CAPTAIN FRANKLIN'S SECOND JOURNEY. ALTHOUGH Captains Parry and Franklin both left England with their respective expeditions about the same period in the year 1819, yet the former of these gentlemen returned considerably the earlier, and had already been gone nearly eighteen months on a second enterprise, when the other arrived from his first. Scarcely a year had, however, clapsed, before Captain Parry returned, in the autumn of 1823, from this second voyage, in which he had vainly endeavoured to penetrate the icy channel named the Strait of the Fury and Hecla. Towards the close of the same year, the Government made known its intention of sending that active navigator to engage in a third attempt; and then Captain Franklin laid before them a plan for another co-operative expedition, overland to the shores of the Polar Sea, for the conduct of which he offered his own services. The proposal was accepted, and every arrangement made for carrying it into immediate effect. Dr. Richardson solicited permission again to accompany his friend, which was readily accorded; and the party was completed by the appointment of their old fellow-traveller, Lieutenant Back, with Mr. Kendall, Mr. Drummond as assistant botanist, and four marines. Captain Franklin was directed, by his instructions, to winter at the Great Bear Lake, and thence proceed, in the following spring, down the Mackenzie River, (which was explored by the traveller of that name in 1789.) On reaching its mouth, the expedition was to separate into two parties; the one to trace the coast to the westward, and the other to survey it to the eastward, as far as the Coppermine River.

The necessary boats and stores were forwarded in the summer of 1824 to York Factory, and thence despatched by the ordinary river-navigation towards the Great Bear Lake. The officers left England early in 1825, and proceeding by the more circuitous but more convenient route of New York and Canada through Lake Huron, overtook the boats on the Methye River in the summer of the same year. By the 5th of August, the whole party had reached the Great Bear Lake River, which flows from the lake of that name into the Mackenzie River; and on its banks Captain Franklin resolved to take up his winter-quarters. They quickly began to build a habitation and store, which they afterwards named from their respected commander; and while the most skilful were thus engaged, he, himself, proceeded down the Great Bear Lake and Mackenzie Rivers, in order to take a view of the Polar Sea, and obtain information which would probably serve to guide, in some degree, his operations the following year. In this excursion he was eminently successful; and he rejoined his companions on the 5th of September.

The winter was passed in the usual manner; and with the return of spring the party began to prepare for their expedition. On the 28th of June they quitted Fort Franklin, descended the Mackenzie, and, on the 4th of July, separated into the two branches which were to pursue different directions, following the two channels into which the stream here divided. Captain Franklin conducted the western party, and Dr. Richardson the eastern. The former had scarcely reached the sea, when they fell in with a large number of Esquimaux, with whom, but for their own forbearance, they would have been involved in a bloody, and perhaps, fatal encounter. Having extricated themselves from this imminent peril, they continued their course, greatly impeded, however, by the unfavourable state of the atmosphere. The low and swampy land that here extends between the northern termination of the rocky mountains and the sea coast, seems to be productive of a constant fog, frequently so dense as to contract the range of view to within a few yards. Nevertheless, by the 16th of August they had succeeded in reaching the half-way point between Mackenzie River and Icy Cape, (the furthest point to which the north-western coast of America had been traced from Behring's Strait); but the symptoms of approaching winter here became so unequivocal, that they were compelled to return, though with great reluctance. Unfortunately, Captain Franklin did not know, that at this moment the barge of the ship, which had been sent to await his arrival in Behring's Strait, was actually within 160 miles of the spot which he had himself reached, had he known it, " no difficulties, dangers, or discouraging circumstances," to use his own expression, would have prevailed on him to return. Under the existing circumstances he was obliged to do so, and, on the 21st of September, this western expedition reached Fort Franklin, where they found the eastern branch returned before them.

The navigation which Dr. Richardson had to perform was almost wholly unobstructed; and between the 4th of July and the 8th of August, he succeeded in accomplishing the coast voyage of 902 miles, between the mouths of the Mackenzie aud Coppermine Rivers. He returned with his party to Fort Franklin on the 1st of September, and, after a lapse of nearly three weeks, was joined by the eastern branch, as we have before related. In the following year the two parties set out in company for England, which they reached in the autumn of 1827.

This second expedition of Captain Franklin, though destitute of that tragic interest which his first excited, may be regarded as more important in its geographical results. The 6 degrees of longitude, for which the northern shores of America had been explored in the former enterprise, were now extended to a line exceeding 394 degrees in length, and approaching on the one side to within 160 miles of the extreme known north-western point of that continent, and on the other to within 400 miles of its supposed extreme north-eastern point.

VOYAGE OF CAPTAIN BEECHEY. WHEN the simultaneous expeditions of Captains Parry and Franklin were undertaken in 1824, it appeared to those with whom they originated, to be almost impossible that either of them, even in the event of success, could reach the open sea in Behring's Strait, without being nearly, if not wholly, exhausted of resources and provisions, and it was quite certain that Captain Franklin's party would be entirely destitute of the means of conveyance to Europe. Accordingly, to obviate these anticipated difficulties, His Majesty's Government determined upon sending a ship to that spot, to await the arrival of the two expeditions. The Blossom sloop was selected for this purpose, and the command of her given to Captain F. W. Beechey, who had already distinguished himself in the preceding northern voyages. Before the departure of Captain Franklin, he arranged with Captain Beechey the plan of their joint operations. Kotzebue Inlet was agreed upon as the place of rendezvous, where Captain Beechey was to remain during the summer-months of 1826 and 1827..

The Blossom sailed from England on May 19th, 1825; and passing Behring's Strait, entered Kotzebue Sound early in the morning of the 22nd of September. The land was much obscured by a thick fog, which, however, cleared off soon afterwards, and discovered to their astonished view, a deep inlet in the northern shore, that had escaped the observation of Captain Kotzebue. Captain Beechey named it Hotham Inlet, and sent the barge to examine it, intending to proceed with the ship further into the sound, as far as Chamisso Island, the appointed place of rendezvous. The unfavourable state of the wind prevented him from advancing for nearly two days. During his detention, a party of the natives approached the ship, in their baidars, bringing with them various articles of skin and fish, which they were desirous of changing for other commodities. The baidars are a species of boat, similar in construction to the Esquimaux oomiaks (or woman boats), of Hudson's Bay. "They consist," says Captain Beechey" of a frame made from drift-wood, covered with the skins of walruses strained over it, and are capable of being tightened at any time by a lacing on the inside of the gunwale; the frame and benches for the rowers, are fastened with thongs, by which, the boat is rendered both light and pliable; the skin, when soaked with water, is translucent; and a stranger placing his foot upon the flat yielding surface at the bottom of the boat, fancies it a frail security; but it is very safe and durable, especially when kept well greased." Each of these boats now contained from ten to thirteen men, who all exhibited the custom, which was afterwards found to be general along this part of the American coast, of wearing ornaments in their under lip. These consisted of pieces of ivory, stone, or glass, formed with a double head, like a sleeve-button, one part of which is thrust through a hole bored in the under lip. The incision is made when about the age of puberty, and is, at first, the size of a quill; as they grow older, the natives enlarge the orifice, and increase the size of the ornament accordingly, that it may hold its place. In adults, this orifice is about half an inch in diameter, and will, if required, distend to three quarters of an inch.

The people themselves possessed all the characteristic features of the Esquimaux ;-large, fat, round faces, high cheek bones, small hazel eyes, eyebrows slanting like the Chinese, and wide mouths. The engraving of them at page

256, is from Captain Beechey. They were strictly honest; and in this respect offer rather a contrast to others of their race, whom Captain Beechey subsequently visited.

Red and blue beads, buttons, knives, and hatchets, were In general request, and readily induced them to sell their ordinary commodities; but tawac, as they called our tobacco, was the great object of the men's desires, and an offer of this, made them part with even their bows and arrows, which they had refused to barter for the usual articles of exchange. Their habits seemed to be very filthy; but they were hospitable, though, after their own fashion. Whenever Captain Beechey visited them, he was received in the most friendly manner; and frequently, to use his own expression, "underwent the full delights of an Esquimaux salutation." A contact of noses, or a smoothing of the visiters' faces with hands, which had been previously licked and applied to their own, was the usual mode of reception; and sometimes, as a most especial mark of regard, a warm embrace and hug, supplied the place of this less-distinguished favour. The choicest delicacies which their means could afford, were then offered; but the guests, with a squeamishness that excited at once the surprise and ridicule of their less scrupulous hosts, could never be prevailed upon to accept the dainty fare. Bowls of blubber and walrus flesh, dishes of whortleberries mashed up with sorrel and rancid trainoil, were left untouched by our fastidious countrymen; the entrails of a fine seal, and a bowl of coagulated blood, shared a similar fate; and even "the raw flesh of the narwhal, nicely cut into lumps, with an equal distribution of black and white fat," displayed its tempting charms in vain. One gentleman only, and he to oblige the Captain, ventured to taste one of the motley mixtures, but at the expense of his appetite for the rest of the day.

It was not till the morning of the 25th of July, that Captain Beechey reached Chamisso Island, only five days later than had been agreed upon by Captain Franklin and himself. No traces of the latter gentlemen were yet to be seen; and Captain Beechey, therefore, proceeded, according to the arrangement, to survey the coast further to the northward, towards the Arctic Sea. At the same time, in order that Captain Franklin might not want provisions, in the event of his missing the ship along the coast, and arriving at the island in her absence, a tight barrel of flour was buried in the most unfrequented spot in its vicinity, and directions for finding it were deposited in a bottle, to which attention was directed by writing upon the cliffs with white paint. By the middle of August he reached Icy Cape, where he found the sea quite open, and felt the greatest desire to advance. His instructions were, however, positive, to avoid the chance of being beset with his ship in the ice; and he was obliged, therefore, to content himself with despatching the barge to prosecute the further search, while he returned to Kotzebue Sound. The barge proceeding to the north-eastward, succeeded in exploring the line of the coast as far as Point Barrow, 126 miles beyond Icy Cape; and, the crew having erected a post for Captain Franklin, returned to the ship.

Captain Beechey remained with the Blossom at Chamisso Island, occupied in surveying the coast and harbours of Kotzebue Sound, until the approach of winter rendered it necessary for him to hasten his departure. During his stay, he made several excursions, and procured many interesting fossil remains. He had also an opportunity of remarking the habits and peculiarities of the natives, or western Esquimaux, as they are called, in contradistinction to their eastern brethren. Their deserted huts were frequently found in many places, and traces of a recent residence were often visible. He particularly notices their burial-places, and the mode which they have of disposing of their dead. The corpse is deposited, with the head to the westward, in a sort of coffin formed of loose planks, and placed upon a platform of drift-wood, which is sometimes raised to the height of two feet. A double tent of spars of drift-wood, put together closely, is erected over this as a covering to secure the body from the depredations of foxes and wolves; but the rapacity of those animals succeeds before long, in breaking through this feeble protection. The body is generally dressed in a frock made of eider-duck skins, and covered with hides of deer or seahorse. The coffin and planks are sometimes omitted, and the corpse then rests simply on the drift-wood. We have given a representation of one of these graves in page 256.

The Blossom quitted the sound on the 14th of October, and having repassed Behring's Strait, stood to the south

ward, and reached the harbour of San Francisco, in California, on the 8th of November. Here Captain Beechey had intended to recruit his supplies; but the inadequacy of the means which it afforded, compelled him to proceed first to the Sandwich Islands, and thence to Macao, where he procured sufficient stores to enable him to prosecute the voyage. The ship left Macao on the 30th of April, 1827, and, after visiting the Great Loo Choo, passed through Behring's Strait, and reached the rendezvous this time by the 5th of August; still there was no trace of Franklin, and they accordingly stood forward to the northward. The unfavourable state of the ice prevented them from proceeding so far as they had gone the former year; and, after the loss of their barge, and a narrow escape of wreck on the part of the ship, they were compelled, by the early setting in of the winter, to take a final leave of the Polar Sea, and retrace their course to England, which they reached on the 8th of September, 1828, after an absence of three years and a half, and a voyage of 73,000 miles,

LAST VOYAGE OF CAPTAIN ROSS. We have already adverted to the open charge of negligence which was brought against Captain Ross, on his return from the first expedition in 1818, and to the doubts that were by many expressed as to the accuracy of his statements. It will not, of course, be supposed, that the chivalrous honour of a British seaman, could tamely brook a censure so directly impugning his personal and professional character. To vindicate his wounded reputation from the stain, which, to his jealous eye, seemed to rest upon it, became, therefore, with this gallant officer, an object of paramount importance; for the attainment of which, neither the sacrifice of his property, nor the venture of his life were thought too great a price. Accordingly he left England with the Victory steam-vessel, in the summer of 1829, in order to discover, if possible, a passage to the westward, through Prince Regent's Inlet; which he reached in August. It was on the western shore of this opening that the Fury had been abandoned in Captain Parry's third voyage, and when Captain Ross reached the spot where she had been left, all remains had been drifted away by the ice. But the provisions which had been deposited on shore, were in good condition; and having availed themselves of these, Ross and his party continued to the south and west, until in latitude 70°, and longitude 90° W., their progress was arrested for the An excellent wintering harbour was found, in which they secured their ship, (which had already been converted into a sailing vessel,) and to which they gave the name of Felix Harbour.

season.

The winter was spent in the usual manner and nere again a party of Esquimaux contributed to alleviate its gloomy dulness. The whole summer of 1830 was spent in examining the continuity of the inlet, and whether there was a channel by which a vessel might pass to the westward; and it was at length ascertained, that a narrow neck of land presented an impassable barrier to all con nexion between the waters of the inlet, and the sea to the east: this extraordinary isthmus was found to be fifteen miles in breadth, ten of which were occupied by a chain of fresh-water lakes. It was crossed by commander James Ross, who surveyed the sea coast to the westward as far as to longitude 99°, or to within 150 miles of the Point Turnagain of Franklin, to which it appeared directly to trend. The rest of this season was employed in tracing the coast to the eastward from the bottom of the isthmus, and the results left no doubt of its joining to the land forming Repulse Bay. A second winter was now passed in Sheriff Harbour, not far from the former winter quarters; which, with that of 1831, is alluded to by Captain Ross as being one of uncommon severity. The summer of 1831, appears to have been occupied in surveying the coast across the isthmus to the north-west; and in the autumn, the Victory was moved fourteen miles to the northward. All hope, however, of saving the ship, was nearly at an end; and the severity of another winter put it quite beyond possibility. Accordingly, in the month of May, 1832, she was abandoned, and our adventurers entered on a perilous and fatiguing journey to Fury Beach, "as the only means of saving their lives." This they reached on the 1st of July following, and they immediately proceeded to repair the boats of the Furv, and to construct temporary hut.

a

On the 1st of August, they again departed, and emerged into Barrow's Strait on the 1st of September. Here, how

ever, all their hopes of escape were at once destroyed. Nothing but one impenetrable mass of ice presented itself to view over the whole channel. Accordingly, they were compelled to return to Fury Beach, where another dreary winter was passed. At length, on the 8th of July, 1833, they once more quitted this station. Fortunately they had now the satisfaction of finding clear water, where they had the year before been stopped by ice, and therefore made the best of their way to the eastward. On the 25th they crossed Navy Board Inlet, and on the following morning descried a ship in the offing, becalmed, which proved to be the Isabella of Hull, the same vessel that Captain Ross commanded in 1818. At noon they reached her, and having been taken on board, reached England on the 20th of October, 1833, after an absence of more than four years. The results of this expedition may be briefly summed thus:-The discovery of the continent and isthmus of Boothia (as the new land to the southward was named by Captain Ross,) of the Gulf of Boothia, (or the sea to the eastward,) as also of a vast number of islands, rivers, and lakes; the determining that the north-eastern point of the American continent extends to the 74th degree of north latitude; valuable observations in every branch of science, more particularly in magnetism; and the discovery of the true position of the magnetic North Pole.

The last accounts which had reached England from Captain Ross, being dated in July 1829, from Disco Island, fears the most alarming were excited for his safety, as the close of 1832 approached, and no tidings were yet heard of him. A meeting of the Geographical Society was held, to consider what steps were fit to be taken; and it was resolved to open a subscription, and organize a committee, to make the requisite preparations for despatching a party in quest of him. This was done; and, on the 17th of February, 1833, Captain Back, to whom the expedition had been intrusted, sailed from Liverpool. Two days before the announcement of Captain Ross's safety, a letter was received from Captain Back, dated June 19th, from Jack River, with intelligence of his arrival at that stage of his journey. It was accordingly determined that a messenger should be despatched after him, to carry the welcome news, and direct him now to turn his attention to what had before been a secondary object of the expedition, geographical discovery. The efforts of this gentleman will, it is hoped, complete our knowledge of the north-eastern shores of America. It is probable that he will, in the ensuing summer, reach Coronation Gulf, and, passing Franklin's extreme eastern point, continue the survey, along the shore of the Arctic Sea, to the parts surveyed by Commander James Ross, and thus connect the discoveries of the late expedition with those of Franklin.

CONCLUSION.

THE results of the various expeditions which we have recorded in the preceding pages, may be said to be almost conclusive in favour of the existence of a North-West Passage; but at the same time, equally clear in establishing the impracticability of its navigation. Its accomplishment may now be regarded rather as a point of geographical science, than as an event likely to be at all productive of any immediate practical benefit. The object for which it was originally undertaken,-the discovery of a shorter commercial route to the Indies, has, indeed, been abandoned, ever since the opinion of John Davis and the older mariners, that the "deep sea fryseth not," was refuted by the experience of modern navigators; but when the motive, arising from the prospect of a lucrative traffic had ceased to exist, another, and still more powerful incentive sprung up in its place, the desire of enlarging the bounds of human knowledge and civilization. It must be pleasing to us to observe the strenuous efforts of our own country in this work; alone and unsupported, she has done nearly all that has been done towards effecting the solution of this great question, and still continues her unremitting exertions on its behalf, in the hope, and the well-founded hope, we trust, of success.

WESTERN ESQUIMAUX GRAVE.