128 report — 1877. 



quarters in Assistance Bay, about forty miles to the eastward of our position, as 

 did also Sir John Ross. The American Tessels under De Haven got beset in "Wel- 

 lington Channel, and they drifted helplessly under the influence of that current 

 which bears such a remarkable feature in ocean circulation, and is so eventful 

 in the history of Arctic voyagers. De Haven's ships, beset in pack ice, were 

 drifted through Lancaster Sound into Baffin's Bay, then soiithward to Davis 

 Straits, and, after an anxious winter, were released in the Atlantic Ocean. 



Throughout the winter of 1850-51 our speculations were incessant as to the 

 course Franklin had taken from Erebus and Terror Bay, and our minds and eflbrts 

 were cheerfully devoted to preparations for sledge travelling with the return of 

 sprinsr. Although we were not fortunate in finding a harbour for wintering iD, 

 we were in fixed ice out of the influence of currents. Our expeditions were in 

 good position for searching the south shore of the Parry Islands, and exploring 

 beyond Cape Walker, which was distant about CO miles to the S.W. As regards 

 Penny's vessels, they were well situated for searching the Wellington Channel 

 northward. With the fine crews at our command and ample resources, we had 

 the means of exploring all the coasts westward and southward, and ascertaining 

 the fate of our missing countrymen. On the Behring Straits side of the North- 

 west Passage depot ships were in station, and Collinson's expedition from the 

 Pacific we fondly hoped might meet us halfway in 1851. 



The year 1851 opened with sanguine hopes that Franklin's track would be fallen 

 in with. We had searched many conspicuous positions for record, the absence of 

 which involved a mystery over his course from Beechey Island. In April our 

 sledging parties set out, perfectly organized and trained, to carry out exploration 

 to the utmost limit of our resources. To examine the south shores of the Parry 

 Islands and reach Winter Barbour of Parry was an important object; but to reach 

 Cape Walker and follow on the course south-west from that position to the Ame- 

 rican continent, as suggested to Franklin in his instructions, afforded the best hopes 

 of success. This route of search was confided to me, and, with Lieutenant Osborn, 

 six officers, and forty-five men, we crossed over Barrow Straits 60 miles to Cape 

 Walker. "Again no traces found." I provided for a search along the west shore 

 of Peel Inlet, down to lat. 72° 49" N., long. 96° 40' W., whilst I continued the ex- 

 amination of the coast, accompanied by Lieutenant Osborn, to the west and south to 

 Ommanney Bay, and attained a position in lat. 72° 40' X., long. 105° W., the extre- 

 mity of our journey. This land I named Prince-of-Wales Land. The coast trended 

 away to the south-east, and around the horizon bounded a sea of solid heavy ice. 

 On the very same day of reaching our extreme west (24th May, 1851) it became 

 known to us afterwards that a party was advancing towards us from McClure's 

 ship, the ' Investigator,' in Prince-of-Wales Straits, to a point in lat. 72° 21' N., 

 long. 112° W. : thus on that very day a party from the Pacific, and one from the 

 Atlantic Ocean, were within 140 miles of each other ; except for this small gap 

 between us the North-west Passage was completed ! I retraced the shores of 

 Prince-of-Wales Land to Cape Walker, 200 miles of coast, and reached the ' As- 

 sistance ' again off Griffith Island, after an absence of sixty days from the ship, and 

 having travelled over 500 miles. 



The land explored was generally low, and covered with hard frozen snow, veiy 

 destitute of animal life, a most dreary journey ; the only vestige of a human being 

 having trod this land before was the remains of a very old cache, with fragments of 

 bones. A low shingly beach in many parts indicated shallow water ofl* the coast, 

 on which a frozen sea of ice rested, in many places of great thickness. The one 

 feature of scientific interest of the journey was fixing the magnetic meridian of 180°, 

 passing due north of the magnetic pole. Lieutenant McClintock accomplished a 

 great achievement in reaching Melville Islaud of Parry, and Liddon Gulf; the 

 search of Parry's Winter Harbour was of great interest, conspicuous records and other 

 traces of that noble navigator were found there. 



Lieutenant McClintock was absent 80 days from the ship ; the parties under him 

 had searched all the southern shores and inlets of the Parry Islands ; his own party 

 travelled 700 miles, a marvellous feat for seamen. 



In the mean time Penny's expedition had explored both sides of the Wellington 

 Channel to a high latitude, 76° 25' N, travelling over a large extent of new ground 



