CHAPTER LI. 



Kennedy's expedition — sir edward belcher — mcclure — discovert of the 



northwest passage junction of mcclure and kellett episode of 



the resolute commodore perry's expedition decisive traces of the 



fate of sir john franklin — the leviathan. 



Encouraged by the discovery of traces of her husband, Lady 

 Franklin caused the Prince Albert, upon her return with the 

 intelligence, to be at once refitted for another Arctic voyage. 

 The expedition, though conducted with consummate skill by 

 William Kennedy, late of the Hudson's Bay Company, and 

 Lieutenant Bellot, of the French Navy, his second, totally 

 failed of success. It returned in October, 1853. In the mean 

 time, another and more imposing expedition — that under Sir 

 Edward Belcher — had sailed for the Polar regions. The 

 squadron consisted of five vessels, — the Assistance, with the 

 steamer Pioneer, the Resolute, with the steamer Intrepid, and 

 the North Star storeship. They sailed on the 28th of April, 

 1852, and arrived at their head-quarters at Beechey Island — 

 the scene of Franklin's hibernation in 1846 — on the 10th of 

 August. The North Star remained here with the stores, while 

 the two ships, with their respective tugs, started upon distinct 

 voyages of exploration, — Sir Edward Belcher, in the Assist- 

 ance, standing up Wellington Channel, and Captain Kellett, in 

 the Resolute, proceeding to Melville Island. The latter was 

 instructed to seek at this point for intelligence of Captains 

 McClure and Collinson, who had been sent to Behring's Strait 



in 1850, in order to force their way eastward from thence, and 

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