of the sound. Bathurst's Inlet was next examined, and proved to be more than seventy miles in depth.

Proceeding to track the eastern shore of Coronation Gulf, on the 10th August they appeared to have again reached the open sea, when, to their extreme dismay, they found themselves in the very centre of a large bay, to which the name of Lord Melville was given. By the time they had again resumed their northern course, the condition of the expedition demanded Franklin's most serious attention. It was but too evident that valuable time had been unavoidably lost in examining the shores of the great gulf in which they now were; and although from the chart the position of Point Turnagain, the extreme limit of the expedition, appears only six degrees and a half from the mouth of the Coppermine, yet their canoe voyage had extended over six hundred and fifty geographical miles. The canoes were terribly shattered; the provisions could only hold out for a few days, and the supplies derived from the hunter's rifle were now becoming fearfully precarious. It was therefore determined to abandon the discovery at once, and return to Fort Enterprise by the way of Hood's River, where the game appeared more plentiful, in preference to the old route by the Mackenzie, a resolution which was joyfully received by the Canadian voyageurs, who were delighted at the thoughts of exchanging their scanty meal of a handful of pemmican for their usual allowance, at the Company's forts, of eight pounds of meat a day. Alas! they little anticipated the danger and privations still in store for them.

A few miles up Hood's River, they were stopped by a grand cataract of the whole river tumbling over a ledge of rocks, and forming the two magnificent falls named after the distinguished philanthropist, Wilberforce. The river here runs in a chasm, the

walls of which are upwards of two hundred feet in height, and in some places only a few yards in width. Here they were detained until the 1st September, in constructing two smaller canoes, prior to commencing their land journey to Point Lake, which was only a hundred and forty-nine miles from them, in a direct line. Twelve miles on their journey they were surprised by a snow-storm, which obliged them to encamp, and having no means of obtaining either food or fuel, they were forced to remain two days huddled together under their blankets, with the temperature at 20°.

On the 7th they again set forward, but the voyageurs now grumbled at having to carry two canoes, and at length, partly through carelessness, and partly through accident, one was wholly destroyed by a fall, and the other rendered nearly useless, and subsequently abandoned by her carriers. They threw away their fishing-lines, and, indeed, acted throughout with such imprudence and folly, that, had their safety depended on their own exertions, not a man would have been saved.

Three miserable weeks thus passed away, during which time they obtained from the resources of the country only five days' provision, their sole supply for the rest of the time being a kind of lichen or moss, called by the Canadians tripe de roche, or rock-tripe, without which they must undoubtedly have perished of actual starvation.

On the 26th September, after having a thousand times regretted the loss of their canoes, the party arrived on the banks of the Coppermine, where a few small deer were killed; but here the madness of those who had abandoned the canoe became more fully apparent: eight whole days (mostly of fine weather) were consumed in devising means to cross a stream a hundred and thirty yards wide. Attempt

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after attempt was made to get a raft of willows across, but they all failed, on account of the greenness of the wood and the want of paddles.

In this desperate state of affairs, with the certainty of starvation staring them in the face if they were not successful in crossing the river, Dr. Richardson nobly volunteered to swim across with a line attached to his body. He had nearly succeeded in reaching the opposite shore, when the strong deep current, which was piercingly cold, proved too much for his debilitated frame, made weaker by long fasting, and to their inexpressible anguish, he sank. They instantly hauled on the line, and dragged him ashore nearly lifeless, when at sight of his emaciated limbs, the Canadians simultaneously exclaimed, "Ah! que nous sommes maigres," so greatly had he been reduced.

Soon after, Back, who had been despatched to examine the shores of the lake, returned without having been able to discover any place where it was possible to cross. Their distresses now every hour became greater; the hunters were unable to kill anything, but brought home the back-bone and antlers of a deer, which was esteemed a prize, although the marrow was so putrid and acrid as to excoriate the lips; their sufferings had reduced them to perfect shadows; Franklin was so weak as to be unable to walk a distance of three quarters of a mile after three hours' labour;-Richardson, Back, and Hood were equally helpless; the Canadians sullen and desponding; the only one capable of exertion was Hepburn, whose noble conduct and indefatigable zeal throughout calls for the highest admiration.

At length, by God's blessing, they were enabled to cross the river, by means of a patched-up canoe formed of willows, and covered with painted canvass. Back was immediately sent forward with three men to Fort Enterprise, which was distant only forty miles.

On the 5th October the remainder moved forward, but soon had to divide into two parties, as it was found utterly impossible to get some of them to proceed ;-Dr. Richardson, Mr. Hood, and Hepburn accordingly volunteered to remain at the first convenient spot, with those who were too weak to travel; while Captain Franklin, and the remainder thus relieved of considerable burthens were to push on to the Fort, from which they were distant only four and twenty miles; and so this affecting parting took place, after prayers and thanksgivings to the Great Master of Life.

The first party, now consisting of nine persons, descended into a more level country, but the snow lay so deep that after a march of only four miles and a half, they were compelled to camp. Next day Belanger, and Michel an Iroquois, begged permission to be allowed to return to Dr. Richardson; which was granted; a third, Perrault, a short time after joined them, and a fourth named Fontano, an Italian, who was much beloved by all, gave in two miles further on, and was also allowed to return. Of these four, but one, the fiend Michel the Iroquois,-ever reached the little camp.

Captain Franklin had now with him, Adam, Peltier, Benoit, Samandré, and Augustus the faithful interpreter, who had pressed forward by himself. On the evening of the 11th they came in sight of the ardently wished-for Fort, having tasted nothing for five days but a little tripe de roche and the shreds of their shoes. Their horror and dismay may be conceived, when not a vestige of any living creature was to be observed.

When their agonized feelings had in some measure obtained relief in tears, a note was found from Mr. Back, stating that he had been there two days previously and had again set out on his search for the

Indians, but from the weakness of his party he was afraid he should not be able to reach Fort Providence. The sufferings of this gallant young officer on this journey were very great, but his exertions have been gratefully recognised. Four days afterwards a messenger arrived from him to say that his search had been unsuccessful.

Eighteen days passed by; the snow lying deeper than in the previous December, and the temperature from 15° to 20° below zero: a miserable existence was sustained on several old deer-skins, and the bones carefully collected from the ashes; yet not one single murmur do we find the gallant chief uttering; not once did he give way to despair. He even made an attempt to set out in search of assistance, but returned the following day, having broken his snow shoes, leaving Augustus and Benoit to continue the journey.

On the evening of the 29th October, two gaunt figures entered Fort Enterprize, and were recognised by the emaciated circle around the fire as Dr. Richardson and Hepburn.

Such a meeting defies the powers of description; it was a compound of both joy and sorrow, for the absence of poor Hood and the Canadians was instantly seen each was shocked by the appearance of the other, and the doctor particularly requested that they would undeavour to make their sepulchral voices more cheerful; "not aware," says Franklin, “that his own partook of the same key.'

But perhaps the severest trial still awaited them in the Doctor's narrative. For the first two days after the separation, they had nothing whatever to eat; on the third, Michel, the only survivor of the four who had set out on their return to the camp, came in with a large hare and a partridge. He was looked on as their guardian angel, and willing offers of their scanty