PEEFACE. xxi 



Arctic medal upon all the officers and men of 

 the ' Fox ' is a pleasing proof that this interest 

 is well sustained. 



But these few introductory sentences must 

 not be extended; and I invite the reader at 

 once to peruse the Journal of M'Clintock, which 

 will gratify every lover of truthful and ardent 

 research, though it will leave him impressed 

 with the sad belief, that the end of the com- 

 panions of Franklin has been truly recorded 

 by the native Esquimaux, who saw these noble 

 fellows " fall down and die as they walked 

 along the ice." 



Looking to the fact, that little or no fresh 

 food could have been obtained by the crews of 

 the ' Erebus ' and ' Terror ' during their long 

 imprisoijment of twenty months, in so fright- 

 fully sterile a region as that in which the ships 

 were abandoned, — so sterile that it is even de- 

 serted by the Esquimaux, — and also to the want 

 of sustenance in spring at the mouth of the Back 

 River, all the Arctic naval authorities with whom 

 I have conversed, coincide with M'Clintock and 

 his associates in the belief, that none of the 

 missing navigators can be now living. 



Painful as is the realisation of this tragic 

 event, let us now dwell only on the reflection 

 that, while the North- West passage has been 



c2 



