1854.] THOUGHTS ON FLITTING. 223 



other public property, much that could not now be carried 

 must remain to be sacrificed. 



Many painful thoughts forced themselves upon my at- 

 tention ; but the duty, severe as it was, must be exe- 

 cuted. Nevertheless, on reflection, it was consoling to 

 feel that the specific objects of the Expedition, as far as 

 the powers of our crew were concerned, had been carried 

 to the extreme bounds of reason. 



I am aware that I have the credit of exacting from 

 those who are associated with me the full amount of 

 labour which my own frame, impelled by the customary 

 excitement of " command," could endure. But, regard- 

 ing the particular service on which we are engaged, 

 I cannot imagine it possible that any duty would be 

 deemed onerous, even if it hazarded life or limb ; and it 

 affords me great satisfaction here to express that in every 

 instance where selection has been made, I have been fully 

 and ably supported, and most especially by my energetic 

 Second, Commander Richards. 



Our mission was not directed to the discovery of new 

 lands, or of the North-west Passage. It was simply to 

 search for traces of our missing countrymen " on reason- 

 able and reliable sources ;" not to push, for selfish ends, 

 on lines of coast where no reasonable hope could exist or 

 seemed to promise, nor by a desire of making a show 

 on paper of extended discovery, to undermine the consti- 

 tutions of my men, who might yet be doomed to endure 

 another winter in this trying, desolate region. 



This latter subject, too, was one which was pregnant 

 with evil ! So long as a fair and exciting object could 

 be entertained, demanding even the most intense exer- 



