The Press.
London, England, 1855-12-15 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

the ships were with unlooked-for rapidity
frozen in. Captain Belcher is fond of boasting
of his intuitive conclusions ; we will give some
specimens presently. On the present occasion
he writes :
What impressed me with the conviction that the
present occurrence was decisive against further motion I
cannot conceive, nor did 1 wait to inquire. I had seen
enough to instruct me that decision only would enable me
to save the remaining part of the season, and, if properly
employed, would make a great extent of the northern land,
estimated as forty miles distant, British territory.
Accordingly, three sledges and one boat were
equipped, and Captain Belcher commenced
his travelling excursions on the 23rd of
August. He returned to his ship on the 7th
of September, having probably added to the
dominions of the British Crown the extent of
territory he named, though he does not esti-
mate its worth. From this time prepara-
tions for the winter commenced. Those who
are anxious to ascertain the extent of the
discoveries made in Wellington Channel must
consult some better chart than the one given
with these volumes ; but for the resources of
enjoyment open to the crews of well-found
ships, in an Arctic voyage, Captain Belcher's
journal may be advantageously consulted. To
only one of his travelling parties is it neces-
sary to direct attention.
On the 10th April (1853) Commander
Richards, with six heavily laden sledges, and
fifty-seven men, started for Melville Island to
communicate with Captain Kellett. Caches
were to be formed by the way, and the arrange-
ments usually adopted on such journeys were
observed. In a geographical point of view,
the interest of the journey hinged on the route
taken—the expedition starting from the posi-
tion of the Assistance at the top of Penny
Strait. Thence, crossing the Strait to the west,
it proceeded to the north of the Parry Islands,
crossed Byam Martin Strait, and skirted the
north coast of Melville Island. Here Com-
mander Richards fell in with Lieut. Hamilton,
who was out on a journey from Captain
Kellett's ship, the Resolute, which was safely
anchored at Dealy Island, on the south side
of Melville Island, a short distance from
Winter Harbour. Commander Richards ac-
cordingly crossed Melville Island, reached the
Resolute, and learnt full particulars of the dis-
covery of Captain M'Clure. That gallant
officer had visited Winter Harbour the pre-
vious year (April, 1852), and had deposited a
record of his proceedings and the position of his
ship. The achievements of this distinguished
seaman are well known. By the discovery of
Prince of Wales' Strait, he first established the
fact of the existence of a North-West Passage.
He passed the winters of 1850-1,1851-2, 1852-3
in the ice, with the loss of but one man.
Stopped by the ice in the Bay of Mercy, off
the north of Banks' Land, he was not able to
move his ship. He was visited by Captain
Kellett in the spring of 1853. and was subse-
quently received with his crew on board the
Resolute.

With all this welcome information, Com-
mander Richards came back to his chief. He
returned by passing up Byam Martin Channel
from the south. He was absent ninety-nine
days, having spent fifty-six in the outward
journey, three resting at the Resolute, and
thirty-five on the return. The expedition
was most skilfully and successfully con-
ducted.

It is illustrative of the confused manner in
which Captain Belcher's narrative is composed,
that, while the return of Commander Richards
and some particulars of his journey are given
under date of June, 1853 (vol. i.), the ac-
count is interrupted that reports may be in-
serted of the success of growing mustard and
cress, and of brewing beer on board Captain
Belcher's own ship ; and it is not until under
date of October (vol. ii., p. 41), that further
details are given of the proceedings of Com-
mander Richards' journey.
The Assistance could not be got clear of
Wellington Channel in the summer of 1853,
though she was advanced almost to its en-
trance.

In the summer of 1853 the Resolute was
carried out from: her wintering place at Dealy
Island, and reached the south coast of Corn-
wallis Island, where she was stopped by the
ice and eventually frozen in for 'the winter.
Receiving positive orders from Captain Belcher

SATURDAY,

that all the ships were to be deserted and the
crews sent forward to the North Star at Beechey
Island, Captain Kellett successfully accom.
plished his instructions in the spring of 1854;
but before he quitted the Resolute one of tie
most remarkable expeditions of the voyage
was undertaken.

Lieutenant Meacham was sent with a party
to examine the " home " built at the formor
quarters of the Resolute, Dealy Island, and
thence to proceed to Prince of NlTales Strait,
establishing caches by the way, while his second
in command visited the Investigator in the Bay
of Mercy. The lieutenant left the Resolute on
the 3rd of April, 1854, found the " home " with
its stores all safe at Dealy Island, reached the
Princess Royal Islands in the centre of Prince
of Wales' Strait on the 7th of May, and here
found a record from the Enterprise (Captain
Collinson), which had visited the islands in
1851 The document was re-signed May, 1852,
and stated that further information would be
found at an islet two degrees further west.
This islet the lieutenant reached, and found
the record. The last intelligence from Cap-
tain Collinsou was to the 29th of August, 1852.
He stated that he intended to navigate the
channel to the east between the North Ameri-
can shore and Prince Albert's Land, and
endeavour to get up the channel traced by the
Esquimaux, known on the maps as Victoria
Strait. Had he succeeded in his design, he
would probably have come upon those traces
of Franklin which were subsequently brought
to the knowledge of Dr. Rae. Failing in this
object, he thought of returning by Behring's
Strait. With this information Lieutenant
Meacham hastened to return. At the Dealy
Island depot he found instructions that be was
to push on for Beechey Islaud. He over-
took on his way his second in command,
Mr. Krabbe, who had visited the Investi-
gator, and found the ship safe, though in need
of some repairs, which were performed. The
whole party safely reached Beechey Island,
having successfully performed one of the moat
arduous Arctic journeys on record.
In the summer of 1854, the position of
affairs then was this—the Investigator, the
Resolute, and the Intrepid, bad been aban-
doned, and the whole of their crews conveyed
safely to the North Star at Beechey Island.
The Assistance and Pioneer were still impri-
soned in Wellington Channel, and Captain
Belcher bad made up his mind to abandon
them if there seemed no chance of getting
them clear towards the end of August. The
time came, the ships were still fast, Captain
Belcher, with his crews left the Assistance oa
the 25th of August for the North Star, and in
this vessel the crews of the five vessel§
actually sailed from Beechey Island on the
28th of August. Scarcely had she departed
when the ic'kenix and Talbot came up with
further supplies and instructions from the
Admiralty. The crews which had been
crowded on board the North Star were pow
distributed among the three ships, and the
little squadron sailed for home. Captain
13elcher determined to make for Cork, whert,
with Captains M'Clure and Kellett, he arrived
on the 28th of September, 1854.
We have given but a bare outline of the lead-
ing facts of the voyage. Confusedly composed
as the narrative is, there are many interesting
passages in it. The journeys from the ships
seem to have been all conducted with admira-
ble skill. Lieutenant M'Clintook, a most
accomplished officer, was out from his ship,
the Resolute, for one hundred and five days,
and surveyed a wide extent of coast. It will
be recollected that this able seaman made the
most successful journey in Captain Austen's
expedition. No one could read his narrative
in the Blue Book without admiration of the
skill, courage, accomplishments, and resources
it displayed. Captain Kellett was most fortu-
nate in finding an abundant supply of game ;
but in Wellington Channel the Assistance
gained very tittle.
Several questions were raised by the return
of Sir E. Belcher. 1. Ought he to have aban-
doned all his ships as he did,9 The Resolute,
we see, was lately picked up by an American
whaler in Davis's Straits, a fact which gives
some colour of probability to the supposition
that the ships seen oft the Newfoundland
Bank were really the ships of Franklin. 2.