J58 FRANKLIN'S SECOND LAND EXPEDITION. 



pieces and ammunition, marquees and tents, bedding, 

 clothing, and water-proof dresses, flour, arrow-root, 

 maccaroni, portable soup, chocolate, essence of coffee, 

 sugar, and tea, not omitting an adequate supply of that 

 essential article for all North American travellers, 

 pemmican, were supplied. 



The officers under Franklin's orders were his old and 

 tried companions and fellow-sufferers in the former 

 journey, Dr. Richardson and Lieut. Back, with Mr. 

 Kendall, a mate in the navy, and Mr. T. Drummond, a 

 naturalist. Four boats, specially prepared for the pur- 

 poses of the expedition, were sent out by the Hudson's 

 Bay Company's ship. In July, 1825, the party arrived 

 at Fort Chipewyan. They reached Great Bear Lake in 

 safety, and erected a winter dwelling on its western 

 shore, to which the name of Fort Franklin was given. 

 To Back and Mr. Dease, an officer in the Hudson's Bay 

 Company's service, were intrusted the arrangements for 

 their winter quarters. 



From here a small party set out with Franklin down 

 the Mackenzie to examine the state of the Polar 

 Sea. The sixth day after their departure they passed 

 the last of the fir-trees, in latitude 68 40', these being 

 succeeded by stunted willows, which became more 

 dwarfish as they approached the sea. After the dis- 

 sipation of a thick fog, the expanse of water to the 

 northward was so great, that Franklin was inclined to 

 think they had reached the sea ; and in this he was 

 almost confirmed on reaching the shore of Ellice Island, 

 where they " were rejoiced at the sea-like appearance 

 to the northward." " This point was observed to be in 

 latitude 69 14', longitude 135 57', and forms the north- 

 eastern entrance of the main channel of the Mackenzie 

 River, which from Slave Lake to this point is one thou- 

 sand and forty-five miles, according to our survey.' 5 OD 



