342 CAPTAIN BACK IN THE "TERROR "—1836-37. 



CHAPTER YIL 



back's voyage in the " TERROR," 1836-37 — BESET FOR A YEAR — SAILING IN ICE 

 — BEATEN BY ICE-WAVES — A SCENE OF RUIN — CANNONADING THE ICE — 

 RELEASE AND RETURN. 



Attempts to complete the coast-line of North America from Regent Inlet to 

 Point Turnagain had been made successively by Parry, Ross, Franklin, and 

 Back, and though Commander Ross in crossing Boothia Isthmus and explor- 

 ing parts of the coast of King William Sea, and Captain Back in discovering 

 the embouchure of the Great Fish River and King William's Land and all 

 but connecting his discoveries with those of Commander Ross, had done 

 much towards simplifying that problem, they had not yet arrived at its solu- 

 tion. The completion of the coast-line between the points named was one 

 of the cherished objects of the Government of the time ; for in its achieve- 

 ment men seemed to see the North- West Passage an accomplished fact. 

 Accordingly, when the Geographical Society urged upon Government the 

 expediency of fitting out another expedition with this object, the project 

 was favourably received, and Captain Back was appointed to carry it out. 



For the purpose of the new expedition, II.M.S. "Terror" was put in 

 commission, and Captain Back appointed to the command on May 13, 1836. 

 The vessel had a short time previously been doubled and strengthened with 

 massive iron and copper fastenings. Three whale boats, at once large and 

 light, were built, and attached to the "Terror," and three sledges, so con- 

 trived as to be equally well adapted for iron runners or for wheels, were 

 specially constructed for the transport of stores over land. Clothing, pro- 

 visions, and general stores were provided on a more complete scale than 

 had ever been before attempted, and an elaborate warming apparatus, con- 

 sisting of an iron pipe extending nearly all round the ship, and intended to be 

 charged with hot brine, was fitted to the interior of the vessel. ' The personnel 

 of the expedition consisted of sixty officers and men, and among the former, 

 it is interesting to note that Robert M'Clure, who, some years afterwards, 

 was the first officer who actually accomplished the North- West Passage, and 

 Graham Gore, afterwards first lieutenant in the " Erebus " in Franklin's last 



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