FRANKLIN'S LAST VOYAGE. 257 



* 



with out-stores, to be discharged into the ships in 

 Davis's Strait. 



The official instructions to Sir John Franklin were 

 minute, comprehensive, and far-sighted, and made pro- 

 vision for all important contingencies. But only those 

 of them which relate to the main conduct of the expedi- 

 tion possess much public interest ; and these, taken in 

 connection with the mournful and exciting mystery into 

 which the ships so soon passed, seem too momentous to 

 allow of much abridgment. "On putting to sea," said 

 they, " you are to proceed, in the first place, by such a 

 route as, from the wind and weather, you may deem to 

 be the most suitable for despatch, to Davis's Strait, 

 taking the transport with you to such a distance up 

 that strait as you may be able to proceed without imped- 

 iment from ice, being careful not to risk that vessel by 

 allowing her to be beset in the ice, or exposed to any 

 violent contact with it. You will then avail yourself 

 of the earliest opportunity of clearing the transport of 

 the provisions and stores with which she is charged for 

 the use of the expedition ; and you are then to send her 

 back to England, giving to the agent or master such 

 directions for his guidance as may appear to you most 

 proper, and reporting by that opportunity your proceed- 

 ings to our secretary for our information. You will 

 then proceed, in the execution of your orders, into Baf- 

 fin's Bay, and get, as soon as possible, to the western 

 Bide of the strait, provided it should appear to you that 

 the ice chiefly prevails on the eastern side or near the 

 middle, the object being to enter Lancaster Sound with 

 as little delay as possible. 



" But, as no specific directions can be given, owing 

 to the position of the ice varying from year to year, you 

 will, of course, be guided by your own observations as 



to the course most eligible to be taken, in order to 

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