authentic information, and to correct many prevalent misconceptions regarding the animal life of the Arctic regions, and the assumed destruction of the missing vessels, by lectures and papers delivered, during the past year, before the members of the Royal Geographical Society and the United Service Institution of London, the Mechanics' Institutes of Manchester, Liverpool, and other places, in which I hope I have succeeded. Too delighted shall I be to hail the return of any of the gallant absentees, should Providence have preserved them, and our bold explorers, now on the track, be able to discover and liberate them. But if they are no more, I, in common with a mourning nation, must bow with submission to Heaven's wise but inscrutable decrees. At least the disgrace will never attach to the country which sent them forth on its public duty, of having left their fate undetermined.

April, 1853.

3

CONTENTS.

Introductory Remarks .

Little known of the Arctic Regions.-Notice of Captain Phipps'

voyage.-Parry's and Franklin's opinions on a North-west

passage.-Abstract of Sir John Barrow's works on Arctic

Discovery.-England's neglect of her nautical heroes.

PAGE

1

11

Captain John Ross's Voyage in the Isabella and Alexander

to Hudson's Bay in 1818

Names of officers and men.-Ships visited by the natives of
Greenland.-Abundance of birds on this coast.-Gale of wind.
-Red snow.-Lancaster Sound.-The fabulous Croker Moun-
tains.-Agnes monument.-Large bear shot.-Return home.

Voyage of Buchan and Franklin in the Dorothea and Trent

to Spitzbergen, &c., 1818.
17

Names of officers, and complement, &c.-Fanciful appearance of

icebergs. Ships arrive at Spitzbergen.-Anchor in Magdalene

bay. Hanging icebergs.-Immense flocks of birds.-Dangerous

ascent of Rotge Hill.-Attack of walruses. Surprised by

unlooked-for visitors.-Devout feeling of recluses.-Expedition

puts to sea again.-Party lose themselves on the ice.-Ships

damaged by pressure of the floes.-Dangerous position of the

ships. They take refuge in the main pack of icebergs.-

Vessels put into Fair Haven to stop leaks and refit.-Return

home.

Franklin's First Land Expedition, 1819-21

Party leave England in the Prince of Wales.-Reach Hudson's Bay
factory by the end of August.-Proceed by the rivers and
lakes to Cumberland House.-Arrive at Fort Chipewyan after
a winter journey of 857 miles.-Engage voyageurs and guides.
-Make the acquaintance of Akaitcho, the Indian chief.-Push
on for Fort Enterprise, which is made their winter resi-
dence after a voyage of 553 miles. Exploring excursions
carried on during the winter.-"Green Stockings," the Indian
beauty.-Stores and Esquimaux interpreters arrive.-Severity
of the winter.-Suffering of the Indians.-Party set out for the
Polar Sea.-Examine the coast westward to Point Turnagain.
-Dreadful hardships and sufferings endured on their return
journey from famine and fatigue.-Death of several of the
party. Mr. Hood is murdered by Michel the Iroquois, who for
their mutual safety is killed by Dr. Richardson.-Hunger and
famine endured by the party.-Their ultimate relief.

31

Parry's First Voyage in the Hecla and Griper, 1819-20

Names of officers serving, &c.-Enter Lancaster Sound.-The
Croker mountains proved to be fallacious.-Parry discovers
and enters Regent Inlet.-Also discovers and names various
islands, capes, and channels.-Reaches Melville Island.-Expe-
dition cross the meridian of 110 deg. W., and become entitled
to the Parliamentary reward of 50007.-Drop anchor for the
first time.-Land on the island.-Abundance of animals
found. An exploring party lose themselves for three days.-
But are recovered and brought back.-Vessels get into winter
quarters.-A MS. newspaper published.-Amateur plays
performed.-Observatory destroyed by fire.-Scurvy makes
its appearance.-Crews put on short allowance.-An excur-
sion of a fortnight made to examine the island.-Ships get clear
of the ice.-But are unable to make further progress to the
westward, and their return to England is determined on.

Parry's Second Voyage in the Fury and Hecla, 1821-23

His opinion as to a North-west passage.-Names of officers, &c.,

of the expedition.-Make Resolution Island at the entrance of

Hudson Strait.-Dangers of the ice.-Fall in with Hudson's Bay

Company's ships, and emigrant vessel, with Dutch colonists

proceeding to Red River.-Two immense bears killed.-Descrip-

tion of the Esquimaux.-Surveys made of all the indentations

and coasts of this locality.-Ships driven back by the current

and drift-ice.-Take up their winter quarters. And resort

to theatrical amusements again.-Schools established.-Great

severity of the winter. Surveying operations resumed.

-Intelligent Esquimaux female affords valuable hydrogra-

phical information.-Perilous position of the Hecla.-Her

miraculous release.-Ships pass their second winter at Igloolik.

-The Fury and Hecla Strait examined.-Ice breaks up.-Ships

driven about by the current for thirty-five days.-At last

gain the Atlantic, and make for England.

Clavering's Voyage to Spitzbergen and Greenland in the

Griper, 1823

Conveys 'out Captain Sabine to make observations.-Reach Spitz-
bergen.-Proceed thence to Pendulum Islands. -North-eastern
coast of Greenland surveyed.-Captain Clavering and a party
of nineteen men carry on an exploring expedition for a fort-
night. Meet with a tribe of Esquimaux.-Ship puts to sea.-
Make for the coast of Norway.-Anchor in Drontheim Fiord.-
Observations being completed, ship returns to England.

Is sent to survey and examine the straits and shores of Arctic

America.-Arrives in the Channel known as Roe's Welcome.-

Encounters a terrific gale.-Is in imminent danger in the

Bay of God's Mercy.-Suffers from another fearful storm.-

The ship being quite crippled, and having lost all her anchors,

&c., is obliged to return home.

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63

84

85

Parry's Third Voyage in the Hecla and Fury, 1824-25

Names and number of officers, &c.-Hecla laid on her broadside
by the ice.--Ships reach Lancaster Sound.-Enter Regent Inlet,
and winter at Port Bowen.-Dreary character of the Arctic
Winter.-Former amusements worn threadbare.-Polar Bal
Masqué got up.-Exploring parties sent out inland and along
the coasts.-Ships are released, but beset by the ice, and
carried by the pack down the inlet.-Fury driven on shore and
abandoned.-Return
voyage necessarily determined
Scarcity of animal food in this locality.-Hecla arrives at
Peterhead.-Parry's opinions of the North-west passage.

Franklin's Second Land Expedition, 1825-26

on.-

Names of officers accompanying him.-Arrive in New York and

proceed through the Hudson's Bay Company's territories.-

Winter at Fort Franklin on Great Bear Lake.-A pioneer party

proceeds to examine the state of the Polar Sea.-Return and

pass the long winter.-Descend the Mackenzie in the spring.-

Party divide; Franklin and Back proceeding to the westward,

whilst Dr. Richardson and Mr. Kendal, &c., follow the Copper-

mine River.-Franklin encounters a fierce tribe of Esquimaux

at the sea. After a month's survey to the eastward, Franklin

and his party retrace their steps.-Find Richardson and Kendal

had returned before them, after reaching and exploring

Dolphin and Union Strait.-Another winter spent at Fort

Franklin.-Intensity of the cold.-Large collection of objects

of natural history made by Mr. Drummond.-Franklin's

struggle between affection and duty.-Party return to Eng-

land.

Captain Beechey's Voyage to Behring Strait in the Blossom,
1826-28.

Anchors off Petropaulowski.-Receives intelligence of Parry's safe
return. Interview with the natives.-Correct hydrographical
descriptions given by the Esquimaux.-Ship's boat pushes on to
the eastward as far as Point Barrow, to communicate with
Franklin.-Crew in danger from the natives.-Obliged to return
to their ships.-The Blossom proceeds to the Pacific to replenish
her provisions.-Returns to Kotzebue Sound in the summer.-
Ship grounds on a sandbank, but is got off.-Boat sent out to learn
tidings of Franklin, is wrecked.-Crew come into collision with
hostile natives, and are wounded: picked up by the ship.-Des-
patches left for Franklin, and the ship returns to England.

Parry's Fourth or Polar Voyage in the Hecla, 1827

Plans and suggestions of Scoresby, Beaufoy, and Franklin for tra-

velling in sledges over the ice.-Names of officers employed.-

Ship embarks reindeer on the Norway coast.-Experiences a tre-

mendous gale.-Beset by ice for a month.-Anchors at Spitz-

bergen.-Sledge-boats prepared for the ice journey.-Description

of them.-Night turned into day.-Slow progress.-Occupations

of the party.-Lose ground by the southward drift of the ice.-

Bear shot. Notices of animals seen. - Reach northernmost

known land.-The islet named after Ross.-Return to the

ship.-Parry's subsequent suggestions on this mode of travelling.-

Sir John Barrow's comments thereon.-Opinions of this perilous

ice journey.-Review of Parry's Arctic services.