312 Arctic and Antarctic Exploration [part i 
discoveries during the journey from the Fox in 1859. 
Then came a great disappointment. Dense pack ice 
extended right across the channel near Levesque Island 
and there was nothing to the southward but solid pack, 
with a strong ice-blink beyond 72 0 14' N. Cape Bird, 
the northern portal of Bellot Strait, was distant about 
10 miles. Young ascended Roquette Island (about 200 feet) 
but there was nothing to be seen but unbroken pack 
extending from shore to shore and he inclined to the belief 
that the only way was by Bellot Strait. He reluctantly 
beat to the northward, and by September 7th was clear of 
Lancaster Sound. He landed again at the Cary Islands 
and fortunately found letters from the Alert and the 
Discovery, These he brought home, arriving at Spithead 
October 16th, 1875. 
The cause of the Franklin disaster was that no pro- 
vision was made against unavoidable detention or other 
misfortune, either by stationing a depot ship to fall back 
upon, or by sending a relief ship. I represented to the 
Admiralty the importance of taking some such step in the 
case of the Nares expedition, and Sir Allen Young agreed 
with me. But the Admiralty authorities only awoke to 
the necessity when it was too late to send an expedition 
themselves. They therefore requested Sir Allen Young to 
undertake the duty with the Pandora, giving up his own 
cherished plans for the North West Passage. He felt 
bound to consent. This time he took Lieutenant 
Arbuthnot, R.N., as his second, as well as Navigating 
Lieutenant Pirie, Koolemans Beynen, and an Austrian 
naval officer, the late Admiral Alois Ritter von Becker. 
The Pandora was to take out letters to Littleton Island 
or Cape Isabella, and if possible bring back despatches 
from Captain Nares. 
Sailing in May, 1876, the Pandora again obtained 
coal at Kudlisit, and proceeded to Melville Bay, where 
a very different reception awaited her from the welcome 
she had found in the previous year. The bad time 
began with dense fogs. Then she encountered furious 
gales, being in great danger from icebergs crushing 
through the floes and threatening instant destruction. 
At one time she was so severely nipped that every pre- 
paration was made to abandon her, and take to the 
