INTRODUCTION. 3 



tive must be inevitably weakened by its having 

 fallen into less experienced hands, and as it is 

 always desirable, moreover, to have from the 

 commander of an expedition a personal state- 

 ment of the motives which actuated his con- 

 duct. I regret also, that my immediate com- 

 mander, Sir John Franklin, has not had leisure 

 to attend to the publication of a voyage in which 

 he bore so conspicuous a part. 



In the following narrative I have endeavoured 

 to make up for the loss occasioned by the omis- 

 sion of Captain Buchan, by scrupulously pre- 

 serving his opinions upon every point of difficulty 

 which occurred, and by giving his sentiments 

 on every important event ; and I was happy to 

 find, after submitting the sheets to his inspec- 

 tion, that their return was accompanied with 

 this observation : — that " all the most promi- 

 nent features of the expedition were brought 

 forward in perfect accordance with his views."* 

 His letter also contained this gratifying assur- 

 ance, which it is due to my companions upon 

 that expedition to give in the words of their 

 late commander, viz.: — that "my only regret 

 in not having published the proceedings of our 

 attempt to reach the Pole, is the privation of 

 making the public acquainted with my entire 



* Captain Buchan's letter, dated August 1, 1834. 



b 2 



