90 CRUISE OF THE NEPTUNE 
great forethought, Parry caused all the provisions to be landed 
from the wreck and safely housed on Fury beach, where they 
were subsequently found by Ross, and were the means of rescu- 
ing his crew from starvation. 
During the time that Parry was making his important dis- 
coveries by sea, Lieutenant John Franklin was employed in 
tracing the northern shores of the American continent. From 
1819 to 1822 Franklin was engaged in leading an expedition 
overland from Hudson bay to the Arctic shores, in the vicinity 
of the Coppermine river. The Admiralty, who planned the 
expedition, knew practically nothing about the conditions for 
travel through the regions that it purposed exploring, and de- 
pended for aid solely upon the Hudson's Bay Company. 
Unfortunately, at this time the quarrel between the Hudson's 
Bay Company and the North-west Company was at its height, 
and the resources of both were consequently greatly crippled. 
The north-west Company were far stronger in the Mackenzie 
river valley, and their rivals, who were to help Franklin, were 
unable to give him very efficient aid, or to supply him with a 
large stock of provisions; in consequence, he started from the 
outposts with almost no food, determining to trust to his hunters 
for the provisions required for his party. This finally led to 
disaster, and on the retreat from the Arctic sea, over one-half of 
the party, including Lieutenant Hood, died of starvation. 
Franklin left England in the Hudson's Bay Company's ship, 
accompanied by Lieutenants Back and Hood, Dr. Richardson 
and one seaman. They arrived at York Factory, and there met 
four of the leading partners of the North-west Company, who 
were held prisoners by their rivals. As these men had spent a 
number of years in the Mackenzie river country, Franklin 
obtained much valuable information from them. After a few 
days at York, the party proceeded by canoes from there, 650 
miles to Cumberland House, on the Saskatchewan river, 
where the first winter was passed. The following summer 
