CONCLUDING REMARKS. 247 



Under such clear Instructions as I held on sailing, 

 clearly intimating, without question, that I was not to 

 hesitate in giving the most positive and unmistakable in- 

 structions to those under my command, and that I was to 

 keep the principal officers apprised of my views and in- 

 tentions, it is as clearly intimated that those views and 

 intentions were to be adopted, and carried out, by those 

 under my command, should misfortune occur to me. 



For what reasonable purpose then, I would inquire, 

 was it proposed to risk another vessel, and to add her 

 to the list of losses, incurring the heavy expenditure of 

 double pay and provision ; the officers and men idly 

 spending a winter, and imagining how they were to be 

 engaged when spring travel became possible ? But here 

 again glaring inconsistency stares us in the face ! 



Let it be imagined that the Government warranted, 

 even approved of, such an inconsiderate determination, 

 where would the crews be ? Certainly not engaged in 

 any act to relieve and extricate their own vessel in Au- 

 gust, 1855 (if such a winter warranted any such hope), 

 but probably searching for traces of the ' Resolute' and 

 'Assistance/ for fame sake ! and, granting every facility 

 of 1853-54, should any impetuous, uncontrollable mind 

 determine to abide by either of those vessels after the 

 middle of August, what would be the course left to the 

 officer commanding the relieving vessel, if one sledf/e 

 crew, or even one man, was absent ? 



Finally : I do feel infinite gratification that it pleased 

 God to afford me determination to perform my duty in 

 the precise manner I did, under the circumstances and 

 difficulties by which 1 found myself surrounded ; and 



