1853] 



THE ARCTIC EXPEDITIONS. 



of the polo receive a frightful expression in tho following calm, 

 gallant instruction given by Capt. McClure : — " It is my intention 

 he says if possible, to return to England this season (1852) 

 touching at Melville Island and Port Leopold ; but should we net 

 be again heard of, in all probability we shall have been carried 

 into the polar pack, or to the westward of Melviile Island, — in 

 either of which events, to attempt to send succour would only be 

 to increase the evil, as any ship that enters the Polar pack must 

 be inevitably crashed. Therefore, a depot of provision or a ship 

 at Winter Harbour is the best and only certainty for the safety of 

 the surviving crew." This, as will be seen by the date, was writ- . 

 ten last year : — and precisely the steps recommended by him have 

 been taken for the discovery and rescue of Capt. McClure and 

 his companions. 



With respect to the navigation of the North-west Passage, 

 which is a subject of great geographical interest, Capt. McClure 

 observes: — " a ship stands no chance of getting to the westward 

 by entering the Polar, sea — the. water along shore being very 

 narrow and wind contrary, and v the pack impenetrable ; but 

 through the Prince of Wales Strait, and by keeping along the 

 American coast, I conceive it practicable. Drift-wood is in great 

 abundance upon the east coast of the Prince of Wales Strait, and 

 on the American shore, — also much game. The hills in this vi- 

 cinity abound in rein-deer and hares, which remain the entire 

 winter: — we have procured upwards of 4,000 ft." From the 

 observations which were made, it appears that the set of the cur- 

 rents is decidedly to the eastward. — " At one time," says Capt. 

 McClure, " we found the set as much as two knots in a perfect 

 calm, — and that the flood-tide sets from the westward, we have 

 ascertained beyond a doubt, as the opportunities afforded during 

 our detention along the western shore gave ample ^proof." This 

 is one of the important facts of Capt. McClure's enterprise, — and 

 established the propriety of making any future attempt at a pas- 

 sage which might be required from the side of Behring Straits. 



Up to April 1852, the health of the crew of the Investigator 

 was excellent; but during the past winter scurvy manifested itself 

 — and it was fatal to three individuals in the spring. 



According to the last accounts from Captain Kellett, it appears 

 that he had sent his surgeon to report upon the health of the 

 crew of the Investigator ; and had given instructions that should 

 there not be among them twenty men who were sufficiently well 

 and would volunteer to remain another winter, Capt. McClure 

 would desert his vessel. This step, indeed, seems to be contem- 

 plated; for Capt. Inglefield states, that the Intrepid steam tender 

 was expected at Beechy Island with the crew, — and Sir E. Bel- 

 cher had ordered the North Star to be prepared on her arrival to 

 proceed to England and to leave the Intrepid at Beechy Island 

 in her place. 



We turn now to Sir E. Belcher's despatches : — which, if not so 

 interesting in a geographical point of view as those of Captain 

 McClure, yet contain many important features. At the head of 

 these may be placed, — first, the existence of a polar sea, which Sir 

 Edward feels convinced is now placed beyond a doubt : — and 

 secondly, the discovery of what we would gladly hope may be 

 f irther traces of Franklin. 



When Capt. Inglefield left Beechy Island last year, he brought 

 home the intelligence that Sir E. Belcher had gone up Welling- 

 ton Channel, and had been absent three weeks. It now appears 

 that lie reached Cape Becher to the north-east, near which in lat. 

 76 ° 52' and long. 97 ° West, a locality was found for winter 

 quarters. Apprehensive that the open season was fast approach- 

 ing to a close, preparations were made for boat and sledge explo- 

 rations to the northward : — and these were commenced on the 

 23rd of August. On the 25th, when rounding a point where 

 the coast suddenly turns to the eastward, the remains of several 



well built Esquimaux houses wero discovered. "They were," 

 says Sir E. Belcher, ''not simply circles of small stones, but two 

 lines of well laid wall in excavated ground, filled in between by 

 about two feet of fine gravel, well paved, and withal, presenting- 

 the appearance of great care, — more, indeed, than I am willing 

 to attribute to the rude inhabitants or migratory Esquimaux. — 

 Bones of deer, wolves, seals, &c, numerous. Coal found." There 

 is no mention of any search having been made for a record, — 

 though in all probability this was not neglected ; yet the absence 

 of any cairn would seem to render it unlikely that a document 

 existed. It will be observed that Sir E. Belcher does not hazard 

 an opinion as to whether these huts were built by Franklin's- 

 party or not : — but it not by Esquimaux, it would be difficult to 

 arrive at any other conclusion. 



The explorations of Sir Edward and his officers led to the dis- 

 covery of various lands, — to the most extensive of which the 

 name of North Cornwall was given, — and of several islands wash- 

 ed by a sea open to the north, which, as we have stated, Sir E. 

 Belcher regards as the Polar basin. Sir Edward gave the name 

 of Victoria Archipelago to a group of islands in 78° 10' N. lat. ; 

 and the easternmost, forming the channel to Jones's Strait, which 

 communicates with the Polar Sea, he named " North Kent." It 

 is important to add, that as early as the 20th of May he found! 

 the sea open in the latitude of Jones's Strait. His words are — 

 " Polar sea as far as the eye could range." He also states that, 

 the tides were most apparent, setting from east to west. 



Thus, it is due to Capt. Penny to record, tnat although many 

 of his headlands and visual bearings, are erroneous, as might be- 

 expected, — yet, the fine open water which he described as exist- 

 ing to the north of Wellington Channel is a reality, and his- 

 views of its connection with the Polar basin are borne out by Sir 

 E. Belcher's observations. 



In the spring of this year, a very extensive sledge journey was 

 made by Commander Richards and Lieut. Osborne. They start- 

 ed from their winter quarters in Wellington Channel, — and 

 bearing to the north-west in the first instauce, afterwards struck 

 south, and, crossing Melville Island, reached the winter quarters- 

 of the Resolute at Dealy Island. Here they communicated with 

 Capt. Kellett: — from whom they heard the pleasing intelligence 

 of the safety of the Investigator. By this exploration, which was. 

 extended over a period of niuety-seven days, the shores of the 

 eastern side of the Hecla and Griper Gulf were examined ; and 

 returning up Byam Martin Channel, its connection with the Po- 

 lar basin was ascertained. 



The last despatches from Sir E. Belcher, dated " H.M.S. As- 

 sistance, on return to Beechy Island, about ten miles east of 

 Cape Beecher, July 26, 1853," inform us, that his ships were 

 liberated from the ice on the 14th of July, — and that his future 

 proceedings will be determined by the nature of the despatches- 

 that he may find at Beechy Island. He strongly advocates the 

 immediate return to England of the Investigator's crew; not 

 conceiving it desirable that any further expense or risk should be 

 incurred in waiting for the possible disruption of the ice. The 

 probability of Capt. Collinson having followed Capt. M'Clure's 

 track renders it expedient that a ship should be stationed at Mel- 

 ville Island, — -and Capt. Kellett will in all probability bo ordered 

 to remain there. 



Sir E. Belcher lays so much stress on the existence of an open 

 Polar sea, that we are surprised that lie does not state his inten- 

 tion of boldly entering it with his well-appointed ship and steam 

 tender. Such a course would be warranted by his instructions, 

 and at the same time be in harmony with his well-established 

 spirit of enterprise. 



It now only remains to notice Capt. Inglofield's despatches. 



