12 LADY FKANKLIN'S VISIT. Ciiai>. J. 



awarded to all composing tliose splendid expe- 

 ditions, surely the effort became still more re- 

 markable and worthy of approbation when its 

 means were limited to one little vessel, con- 

 taining but twenty-five souls, equipped and pro- 

 visioned (although efficiently, yet) in a manner 

 more according with the limited resources of a 

 private individual than with those of the public 

 purse. The less the means, the more arduous 

 I felt was the achievement. The greater the 

 risk — for the ' Fox ' was to be launched alone 

 into those turbulent seas from which every 

 other vessel had long since been withdrawn — 

 the more glorious would be the success, the 

 more honourable even the defeat, if again defeat 

 awaited us. 



Upon the last day of June Lady Franklin, 

 accompanied by her niece Miss Sophia Cracroft, 

 and Capt. Maguire, R.N., came on board to bid 

 us farewell, for we purposed sailing in the even- 

 ing. Seeing how deeply agitated she was on 

 leaving the ship, I endeavoured to repress the 

 enthusiasm of my crew, but without avail ; it 

 found vent in three prolonged hearty cheers. 

 The strong feeling which prompted them was 

 truly sincere ; and this unbidden exhibition of 

 it can hardly have gratified her for whom it 

 was intended more than it did myself. 



