xiv PREFACE. 



have not closely attended to the results of other 

 Arctic voyages may be informed, that rarely 

 has an expedition in the first year accomplished 

 more by its ships, than the establishing of good 

 winter quarters, from whence the real researches 

 began by sledge-work in the ensuing spring. 

 Franklin, however, not only reached Beechey 

 Island, but ascended Wellington Channel, then 

 an unknown sea, to 77° N. lat., a more northern 

 latitude in this meridian than that attained long 

 afterwards in ships by Sir Edward Belcher, and 

 much to the north of the points reached by 

 Penny and De Haven. Next, though most 

 scantily provided with steam-power, Franklin 

 navigated round Cornwallis' Land, which he 

 thus proved to be an island. This last dis- 

 covery of a navigable channel throughout, be- 

 tween Cornwallis and Bathurst Islands, though 

 made in the very summer he left England, has 

 remained even to this day unknown to other 

 navigators ! 



Franklin then, in obedience to his orders, 

 steered to the south-west. Passing, as M'Clintock 

 believes, down Peel's Strait in 1846, and reach- 

 ing as far as lat. 70° 05' N., and long. 98° 23' W., 

 where the ships were beset, it is clear that he, 

 who, with others, had previously ascertained 

 the existence of a channel along the north coast 



