542 THE FRANKLIN SEAECII— 1850-54:. 



M'Clure states that he had received clear instructions from Captain CoUin- 

 son to proceed to Cape Lisburne to meet the latter at that rendezvous ; but 

 he fears that before he shall have been able to reach the cape, CoUinson will 

 have rounded it and gone on. In that case he would consider the " Investi- 

 gator " a detached and independent part of the expedition, and would act 

 accordingly. "After passing Cape Lisburne," he writes, "it is my intention 

 to keep in the open water, which, from the diflferent reports that I have 

 read, appears, about this season of the year, to make between the American 

 coast and the main pack as far to the eastward as the 130th meridianj 

 unless a favourable opening should earlier appear in the ice, which would 

 lead me to infer that I might push more directly for Banks Land, which I 

 think it is of the utmost importance to thoroughly examine. In the event of 

 thus far succeeding, and the season continuing favourable for further opera- 

 tions, it would be my anxious desire to get to the northward of Melville 

 Island, and resume our search along its shores and the islands adjacent, as 

 long as the navigation can be carried on, and then secure for the winter in 

 the most eligible position which offers. ... In the event of this being 

 our last communication, I would request you to assure their Lordships that 

 no apprehension whatever need be entertained of our safety until the autumn 

 of 1854, as we have on board three years of all species of provisions, com- 

 mencing from the 1st September proximo, which, without much deprivation 

 may be made to extend to a period of four years." Having committed this 

 bold missive into the hands of the captain of the " Plover," M'Clure felt 

 himself free to act only on his own independent judgment, and signalling 

 farewell to Captain Moore, he shaped his course for Cape Lisburne and the 

 icy seas. 



On the 31st July, when at a distance of about twenty miles from the cape, 

 the " Investigators " observed a sail standing down towards them from the 

 north-west. Could it be Captain CoUinson in the " Enterprise 1 " The 

 question was soon decided, as the stranger unfurled the gay ensign of St 

 George, and at the same time ran up a number to the masthead declaring 

 her to be the " Herald," Captain Kellett. The vessels soon closed, and as 

 the " Herald " courteously rounded behind the discovery ship, she manned 

 her rigging and welcomed the " Investigators " to the Polar Sea with three 

 hearty cheers, and one cheer more. The vessels then proceeded in company 

 toward Cape Lisburne. " We now learned with regret," writes Armstrong, 

 "that nothing had been seen of our consort (the 'Enterprise'), and. we 

 having now arrived at the rendezvous, there could exist no doubt that she 

 was still far behind us. . . . We received no orders from our senior 

 officer (Captain CoUinson) as to our course of action in the event of reaching 

 the rendezvous before him ; the possibility of such a contingency occurring 

 had evidently never been entertained for one moment. We were conse- 



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