334 ARCTIC VOYAGES. Chap. X. 



America, from the mouth of the Copper-Mine River 

 to the eastward ; to lay down the line, or trending, 

 of that coast, as far as to the eastern extremity of that 

 continent ; in short, to take all means for obtain- 

 ing accurate information respecting that unknown 

 line of coast. And it is to the credit of the then 

 Board of Admiralty for suggesting this expedition, 

 which might be of the utmost importance in aiding 

 the ships under Commander Parry, which were to 

 proceed about the same time for the Polar Sea, and 

 might have to touch upon the coast in question. 



On the 22nd of May, 1819, the little party, hav- 

 ing received their credentials from the several au- 

 thorities at home, embarked on board the Hudson 

 Bay Company's ship Prince of Wales. Contrary 

 winds and foul weather daring the first week obliged 

 the ship to anchor in Yarmouth Roads, where the 

 officers and passengers ventured on shore for a few 

 hours; but the wind suddenly changing, the Com- 

 mander caused guns to be fired, as an intimation of 

 putting to sea; the passengers forthwith embarked, 

 but Mr. Back was missing ; no time, however, was 

 to be lost, and shortly after, the ship sailed without 

 him and arrived at Stromness on the 3rd of June, 

 where business with the Hudson's Bay agent, and 

 the difficulty of obtaining four boatmen to assist in 

 the navigation of the lakes and rivers of North 

 America, detained them till the evening of the 9th, 

 " when we had the gratification," says Franklin, " of 



