xvi PREFACE. 



the officers serving with and under the man whose great 

 qualities in moments of extreme peril elicited their heartiest 

 admiration and ensured their perfect confidence. 



In writing this Preface (which I do at the request of the 

 promoters of the last search), I may state that, having occu- 

 pied the Chair of the Royal Geographical Society in 1845, 

 when my cherished friend, Sir John Franklin, went forth for 

 the third time to seek a North-West Passage, it became my 

 bounden duty in subsequent years, when his absence created 

 much anxiety, and when I re-occupied the same position, 

 ardently to promote the employment of searching expedi- 

 tions, and warmly to sustain Lady Franklin's endeavours in 

 this holy cause. 



Imbued with such feelings, I must be permitted to say 

 that no event in my life gave me purer delight than when 

 Captain Collinson, whose labours to support and carry out 

 this last search have been signally serviceable, forwarded to 

 me a telegram to be communicated to the British Association 

 at Aberdeen announcing the success of M'Clintock. That 

 document reached Balmoral on the 22 nd of September last, 

 when the men of science were invited thither by their Sove- 

 reign. Great was the satisfaction caused by the diffusion of 

 these good tidings among my associates (the distinguished 

 arctic explorers Admiral Sir James Ross and General Sabine 

 being present) ; and it was most cheering to us to know 

 that the Queen and our Royal President x took the deepest 



1 At the Aberdeen meeting the Prince Consort thus spoke : — " The 

 Aberdeen whaler braves the icy regions of the polar sea to seek and to 

 battle with the great monster of the deep ; he has materially assisted in 

 opening these ice-bound regions to the researches of science ; he fear- 

 lessly aided in the search after Sir John Franklin and his gallant 

 companions whom their country sent forth on this mission ; but to 

 whom Providence, alas ! has denied the reward of their labours, the 



