210 PIM ON ARCTIC SEARCH. [Nov. 24, 1856. 



from tlie Esquiaiaux during his survey of part of Boothia, it was 

 natural to look for the solution of the mystery to the locality of 

 King William Land. He ascribed the failure of the last expedition 

 sent out by the Hudson Bay Company to follow up the traces of 

 Franklin discovered by Dr. Eae, to various causes, but chiefly to 

 the lateness of the period of the year when they started and to the 

 absence of an interpreter ; and denied the existence of any evidence 

 proving that the party had perished, since no vestige of human 

 remains had been found, which would otherwise have been the case. 

 The scheme he proposed was, that a screw steamer, with a comple- 

 ment of twenty men, should penetrate as far down Peel Sound as 

 possible, take up winter quarters, and, assisted by teams of dogs, 

 purchased at the Danish settlements of Greenland, extend the search 

 down both sides of the Sound. Another steamer should push through 

 Behring Strait and winter at King William Land ; and a third 

 party should descend the Great Fish River. Lieut. Pim particularly 

 desired the use of small steamers, supplied with dogs for travelling 

 purposes. Who could doubt that, had Sir John Franklin had the 

 command of 20 men only, instead of 138, but he would have escaped 

 from his icy prison as easily as Sir John Ross had done? The 

 smaller number would enjoy abundance, while the larger number 

 were perishing with hunger. The superiority of dogs over men for 

 sledging purposes had, in Lieutenant Pim's opinion, been abundantly 

 proved— frost being the most dreaded enemy of the men, whilst 

 dogs are exposed to the severest inclemency of the weather with 

 impunity. The most interesting locality for the search, was un- 

 doubtedly. King William Land ; which, situated at the mouth of the 

 Great Fish River, was, on account of its proximity to the magnetic 

 pole, and the number of Esquimaux inhabiting its vicinity, who 

 beyond a doubt were the depositaries of the Franklin secret, of 

 the greatest importance. Having pointed out the field of search, 

 Lieutenant Pim described the eastern road to it, or that by Lancaster 

 Sound, as comparatively uncertain; while the western, or that 

 through Behring Strait, he believed could be coasted by ships sooner 

 or later in each year, along the northern shores of the American 

 Continent. Captain Collinson had engaged to take a ship to 

 Simpson Bay in ten months, and, indeed, had given it as his opinion 

 to him, that he could take through the ' Marlborough,' the largest 

 ship in the British navy.* 



* Lieat. Pim exhibited the fac-simile of a Chart drawn by an Esquimaux, on 

 board the * Enterprise,' pointing out the locality of two ships ; but which Capt. 

 Collinson, at the time, supposed to refer to the * Victory,' abandoned by Sir 

 John Ross in 1831.— Ed. 



