PREFACE. ix 



precluded from acceding to their petition, by 

 nothing but the strongly expressed opinion of 

 official authorities, that after so many failures 

 the Government were no longer justified in 

 sending out more brave men to encounter fresh 

 dangers in a cause which was viewed as hope- 

 less. Hence it devolved on Lady Franklin and 

 her friends to be the sole means of endeavour- 

 ing to bring to ligh{ the true history of her 

 husband's voyage and fate. 



Looking to the list of Naval worthies who 

 during the preceding years had been exploring 

 the Arctic Regions, Lady Franklin was highly 

 gratified when she obtained the willing services 

 of Captain M'Clintock to command the yacht 

 * Fox,' which she had purchased ; for that 

 officer had signally distinguished himself in the 

 voyages of Sir James Ross and Captain (now 

 Admiral) Austin, and especially in his ex- 

 tensive journeys on the ice when associated 

 with Captain Kellett. With such a leader she 

 could not but entertain sanguine hopes of suc- 

 cess when the fast and well-adapted little vessel 



Geographical Society, I presented to the Prime Minister ; and also 

 the speech of Lord Wrottesley, the President of the Royal Society, 

 who, in the absence of the lamented Earl of Ellesmere, brought the 

 subject earnestly under the notice of the House of Lords on the 

 18th of July, 1856. 



