red us, took our
letters,--and the Searching Expedition was alone steering for
Greenland. Night threw her mantle around us; the lonely light of Cape
Wrath alone indicating where lay our homes. I like losing sight of Old
England by night. It is pleasant to go to rest with a sweet
recollection of some quiet scene you have just dwelt upon with delight,
the spirit yearning for the excitement and novelty ahead. You rise in
the morning, old Ocean is around you: there is, to the seamen, a
lullaby, say what they may, in his hoarse song; and they of the middle
watch tell how the friendly light of some distant cape glimmered and
danced in the east, until lost in some passing squall.

Now for the Northwest! we exclaimed,--its much talked of dangers,--its
chapter of horrors! As gallant Frobisher says, "it is _still_ the
only thing left undone, whereby a notable mind might be made famous and
remarkable." As it was in Frobisher's day, so it is now, unless
Franklin has accomplished it, and lies beset off Cape Jakan--and why
may it not be so?

Whilst the squadron progresses slowly towards Cape Farewell, the ships
under topsails, and the steamers under jury-masts and sails, we will
take a retrospective view of what is now--1850--going to be done for
the relief of Franklin.

Capt. Collinson, with two ships, has gone to Behring's Straits with the
"Plover" as a depot, in Kotzebue Sound, to fall back upon in case of
disaster. He steers direct for Melville Island, along the coast of
North America. Capt. Pullen, having successfully searched the coast
from Point Barrow to the Mackenzie River, is endeavouring now to push
from thence, in a northerly direction, for Bank's Land. Dr. Rae is to
do the same from the Coppermine River. Capt. Penny, a first-rate
whaling captain, with two fast brigs, is now ahead of us, hoping to
make an early passage across the middle ice of Baffin's Bay. He goes to
Jones's Sound and Wellington Channel, to reach the Parry Isles by a
northern route.

We go with two sailing ships and two steam vessels, so as to form
separate divisions of two vessels each, to examine Barrow's Straits
south-westerly to Cape Walker, westerly towards Melville Island, and
north-westerly up Wellington Channel. Thus no less than eight fine
ships flying the pendant, and two land parties are directed, by
different routes, on Melville Island. Besides these, an American
expedition, fitted out by that prince of merchants, Mr. Grinnell,
leaves s