LINNEAN SOCIETY OE LONDON. Ixxxv 



second expedition to tL.e same regions, in wHch the exploration 

 of that part of the coasts of the Arctic Sea between the Mackenzie 

 and Coppermine Rivers, a distance of 902 miles, was entrusted 

 solely to him, while Franklin himself proceeded along the coast 

 to the westward and reached a spot within 160 miles of Icy Cape. 

 The two expeditions thus comprised an extent of coast-line of 

 nearly 2000 miles ; whilst, as observed by the President of the 

 Eoyal Geographical Society in his obituary notice of Sir John 

 Eichardson, " it was not geography alone that was benefited by 

 their labours ; for the meteorological and magnetical observa- 

 tions, combined with those collections in the department of na- 

 tural history which, while taking a share in the labours of his 

 companions, were the especial vocation of Eichardson, rendered 

 the account of these voyages especially interesting to the scientific 

 world ; and the publication of that excellent work the ' Fauna 

 Boreali- Americana' proved how well he was qualified for the 

 position he had been selected to fill." 



In 1838 Dr. Richardson was appointed Physician to Haslar 

 Hospital, and in 1840 was promoted to the rank of Inspector in 

 the Naval Medical Service; whilst in 1846, in consideration of 

 his eminent services, he received the honour of knighthood. 



Undeterred by the dangers and hardships he had undergone in 

 the two previous Arctic expeditions in which he had taken part, 

 and when he had passed his sixtieth year, Sir John Richardson, 

 with almost unexampled devotion to the claims of friendship, 

 again volunteered his services for a third time in the same incle- 

 ment regions in search of his former chief Sir John Eranklin. In 

 this expedition, which was undertaken in company with Dr. Rae, 

 Sir John Richardson descended the Mackenzie River, and tra- 

 versed the Arctic shores between that river and the Coppermine ; 

 an account of which hazardous and, alas ! fruitless journey was 

 published in 1851. 



The heroic manner in which the various labours and perils of 

 these Arctic jovirneys were undergone by Sir John Richardson 

 sufficiently shows that, as a geographical explorer, he was a man 

 of indomitable courage, energy, and determination. But, besides 

 this, he possessed an accurate and extensive knowledge of most 

 branches of natural history, amongst which he was, however, 

 more especially devoted to ichthyology, in which he had few supe- 

 riors, and to w^hich he remained attached to the end of his life. 



In personal character, as in his appearance, Sir John Richardson 

 was distinguished by a certain apparent ruggedness, suggestive. 



