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danger, as the ' Bellerophon ' was engaged yard-arm to yard-arm 

 with the ' Aigle,' a French seventy-four, and during the action the 

 poop where he was stationed was repeatedly swept by the enemy's 

 musquetry. Out of forty companions, only six, beside himself, 

 escaped without wounds or death. 



During the subsequent two years, Franklin, who was now mate, 

 served in the Channel Fleet and the Rochefort Squadron, under 

 Admiral Cornwallis, Lord St. Vincent, and Sir Richard Strachan. 



He then joined the ' Bedford,' one of the convoy which escorted 

 the Emperor of Brazils to South America. Immediately afterwards, 

 he sailed in the Expedition against New Orleans, where he distin- 

 guished himself particularly in the attack on the American gun-boats, 

 on which occasion he was wounded. His heroic conduct in this 

 gallant affair was prominently mentioned in the official despatches, 

 and led to his being promoted to a Lieutenancy in the 'Forth,' which 

 ship conveyed the Duchess d'Angouleme to France on the restoration 

 of the Bourbons. 



In 1818 commenced the brilliant series of Arctic Expeditions 

 with which Franklin's name is so honourably associated. From the 

 moment of their having been projected he evinced the strongest 

 desire to be engaged in them, and he was indebted to Sir Joseph 

 Banks, at that time President of the Royal Society, for the grati- 

 fication of his wishes. 



It has been stated, that, with the view of proving himself qualified 

 for surveying operations, Franklin surveyed a portion of the City of 

 London by triangulations taken from church steeples and towers, 

 and that he was in a great measure indebted to the successful result 

 of this undertaking for Sir Joseph Banks's patronage and support. 



Sir Joseph, who had considerable influence with the Admiralty 

 in all matters relating to Arctic exploration, strongly recommended 

 his young friend for Arctic service, and he was accordingly appointed 

 to the command of the ' Trent.' This ship, with the ' Dorothea,' 

 formed an expedition under the command of Captain Buchart, the ob- 

 ject of which was to attain the North Pole, and to enter the Pacific 

 through Behring's Strait. The ship sailed in the early part of 

 1818, and reached the latitude of 80 34' North, when the 'Dorothea' 

 became disabled by severe pressure from the ice, and was incapable 

 of proceeding further. But, although dangers of the most appalling 



