EXPEDITIONS TO PACIFIC. 99 



many efforts to obtain tidings of the missing ships, all that could be learned regarding 

 them was comprised in the few relics found by search parties, proving that they had 

 all perished. The memory of these brave men must ever live in the hearts of their 

 'countrj'men. 



In 1846, Dr. John Eae was entrusted with the work of completing the examination of 

 the coast. He wintered within the arctic circle and remained there until the summer 

 of 1841 



(11) Expeditions in Search of Franklin. 



Franklin had been away three years when the British Groverument considered that 

 the time had arrived, when search should be made for the missing ships. It was there- 

 fore determined, early in 1848, to send out three several expeditions. The first, consisting 

 of two ships under command of Captains Moore and Kellett, was to proceed by way of 

 Behring Strait. The second under Sir John Richardson and Dr. John Eae was to go by 

 laud, descending Mackenzie Eiver to its mouth, and to follow the coast as far as the 

 Coppermine Eiver. The third, being two vessels commanded by Captain Sir James Eoss 

 and Captain E J. Bird, well supplied with stores of every kind, was to proceed by Davis 

 Strait, and to follow Lancaster Sound westward. These relief expeditions left nothing 

 undone to attain the object they had in view ; but up to 1850 no traces of the lost ships 

 had been found and renewed efforts became necessary. 



In 1850, expeditions proceeded by Behring Strait under Captains Collinson and 

 McClure ; another by Barrow Strait under Captain Austin ; a third, by the same route 

 was sent out by Lady Franklin in command of Captain Penny. 



In 1851, Lady Franklin sent out a ship under Captain Kennedy, with Lieutenant 

 Bellot of the French navy as second in command. They wintered in the ice, and made 

 long sledging journeys, adding to geographical knowledge, but without accomplishing 

 the main object of the expedition. They returned to England in 1852. 



In 1852, another expedition was sent out by the British Government, consisting of a 

 number of vessels, in command of Sir Edward Belcher, Captains Osborne, Eichards, Kellett 

 and McClintock. Among the officers were Terry, Hamilton, Mecham, Nares, Pim and 

 other well known names connected with the naval service. 



In 1853, Dr. Eae again undertook a land expedition ; he completed the coast examin- 

 ation of the previous years, and connected the discoveries of former travellers. Dr. Eae 

 was the first to bring back tidings, of Franklin ; the news of the fate of the expedition, 

 thus obtained, reached Loudon, October 22nd, 1854. Dr. Eae brought home with him 

 relics of the heroic commander, which are now deposited in G-reenwich Hospital. Other 

 relics were subsequently recovered by the McClintoch and Hall expedition. 



Between the years 1848 and 1854 some fifteen expeditions w^ere sent out, mainly in 

 consequence of the anxiety felt regarding Sir John Franklin and those who accompanied 

 him. Unwearied exertions were made by Lady Franklin herself ; she exhausted her own, 

 private means in sending out auxiliary ships to continue the search, while her appeals 

 for aid aroused the sympathy of the civilized world. 



The search was continued from year to year, winter as well as summer. The ships 

 which entered by Behring Strait in 1850 remained in the ice for more than one winter. 



