PREFACE. 



THE details of Arctic Exploration, including wintering 

 and sledge-travelling, having been so fully described by 

 preceding voyagers, my object in presenting to the public 

 the following narrative has been rather to place on re- 

 cord an account of the Expedition of H.M.S. Assistance, 

 as being ' The Last of the Arctic Voyages' undertaken 

 by this country in search of the lost Franklin, and as 

 being that which penetrated up Wellington Channel to 

 the extreme limits of navigation. The Title of the work 

 may appear open to objection, but taking into account 

 the dates of original Orders, and those in force in April, 

 1854, it will be apparent that the final command of the 

 British Naval Expedition within the Arctic Seas was 

 vested in me. That I conceived aright the intent of 

 my Instructions, the probabilities attending the safety 

 of other branches not acting immediately under my con- 

 trol, has been sufficiently verified by the safe return of 

 all engaged, to this country. 



Recent accounts affording the satisfactory intelligence 



