96 CRUISE OF THE NEPTUNE 



in the navy. The crews leaving England amounted to one 

 hundred and thirty-four persons, of whom five were sent home 

 from Greenland, leaving a total of one hundred and twenty-nine 

 on board the ships when they entered Lancaster sound, and 

 were seen for the last time. The fate of the expedition remained 

 for a number of years unknown, although the British govern- 

 ment spared no expense in the attempt to rescue the unfortunate 

 crews, and, when the hope of succouring was gone, in a search 

 for proof of their fate. Official relief expeditions were supple- 

 mented by others under private auspices, due either to Lady 

 Franklin or to her appeals to the sympathy of the public for 

 convincing evidence as to the terrible fate of her unfortunate 

 husband and his companions. America joined forces with 

 England in the attempt to rescue the expedition, and sent 

 out a number of ships to act in conjunction with the others, 

 while France sent two gallant officers, one of whom, Lieutenant 

 Bellot, lost his life while engaged in this work. As the condi- 

 tions under which the searches were made were exceedingly 

 difficult and hazardous, much time and energy were spent, and 

 many risked and lost their lives. Twelve years passed before 

 M'Clintock discovered undoubted proofs of the complete loss of 

 the ships and the death of the entire crews. During this time 

 thirty-five ships and five overland expeditions carried a host of 

 eager searchers to the Arctics, where, incidental to their main 

 object of rescuing the crews of the Erebus and Terr or , they 

 explored the entire northern coast-line of America and the 

 shores of the Arctic islands, with such minute care as only their 

 mission would warrant. To these search expeditions our inti- 

 mate knowledge of Arctic America is largely due, and when the 

 search was finished only the most northern islands remained for 

 the future explorer. 



Before entering upon a short statement of the work of the 

 search parties, the work and fate of Franklin's expedition may 

 be traced. His instructions were to enter Lancaster sound, and, 



