XX PKEFACE. 



mitted to say, tliat no event in my life gave 

 me purer deliglit, than when Captain Collinson, 

 whose labours to support and carry out this last 

 search have been signally serviceable, forwarded 

 to me a telegram to be communicated to the 

 British Association at Aberdeen announcing the 

 success of M'Clintock. That document reached 

 Balmoral on the 22nd of September last, when 

 the men of science were invited thither by their 

 Sovereign. Great was the satisfaction caused 

 by the diffusion of these good tidings among 

 my associates (the distinguished Arctic explorers 

 Admiral Sir James Ross and General Sabine 

 being present) ; and it was most cheering to 

 us to know, that the Queen and our Royal 

 President* took the deepest interest in this in- 

 telligence — such as, indeed, they have always 

 evinced whenever the search for the missing 

 navigators has been brought under their con- 

 sideration. The immediate bestowal of the 



* At the Aberdeen meeting the Prince Consort thus spoke : — 

 " The Aberdeen whaler braves the icy regions of the Polar sea to 

 seek and to battle with the great monster of the deep ; he has 

 materially assisted in opening these icebound regions to the re- 

 searches of science ; he fearlessly aided in the search after Sir John 

 Franklin and his gallant companions whom their countiy sent 

 forth on this mission ; but to whom Providence, alas ! has denied the 

 reward of their labours, the return to their homes, to the aflectionate 

 embrace of their families and friends, and the acknowledgments 

 of a grateful nation." 



