August, 



PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 381 



vices ; but Mr. Elson, the master, who had hitherto 

 commanded the boat, had acquitted himself so much 

 to my satisfaction, that I could not in justice remove 1826 

 him ; more especially at a moment when the service 

 to be performed was inseparable from risk. Mr. 

 Smyth the senior mate of the ship, who executed 

 the greater part of the drawings which illustrate this 

 work, was placed with Mr. Elson, who had besides 

 under his command a crew of six seamen and two 

 marines. 



My instructions to Mr. Elson were to trace the 

 shore to the north-eastward as far as it was possible 

 for a boat to navigate, with a view to render the 

 earliest possible assistance to Captain Franklin, and 

 to obtain what information he could of the trending 

 of the coast and of the position of the ice. He was 

 also directed to possess himself of facts which, in the 

 event of the failure of the other expedition, would 

 enable us to form a j udgment of the probable success 

 which might attend an attempt to effect a north- 

 eastern passage in this quarter : and further, he was 

 to avoid being beset in the ice, by returning imme- 

 diately the wind should get to the north-west or 

 westward, and not to prolong his absence from the 

 ship beyond the first week in September. He was 

 at the same time ordered to place landmarks and 

 directions in conspicuous places for Captain Frank- 

 lin's guidance ; and if possible, on his return, to 

 examine the shoals off Icy Cape. 



We steered together to the northward with foggy 

 weather until midnight on the 17th, when I made 

 Mr. Elson's signal to part company, and he com- 

 menced his interesting expedition with the good 

 wishes of all on board. We continued our course 



