98 SANDFOED FLEMING ON 



by some unknown inlet approachable from the Atlantic between the northern coast of 

 Labrador and Grreenland. Influenced by these views, the British Government, being 

 extremely desirous of securing a new route to India, at the close of the war with France, 

 renewed the efforts of discovery by offering a reward of X20,000 to any one, or any body 

 of men who would satisfactorily establish its existence. A north-west passage thus having 

 become a national object, two expeditions were sent out iu the year 1818, one ^^nder 

 Captain David Buchan and Lieutenant John Franklin, the second under the command of 

 Captain John Eoss and Lieutenant Edward Parry. 



These efforts although unvailing did not establish the non-existence of the long 

 sought passage : they rather made the question more interesting and increased the deter- 

 mination to obtain its solution. New expeditious were therefore decided on. In 1819, 

 Captain Parry sailed in command of two ships which after wintering in the north seas 

 returned in 1820. In 1821 he again commanded an expedition which after passiug two 

 winters among the Eskimo returned in 1823. 



It was in 1819, that Lieutenant Franklin was despatched by land to the northern 

 coast, in order to survey to the west of Coppermine River. Hitherto the coast had only 

 been visited at two points ; by Hearue at the month of the Coppermine in 1*771, and by 

 Alexander Mackenzie at the mouth of the river which bears his name, in 1789. Franklin 

 was accompanied by Dr. Richardson, Messrs. Greorge Back and Hood. On the return 

 journey the expedition experienced great suffering from cold and starvation, and Hood 

 and many of the men perished. 



In 1824 a combined attempt by four expeditions was organized ; under Parry and 

 Lyon from the east ; under Beechey from the west entering by Behring Strait ; and 

 under Franklin by Mackenzie River. These several expeditions returned in 1826. In 

 1827, Captain Parry undertook the last of the series of unsuccessful attempts made under 

 his command. 



In 1829, a wealthy gentleman. Sir Felix Booth, undertook to defray the cost of a 

 private expedition, and placed it under the command of Captain Sir John Ross and his 

 nephew James. On this occasion the ships became winter-bound, and were unable to 

 return until 1833, the expedition having passed four winters in the frozen region. The 

 anxiety felt for their safety induced the authorities to send out a land expedition under 

 Sir Greorge Back and Dr. Richard King. These explorers set out iu 1838 and travelled by 

 Great Slave Lake and Great Fish River to the arctic seaboard ; they returned in 1834. 



In 1836, Sir George Back was placed in command of a naval expedition, to prosecute 

 north-western discoveries. He was obliged to winter in the pack ice and retitrned to 

 England the following year. 



In 1837, Simpson and Dease, sent out at the instance of the Hudson's Bay Company, 

 reached the mouth of the river Mackenzie. The object of this examination was to connect 

 by actual survey the several points on the northern coast which had been visited by 

 previous explorers. They were engaged in this service until 1839. 



In 1845, a fresh attemi)t to discover the north-west passage was undertaken by Sir 

 John Franklin and Captain Richard Crozier in charge of a naval expedition with 135 

 officers and men. The unfortunate end of the expedition is well known. The ships 

 " Erebus " and " Terror " sailed on May 19th, 1845. They were last seen by a whaler, 

 on the following July 26th, iu Baffin Bay. After years of anxiety and uncertainty, and 



