SAILING ORDERS. XV 



should the ships winter apart ; and in this event, the first con- 

 sideration should be, in the autumn of 1875 or early spring of 



1876, to ascertain their respective positions; this, unless under 

 very unfavourable conditions, would be probably accomplished by 

 dog parties, without interfering much with the objects of explora- 

 tion. In connection with this subject, you should bear in mind 

 the necessity of giving such instructions as would govern his pro- 

 ceedings in the event of this proving to be a final separation. 



17. It has already been mentioned that the limits of ship 

 navigation should be confined within about the meridians of 20° 

 and 90° west longitude ; but even within these limits, the possible 

 contingency of a final separation might arise from some sudden 

 and unforeseen movement of ice from which one or both of the 

 ships could not be extricated ; resulting, it may be, in the advanced 

 ship being carried by the southerly drift passing the eastern shores 

 of Greenland supposing Greenland to be an island. 



18. It will be impossible therefore to give any positive or 

 detailed instructions for your guidance after quitting your consort, 

 further than that you should use your best endeavours to rejoin 

 her in the navigable season of 1876, and in company with her 

 return to England, provided the spring exploration has been 

 reasonably successful. But in the event of another season being 

 absolutely required to complete a reasonable amount of exploration, 

 still it will be a matter for careful consideration, whether it would 

 not be advisable that the advanced ship should fall back towards 

 her consort from any advanced position she may have wintered at ; 

 and, should it still remain doubtful whether a final retreat could 

 be effected, the second ship might not be moved southward to such 

 a position as would secure it. 



19. In 1877 you are at full liberty to abandon your ship as 

 early as convenient, if, in your opinion, the explorations of the 

 preceding year have been final, or, if from your experience of the 

 navigable seasons of 1875 and 1876, in your judgment, her 

 escape in 1877 would be doubtful ; you should in this case so time 

 this abandonment as to reach the relief ship at the entrance of 

 Smith Sound not later than the first week in September 1877. 



20. In the event of your remaining out in the hope of extri- 

 cating your own, or it may be both ships, during the summer of 



1877, you should consider the propriety of reducing your own or 

 both crews, sending away all that can be spared to the relief ship 



