150 



Our geographical discoveries amount to nearly 800 miles of coast- 

 line ; they are interesting not only in consequence of their extent 

 and the important position they occupy, but also from the great 

 difficulty of access, whether by sea or land, to this newly explored 

 area. With the exception of a comparatively small and unimport- 

 ant part of the shore of Victoria Land, the whole of the coasts of 

 Arctic America are now accurately delineated, 



My sledge journey to the Magnetic Pole in February completed 

 the discovery of the coastline of the American Continent. The in- 

 sularity of Prince of Wales Land was ascertained, and the discovery 

 of its coastline completed, by a sledge party under the direction 

 of the Sailing-master, Captain Allen Young, as also the west coast of 

 North Somerset between Bellot Strait and Four River Bay. Lieute- 

 nant Hobson, R.N. and his sledge party completed the discovery of 

 the west coast of King William's Island, picking up the Franklin 

 records ; whilst with my own I explored its eastern and southern 

 shores, returning northward by its west shore from the Great Fish 

 River. 



Repeated attempts were made last year before the close of the 

 navigable season, to reach open water visible in the broad channel 

 westward of North Somerset ; but a narrow barrier of ice across the 

 western outlet of Bellot Strait, and there hemmed in so firmly by 

 numerous islets as to continue unbroken throughout the autumn gales, 

 foiled my sanguine hope of carrying the * Fox,' according to my 

 original plan, southward to the Great Fish River, passing east of 

 King William's Island and from thence to some wintering position 

 upon Victoria Land. From a very careful scrutiny of the ice during 

 my journeys over it in February, March, April, May, and June, it 

 was evident that in this western sea it was all broken up ; whilst east- 

 ward and southward of King William's Island there was hardly any 

 ice last autumn ; and therefore in all probability we saw, in that 

 barrier of ice some three or four miles wide, the only obstruction to 

 our complete success. 



The wide channel between Prince of Wales Land and Victoria 

 Land, upon which I have conferred the name of Lady Franklin, 

 admits a vast and continuous stream of very heavy ocean-formed ice 

 from the north-west, which presses upon the western face of King 

 William's Island and chokes up Victoria Strait. 



