﻿26 OVERLAND SEARCHING EXPEDITION. 1848. 



informed him, through his interpreter, that they 

 had not seen Franklin's ships, thereby excluding 

 the Gulf of Boothia from the list of places to be 

 searched. 



Having thus mentioned the opinions most worthy 

 of note, -respecting the quarters in which search 

 was to be made, the plans of search adopted by 

 the Admiralty after duly weighing a great variety 

 of suggestions, and the extent of coast and parts 

 of the Arctic Sea embraced in the three expedi- 

 tions of the summer of 1848, I subjoin the instruc- 

 tions I received from the Admiralty. 



Instructions to Sir Jolm Richardson, M. D., \Qth March 

 1848. By the Commissioners for executing the office of 

 Lord High Admiral, ^c. 



" Whereas we think fit that you should be employed 

 on an overland expedition in search of Her Majesty's 

 ships ' Erebus ' and ' Tei-ror,' under the command of 

 Captain Sir John Franklin, which ships are engaged in a 

 voyage of discovery in the Arctic seas, you are hereby 

 required and directed to take under your orders Mr. Rae, 

 who has been selected to accompany you, and to leave 

 England on the 25th instant by the mail steamer for 

 Halifax in Nova Scotia, and New York ; and on your 

 arrival at the latter place, you are to proceed immediately 

 to Montreal, for the purpose of conferring with Sir 

 George Siaipson, Governor of the Hudson's Bay Com- 

 pany's Settlements, and making arrangements with him 

 ibr your future supplies and communications. 



