394 FRANKLIN'S LAST AND FATAL EXPEDITION— 184:5. 



their friends to .write to them at Petropaulovski, a seaport away beyond the 

 rocky gate of Behring Strait, on the coast of Asiatic Russia. Fitzjames's 

 behef is that there is "a good chance of getting through this year, if it is to 

 be done at all ; " and in a little access of professional conceit, which we can 

 so well forgive him now, he rather hopes that they may be detained a little 

 in the ice, that he may "have a winter for magnetic observations." 



At Disco the last letters are written, and the long farewell to life in 

 England is taken. A letter from Lieutenant Fairholme well describes the 

 occupations of the explorers during the few days they remain at Disco : 

 " We have anchored in a narrow channel between two of the islands, pro- 

 tected on all sides by land, and in as convenient a place for our purpose as 

 could possibly be found. Here we are with the transport lashed alongside, 

 transferring most actively all her stores to the two ships. I hope that this 

 operation will be completed by to-morrow night, in which case Wednesday will 

 be devoted to swinging the ships for local attraction, and I suppose Thursday 

 will see us under way with our heads to the northward. We have had the 

 observatory up here, on a small rock on which Parry formerly observed. 

 . . . Of our prospects we know little more than when we left England, 

 but look forward with anxiety to our reaching 72°. . . . On board we 

 are as comfortable as it is possible to be. I need hardly tell you how much 

 we are all delighted with our captain. He has, I am sure, won, not only 

 the respect, but the love of every person on board by his amiable manner 

 and kindness to all ; and his influence is always employed for some good 

 purpose both among the officers and men. He has been most successful in 

 his selection of officers, and a more agreeable set could hardly be found. 

 Sir John is in much better health than when we left England, and really 

 looks ten years younger. He takes an active part in everything that goes 

 on, and his long experience in such services as this makes him a most 

 valuable adviser. Jul?/ 10th. — The transport is just reported clear, so I hope 

 we may be able to swing the ships to-morrow and get away on Saturday. 

 We are very much crowded ; in fact not an inch of stowage has been lost, 

 and the decks are still crowded with casks, etc. Our supply of coals has 

 encroached seriously on the ship's stowage ; but as we consume both this 

 and provisions as we go, the evil will be continually lessening." On the 

 12th Sir John Franklin writes his last official letter to the Admiralty, 

 reporting progress down to that date, stating that " the ships are now com- 

 plete with supplies of every kind for three years ; they are therefore very 

 deep ; but happily we have no reason to expect much sea as we proceed 

 farther ; " and concluding handsomely with the words — " It is unnecessary 

 to assure their lordships of the energy and zeal of Captain Crozier, Com- 

 mander Fitzjames, and the officers and men with whom I have the happi- 

 ness of being employed on this service." 



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