742 



THE POLAR WORLD. 



a lieutenant, Hepburn, a seaman, and some Canadian voyageurs, set out from the 

 shore of Hudson's Bay. They reached Fort Chipeweyan late in March, 1820, having 

 traveled in the depth of winter on foot 856 miles, the mercury freezing solid in the 

 bulb of the thermometer. In July they went 500 miles further to Fort Enterprise, 

 where all the party wintered except Back who returned to Fort Chipeweyan, to send 

 on provisions for the next year. He then returned, regaining Fort Enterprise, March 

 17, 1821, having traveled more than 1100 miles, sometimes being without food for 

 three days in succession, with the thermometer ranging from 47° to 57° below zero ; 

 that is from 69° to 79° below freezing point. The whole party then set out dragging 

 their canoes eighty miles to the Coppermine River, which they descended to the sea, and 

 then paddled eastward along the shore. After walking about 550 miles they found 

 themselves at the foot of a deep bay, with provisions for only three days. They made 

 one large canoe out of their two smaller ones, and tried to ascend Hood River. Hood 

 and some of the Canadians broke down and could go no farther ; Richardson re- 

 mained with these. Back, with a few of the more vigorous, pushed on in the direc- 

 tion of Fort Enterprise to send back succor, while Franklin and the rest of the party 

 followed on more slowly. These last, on reaching a depot found it deserted; but 

 there were a few rejected deer skins and almost fleshless bones. Here they staid 

 eighteen days, in the course of which they were joined by Richardson and Hepburn. 

 Hood had been killed by a Canadian, who was in self-defence shot by Richardson. 

 The other Canadians who had broken down had all died. At length on the 7th of 

 November, when nearly all the remaining Canadians had perished, three Indians whom 

 Back had sent thither, brought them some provisions. The survivors pushed forward 

 and succeeded in rejoining Back, and returned to England in 1822.^ History 

 records nothing of self-devotion which exceeds this of Richardson, Back, and Frank- 

 lin, and never were honors and titles more worthily bestowed than upon them. 



The results of Parry's expedition had been so considerable that another was fitted 

 out in 1821 under his command. It consisted of the Hecla and Fury. Instead of 

 entering Lancaster Sound they passed through Hudson's Straits, and attempted to 

 work their way north-westward through the channels winding among the islands. If 

 they gained a little, the floating ice woald in a few days sweep them back to a point 

 which they had left weeks before, and they were obliged to pass the first winter on 

 Melville's peninsula which forms a part of the eastern shore of Hudson's Bay. The 

 ice did not break up till July 2, 1822, when they shot across the head of the bay, and 

 found themselves at the entrance of a channel opening in the very direction they 

 wished. This channel, which they named Fury and Hecla Straits, runs between a 

 projection of the continental shore and Cockburn Land. For sixty-five days they 

 vainly tried to force their way through this narrow strait, and in all that time never 

 were able to reach more than forty-five miles to the west. After passing the winter 

 near the head of the Strait, the expedition returned to England in good health. It 

 however gained one thing : it proved that a crew could pass two winters safely within 

 the Polar circle.^ 



In 1824, the Hecla and the Fury were again refitted and put under the command of 

 Parry. After struggling from the middle of July, all through August, and till the 

 middle of September, with the ice in Bafifin's Bay, they succeeded in entering Lan- 



1 p. 347. 



2 p. 348. 



