450 THKOUGH THE MACKEE^ZIE BASIE" 



of 1853, while making preparations to quit, by one half or 

 more of the crew proceeding on the ice towards Cape Spencer 

 (550 miles distant) and the others by boat to the Hudson's 

 Bay posts on the Mackenzie, Captain Bedford Pirn, of Sir 

 Edward Belcher's Eastern Search squadron, providentially 

 turned up. It is quite safe to say that Pim's judgment, 

 , determination and exertions averted another ' Franklin ' 

 disaster. Later, Belcher ordered the abandonment of the 

 Investigator, and its crew, travelling by sledges on the ice of 

 Barrow Strait, was the first that made this or any other 

 North-west passage. For this important discovery, how- 

 ever, the British Government awarded the sum of ten thou- 

 sand pounds sterling to McClure (who was also knighted) 

 and his crew. His voyage geographically was a grand suc- 

 cess, but as an Arctic search it must be classed as a failure. 



" Not until six years after Sir John Franklin had entered 

 Lancaster Sound, however, did any of the many search par- 

 ties make their first discovery of traces and relics of the 

 missing navigators. On the 23rd of Aiigust, 1851, Captain 

 Ommaney observed distinct signs of the presence of Euro- 

 peans on Beechey Island and Cape Riley, which was changed 

 to certainty four days later when Captain Penny found at 

 the former place three graves of men belonging to the Erebus 

 and Terror, who had died between January and April, 1846. 

 Seven years later McOlintock (afterwards Admiral Sir 

 Leopold, who recently died at a great age) ascertained that 

 before laying up there for the winter they had in their very 

 first season out from England accomplished more in the way 

 of discovery and navigation than had been attained by any 

 previous or succeeding expedition." 



It may be here stated that the Lady Franklin Memorial 

 Tablet erected by McClintock on Beechey Island in August, 

 1858, " near the spot where they (Sir John and his compan- 

 ions) passed their first Arctic winter, and whence they issued 

 forth to conquer difficulties or to die," has been placed upon 

 the raised square in the centre of which stands the cenotaph 



