258 FRANKLIN'S LAST VOYAGE. 



insure a speedy arrival in the sound above-mentioned, 

 As, however, we have thought fit to cause each ship tc 

 be fitted with a small steam-engine and propeller, to be 

 used only in pushing the ships through channels be- 

 tween masses of ice when the wind is adverse, or in a 

 calm, we trust the difficulty usually found in such cases 

 will be much obviated. But, as the supply of fuel to 

 be taken in the ships is necessarily small, you will use 

 it only in cases of difficulty. 



" Lancaster Sound and its continuation through Bar- 

 row's Strait, having been four times navigated without 

 any impediment by Sir Edward Parry, and since fre- 

 quently by whaling-ships, will probably be found with- 

 out any obstacles from ice or islands ; and Sir Edward 

 Parry having also proceeded from the latter in a straight 

 course to Melville Island, and returned without experi- 

 encing any or very little difficulty, it is hoped that the 

 remaining portion of the passage, about nine hundred 

 miles, to Behring's Strait, may also be found equally 

 free from obstruction ; and in proceeding to the west- 

 ward, therefore, you will not stop to examine any open- 

 ings either to the northward or southward in that strait, 

 but continue to push to the westward, without loss of 

 time, in the latitude of about 74^, till you have reached 

 the longitude of that portion of land on which Cape 

 Walker is situated, or about 98 west. From that 

 point we desire that every effort be used to endeavor to 

 penetrate to the southward and westward, in a course 

 as direct towards Behring's Strait as the position and 

 extent of the ice, or the existence of land, at present 

 unknown, may admit. 



" We direct you to this particular part of the Polar 

 Sea as affording the best prospect of accomplishing the 

 passage to the Pacific, in consequence of the unusual 

 magnitude and apparently fixed state of the barrjer of 



