468 THE FRANKLIN SEARCH— lS48-bl. 



CHAPTER V. 



Richardson's boat-voyage through rupert's land and the arctic sea. 



The second search expedition sent out by the British Government, with 

 the object of rescuing Sir John Frankhn and his party, was that com- 

 manded by Sir John Eichardson, the faithful companion of Franklin in his 

 earUer expeditions. Dr Eae, a narrative of whose brilliantly successful 

 exploration of the previously unknown shores of Boothia Gulf has already 

 appeared in these pages, was selected to accompany Richardson, and to sail 

 under his orders. Suitable stores, including pemmican, flour, sugar, tea, 

 bacon, etc., were prepared for the expedition early in 1847 ; four boats were 

 specially built for it at Portsmouth and Gosport, and five seamen and fifteen 

 sappers and miners — joiners and blacksmiths for the most part — were 

 selected from a number of volunteers to man the boats. Stores, boats, and 

 men sailed from the Thames in two of the Hudson's Bay Company's ships 

 on the 15th June 1847. As it was just possible that news of the missing 

 expedition might arrive in England before the close of that year, Eichardson 

 and Eae were ordered not to leave England till the spring of 1848, when, 

 travelling rapidly, it was expected they would overtake the men and stores 

 at some of the Company's forts in Eupert's Land, as the territory belong- 

 ing to the famous corporation of fur traders was named. 



The two oflacers of the expedition left England, on the 25th March 1848, 

 by the mail packet " Hibernia," and arrived in New York on the 10th April. 

 Travelling with all possible expedition, they reached Saut Sainte Marie, at 

 the outlet of Lake Superior, on the 29th April, and Cumberland House, on 

 the Saskatchevan Eiver, a distance from New York of 2880 miles, on the 

 13th June. On the following day the travellers set out from Cumberland 

 House, and on the 28th they reached Methy Portage, where they overtook 

 Mr Bell, one of the Company's officers, who had been appointed to conduct 

 the men, stores, and boats of the expedition as far in advance as possible. 

 The descent of the Clear Water Eiver was commenced on the 6th July by 

 Dr Eichardson in his own boats, and accompanied by his own men. Atha- 

 basca Lake was entered on July 11th, and in the evening the expedition 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



