along the northern shores of America, towards the Hudson's Bay
establishment on the Mackenzie River. Sir John Richardson also led a
land party from the south to the Polar seas, but was compelled to return
without discovering any trace of the expedition.

In 1846, also, the Hudson's Bay Company sent out an expedition,
commanded by Dr John Rae, to survey the unexplored portion of the
American continent, between the farther point reached by Dease and
Simpson and the strait of the Fury and Hecla.

In the year 1850 several expeditions were sent out. The first consisted
of HMS _Resolute_ and _Assistance_, Captain Ommaney, with the
screw-steamers _Pioneer_, Lieutenant Osborn, and _Intrepid_, Lieutenant
Cator, as tenders, under the command of Captain Horatio T. Austin, in
the _Resolute_. Their chief aim was to visit Melville Island, and to
explore the shores of Wellington Channel, and the coast about Cape
Walker. The ships were provisioned for three years, and a transport
completed their supply at Whalefish Islands.

No expedition ever left England with a greater prospect of success, all
engaged in it being enthusiastically resolved to use every exertion to
advance the noble cause.

The ships were commissioned on the 28th of February 1850, and left
England the 3rd of May. On the 16th of June they arrived at the
Whalefish Islands, where they received the remainder of their supply of
provisions from the transport.

At the same time that Captain Austin's expedition was fitting out,
another was arranged and placed under the command of Mr William Penny,
an experienced whaling captain of Dundee, to act in concert with it.
Mr Penny, by the directions of the Admiralty, proceeded to Aberdeen and
Dundee, where he purchased two new clipper-built vessels, which were
named the _Lady Franklin_ and _Sophia_; the first in compliment to Sir
John's devoted wife, the latter to his admirable niece. These vessels
were placed under Mr Penny's command, with separate instructions direct
from the Admiralty. The ships showed during the voyage the good
judgment employed by Mr Penny in their selection, and the men acquitted
themselves throughout the enterprise in a way to justify the praise
bestowed on them by their associates in the ships-of-war. Mr Penny had
been employed in the Arctic seas since he was twelve years old, and had
commanded a whaling ship for sixteen years.

The ships left Aberdeen on the 13th of April, but did not fall in