PreUminanj Cliapter. xxi 



liini8elf most fortuiuitc in aiiticipatiiig the discovery I>y llir I':s(|iiiiii;iii\ 

 of the traces, as he succeeded in doing in seven distinct h)calities in lvin<; 

 William Land. — McChntock thinks the leadinp: article in the Tribune 

 gives a fair estimate of what he has done; in general, Hall's researches 

 quite contirm those made by himself, i have come to the end of my 

 second sheet, and dare not take a third. 



Your faithful &, affectionate friend 



JANE FRANKLIN 



EEPLY. 



\_Confidential, with the exception that Lady Franklin can be infoiiiied of the isiihstanet! of tin; 



letter.— C. F. IL] 



Cincinnati, Dec' 14'* 18C9. 

 Mr. Grinnell 



Dear Sir: 



Time and again have I taken in hand the subject matter of Lady FrankUn's 

 Letter, for the object of giving full answer to it; but in vain. I can say in ti nth 

 that ever since my arrival in the country from my return from my late fi\'e years 

 voyage and travels in the Arctic liegions, 1 have not had two hours to myself in 

 which I could sit down and not be interrupted many times. I despair, at present, 

 of getting the time to answer (as I would like) the letter referred to; for T am 

 bu&ily flying here and there on Lecture tours. Lecturing is a curse to my soul, 

 for I am far from being that way inclined, and yet I have had to inirsue it and 

 am still head and ears engaged in it. Just as soon as I can get out of the uncon 

 genial business, I shall do so ; and then I do hope I can get at least suliicient 

 time to apologize to you and other friends for the apparent long neglect. 



This much I must say, that, for years, I have determined to undertake an Ex 

 pedition to the North Pole so soon as I should become satisfied that there could 

 be no siu'vivor of Sir John Franklin's Expedition. I exjjcct soon toapply to Ttm 

 gress for aid in my purposed North Pole Expedition. In case of not securing t lie 

 necessary aid from Congress or otherwise for that Expedition (to commence next 

 spring,) I shoidd then feel to do whatever I could to favor ])ersona]ly tlic u(»blc 

 aspirations of Lady Franklin: parenthetically let it be said, lliat no one should 

 ask of me to accept a sidiordinate Y>osition in an Arctic Exjtedition. If McCbn 

 tock and myself be Lady Franklin's chosen ones, we coidd be Co-Commanders and 

 nothing less. 



