he intended, after the result of a fresh search for a record on
Beechey Island was known, to communicate with the "Assistance," in
order that Captain Ommanney might be fully informed of all that had
been discovered, and that we might learn whether any thing had been
found at Cape Hotham.

On the 29th of August, the "Pioneer," much to my joy, was again afloat,
and fast to the ice in company with the other vessels; and, although my
officers and crew were well fagged out with forty-eight hours' hard
labour, parties of them, myself amongst the number, were to be seen
trudging across the ice of Union Bay towards Franklin's winter
quarters.

It needed not a dark wintry sky nor a gloomy day to throw a sombre
shade around my feelings as I landed on Beechey Island and looked down
upon the bay, on whose bosom once had ridden Her Majesty's ships
"Erebus" and "Terror;" there was a sickening anxiety of the heart as
one involuntarily clutched at every relic they of Franklin's squadron
had left behind, in the vain hope that some clue as to the route they
had taken hence might be found.

From the cairn to the long and curving beach, from the frozen surface
of the bay to the tops of the distant cliffs, the eye involuntarily but
keenly sought for something more than had yet been found.

But, no; as sharp eyes, as anxious hearts, had already been there, and
I was obliged to be content with the information, which my observation
proved to be true, that the search had been close and careful, but that
nothing was to be found in the shape of written record.

On the eastern slope of the ridge of Beechey Island, a remnant of a
garden (for remnant it now only was, having been dug up in the search)
told an interesting tale: its neatly-shaped oval outline, the border
carefully formed of moss, lichen, poppies, and anemones, transplanted
from some more genial part of this dreary region, contrived still to
show symptoms of vitality; but the seeds which doubtless they had sown
in the garden had decayed away. A few hundred yards lower down, a
mound, the foundation of a storehouse, was next to be seen; the
ground-plan was somewhat thus:--

[Illustration: North side, 61-1/2 feet long.

A B. B D. } Exterior embankments, about four feet through at the
A C. E F. } base and five feet high, in which posts had been sunk.

K L. } An interior embankment of same description enclosing
} a space, supposed store; had marks of