4 PURCHASE OF THE 'FOX! Chap. I. 



strates the existence of a channel — the only remaining hope 

 of a practicable north-west passage — would indeed be leaving 

 strong inducement for future explorers to reap the rich 

 reward of our long-continued exertions. 



I immediately applied to the Admiralty for leave of 

 absence to complete the Franklin search ; and on the 23rd 

 received at Dublin the telegraphic message from Lady 

 Franklin : " Your leave is granted ; the ' Fox ' is mine ; the 

 refit will commence immediately." She had already pur- 

 chased the screw-yacht 'Fox,' of 177 tons burthen, and 

 now placed her, together with the necessary funds, at my 

 disposal. 



Let me explain what is here implied by the simple word 

 " refit." The velvet hangings and splendid furniture of the 

 yacht, and also everything not constituting a part of 

 the vessel's strengthening, were to be removed ; the large 

 skylights and capacious ladderways had to be reduced to 

 limits more adapted to a polar clime; the whole vessel to 

 be externally sheathed with stout planking, and internally 

 fortified by strong cross beams, longitudinal beams, iron 

 stanchions, and diagonal fastenings ; the false keel taken 

 off, the slender brass propeller replaced by a massive iron 

 one, the boiler taken out, altered, and enlarged ; the sharp 

 stem to be cased in iron until it resembled a ponderous 

 chisel set up edgeways; even the yacht's rig had to be 

 altered. 



She was placed in the hands of her builders, Messrs. Hall 

 and Co., of Aberdeen, who displayed even more than their 

 usual activity in effecting these necessary alterations, for it 

 was determined that the ' Fox' should sail by the 1st July. 



Internally she was fitted up with the strictest economy in 

 every sense, and the officers were crammed into pigeon- 

 holes, styled cabins, in order to make room for provisions 

 and stores; our mess-room, for five persons, measured 8 feet 



