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 October 22,  1869.]

THE LAST  VOYAGE  OF  SIR  JOHN  FRANKLIN.

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as the  completion  of  the  northern  coast-line  of America  by  the  Hudson  Bay  Company’s  servants, Dease and  Simpson,  caused  the  attention  of  the nation to  again  revert  to  its  old  channel — the

North-west Passage. Anno Domino  18“found England with  a surplus  revenue,  a vast  body  of  naval officers begging  for  employment,  and  eager  for  any opportunity of  winning  honours  and  distinction;

Franklin's flist  Winter  Quarters,  Beechejr  Island. (See paste  342.)

and the  Erebus  and  Terror,  safe  and  sound  from the perils  of  Antarctic  seas,  riding  at  anchor  off Woolwich. All was  most  propitious  for  carrying out the  darling  object  of  the  then  venerable Secretary of  the  Admiralty. A mind like  that of Sir  John  Barrow’s,  richly  stored  with  the records of  his  country’s  glories  in  the  exploration of every  quarter  of  the  globe,  was  keenly  alive  to the  importance  of  keeping  her  still  in  the  van- guard of geographical  discovery; and  it  must  be remembered  that  he  had  lived  in  a century  when men, in  spite  of  a long  and  terrible  war,  were almost yearly  excited  by  the  world-wide  fame  of the  discoveries  of  Anson,  Cooke,  Flinders,  and Mungo Park. Was it  not  natural,  therefore, that he,  and  such  as  he,  should  desire  to  add  to those  triumphs  the  achievement  of  the  greatest problem man  ever  undertook  to  solve.

The chart  of  the  Arctic  regions  was  in  the  unsa- tisfactory condition shown  in  the  chart  on  the opposite page.

How simple  an  undertaking  it  appeared  to  con- nect the water  in  which  Parry  had  sailed  to  Melville Island, in  1819,  with  Dease  and  Simpson’s  eastern- most position off  the  coast  of  America  in  1838.

The summer  of  18“saw  many  an  eager  face poring over  that  Arctic  chart. Whisperings were heard  that  Sir  John  Barrow,  Beaufort, Parry, Sabine,  Ross,  and  Franklin  himself,  had expressed strong  opinions  in  favour  of  another effort. The Royal  Society,  through  its  president, the Marquis  of  Northampton,  was  known  to  have urged the  resumption  of  Arctic  exploration  upon the Government  and  Admiralty. Many an enthusiastic  officer  strove  hard  by  zeal  and  interest

to insure  being  one  of  those  selected  for  the glorious work. Then it  was  that  Fitzjames,  and such men  as  Graham  Gore,  Fairholme,  Hodgson, and Des  Vceux,  succeeded  in  enrolling  themselves on the  list  of  the  chosen  few  who  were  next  year to sail  for  the  far  north-west. We see  them  now, as they  told  us  so,  and  with  glistening  eye  pro- phesied their own  success. Gallant hearts! they now sleep  amidst  the  scenes  of  their  sore  trial,  but triumphant discovery.

It was  at  one  time  intended  that  Fitzjames (whose genius  and  energy  marked  him  as  no  ordi- nary officer)  should  command  the  expedition; but just at  this  time  Sir  John  Franklin  was  heard to say  that  he  considered  the  post  to  be  his  birth- right as the  senior  Arctic  explorer  in  England. He had  recently  returned  from  his  post  as  Gover- nor of Van  Diemen’s  Land: his  sensitive  and generous spirit  chafed  under  the  unmerited  treat- ment he had  experienced  from  the  then  Secretary of State  for  the  Colonies,  and  sick  of  civil  employ- ment, he naturally  turned  again  to  his  profession, as a better  field  for  the  ability  and  devotion  he had  wasted  on  a thankless  office. Sanguine of success,  forgetful  of  past  suffering,  he  claimed  his right to  command  the  latest,  as  he  had  led  the earliest, of  modern  Arctic  expeditions, Directly it  was  known  that  he  would  go  if  asked,

I the Admiralty  were  of  course  only  too  glad  to ! avail  themselves  of  the  experience  of  Franklin; but Lord  Haddington,  then  First  Lord,  with  that kindness which  ever  distinguished  him,  suggested that Franklin  might  well  rest  at  home  on  his laurels. “I might find  a good  excuse  for  not I letting you  go,  Sir  John,”  said  the  peer,  “in  the