The Proposed Visit to England. 5 



ever induced Hall to decline lecturing in Cincinnati, and to entertain 

 a new idea in regard to his discoveries and to the proper disposition of 

 the valuable relics of Frobisher's Expedition, which he had found on this 

 first voyage. Writing to Mr. Grinnell, he expressed his belief that he 

 ought to go over immediately to England and present tliese to the 

 English sovereign and people, as Captain Dillon in 1829 had presented 

 the remains of La Perouse's Expedition to Charles X and to the French 

 nation.* 



He naturally set a value on his late explorations, and had reason 

 to suppose they would interest the English people. He believed that 

 the account given by Frobisher himself of the country he had visited, 

 was so indefinite that for nearly three hundred years the civilized world 

 had been in doubt of the precise localities. Beste's Narrative to be 

 found at that time only in Hakluyt's collection, and Barrow's history 

 which Hall had in hand while traveling over the land, were proof 

 enough of the indefiniteness of the geographical positions named by 

 Frobisher. Up to the time of Hall's visit in 18Gl,no opportunity had 

 been embraced for identifying these localities, orforconfirming the record 

 of what Frobisher's three expeditions had reported as accomplished on 



* This lie had found fully noted in tlie "Narrative and Successful Result of a Voyage in the 

 South, performed by order of the Government of British India to ascertain the actual fate of La 

 Perouse's Expedition of 1785 ; made by Chevalier Capt. P. Dillon in 1828." His attention hav- 

 iug been closely drawn to this history, he had made the following abstract, the italicized parts of 

 which are those underscored in his manuscript, as arguments for his yet finding survivors of 

 Franklin's party. 



"Louis XVI and the French nation having determined to contribute their share in enlarging 

 our acquaintance with the globe and its inhabitants, ordered an exi)editioii to be fitted out in 

 1785, consisting of two of the finest French frigates. La Boussole and L'Astrolabe. Neither lalior 

 nor expense was spared in completing the expedition, to which were attached some of the ablest 

 and most scientific men of Europe. 



'To secure the success of this enterprise the ships' companies of which numbered 240 souls, 

 it was deemed necessary to select a man of the highest professional talent to command the expe- 

 dition. La Perouse was chosen ; his distinguished naval exploits, scientific acquirements, and 

 enterprising character having pointed him out as the fittest person to be thus honored. 



"The expedition sailed from Brest, August, 1785, and, after making discoveries in various 



