Page:The frozen North; an account of Arctic exploration for use in schools (IA frozennorthaccou00hort).pdf/30

 III. FRANKLIN'S FIRST LAND JOURNEY

1819-1821

The next year the British government again decided to send two ships northward. One of these ships was put in command of Lieutenant Parry and was ordered to Lancaster sound. From this place Parry was told to sail westward and seek the northwest passage. He did not find the northwest passage, but he succeeded in sailing inside of the Arctic circle farther west than any one had gone before. For this achievement he received a prize of £5000 from the government and on his return to England was highly honored.

The other expedition was put in command, of Sir John Franklin, who, together with four companions, was to proceed to Hudson bay on one of the ships belonging to the Hudson Bay Company. From Hudson bay, Franklin was to make a land journey by means of sledges and canoes across the northern part of North America, to the mouth of the Coppermine river. From this point, he was to turn and follow the coast of North America east. The latitude and longitude of various places were to be noted, maps to be drawn, and capes, bays, and rivers located and surveyed.

At this time that part of North America which borders on the Arctic ocean had never been explored. Only two white men, employees of the Hudson Bay Company, had ever looked upon this ocean from the continent of North