro p, on the So th by B nks

La a u a am nd to the West , L nd witho t n e

a and m to the E st, North So erset between

Se a e an u the two . The betw en the L d witho t a name and North Somerset is called Regent

nl a m I et , while th t between North So erset ” nd a a t u a am a B nks L nd is wi ho t n e . — Third To that of the Fu ry and Hecla

mm a of Sir a a an d in co nd Edw rd P rry, ﬁtted ou t with the view of reaching Regent Inlet by some u nknown so u thern f commu nication rom Fox Channel . A

mm u a w as f u u co nic tion o nd , thro gh the a of s u ma u u and gency the E q i x , in the F ry

a a b u t was - Hecl Str it, it ice clogged .

m r m a a of Fro these p e ises , wh t is the st te

I shall shortly call the atte ntion of the Govern ment to the sta te of our eo ra ica nome nc atu re as g g ph l l , a test how far the Admiralty can any longer be tm sted If h with so important a func tion . t e Hydrographic

r se con Sebasto o it us al De partm e nt we e a d p l m t f l . I have got shot enou gh in th e locke r to smash (to use

' N ie r s a mira e e x ression t at e art . a men Sir C p d bl p ) h d p t . P 3

R R 1 7 F OM FI ST TO LAST . 5

h ad an a a of which e stern spect , while those

a an opposite charac ter were free . I h ve te sted this fact in connection with the movem ents of all the Polar Se a Expeditions

a a a 18 18 an d which h ve been set flo t since , I fin d that in every instance the difficulties

a f m am au rose ro the s e c se , the clinging to

a v an a as ma l nds ha ing e stern pect . It y be

as m m for fa are a a well to ention the , cts lw ys

i a ar worth record ng . Sir Edw rd P ry, in his

e ma a t m for two s cond expedition , de t e pts ,

u umm a as s ccessive s ers , to penetr te the e tern

n a of u and a a and e tr nce F ry Hecl Str it,

fa l d and i t i e ; , in his th rd expedi ion , he lost ” the Fu ry while pu shing his w ay along the

of m n eastern land North So erset. Sir Joh

Boss in w as ou r , his second expedition , f y ears adva ncing fou r miles alon g the same

a a and w as at a e stern l nd , l st obliged to

a a s a a and b ndon his ves el . C pt in Lyon

Sir a ma s a a u nsuc George B ck de, ep r tely,

cessful a m a ul Ba tte pts to re ch Rep se y, h which as an eastern aspect.

ma u e e a How , it y be inq ir d , is this g ner l

fﬁ u a ? i fr m di c lty to be voided By do ng , o

a afﬁ and experience , th t which B n Ross did

f m n a oa is ro i stinct, by t king the r d , which 1 76 TH E FRA N KLI N EXPED ITION — fairly open to u s the lands that have a

a fﬁ u western spect . The di c lty then is

a of ou r and cle rly one own seeking, no longer presents an insu rmou ntable barrier

a a to rctic rese rch .

18 18 ou a u a a a In , y p rtic l rly c lled ttention to the easterly cu rrent setting throu gh Beh

n a in a ﬁ and u ri g Str it the P ci c, the so therly current setting down Bafﬁn Bay in the

an an d ou u fe rr Atl tic, y , in conseq ence , in ed that there mu st be a northern connectin g f se a tw o a a . w as ac to the gre t oce ns It , in t, you r most powerfu l if not you r only lever

a a Se a n to set in motion Pol r Expeditio . Yet the absence of a cu rrent in Lancaster Sou nd and the Fu ry an d Hecla Stra it never seems for a moment to have su rprised

u m u a u a m a ou yo . By so e n cco nt ble e ns y have been m ost effectu ally drawn from you r

u a a original stronghold . It is q ite cle r th t the m aster mind h as not yet been at work

f a Se a on the su bject o Pol r Expeditions , and while the polar travellers are divided among themselves and while you are inten t

m a as u pon Regent Inlet , which y , with m u ch j u stice be called Barrow His Hole as James Bay w as called Gibbons His m ar 1 7? m m FIR ST TO .

and as a of e l Hole, the lower p rt Reg nt In et would most assu redly have been called had Sir John Ross done as Sir John Barrow

u s m a thinks he o ght, Ro s His Hole, the ster

mind is not likely to be brou ght to light . And n ow let m e call you r a ttention to the other service which h as been at work

u i pon this interest ng qu estion . I mean the

a a u f u fu m Pol r L nd Jo rneys , those r it l issions b u t for which you would have been deprived of one or other of you r favou rite Polar Se a

E A u of xpeditions . short s rvey the Polar Land Journeys will afford a stand of com

a la Se a and p rison with the Po r Expeditions ,

u u a develope the tr e position . The p blic tion

of a of ea F ur a for the tr vels H rne , the Tr der, ” are a ma which we indebted to French n , demonstra ted that the Polar Se a cou ld be

a a w a of a a a and re ched overl nd by y C n d , the su ccess which a ttended the ﬁrst Govern ment Jou rney prove d th at the opinion which

had f m was w a been or ed in every y correct . The distance between Coppermine River

and u a a as a Point T rn g in , Sir John Fr nklin n amed the point of his retrograde move

m w as u ma e n us ent, th s d k own to . A

“ La Perouse .

R 1 79 FR OM FI ST TO LAST.

le sser pu zzles which I have mentioned . It

th e la u of an n is not so with bo rs Fr kli ,

a and m f Rich rdson , Si pson ; the ooting they ma m a n u de is per ne t, while Croker Mo n “ a a an d a a t ins h ve dissolved , isl nds thre ten

and i a to be continents , cont nents isl nds , the

of natu ral consequ ence discovery in ships . H ad you advocated in favou r of th e Polar Land Jou rneys w ith a tithe of the zeal you h ave th e Polar Sea Expeditions the North-West Passage wou ld h ave long

a a m and a of since ce sed to be proble , , inste d

a a ou u a a B ronetcy, y wo ld deserve Peer ge, for the cou ntry would have been saved at

Bu t least two hu ndr ed thou sand pou nds . what u se h ave you made of th e Polar Land Jou rneys ? Y ou have invariably m ade u se

of m u a a Se a i the to stir p Pol r Expedit on ,

w hich if a x m , it ce sed not to e ist in e bryo ,

5' Mr ro After . C er Se cr etar to th e A mira t k , y d l y .

afterwar s name arrow Strait afte r Sir o n arrow d d B . J h B , The original dispatch to the A dmiraltv had these words ;

sai e over ro e r Mountains and ca e the ac e l d C k . ll d pl " o Barr w Strait . This was a great bit of Sir Edward Parry to those who kne w the antagonis m existing

etwee n Sir o n arrow an d r ro n th b J h B M . C ker o e on e

an and Sir o n Ross and Sir war arr on the h d . J h Ed d P y

t er o h . 180 TH E FRAN KLIN EXPED ITIO N as w as th e case with the expeditions u nder

mma of a a o the co nd respectively C pt in Ly n ,

a a and a C pt in Beechy , Sir George B ck , it h ad b u t a h u f If s ort ninteresting li e . you are a a u u ou re lly in e rnest pon this s bject, y h ave b u t one cou rse to pu rsu e ; search for

u and a u h ou ﬁn d the tr th , v l e it w en y it .

f u a Sea and Another r itless Pol r Expedition , f u a u if r itless it will ss redly be, not well

a a n th e a digested , will be l sti g blot in nnals “ r a of of ou voy ges discovery .

a u I h ve the hono r to be , Sir,

Y u fa fu a o r ith l serv nt ,

’

vile R ow 21 December 44 . R AR D K 1 7 Sa N . , , , ICH I G

he cre ta to the A dmira lt To t S e ry y .

— I m of 2l st of Sir, revert to y letter the

a a are December . The Pol r Tr vellers pretty w ell agreed as to the northern bou ndary of A merica from Behrin g Strait to Great

u ar m h Fish River Est y . Fro t is spot to

u a and of h Melville Penins l , to the north t is

hia tus all u . u th e , is conject re S ch being

a u an a c se , I vent re opinion th t North

5‘ n —It A nd a fruitless Expedition it tur ed out .

Sir eor e ac and desi nate was commande d by G g B k , g d

- h Te rror . The ill starred Voyage in t e R F IR sT To LAs 1 81 F OM T .

Somerset is a part of the m ain continent of “ m a and a a a a A eric , th t Victori L nd , B nks

a and a a are of L nd , Woll ston L nd , portions an v a an a a of extensi e isl nd , or rchipel go “ a a isl nds , which , with the North Georgi n

u u a a th e Gro p , occ py centr l position in

Polar Se a. The Atlantic ou tlet of the Pola r basin is u r are th s divided . In other wo ds , there

- s a e two North West Pa sages . Th t betwe n the oce anic grou p an d the c ontinent of

m a at a m a A eric , which , its e stern li it, is c lled Barrow Strait h as alone been explored an d i m ” - is st ll inco plete . A small se a w ay re mains to be discovered in the direction of

u l Great Fish River Est ary. It wi l be f u as o nd , I believe,w hing the western shore of m s a North So er et The Northern Str it , as a am for I h ve n ed it present convenience , h as an u l all a i o t et, in prob bil ty, in Jones

5" Su se u e nt est a is ed an d for w ic S ir o n b q ly bl h , h h J h

v » Ross obtaine d a good ser ice pe nsion of £3 00 a year . “0 It has lately been de te rmined that these bits of

an as t e were w en wrote are ortions of an l d , h y h I , p archipelago of islands occu pying a cen tral position in the Polar Sea .

T is a so has rove correct se e on es Soun and h l p d , J d,

rr w trait in c r Ba o S ha t.

1 83 FR OM FI R ST To EM .

E a a u Sir dw rd P rry, who discovered F ry

and c a a and h as He l Str it, it not been

m h as a visited since his ti e , distinctly st ted

u a a there is no c rrent in th t Str it . Sir John Ross ha s pu blished an Esqu imau x chart of North Somerset wherein it is

i u a shewn to be a Pen ns l . That you will say rests u pon Indian inform ation ; it

and did of a does , so the existence the Pol r

Se a u r and a a a , F y Hecl Str it, Boothi

mu and l n n u a . Isth s , Melvil e Pe i s l And who dou bts the accu rac y of these Polar ﬁshermen in these respects ? On the con

trar a a y, their geogr phic l knowledge is the f a m a o o . ou d ir ti n the world Are y , then, j u stiﬁed in doubtin g them in this solitary ” — instance ! The same woma n women are — th e geographers at the Pole who ﬁgu red

a a a m u mu of th t extr ordin ry isth s , the Isth s

a ﬁ u a a ou Boothi , g red th t l nd over which y

re a m a u a tte pting to throw do bt . When I

n e 1 836 ou f co t nded this point in , y re erred ’ ” to Sir George Back s decided opin ion of

inea Societ in the ﬁrst instance and foun t em p l y , d h adve rse .

' Bach s Narrative 408 . p . . 1 84 TH E FR ANKLIN E XPED ITION the term ination of the e astern bou n dary of

a u a at a H a Gre t Fish River Est ry C pe y ,

w f a a mm a to in hich belie the g ll nt co nder , do honou r to the Earl of Ripon the chief

r m of the u am an s an p o oter Jo rney, n ed i l d

off a a A a ! a e lying the C pe , Ripon Isl nd . l s C p

H a h as m a and n y now lost its i port nce , Ripo

a n ot in H is Isl nd is existence . lordship h as a at a no resting pl ce the Pole . C pe Bri ” a a u e s a of a t nni occ pi the pl ce Ripon Isl nd , and you are thu s inform ed by that great t ra

l m e a all a vel er, Si pson , whose d th deplore , th t “ as r and a a w as I w ight . th t Sir George B ck

n w as m ar fu f wro g . Sir John Ross ore c e l o - ff a n o . H e his p tro , ex sheri Sir Felix B oth

a him a 1 a g ve six ch nces ; , Boothi Felix ;

2 u f of a 3 mu of a , G l Boothi ; , Isth s Boothi ;

R i on slan ex u n e from the c art in 1 8 3 9 p I d , p g d h ,

4 Th mir t um s u Jim Grow in 1 85 . e A a ma j p p d l y y , from th eir inefﬁcie n c ower n an in th e sca e y , l E gl d l of nations an d t e are fast oin it and wi su c ce e , h y d g , ll d if t at en urin anim a o n u ies mu c on e r i h d g l , J h B ll , l h l g n a state of tor or bu t t e sha ll not out of m p , h y , e re bra va do ive e xiste n ce to an islan t at oes n , g d h d ot

e xist .

“2 ’ l II 2 Kin s Narrative vo . 6 . g , , p R R To 1 85 F OM FI ST LAST .

’ 4 a 5 a u 6 ff , Boothi ns ; , Felix H rbo r ; , Sheri s

There is yet another important point

m m fa u which Si pson decided in y vo r, which I mention as serving to pu t a valu e u pon th e oonjec ture s I have ventu red The Grea t Bay discovered by Simpson in 1839 w as supposed by me to exist in and which indu ced me to be so sangu ine of su ccess as to volunteer to the Secretary of State for

n for m a aft the Colo ies the ti e being , ye r er

a u a u u as m s ye r , to cond ct jo rney s ch Si p on “ u and u s fu a ou t for ndertook s cce s lly c rried ; , if several j u tting points of land had occupied

a of a b a a b u t the Sp ce th t y, not one se son se veral seasons would have been requ ired for u its s rvey . Sir F elix Booth was Sheriff of London at the

f v r period o the disco e y .

Ki s Narrative v ol. ii . 77 . ng , , p

‘5 The Hudson Bay Company received from th e

ritis overnment as a re war for a o tin m B h G , d d p g y — - plan of a Polar Land Jou rney which was pre e minen tly — suc cessful and as a sop in the p a n for eclipsing the ir

— ~ Polar Sea Expedition which was pre e minen tly u n — succe ssful and e ntitled th e Ill starre d v oyage in " the Terror -a arone tc for t eir c airman Sir o n , b y h h , J h

enr e l and a ni t oo for t eir mana e r H y P l y , k gh h d h g , m Sir George Si pson .

T o 7 FR OM FIR ST LAST . 18

ri e th atmu st ha a a m a ag s ve t ken pl ce , so ewh t in m a an d u m and a u nners c sto s , th t conseq ently

h a f a u and they d ollowed nother ro te , the

most likely ro u te is that of the drift wood . I cannot b u t believe that many members of the Esqu imau x family rem ain to be dis

and a t e f u n covered , th t h y will be o nd li ing

of u the shores the s pposed Northern Strait .

m e m u Now, let not be is nderstood . Altho ugh I am contending for a Polar Land

u am me a u of u t Jo rney , I by no ns desiro s p a th e a Sea i ting stop to Pol r Expedit on , which it appears Govern ment h as u nder its

m a l n consideration. Let the s i a d prosper if they can ; I only wish to point ou t what

m me aft m a ur u the see s to , er t e st dy, to be

am mi b u if a . t right p th I no econo st , thousands of po u nds are to be spent let u s have a good investment ; and th e only safe m m invest ent in y opinion is in 8. Pol ar Lau d

u . a I a u m a Jo rney In third letter , Sh ll s b it plan for the discovery of the North-west

a a a the - a a P ss ge , or r ther North west P ss ges ,

a u n by a Polar L nd Jo r ey . It is a sou rce of deep regret that I am obliged thu s pu blicly

a s ou bu t m to ddre s y , it is y only hope of

tai a a s a Ob ning he ring, eeing th t since 1836 188 TH E FR AN KLIN EXPEDITION

I have incessantly been labou ring in vain

am a to that end . I the better ble to

a f m au do this now th n or erly, bec se the reﬂection can no longer be cast u pon m e that it is from interested motives an d not f ” from a love o science .

a u I h ve the hono r to be Sir,

u fa fu a Yo r ith l serv nt,

’ w a m 4 5 R H R D K N . 1 7 Savile R o 8 J . A , , , IC I G

To the S ecretar to the A dmira l y ty .

SIR — In u m a a for , s b itting pl n the ex ploration of the northern coast of North

m a and a a a a A eric , the isl nds dj cent, I sc rcely

w w for if kno here to begin , I consider the explorers at once at their startin g point in the heart of the cou ntry I shall have Sir John

“ “ a as 1 836 a m a Fr nklin , in , c lling it e gre ; and if I minu tely describe the inw ard rou te I shall merit the charge of m aking a long

s story . Conci eness in condu cting a Polar

u r and Jo ney , in reporting it , is so essential to the traveller that I prefer to come u nder

’ Sir a as and a a John Fr nklin s l h ; , by nticip

f him own a a tion , re er to his n rr tive or to that of Sir Alexander Mackenzie for a

68 8 6 6 Annals of Philosophy . R IR To 1 F OM F ST LAST . 89

minu te description of the well-known rou te f m r a a a a ro Mont e l to Ath b sc . I propose that a party of two ofﬁce rs — one being of the medical profession a boat

a and 1 3 me n fu u for c rpenter, lly eq ipped

u a a Ca the service , sho ld le ve Montre l in nada su fﬁciently early to rea ch the Atha

a a a u a f a a b sc L ke in J ly . Here h l the b gg ge

u led and a a and Sho ld be , the bo t c rpenter

m e n u mai u two Sho ld re n , in order to b ild

a a 28 f an u a of bo t eet long , occ p tion three

u weeks . The explorers sho ld then proceed to the head waters of th e Fish River to ﬁx u an an d pon eligible position to winter, the inner man as well as the ou ter man Shou ld

a u be t ken into consideration . The ro te to the Fish River from the Athabasca Lake is

a and Fu r a well known to the Indi ns Tr ders ,

’ and is minu tely described in King s Jou rney to the Polar Se a by Grea t

fﬁ and ﬁve me n Fish River . One o cer ,

i an a u u u w th Indi n g ide , sho ld then ret rn

a a a a and a to the Ath b sc L ke, , h ving des pa tched the boat ca rpenter with the Indian gu ide and the two me n to the ﬁ sh R iver

a u a a p rty, there to b ild second bo t , proceed in the - ui at via a and newly b lt bo , the Sl ve

S 1 FROM FIR ST To LA T . 91

a m Ri son , their bo t to Copper ine ver, and the eastern party their boa t to Gr eat

as are Fish River . As soon these rivers

e the a i m u op n p rt es st be in progress , the

for a a a a as one C pe Brit nni , or Ripon Isl nd

w as n al an d r for t a it o ce c led , the othe Vic ori Land ; th e one to ascertain the connection of th e ma an h a of m inl d with t t North So erset ,

i u a and if f m or with Melville Pen ns l , , the or er, the character of its western shore ; and th e other to trace Victoria Land westerly with the view of testing its val u e relatively to

- - a a the North West P ss ge .

If am f m u d Ba I rightly in or ed , the H son y Company have already despatched on e of

R ae an a u n their clerks , Mr. , on overl ndjo r ey, for the pu rpose of m aking the su rvey which I propose for the eastern party This is a n

fa if u b u t m a interesting ct, tr e , it by no e ns sets aside th e necessity for a Polar Land

u r for th e a a of Jo ney ; , on rriv l the explorers

at a a a if u f u a the Ath b sc , it sho ld be o nd th t

R ae as . h u c fu Mr been wholly s cess l , then ,

a of a u u inste d one , two bo ts Sho ld be b ilt

e and a ad of a a ther , the p rties , inste sep r ting , shou ld w inter together at Great Bear Lake ;

and a h n a a u , on re c i g Victori L nd , t rn the 1 92 TH E FR A N KLI N EXPEDITION

w of a e a an d a s pro s their bo ts st west, so to dou ble the pow er employed in solving th e

a m a gre t proble in th t direction . To enter fu rthe r into detail is u nnecessary u ntil the

m u b u t service is deter ined pon , in order that my ability to su pply th e minu test detail m ay n ot b e qu e stione d I take leave to state th a t I le d the mission in search of Sir John Ross

into b u t out o a not only f the Pol r Regions .

’ In Q u een Elizabeth s time the North West Passage problem w as considered of su fﬁcie nt importance to dem and the atten

on of mm a ti co issioners expressly ppointed . If Q u een Victoria will follow the steps of Q u e en Elizabe th I will u ndertake to prove

th e a a of an pr ctic bility the pl here proposed , an d th e impracticability of the plan pro t ﬁ pose d by th e Admiral y . The rst report th at reached England of the last of the Polar Se a Expeditions le d th e Admiralty to ” au ge r favou rably of its su c cess . I au gu red

ff n an d u s m au u ra . di ere tly , p bli hed y g

w as su se u n e a tion . It b q e tly d sign ted the e‘ ” Ill-starred voyage in th e Te rror i It h as been considered essential to have - the cordial c o operation of the Hu dson

69 In command of Sir George Back . O To FR M FIRST LAST . 1 93

Ba m a all a u y Co p ny in overl nd jo rneys. I do not know whe ther the Admiralty have

n u al o t u i co s lted the Roy S cie y pon th s point ,

b ut am a r if c om I prep red to p ove, the mander of an overland journey su ch as I propose should entir ely depend u pon the

cc- a of m a oper tion the co p ny, he is wholly ” u fi for mm m a n t the co and . It y even be thou ght satisfactory to find the Hu dson Bay Company at last endea vou ring to fu lfil the engagement they entered into in obtain ” in i a as a F ur om an a g the r ch rter C p y, th t

7° S ir Geo im o M n o who r e S s n se nt to r . A ers n g p d ,

ate escen e reat Fis River t ree ro uois and l ly d d d G h , h I q ,

but for t em he sa s he cou not ave maste re t at h , y , ld h d h

e Of co it was r u ois imp tuous stream . urse not ; I oq I

inten e to ta e and t us to be entire in e e n ent d d k , h ly d p d

of o n the C mpa y . 7‘ ereas our ear entire e ove cousin rince Wh d ly b l d , P

R u n rea t cost d e rt & & . at t eir ow an c . c ave p , , h , h g

c ar es u n erta en an ex e ition for u son Ba h g , d k p d H d y,

in W v f a the N . of Ame rica for the isco er o . parts d y

new ass e into ou S A nd w ereas p ag the S th ea. h the sa id u ndertake rs for their further encouragement in the said des ign have humbly besought us to incorporate

t em and rant unto t e m an d t eir su ccessors the h , g h h

w o e trade and comme rce of all t ose seas straits and h l h , , bu s rivers a es cree s an d soun s in w ats oe ver y . , l k , k , d , h B

' FR OM FIBBI TO LABB. 1 95

ame t f el an t ma er the g s er, who e s in i te p su asion that if he cou ld only hold ou t for

one m r a f u u u ore t i l, ort ne wo ld t rn to the Sir John Barrow tried yet once more ; and the e leventh nav al expe dition was l u in mma of Sir reso ved pon , co nd

r a Ge o ge B ck. Sir John Barrow must have been a cock ﬁ hte r da g in his y, hence his disposition to pit one animal against another ; for ia ” a Pa r v a st nce, r y Ross , Ross . Ross , B ck “ w n King . Sir John Barrow as ot phy

‘ siognomist en ough to play so desperate a

am o it and n com g e , so he l st on every p , the plete d his Polar insolvency by persu ading Franklin to go an d form the nucleus of ” an iceberg ; a man who h ad highly (118 tingnishe d himself in the condu ct of Polar

’ Tim , 1 Feb . 66 .

N e —A nice hash Sir John Barrow Uncle and eph w.

of t ese anima s—t e ave not et on e ﬁ tin made h l h y h y d gh g, ” - is - although the cock pit itself a by gon e .

‘ This cock-ﬁghtin gaﬁair will scarcely be inte lligible ir to those who have not made Polar matte rs the study . i I told Sir John Barrow publicly at the time Fran kl n saile d that he was se nding him to form the m ain s of 196 TH E FR ANKLIN EXPEDITION

a u n s and was ns u tl L nd Jo r ey , co eq en y wholly u nﬁtte d for Polar Se a Expeditions.

u m a f m of u e Yo ng Ad ir lty, in the or Bl ” a a a f m m e for s ul J cket, t ke w rning ro , I ho d

a ma and a a if h ve been s shed over over g in , ,

a w N orth P ole h ad en in de ling ith the , I be

r a a dealing with my da i b e d. Be p r ticu larly ignorant in all you r dealings w ith M P f h au . . . or t e Sir M rice F . F Berkley , , Board of Admiralty in these days is as m u ch his B oa rd as the Board of Admiralty

’ in a w s a s w as his Boa rd Sir John B rro d y . k M P au r . . ou In Sir M ice F F . Ber ley, . , y

a e u a of ar h v the co nterp rt Sir John B row , w a ff a n ith this v st di erence, th t he is e tirely de ﬁcient in those qu aliﬁcations which ren

ar a man S dered Sir John B row the gre t . ir John Barrow possessed strong affections and

a an d a u m and ou high t lents cq ire ents , c ld love and ha te au , while Sir M rice F . F . M . P n ha d ha t . ca te an e Berkley, , only .

’ ow m a 26th 54 N rk , on the October, , I informed the Admiralty I was preparing a plan to be su bmitted to them in search of The Franklin R emains ; that w as on a

n a O n f n u Wed esd y. the ollowi g T esday morning this letter in real print in th e o S 1 97 FR OM FIRST T LA T.

es m a s Titti appeared to y stoni hed eyes,

h R ae a o l Oc t. 0 . signed Jo n , T vistock H te , 3

ma a himsel in Dr . R ae de and mess of f ” ff a c u s of re lics writing two di erent c o nt his , and now he makes a sad mess of the A d mira l u is etter H e w in p blishing th l . state s It may interest you r readers to learn that two overland journeys h ave

u — th e a been decided pon one , in bo ts to

a n i a go down the M cke zie R ver, in se rch

of a ai n the a es C pt n Collinso , other , in c no

G a Ri er m a fu down re t Fish v , to ke rther ’ inq uiry into the fate of Sir John Franklin s

l and n a ur a m peop e, to e de vo to obt in so e

m r and u an of ma ore elics, sho ld y the re ins

f u a m e u be o nd , to pl ce the dec ntly nder

u u a w as gro nd . Abo t noon on Frid y , it

' arranged by the Lord s Commissioners of the Admiralty that these expedition s should be left wholly in the hands of the Hu dson Bay Then le t Sir James Graham excu se himself

if c an for me a u a he writing , on the S t rd y, one of the ste reotyped letters of the A d

miralt merel a cknowled in y, y g g the receipt

7" ' Ti e m s, 8 1 Oct , 55 .

R 3

S To 1 99 FROM FIR T LAST.

‘ On the 80th u 55 at the ra i s e ow La e J ly, , p d b l k

were seen on the

osite s ore and s ort afte r an e er man crow e Opp h , h ly ld ly d

to us . Afte r the orta e was ma e we crosse over p g d , d , and immedia w perce ived various articles belonging to a oat suc as te nt o es and ka ack ad les ma e ou t b , h p l y p d d of ash oars ieces of ma o an elm oak and ine , p h g y , , , p also co er and ee t iron oi ers tin sou tureens pp Sh b l , p ,

ieces of instruments a e tte r ni wit the ate 1 848 p , l p h d ,

a ro e n an saw c ise s &c . On one man was at b k h d , h l , ly the o es but the women who were ver inte li ent l dg , , y l g , ma e u s u n e rsta n b wor s and i ns t at t ese d d d y d S g , h h artic es came from a oat and the w ite me n be on in l b , h l g g to it had died of starvation .

We of course chewin them oo s and written , , by g b k

a ers en eavoured to ascerta in if t e ossesse an p p , d h y p d y

' a ers oﬂe rin to ive t em en t of the oo s we p p , g g h pl y g d had wit us for t e m but t ou t e evi en t h h ; , h gh h y d ly un e rs too us t e sai t e had none T e did not d d , h y d h y . h y scru e to s ew u s all t i Besi es pl h heir h dden treasures . d

h man r t e t e e were t ree women and ei t children . , h h gh

Th e re main er of the art two men and t re e a s d p y, h l d , w w v n ere se en to ards e e ing .

oint eaufort as rea e on he Sla We P B w ch d t t. we re et ain h i - w e e ex t o m . d d the re t n t day ll half past t p. W . v by a S gale . We then took the tra ers e to Montreal

Island . To seaward the ice appeared perfectly ﬁrm m d k Imbro en .

en about thre e mi es from the s an a ar e Wh l I l d, l g stream of ice was Observed coming at a great rate before the wind and tide out of Elliott Bay and the other

no 1 r a ou m er LAST . 20

searc ma e over the w o e s an not a vesti e of the h d h l I l d, g remains of our unfortunate countrymen could be dis

‘ Ou the oth Au ust 55 we su ccee e in crossin g , , d d g over to the western main an o osite to Montrea l d , pp l

s an and the w o e art was em o e in ma in a I l d , h l p y pl y d k g most minute searc as far as the oint of iott Ba h p Ell y, een and also to the north ward . The whole Coast betw Mon treal Island and Point Fechel was searched by a

land art a wa s accom anie Mr . Stewart or p y , l y p d by m s f M n ver old s u ux ts ere y el . a y y E q ima en campmen w

seen bu t not a trace of the ar . , p ty

' ar on the 7th Au us t 55 the entire art E ly g , , p y. wit the e xce tion of two of the Iro uois who were h p q , left to re air the canoes started in l ht marchin trim p , ig g , t i th Halk iv m n fol owe ak ng e et boat with us. F e e l d all the sinuosities of the coast w i e the ot ers were . h l h s rea at e ua is a i n r S e ar m t nces n a M . t w t p d q l d l d, d m se f ta in the mid Sh ft r leavin y l k g dle space . ortly a e g the en campment a river was forded ; this must be a ar e stream at a i sta e w It was ca e d l g h gh g of ater . ll '

Le misieurier River af r v S wart s. te a re a ti e of Mr. te , l

No fu e was foun in ur encam me nts and in two l d o p , The hours we left all signs of vegetation behind. remainder of the Pen insu la is composed of high

san ills inte rsecte ee va e s evi en t over dh d by d p ll y , d ly

we at s rin ti es an in ﬂo d p g d d d ur g gales .

We en cam e ate o osite Maconoc ie s an p d l pp h I l d, m d th e only vestige of the missing party found was a

small iec e of cod-ine and a stri of stri e cotton p l , p p d l about two inches ong and an inch broad . These were 202 m s FRA NKLIN EXPED ITION

foun at oint O e in an s uimaux enca ent of d P gl , E q u

r f perhaps th ee or four years O age . Next morning a piece of open water enabled us to aunc the H alk et oat and ex ore Maconochie l h b , pl

Is an bu t n othin was foun . It was im ossi e to l d , g d p bl cross over to oint R ic ar son as wished the ice P h d , I , driving throu gh the strait between it and Maconochie ’ s an f rf ra A out t ree c oc in the I l d at a ea ul te . b h O l k afte rnoon we began to retrace our steps through a

m n an rain It ma be t ou t tre e dous storm of wind d . y h gh strange that the remains of so large a party could not

i in be d scovered . It is my Opinion that a party a starvin con ition wou ave c osen a low s ot w ere g d ld h h p , h they could haul their boat up and have had some s e ter and t at if t e eris ed t ere t eir ones h l ; h , h y p h h , h b have been long since covered by sand or gravel forced ” h A n r a rs eft o en wou be up by t e ice . y books o p pe l p ld destroyed by the perpetual winds and rain in this

uarter in a ver short s a e of time for instance a q y p c ; ,

’ ar e oo Ra er s Navi ation was eft o en on a l g b k , p g , l p c oa at Mon trea s an it was own en and the l k l I l d ; bl Op ,

eaves were atterin a out in suc a wa t at had it l p g b h y h , n ot een instant c ose it wou soon ave e en torn b ly l d , ld h b in i e p ec s .

N C F . AM AND R SO . J E S E ,

79 h is noti i f b entertaine e si e s i T on s ar too ab surd to e d . B d t doe s not ac cou nt for th e absence of all remains of th e ﬁve that ied at d Montre al Island. raox mm 3 20 1 0 LAST . 3

The Ewaminer notices this jou rney with

All that is ever likely to be told us of the closing scene Of the great tra gedy which ends the history of

Arctic ex oration we now now. It is now a so pl , k b lutely certain t at had atte ntion e en ai h h , b p d to t e representa

tions and entreaties of Dr. in ers iste in him K g, p d by so ear as 1 847 searc wou t en ave een m in ly , h ld h h b ade the ri t irection and t ere wou sti ave een a gh d , h ld ll h b chance for the survivors who in 1 850 reached the at he mout of the Great Fis River— coast t h h to die .

R had un erstoo the s uimaux Dr. ae d d E q to mean Mon trea s an and oint O e n ear it as the aces l I l d , P gl , pl

i n e in 1 8 50 The e where the wh te me perish d . r ce nt search has dete rmined the locality beyon d dispute .

After a da or two of unsuccessfu ex oration on e of y l pl . the ﬁrst relics found was a part of one of the boats of

zhe Terror wit th e name of t at vesse ran e on , h h l b d d some tri es f t . The Esquimaux said that b urther

wit h had seen the s i s and new t em to ave een h p , k h h b

:rus e b the ice — n ew t em to av e met robabl h d y , k h h p y

in Victoria Straits in - 1 848 wit t at acci ent w ic , , h h d h h

’ within but a hair s breadth of escaping. Here too was

‘ f ment of a oat to te how for after suﬂerin and a rag b , ll , g toi at east one an of men esca in from the vesse s l , l b d p g l had ad vanced its efforts to reach to some one of the

northern stations of the Hudson Bay Compan y. There was found also on Montreal Island anothe r fragment of this boat on which the name of Sir John Franklin was

R R a s t 205 F OM FI ST TO L .

’ a a sad w as a Sir Wh t destiny Fr nklin s . James Ross cou ld not conceive any position in which he could be placed from which he would make for Great Fish River ; and

h n h a u Sir Jo Ric rdson did not think, nder an ums a u a m a y circ t nces , he wo ld tte pt th t rou te ; and yet these ofﬁcers were selected

the a Of a a a to be le ders se rching p rty, the

se a and a one by the other by l nd, the one

a a at a a h ving his st rting point B rrow Str it, and at a n i ia the other M cke z e River, with stru c tions m as u a to eet, so to cross the est ry of a a a fa a Gre t Fish River ; to ttr ct, in ct , e ch

w as o other. This not p ssible , seeing how

cha r ed and as m a b e they were g , , ight h ve e n

at a re elled ea expected , given point they p ch

and t u ta booed a Ex e other, h s The Fr nklin p

— a dition to de th . If this combined effort by sea and by — land h ad comprised a larger areas if the

of m a and descent Copper ine, Gre t Fish , Mackenzie Rivers h ad been made at one

nd am m and a a a the s e ti e, e ch p rty, on ma a Se a had u d king the Pol r , been instr cte

a a and to cross over to Victori L nd , then to

a a as ma m n a trace th t l nd , Tho s Si pso tr ced t o of m it , in the direc i n North So erset, it

8 206 TH E FRANKLIN a Ir ION would have comprise d a plan in accordan ce

the m a a a t and m t with e nest c p ci y, co ple ely netted the lost adventu re rs ; b ut to im agine for m m a men s u me one o ent th t two ho ld et, the starting points being Barrow Strait on

a and a i th e the one h nd, M ckenz e River on

a a a of n a O f other, displ yed st te ig or nce Polar difﬁculty that reﬂects no cre dit on

a e those who pl nned it , nor on thos who

u u ndertook to cond ct it. TO have entertain e d anything half so pre

n a f and a postero s , especi lly when li e de th — on a large scale was the sta l e w as an u tter recklessness su ch as the Admiralty

w a a a Of ma alone s c p ble . Tho s Simpson

a f m a z b u t f m st rted, not ro the M cken ie ro

m and h ad of the Copper ine , he three

m men him — a a a y best with , M ck y, Sincl ir,

and a — and a T ylor, yet the known physic l power and endu rance Of that e xtraor dinary man barely enabled him to reach h a . are Gre t Fis River These his words , written in indellible characters on the

—no cookin for a m an spot g, this gre t died

on u ma u his jo rney, with his n script in

h a u of a of nd . The s rvey the l nd North

m w as the ma of So erset, which in Object FR ' ou Fra sr re LAST . 207

’ t he r r ill-a e a u Ter o s st rr d Voy ge, wo ld nece ssarily de mand the whole time and

r es of a t r R n a a ene gi no he e ditio , h ving starting point mu ch nearer to the scene ” of Operations than Coppermine River ?

’ It is a weak point in Sir John Richardson s c a a ter not a e t as old h r c to h v insis ed , the fri of Sir John a l u the com end Fr nk in, pon

a of sea su E if bin tion rch I ggested. ven Sir John Richardson were strong in the belief that Sir JOhn Franklin w as net to be

Fou at Grea Fis r he sh u a nd t h Rive , o ld h ve sh ewn himself the scientiﬁc man and the a man and ou ra e m a gre t , enc g d y pl n , were ’ l for s ien c sales it on y c e .

John Richardson and Sir James Ross could

h a m h ow was do ot erwise th n eet . Then it they did not ? Beca use they could not and wou ld not a u . Sir John Rich rdson co ld not, be cause he was too old l him . I to d so ; I

’ Timer l BA ri dO. I uote the Times in re , p L q p

ished works because I like ﬁrst ference t o ths publ ,

' ’ c m Sir G r e Bac s Narrative and Ma imp es ons. e o g k p were so over-cooked that I lost all knowledge of the raw

l S o n Barrow ma e a sad hash of Bac materia . ir J h d k

’ as well as the Ross .

r m iner r o 2 9 F m ar . 0

was not to go and bu ry the bodies an d fe tch the little history they had bequeathe d to

e u r — a m a a had th ir co nt y, the l st ess ge e ch delive red to his nearest and dearest rela tive f or rie nd .

The a n ul mo n tio , with one voice , wo d st

as u r a a a him a u s edly h ve w rded to th t hono r.

bu t a am ra am all a th t Sir J es G h , with h ste, kn owing well the little bit Qf ac tive morta lity

he had eal u him a and to d with, ﬂ ng side,

t him u men as Pim an wi h s ch Osborne, , d

‘ M Cormick f e had an u , be or he opport nity

a to appeal to his n tion .

’ What a sad destiny was Franklin s ; it

is ma extende d even to h very re ins . Sir

am ra am u w m f the u J es G h , pon ho ell d ty of providing for the decent burial of these

r m a n tead of f m i fﬁ e e ins , i s per or ing th s o c , which be tter blood than himself would have es eem an u of l a u t ed hono r no litt e cco nt , dele gated that ofﬁce to a commercial com “ a n u a of all n p ny, otorio sly ignor nt thi gs “ t and cat u except ra skins skins , tterly

9‘ Scien ce and Commerce ne ve r yet went hand i n

n ha d . — The sablej s some times called sable cat and mas k. rat is the ordinary name of the musquash or lesser 3 3 210 TH E FRANKLIN e nm 'rrort indifferent as to the mode in whic h the y

rf m a pe or ed the t sk .

H e h ad h no right to do this . He ad no right to hand over the bodies of 1 38

a a a a mm a m a g ll nt s ilors to co erci l co p ny . He h ad no right to give them any other fu a t an t a du e m as b e ner l h h t to the ,

’ a e e H e longing to Her M jesty s S rvic . su rely should have dispatched an oﬁ ce r

’ of H er a of a M jesty s Service , known bility ,

erf m a fﬁ an d a a m u to p or th t o ce, to pl ce on ment over their grav e . He h as compro mise d the nation in having thu s neglected u his d ty .

Bu t . n w as man Dr Ki g not the to go, becau se he wou ld ﬁnd bodies at Montreal

and No Island Point Ogle whether or no .

m a m su n a a . u ch thi g , Sir J es Gr h No s ch

u F M a . P . thing, Sir M rice F Berkeley, .

a s old as A dam a sa N orth It is , th t is to y,

P ole A dam a a a a bar ained , th t I h ve lw ys g I Would have as my companion an ofﬁcer of

’ Ma est s and a Her j y Service , selected ppointed

m ld a s ldi r . w as too o o e by the Govern ent I ,

beaver —the itt e anima w ic su lie u s wit eaver , l l l h h pp d h b — ’ hats efore si k hats came into use . Kin s Na rrative b l g ,

1 11 . i. 0 . p. 5 m r i s er u ser 21 1 m o TO .

ve as far a as 1 847 e n b ck , not to see the importance of having a living witness to every transaction of my jou rney Now what has come of the Commercial

’ ( b mpany s Expedition to bury the remains of Franklin an d to learn his sad history ?

n They reach Point Ogle a d Montreal Island . They ﬁn d u ndou bted evidence of the truth of u m au ac u and are the Esq i x co nts , they content with collecting a fe w relics to add ’ R ae and u to Dr . s relics , ret rn. They never

a n a of a a se rch Ki g C che Montre l Isl nd ,

au had ma — au e bec se they no p, bec se th y had not read the Narrative of Thomas

m — au h ad a Si pson, bec se they selected crew

u a a who were tter str ngers in the l nd . They do not ask of the Esquimau x the particulars of the Franklin trage dy

au u a m bec se they co ld not spe k to the , h be cau se they ad no interpreter . They did not mark the spot where forty of their

u m met a — au co ntry en their de th , bec se they h ad not provided themselves with a simple m u m n of a on e t gr nite . They do not seek for n of sad fa the history, in writi g , their te

w as l f u in the only spot it ikely to be o nd,

V 25 . ida p .

213 FROM Fra sr ro LAST.

their sou ndness h as since been establishe d

th e of MfClure by discoveries Sir Robert ,

a ma m n Sir Edw rd Belcher, Mr. Tho s Si pso ,

and others .

u a 1 845 h ad n In Febr ry , when it bee determined by your Lordships to despatch

a E u and Sir John Fr nklin , with the reb s

u di of Terror, to prosec te the scovery the

as a f m a a P s ge ro B rrow Str it , I pressed

’ u a m a u pon Her M jesty s Govern ent, ltho gh

u u n of a in witho t s ccess , the expedie cy id g the searc h by means of a Polar Land Jou rney down the Coppermine and Great

1 847 aﬁer a a of a In , l pse two ye rs since tidings h ad been received of the Erebu s and u a as Terror, do bts were entert ined to their safety ; and on the l0th of Jun e in

a a u m nm th t ye r, I s b itted to the Gover ent a statement of the grou nds which led me to the conviction that the position of the lost Expedition w as on the western land of

m and com North So erset, I proposed to municate with and convey su cc ou r to them by means of a Land Jou rney down Great

Fish River .

a v w as t My propos l , howe er , not en er 2 14 ru e FRANKLI N EXPEDIT ION taine d a two a a e x ; on the contr ry, N v l

e ditions a f m e a p were desp tched, one ro ch e nd of and a a w as the Continent, p rty charged with a Land Jou rney for the

ur of a i a in p pose se rch ng the Co st, not the l al h ad o ou t b ut oc ity which I p inted , between the Mackenzie and Coppermine

Rivers . It is u nnecessary for me to dilate u pon th fru l u f i n e it ess res lt o these exped tio s .

u th e m a of th e On their ret rn , sy p thies whole world were arou sed to the fate of

a i and a t of The Fr nklin Exped tion, ﬂee v w as a a a e essels desp tched , p rtly by the St t , and a a a p rtly by priv te enterprise , in se rch of the missing navigators ; b u t most u n fortu nately the coast near the mou th of Great Fish River w as again omitted from

a hi tim the se rch . For the t rd e I pressed u pon the Government the e xpediency of a

a u for u of am L nd Jo rney, the p rpose ex ining

and in a ad this neglected spot ; , letter

s e u 18th of dre s d to yo r Lordships, on the

u a 1850 u Febr ry, , in which I sed the

u e of a prophetic words , The ro t Gre t Fish River will sooner or later b e u nder ” ta s a of ra l ken in e rch Sir John F nk in, F R R r o m er 215 OM FI ST .

a ff h ad u ma I repe ted the o er I previo sly de ,

a a a to lead p rty in the se rch .

u a u Yo r Lordships , however, cting pon the advice of the recently appointed A rctic

ou u se of of C ncil , who , to the words one

m m a u its e bers , did not think th t, nder

an i u m a a u at y c rc st nces , Fr nklin wo ld ” m u of a Ri e te pt the ro te Gre t Fish v r,

m a and m ignored y pl n , declined y services, and a a fu a a desp tched rther N v l Expedition , the crews of which retu rned from a fru itless

a af u a a of se rch , ter the np r lleled desertion

a ﬁve i u no less th n vessels . The r jo rney ,

w as a wi u u however, not ltogether tho t res lt , for althou gh they fa iled to ﬁnd or save the

m a v a o issing n ig tors , they disc vered the long ” u a a a so ght P ss ge , in the identic l position,

m a a an m a it y be observed , l id down in i gi nary Chart which I had published some years

u and h ad u a a th e previo sly , pheld g inst opinion of other travellers up to the period of the discovery.

1 854 R ae w In Dr . as despatched by the H udson Bay Company to complete a su rvey

of a of a an d al u the West co st Boothi ; , tho gh

f m d u ad he in or e the p blic , in his letter

“ i m on th e a t dressed to the T es ,

FRO M FIR ST TO m an 21 7

u e a de at a a and t a e he t rn d si right ngle , r v lled

not s a u a a a les th n do ble th t dist nce , in

u to a e te r ! northerly direction , p C p Por Withou t pau sing to inquire the reason

i u c Rae u a wh ch ind ed Dr. to t rn side, when he w as within forty-ﬁve miles from a spot in

mu l was c which so ch horrib e interest entred, and when he mu st have been well aware that neither the Governme nt nor the pe ople of En gland would rest satisﬁed u ntil the locality of the repu ted tragedy shou ld have

e e am — u au i sa to b en x ined witho t p s ng, I y, advert to this inexplicable proceeding on his a t a to m u s p r , I h sten re ind yo r Lord hips that the accou nts thus brou ght home by l . R ae at r e Dr , once p oved the incont stib e a ccu racy of the views which I had so long an d unsu ccessfully presse d u pon the atten

’ of a es o m n e tion Her M j ty sG vern e t, r specting the locality in which some traces or tidin gs of a ul f Fr nklin wo d be ou nd. In the following year the so undne ss of m w as a t a m d y views length ta citly d itte , by

s a of an n in a the de p tch expeditio , c noes,

a i almos down Gre t F sh River, t in the pre cise manner which I h ad so vainly advocated

1845 1847 1 848 and a a n 1850 and in , , , g i in ; , 218 TH E FRANKLIN EXPED ITION

f m he fﬁ a of A n t . ers n ro o ci l Report Mr d o ,

a of a u l d in the le der th t expedition , p b ishe

m s of 1 1th a a e a s the Ti e the inst nt), it pp r

a a of at and th t, on the b nks th river, on

al a m a es of Montre Isl nd, so e slight tr c the

m e f un issing navigators have b en o d . It is u seless now to inqu ire what would have bee n the resu lt if you r Lordships h ad acceded to my e arnest an d repea ted eu rea an d m me 1847 1 848 t ties, per itted , in or , to lead an expedition to the spot where these sad relics have since been fou nd ; no dou bt

c an n m of an , I thi k , exist in the ind y

a a if a re soning being, th t, those entre ties h ad a a at as of been cceded to, portion , le t,

u at r the lost expedition wo ld , the p esent

m m a an d in n a . o ent , be live , E gl nd It is not with any view to my own a a m an f of f ggr ndise ent , or with y eeling sel

au a i a u m u a al l d t on , th t I s b it this h rried n ysis of the recen t Arctic Expe ditions to you r

’ If u Lordships consideration . s ch were my

ul ou t fu a e object, I sho d point rther inst nc s in which the discoveries of Simpson and others have proved the accu racy of my ews respecting the conform ation of the

! lar ns Bu t la Re gio . I think it right to p ce

R u s r 2 1 FR OM FI sr r o e . 2

n u a - lac i was I co str cted hiding p e , wh ch ” n n am of ac and k own by the e King C he, which was su bsequ ently visited and open ed

im n 1839 am ma as by S pso in , in the s e nner the Cache made by Parry on Melville ” a all a r a Isl nd, c ed P r y S ndstone ,

M Clu re in 1 85 Th existence opened by f 2. e

m Cache was known to E ra n/elm and of y ,

m ﬁrm f a a it is y belie th t he , or the le ding

u of e ss s rvivor the Exp dition , cro ed over from Point Ogle for the pu rpose of searching

a and of a d this C che , depositing there recor

’ of and a and a w his visit, th t he his bo t s cre su bsequ ently m e t their death before they

cou a ma a ld reg in the in l nd. a m a By wh tever e ns they perished , I

can u ha a think there be no do bt t t the le der,

of of m a and knowing the existence y C che, tru sting that it would be searche d ere long

f i f m m u a ve by r ends ro ho e, wo ld str in e ry

r f a l osit ne ve, be ore he ce sed to ive, to dep

a of afe m m al in this pl ce s ty , not only the e ori

of s 'om his visit, which he cro sed ﬁ the

ma la for u o of a in nd the p rp se pl cing there,

b u t a i ul mos lso the history, wh ch he wo d t u u s a a ca him of nq e tion bly h ve rried with , ' t the endurance and the suﬂerings of tha . 222 TH E FRAN KLIN KxF RDIr IoN

a and of the nstan c devoted b nd, heroic co y with which the ofﬁcers h ad su stain e d th e

u a of me n in the s e e ﬂagging co r ge their , p dy

n t a u ou c b a h0 pe of rec eivi g h t s cc r whi h , y

fa a h ad dir d to e v e r horrible t lity, been ecte y

of a a x the re c se point the Pol r Se s , e cept p i d spot on which they then stood. A n th e fact that no papers were found in th e

an of u maux is in se lf a h ds the Esq i , it strong presu mption that the re cords of th e Expedition h ad been deposite d in a plac e of safety before the death of our haple ss c u o ntrymen . In the oﬂi cial report of the leader of th e

a a hi a m a e not l st se rc ng p rty, y C ch is m and as ul s ar a e entioned, , he wo d c cely h v

m ed a h a f n to o itt to se rc it, or h ve orgotte

f to if h e had b e e re er it in his report, n a a of a b u t con w re its existence, I c nnot clu de a m fu t and u ain th t , by so e r her nexpl ed m f u a ou r w ou t is ort ne, he st rted on his j ney ith being aware that Montreal Island containe d any partic ular spot in which there would u nqu estionably be fou nd some traces of th e mis sing Expedition .

m fa can n raw Fro these cts, I o ly d the

ieduction a all u ma a ili th t , in h n prob b ty , a ' 'm s 223 FR ou F IRsr LA r .

history of Th e Franklin Expedition still lies

u m a a b ried in y C che , bene th the rocky

of al a and a is shore Montre Isl nd, th t it within the bou nds o f possibility that this

ma and a record y be recovered , th t the discoveries of the ill-fate d Expedition may yet be pu blished for the advancement of

c and a a of a s ience , the n rr tive their prob bly u nexampled sufferings be made known to

the world .

U u m a f a u nder these circ st nces , I eel ss red that the people of England will not consent that the search for the missing Expedition

a sh ll rest in its present position . More than two millions s h as already been squ andered in which have brou ght home tidings of the

a a a fe w i f lost n vig tors , beyond s lver orks

an d and an a a t other relics , pocryph l s ory, inte rpreted from the vagu e signs of the

u au rev in its ai t be Esq im x, too olting det ls o

of im l f worthy p ibit belie . A fu rther Land Jou rney down Great Fish River may be performed at a cost of a u £ 1000 and u if u bo t , this Jo rney, yo r Lordships will give m e the command of a ’ a oﬂe r for the th time u p rty , I , ﬁf , to nder