322 SLEDGING PARTIES 



situated in west longitude 103 25', almost half way 

 between Leopold Island and Point Turnagain on the 

 American continent. 



The first sledge on the north shore, the Lady Frank- 

 lin, under the command of Lieut, Aldrich, travelled five 

 hundred and fifty miles, discovered seventy miles of 

 coast, and was absent sixty-two days. The second, the 

 Perseverance, under the command of Lieut. M'Clintock, 

 travelled seven hundred and sixty miles, discovered 

 forty miles of coast, and was absent eighty days. And 

 the third, the Resolute, under the command of Surgeon 

 Bradford, travelled six hundred and sixty-nine miles, 

 discovered one hundred and thirty-five miles of coast, 

 and was absent eighty days. Lieut. M'Clintock's party 

 achieved the furthest westing of the three ; and the fur- 

 thest, indeed, which has ever been attained in the polar 

 seas, a point in latitude 74 38' and west longitude 

 114 20'. 



He left the ships on the 15th of April, and, taking a 

 course due west, reached Point Griffith, on the eastern 

 shore of Melville Island, on the llth of May. On the 

 21st he sighted Winter Harbor ; but, there being neither 

 ships, tents, nor any sign of human habitation, to be 

 seen, he deferred any close scrutiny of it until his return. 

 By the 27th of May he had reached Cape Dundas, at the 

 western extremity of Melville Island ; and on the follow- 

 ing day, ascending a high cliff, made out the coast of 

 Banks's Land. 



To the north of Banks's Land, at a distance from it 

 of about seventy miles, he discovered a range of land 

 apparently running nearly due west. " This does not 

 present steep cliffs, but a bold and deeply indented 

 coast ; the land rising to the interior, and intersected 

 by valleys rather than ravines.' 3 The sea he imagined 

 to continue to the westward. Following the coast of 



