424 ARCTIC VOYAGES. Chap. XI. 



Good Hope on the 2nd July, being on the border 

 of the Esquimaux territory, it was deemed ex- 

 pedient to arm the men, and a gun, dagger, and 

 ammunition were issued to each person. On the 

 3rd they reached the broad part of the river, where 

 different channels branch off; and here the separa- 

 tion of the parties was to take place. The western 

 branch was the route to be pursued by the boats of 

 Franklin's party, and the eastern branch by those 

 of Richardson ; the former to proceed along the 

 northern coast, westerly as far as Icy Cape, where 

 it was expected to fall in with the Blossom ; the 

 latter to examine the coast-line between the mouth 

 of the Mackenzie and that of the Copper Mine 

 River, and having reached the latter, he was 

 directed to proceed by land to the north-east arm 

 of the Great Bear Lake, where a boat would meet 

 and convev him to Fort Franklin. The Lion, 

 under the command of Captain Franklin, had a 

 crew of six men, with Augustus the interpreter. 

 The Reliance, under the orders of Lieutenant Back, 

 was manned with seven men, consisting of four 

 seamen, a marine, and two Canadian voyagers. 



Franklin s Voyage to the Westward. 



To follow Franklin first, on his voyage to the west- 

 ward, after passing through several shallow channels 

 between islands and the main, trending westerly. 

 On the 7th July the party reached the mouth of 



