CHAPTER XXIV.

SEARCHING EXPEDITIONS.

Three Expeditions sent out in Search of Sir J. Franklin-the first under Captain Kellett and Commander Moore—the second conducted by Sir John Richardson and Dr. Rae—the third under Sir Jas. C. Ross-their respective Instructions-Letter from Sir J. C. Ross-Board of Admiralty convoke a Meeting for Consultation-Stores sent out by North Star to Sir J. C. Ross to enable him to stay another Year-Reward offered by Lady Franklin and the Admiralty-News of Missing Expedition brought home by Whaler-Stores Sent Out by Lady Franklin, and Deposited at Cape Hay-Return of Sir J. C. Ross and Account of Voyage-Means Employed to attain its end-Progress and Proceedings-Winter Harbourage-Ill Health of Crew-Foxes Caught and Released with Collars Bearing Engraven Intelligence Expeditions and Surveys-Sufferings of the Party-Magnetic Observations-Death of Assistant Surgeon-Sawing Canal through Ice-Ships Leakage-Drifting of Ship in Vast Field of Ice-Liberation—Arrival at home.

In the beginning of the year 1848, it was considered that the time had arrived when it became necessary to send out in search of the missing adventurers; and the Government, with great promptitude, determined on three several expeditions. The first was to endeavour to enter the Polar Sea from the western gate, or entrance, of Behrings Straits; the second was to descend the Mackenzie River, and examine the sea coast as far as the Coppermine; and the third was to proceed through Lancaster Sound and Barrow's Straits, in a direct course to the westward; and the whole plan had the appearance of being such a well-adjusted scheme that great hopes were entertained of its ultimate success.

Accordingly, the Plover, surveying vessel, was

commissioned by Commander Thomas E. L. Moore, and sailed from Sheerness on the 1st January, 1848, to join the Herald, 26 guns, Captain Henry Kellett, C.B., at Panama, in company with whom he was to proceed (provided no intelligence had been received) to Petropoulowski, to procure interpreters, &c. They were then to proceed to Behring's Straits, where they were to arrive by the 1st July, and along the American coast, as far as practicable, to endeavour to find a secure harbour for the Plover during the winter. Two whale boats, or the Russian baidar, were then to continue the search further along the coast, and to communicate, if possible, with the party who were to descend the Mackenzie River, under the command of Sir John Richardson.

So soon as the symptoms of winter approached, the boats were to return to the Plover, which ship, being provided with fuel and provisions from the Herald, was to house-in, and make all snug for the winter. The Herald was then to return to the south to give notice of their proceedings and resume her surveying duties.

With the assistance of the natives, whose friendship for this purpose it was very desirable to cultivate, during next spring small exploring parties were to be sent in every possible and practicable direction, and as soon as the water had formed along the coast the boats were again to be despatched in order to communicate with Sir John Richardson.

Sir John Richardson's instructions directed him to leave England on the 25th March by the mail steamer for New York, in company with Dr. John Rae,'

1 This latter gentleman, in July, 1846, conducted an important expedition sent out by the Hudson's Bay Company, consisting of thirteen persons, from Fort Churchill in Hudson's Bay, to the head of Repulse Bay; and from thence across the Isthmus which connects Melville Peninsula with the north-eastern angle of the American continent, along the western

and to proceed immediately to Montreal, for the purpose of conferring and making arrangements with Sir George Simpson, the territorial governor of the Hudson's Bay Company in Rupert's Land. Next, to travel to Penetanguishene, on Lake Huron, and thence by steamer to Sault St. Marie, at the Fort of Lake Superior, there to embark in a canoe to be provided in readiness by the Hudson's Bay Company, and to follow the usual route by Fort William, Rainy Lake, the Lake of the Woods, Lake Winipeg, and the Saskatchewan River; and it was hoped they would overtake the five boats provided for the expedition, under the charge of Mr. Bell, chief trader to the Company, in July, 1848, somewhere near Isle à la Crosse, or Methy Portage.

The canoe was then to return, and Sir John was to hasten on with four boats to the mouth of the Mackenzie, leaving Mr. Bell to follow with the heavier baggage in the barge. Mr. Bell was to turn off at Great Bear Lake, and erect his winter residence at Fort Confidence, establish fisheries, and send out hunters. The examination of the coast between the Mackenzie and Coppermine was then to go forward, which it was thought would probably occupy thirty days; but it was very probable that they would not be able to keep the sea later than the 15th September, as from the beginning of that month the young ice covers the surface of the water during the night, presenting a very serious impediment to the boats. Should they reach the sea about

shore of Committee Bay, (the "Akkoolee" of the intelligent Iligliuk), as far north as the "Lord Mayor's Bay" of Sir John Ross. Returning to Repulse Bay, where he had taken up his winter quarters in a skincovered house named Fort Hope, Dr. Rae again started, on the 13th May, to trace the western shore of Melville Peninsula, and after surveying it, at a great expense of personal suffering, to within a few miles of the Fury and Hecla Straits, returned to Fort Hope, after an absence of twenty-seven days.

the first week in August, it was hoped that they would be enabled to make the complete voyage, and also to coast part of the western and southern shores of Wollaston Land. If, from various causes, the expedition was prevented from arriving on the shores of the Polar Sea until too late to reach the Coppermine, it was to return to Fort Good Hope, on the Mackenzie, there deposit two of the boats, with all the sea stores, and proceed with the other two boats and the whole of the crews to winter quarters on Great Bear Lake.

Deposits of pemmican were to be made at Point Separation, Cape Bathurst, Cape Parry, and Cape Krusenstern, and also at Fort Good Hope, for the use of a party which Sir James Clark Ross purposed sending there in the spring of 1849, who were not to return to the ships, but ascend the Mackenzie.

The instructions desire that the search by Sir John Richardson was not to be prolonged after the winter of 1849, which was to be passed on Great Slave Lake; but, at the earliest practical moment after the breaking up of the weather in the spring of 1850, steps were to be taken for the return of the party to England.

Sir John Richardson was directed to bury bottles in the circumference of a circle with a ten feet radius, from the point of a broad arrow painted on the signal post-at Point Separation, at the head of the Delta of the Mackenzie, in latitude 67° 38′ north longitude 133° 52' west; on Whale Island, at the mouth of the Mackenzie; on Point Toker, in latitude 69° 38' north longitude 132° 15' west; on Cape Bathurst, latitude 70° 31' north; and on Cape Parry, latitude 70° 5' north. The landmarks were to be painted white or red, or with black stripes.

On the 12th June, 1848 the last of the three, though perhaps the most important searching expe

dition, left our shores under the command of Captain Sir James Clark Ross, composed of two magnificent ships, the Enterprise of four hundred and seventy tons, and seventy men,; and the Investigator, Captain E. J. Bird, four hundred and twenty tons, and seventy men-both ships as strong as it was possible for wood and iron to make them, and furnished with all the appliances of science.

By Captain Ross's urgent request, the ships were provided each with a launch' fitted with a small engine and screw, in preference to having that machinery fitted to the ships, as was adopted with the Erebus and Terror.

The route was to be direct to Lancaster Sound and Barrow's Straits, through which they were to penetrate due west, narrowly searching both shores, and, should the weather permit, a similar search was to be extended to the shores of the Wellington Channel. The next point to be examined was the coast between Capes Clarence and Walker, all which, it was hoped would be accomplished during the first season. The coast of North Somerset is usually encumbered with heavy ice, therefore both ships were to proceed very cautiously, so as not to hazard being shut up for the winter. If a harbour was found near Garnier Bay, or Cape Rennell, they were there to secure the Investigator for the winter, and from this point she was to explore the coast as far as it extended to the west, and also the western coast of North Somerset and Boothia, as far as Cape Nicolai; while another party were to proceed to the southward, and ascertain whether the blank space there shown on our charts, consisted of an open sea through which

1 These boats were twelve tons burthen each; extreme length, 31 feet; breadth, 9 feet 7 inches; depth, 5 feet 10 inches; draft of water with machinery, 1 foot 7 inches; weight of boat, 3 tons; weight of boiler and machinery, 3 tons; average speed on river, 11 miles an hour.