On the 19th February last, a despatch was received from Sir George Simpson, acquainting the Company with the nature of the orders he had given to Dr. Rae to carry out these views, the substance of which are as follows:-That should his explorations in the month of July, 1849, have ended in disappointment, he was to organize a further attempt, in the ensuing summer, to examine the space, having Banks' Land on the N., Cape Walker on the E., and Victoria Land on the S.

Simultaneously with the expedition to proceed towards Cape Walker, one or two small parties were to be despatched to the westward of the Mackenzie, in the direction of Point Barrow, one of which was to cross over to the Youcon River, and descending that stream to the sea, carry on their explorations in that quarter, while the other going down the Mackenzie was to trace the coast thence towards the Youcon. And these parties were also to be instructed to offer rewards to the natives to prosecute the search in all directions.

By these means there was reason to believe, that in the course of one year so minute a search would be made of the coast and the islands, that in the event of the expedition having passed in that direction, some trace of their progress would certainly be discovered.

To carry out these endeavours, Dr. Rae had perfect carte blanche. In all the details he was very properly left to his own judgment, but was particularly requested to keep up the depôt at Fort Good Hope, with an ample supply of clothing, provisions, ammunition, fishing-tackle, &c., in case any of the men of the missing expedition pushing their way there.

May He, "who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand," crown all these endeavours with success, and grant that through their means our noble countrymen, Franklin and his crew, may yet return in

4

safety to their mourning friends. From the known talents and ardent zeal of the explorers, everything is to be hoped; and although

"'Tis not in mortals to command success,

Yet they'll do more-they'll deserve it."

We much regret that the necessity of going to press, before the various searching expeditions now fitting out depart on their humane mission, precludes the possibility of giving the orders under which they sail.

CONCLUSION.

Reflections on the ill-success of Arctic Research-Plan for an American Overland Expedition-Examination of Wellington Channel-Minor Details connected with Search-Eskimaux or Innuít Vocabulary-Reasons which forbid us to despairUtility of Arctic Voyages of Discovery-Opinion of Hakluyt and Sir Edward Parry-Concluding Remarks.

OUR sketch is now finished. We have endeavoured in the foregoing pages to present to the reader a brief view of Geographical Discovery and Research in the Polar Regions, from the days when Scandinavia poured forth her hordes of maritime adventurers to overrun and subdue the most powerful states of Europe, down to the latest relief expedition which has left the shores of old England to succour the veteran Franklin and his brave men :—and, if after its perusal, he close the book, and for a moment give free scope to his fancy, as he reviews in his mind the daring and unsuccessful attempts which have been made for more than three centuries to solve the great problem, he cannot fail to be forcibly struck with the peculiar adaptation to this most perplexing question of Thompson's beautiful lines

"seeming to be shut

By jealous Nature with eternal bars."

There have been numerous plans sent in to the Lords of the Admiralty to effect the rescue of our distinguished countryman Sir John Franklin, and doubtless, with the vast resources and experience at their command, and nobly anxious to fulfil their duty to the relatives and friends of the absent adventurers, their Lordships have adopted what, in their judgment,

may appear to be the best measures to attain that end; but as their peculiar province lies in the equipment of searching expeditions by sea, they may, perhaps, have overlooked the great importance which is attached by the highest authorities to a severe scrutiny of the northern shores of the Continent by land expeditions.

If the reader, with the open map before him, will glance over the Admiralty Instructions to Franklin, and remember that, for three weeks after he was last seen, the weather was particularly favourable, he will at once perceive that, should the Erebus and Terror during that time have met with no obstruction, they would continue their course rapidly to the westward, and never think of wasting even an hour in landing a party to deposit intelligence, at least until they had reached the meridian of Cape Walker, from which point Sir John was instructed to use every effort to penetrate to the southward and westward, in as direct a line as possible towards Behring's Straits. Once past this point, and probably involved among iceencumbered lands, between the Parry Islands and the main, of which we have no knowledge, he would struggle on year after year, still hoping for one of those sudden changes in the position of the adamantine barrier, which almost appear as if the work of a miracle, to accomplish "the object nearest his heart;" and at length, if forced to abandon his ships, (which, being a point of honour in the Navy, would only be at the last extremity,) he would of course direct his steps to the continent, distant not more than two or three hundred miles; and here, then, it becomes evident that he ought to find immediate succour, to enable him to make the journey to Fort Good Hope, the lowest station of the Hudson's Bay Company on the Mackenzie.1

Sir John Richardson and Dr. Rae, in their late journey, deposited

Whether Sir John Franklin would make for the Coppermine or the Mackenzie, would depend greatly on the westing which he reached in his voyage; although, if he had no light boats with him, and was without the means of constructing them, it may be supposed he would strive to reach the Mackenzie, as the Coppermine is almost unnavigable, and we have seen, in his first journey, the fearful consequences of the inability to cross even an insignificant stream thirty yards wide!

The people of the United States of America have nobly stepped forward in this trying moment to help their brother Anglo-Saxons, and a large sum of money has already been raised for the purpose of equipping an American searching expedition. An admirable plan has been suggested, where their aid would be of the utmost value, the arrangements of which are as follows: 3.

Six light whale-boats, procured at Boston, and forty persons, seamen and officers, as the relieving party, divided into three brigades of two boats each. To this party should be attached another of forty men and officers, with six or eight canoes, the men being hunters and Canadian voyageurs, and they likewise should be divided into three brigades. Their food, when clear of the settlements, might be pemmican and biscuit, trusting to game for further fare.

Having obtained full instructions for every aid to be afforded to them by the Hudson's Bay Company's

cases of pemmican and papers at Fort Good Hope, Point Separation, Cape Bathurst, Cape Parry, Paisley Cove on the north side of Cape Krusenstern, and Icy Cove; all these caches ought to be revisited and enlarged, and others made at prominent headlands.

2 We cannot refrain from here noticing the most munificent donation of 15,000 dollars, from M. H. Grinnell, Esq., the eminent New York merchant.

See the letters of "Observer," in the Times.