xxxiv INTRODUCTION. 



The Instructions were rather warnings what to avoid 

 than orders what to do; but even under the latter head 

 the language is sufficiently explicit. "Therefore" (after 

 assuming from the experience of Parry that all attempts 

 to penetrate westward of longitude 9 8° in the direction of 

 Melville Island would be useless), "you will not stop to 

 examine any openings either to the northward or southward 

 in that (Barrow) Strait, but continue to push to the west- 

 ward without loss of time, in the latitude of 74°! N., till 

 you have reached that portion of land on which Cape 

 Walker is situated, or about 9 8° W. From that point we 

 desire that every effort be used to penetrate to the south- 

 ward and westward in a course as direct towards Behring 

 Strait as the position and extent of the ice or the existence 

 of land, at present unknown, may admit." 



Franklin was last seen by a whaling ship which com- 

 municated with him in Baffin's Bay on 26th of July, little 

 more than two months after his departure from England. 

 At that time all was well with the expedition ; and letters 

 from Disco, of a few days' earlier date, from himself and his 

 officers, attest their confidence under Providence of final 

 success, and their mutual satisfaction with each other. 1 



Captain Francis R. M. Crozier, F.R.S., F.S.A., was 

 born at Banbridge, Ireland, in September, 1796. 



1 For further details of Franklin's life, the reader is referred to the 

 'Encyclopedia Britannica,' 8th edition, in which there is an admirable 

 article — under the head of Franklin— written by his friend and relative, 

 Sir John Richardson, the companion of his earlier explorations, and 

 who knew and loved him as a brother; also, to the very interesting 

 memoir in French, by M. de la Roquette, late Vice-President of the 

 Geographical Society of Paris, published by desire of that society, 

 before the final expedition of the 'Fox' had enabled the biographer to 

 brine: his record to an authentic close. 



