icating with our missing country-men which had been
supplied to us in England.

Rockets, in the calm evenings of early winter, were fired with great
effect; in proof of which, signals were several times exchanged, both
in the autumn and spring, between Assistance Harbour and our squadron,
by the aid of these useful projectiles, although the distance was
twenty miles.

[Headnote: _ROCKETS.--BALLOONS._]

The balloons, however, as a more novel attempt for distant signalizing,
or, rather, intercommunication, were a subject of deep interest. The
plan was simple, and ingenious; the merit of the idea, as applicable to
the relief of Sir John Franklin, by communicating to him intelligence
of the position of the searching parties, being due to Mr. Shepperd,
C.E. It was as follows: a balloon of oiled silk, capable of raising
about a pound weight when inflated, was filled with hydrogen evolved
from a strong cask, fitted with a valve, in which, when required for
the purpose, a certain quantity of zinc filings and sulphuric acid had
been introduced. To the base of the balloon, when inflated, a piece of
slow match, five feet long, was attached, its lower end being lighted.
Along this match, at certain intervals, pieces of coloured paper and
silk were secured with thread, and on them the information as to our
position and intended lines of search were printed. The balloon, when
liberated, sailed rapidly along, rising withal, and, as the match
burnt, the papers were gradually detached, and, falling, spread
themselves on the snow, where their glaring colours would soon attract
notice, should they happily fall near the poor fellows in the "Erebus"
and "Terror."

Every care was taken to despatch these balloons with winds from the
southward and south-east, so that the papers might be distributed to
the north and north-west, and westward. Fire-balloons, of which there
were a few, were likewise despatched; but the impression in my own mind
is, that the majority of the balloons despatched by us, after rising to
some height, were carried by counter-currents--always the most
prevalent ones at the cold season of the year--to the southward and
south-west. On two occasions I distinctly saw the balloons, when
started with S.E. winds, pass for a while to the N.W., and then, at a
great altitude, alter their course under the influence of a contrary
current, and pass as rapidly to the S.E., in the teeth of the light
airs we had on the floe.

The