xlvi INTRODUCTION. 



It was not until the close of 1847, when no further news 

 had arrived of the absent ships, that anxiety began to be 

 felt as to their safety, or rather, that apprehensions were 

 awakened of their being in some predicament which re- 

 quired assistance and relief. 



In November of that year, Lord Auckland, then at 

 the head of the Admiralty, kindly communicated to Lady 

 Franklin his intention of sending out an expedition in their 

 behalf in the following spring, and invited her to express 

 any views she might entertain in connection with it. 



It is not my purpose to enter here into a history of the 

 several expeditions which under successive administrations, 

 and commanded by various distinguished officers, were 

 despatched in quest of the missing navigators ; neither will 

 I touch upon the supplementary efforts made by Lady 

 Franklin herself with the assistance of sympathising friends. 

 This auxiliary search was rendered necessary in the opinion 

 of Lady Franklin, by the failure of the Government expedi- 

 tions to penetrate into those particular parts of the field of 

 search where she believed the ' Erebus ' and ' Terror ' would 

 be found : an opinion which gained increased force, when in 

 1854 Dr. Rae arrived in England with news derived from 

 the Esquimaux, and confirmed by relics obtained from them, 

 of some fatal catastrophe that had taken place within the 

 area on which her anxious attention had always been fixed. 



On the arrival of this sad rumour, confirmed by such 

 painful symbols, the Admiralty deemed it time to recall, 

 if it were possible, their searching vessels. 



To Lady Franklin, however, it was only an incentive 

 to renewed exertions, directed to the place (ever circum- 

 scribed, and now plainly ascertained) where alone there was 

 a chance of success. 



