Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 1.djvu/30

Rh upon the great probability of some survivors yet being found. Soon after this, Messrs. Henry Grinnell, Miles Greenwood, and E. M. Bishop kindly became treasurers of the fund raising for my voyage, and it was now determined to adopt the following plan, which, I may here state, was the one I acted upon, so far as I could, throughout my whole undertaking. I give that plan as promulgated by me at the time. I said, "My object is to acquire personal knowledge of the language and life of the Esquimaux, with a view thereafter to visit the Lands of King William, Boothia, and Victoria; then endeavour, by personal investigation, to determine more satisfactorily the fate of the 105 companions of Sir John Franklin now known to have been living on the 25th day of April, 1848. "I take with me an Esquimaux interpreter, and during my sojourn in the arctic regions shall employ a crew of natives for the boat accompanying me. With these natives I purpose starting from Northumberland Inlet, and proceeding up an arm of it that runs westward toward a lake not far from its extremity. This lake will be reached by crossing a small portage. I then shall traverse the lake to its western outlet, which, by Esquimaux report, is a navigable river emptying into Fox Channel. On arriving at 'Fox's farthest' (lat. 66° 50′ N., long. 77° 50′ W.), I shall, if practicable, turn to the northward, proceeding on the east side of said channel to the Straits of 'Fury and Hecla,' thus uniting the discoveries of Fox in 1631 and Parry in 1821—3.

"On completing this work I shall cross the strait to Igloolik (lat. 59° 20′ N., long. 81° 53′ W.), and try to establish friendly relations with the community of Esquimaux known to congregate at that point. I will there and then decide, by the circumstances, whether to winter at Igloolik, return to Northumberland Inlet, or proceed southward on the east coast of Melville Peninsula to Winter Island, or to push my way directly westward across the Gulf to Boothia to Victoria Harbour.

"During the winter and early spring, sledge-journeys will