204 THE SEA. 



drew nearer to the stern-post, various noises and crackings beneath them plainly hinted 

 that something- more than usual was in progress. After breakfast I visited them and 

 the other parties as previously stated. Scarcely had I taken a few turns on deck and 

 descended to my cabin when a loud rumbling notified that the ship had broken her 

 icy bonds, and was sliding genlly down into hsr own element. I ran instantly on 

 deck, and joined in the cheers of the officers and men, -who, dispersed on different 

 pieces of ice, took this significant method of expressing their feelings. It was a sight 

 not to be forgotten. Standing on the taffrail, I saw the dark bubbling water below, 

 and enormous masses of ice gently vibrating and springing to the surface ; the first 

 lieutenant was just climbing over the stern, while other groups were standing apart, 

 separated by this new gulf ; and the spars, together with working implements, were 

 resting half in the water, half on the ice, whilst the saw, the instrument whereby 

 this sudden effect had been produced, was bent double, and in that position forcibly 

 detained by the body it had severed/' Having cut to within four feet of the stern- 

 post, the crew had ceased work for a few moments, when the disruption took place, 

 barely giving them time to clamber up as they could for safety. Shortly afterwards 

 a very curious incident occurred. The Terror was almost capsized by a small sub- 

 merged berg which had been released by the breaking up of the floe. On July 14th 

 the ship righted ; and from that time to their arrival in England, after they had 

 managed to patch up, caulk, and render her seaworthy, little of special interest 

 occurred. It is questionable whether any vessel has ever gone through more of the 

 special perils which beset ice navigation than did the Terror; but although terribly 

 shattered, we shall meet her again staunchly braving the dangers of the Arctic. 



CHAPTER XXII. 



FRANKLIN'S LAST VOYAGE. 



Sir John Franklin and his Career His Last Expedition -Takes the Command as his Birthright -The last seen of his 

 Ships Alarm at their long absence -The Search -A few faint traces discovered by Parry A Fleet beset in the 

 Ice Efforts made to communicate with Franklin Rockets and Balloons -M'Clure's Expedition Discovery of the 

 North-West Passage Strange Arrival of Lieutenant Pirn over the Ice The Investigator abandoned Crew Saved 

 Reward of 10,000 to M'Clure and his Ship's Company. 



THE name of Sir John Franklin, whose sad destiny it was to perish at the moment of 

 triumph, stands pre-eminent as one of the brightest ornaments in our long list of naval 

 heroes. Peculiarly adapted by the bent of his mind to the profession he had adopted, he 

 brought to his aid the love of adventure, a perfect knowledge of seamanship, and a 

 zeal for geographical discovery, combined with an integrity of purpose and a hardy in- 

 trepidity, that, even in the service he so highly adorned, have never been surpassed. Tried 

 alike in peace and war, and illustrious in both, this noble knight-errant of the northern 

 seas, irresistible as one of those icebergs that tried to bar his way, was always ready 



