388 FRANKLIN'S LAST AND FATAL EXPEDITION—lSid. 



third, Fairholme ; purser, Osmer ; surgeon, Stanley ; assistant surgeon, 

 Goodsir ; ice-master (so-called), Reid ; mates, Sargent, Des Vceux, Crouch ; 

 second master, Collins; commander — you know better than he does him- 

 self. . . . The most original character of all — rough, intelligent, un- 

 polished, with a broad north-country accent, but not vulgar, good-humoured 

 and honest-hearted — is Eeid, a Greenland whaler, native of Aberdeen, who 

 has commanded whaling vessels, and amuses us with his quaint remarks 

 and descriptions of the ice, catching whales, etc. For instance, he just said 

 to me, on my saying we should soon be off Cape Farewell at this rate, and 

 asking if one might not generally expect a gale off it (Cape Farewell being 

 the south point of Greenland), * Ah ! now. Mister Jems, we'll be having the 

 weather fine, sir, fine. No ice at arl about it, sir, unless it be the hergs ; arl 

 the ice 'U be gone, sir ; only the bergs, which I like to see. Let it come on 

 to blow, look out for a big 'un. Get under his lee, and hold on to him fast, 

 sir, fast. If he drifts near the land, why, he grounds before you do.' The 

 idea of all the ice being gone, except the bergs, is racy beyond description. 

 . . . I have just had a game of chess with the purser, Osmer, who is 

 delightful. ... I was at first inclined to think he was a stupid old 

 man, because he had a chin and took snufF; but he is as merry-hearted as 

 any young man, full of quaint, dry sayings, always good-humoured, always 

 laughing, never a bore, takes his pinch after dinner, plays a rubber, and 

 beats me at chess — and, he is a gentleman." 



To the noble character of Sir John Franklin we have already had the 

 generous testimony of Dr Richardson and Captain Back. In the following 

 extracts the fine old seaman is sketched with much discernment by Com- 

 mander Fitzjames, his first ofl&cer : " 'oth June. — To-day Sir John Franklin 

 showed me such part of his instructions as related to the main purpose of 

 our voyage, and the necessity of observing everything, from a flea to a 

 whale, in the unknown regions we are about to visit. He also told me I 

 was especially charged with the magnetic observations. He thdn told all 

 the officers that he was desired to claim all their remarks, journals, sketches, 

 etc., on our return to England, and read us some part of his instructions to 

 the officers of the 'Trent,' the first vessel he commanded in 1818, with 

 Captain Buchan, on an attempt to reach the North Pole, pointing out how 

 desirable it is to note everything, and give one's individual opinion upon it. 

 He spoke delightfully of the zealous co-operation he expected from all, and 

 his desire to do full justice to the exertions of each. ... At dinner 

 to-day. Sir John gave us a pleasant account of his expectations of being able 

 to get through the ice on the coast of America, and his disbelief in the idea 

 that there is open sea to the northward. He also said he believed it to be 

 possible to reach the Pole over the ice by wintering at Spitzbergen, and 

 going in the spring, before the ice broke up and drifted to the south, as it 



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