Ch. XI. FRANKLIN & RICHARDSON'S SECOND JOURNEY. 423 



the 6th May the first swans were seen ; on the 7th 

 the geese appeared ; on the 8th the ducks ; on the 

 9th the gulls ; on the 11th the first rain fell ; on the 

 17th various singing birds made their appearance ; 

 on the 27th the first laughing-geese were seen ; and 

 on the 31st the goatsuckers brought up the rear — 

 and many others, as well as various plants, are 

 registered. 



In the course of the month of May the prepara- 

 tions were nearly complete, and an additional new 

 boat finished, after the model of the Lion, named 

 the Reliance. In June the boats were all afloat 

 and manned. Fourteen men, including Augustus 

 and two Canadian voyagers, were to accompany 

 Franklin and Back in the Lion and Reliance ; and 

 ten, including Ooligback (another Esquimaux), to 

 go with Richardson and Kendall in the Dolphin 

 and Union. 



The position of Fort Franklin was determined ; 

 its latitude 55° IV 56", longitude 123° 12' 44" W., 

 variation 39° 9' E., dip 82° 58' 15". 



The whole party embarked on Bear-lake River 

 on the 24th June, the 23rd being a sultry day ; the 

 thermometer in the shade at noon 71°, and at 3 p.m. 

 74° : the ice drifting down in large masses, and 

 with such rapidity as to render embarkation unsafe. 

 It ceased however at eight the following morning, 

 and allowed them to proceed : in the evening they 

 entered the Mackenzie River. On leaving Fort 



