xpedition. While he was away his lieutenant McClure explored the
northern coasts of Barrow Strait, but without result. James Ross had
under his orders two officers who, later on, were destined to become
celebrities--McClure, who cleared the North-West passage, and
McClintock, who discovered the remains of Sir John Franklin."

"Yes; they are now two good and brave English captains. You know the
history of these seas well, doctor, and you will benefit us by telling
us about it. There is always something to be gained by hearing about
such daring attempts."

"Well, to finish all I know about James Ross: he tried to reach
Melville Island by a more westerly direction, but he nearly lost his
two vessels, for he was caught by the ice and driven back into Baffin's
Sea."

"Driven back?" repeated Hatteras, contracting his brows; "forced
back in spite of himself?"

"Yes, and without having discovered anything," continued the doctor;
"and ever since that year, 1850, English vessels have never ceased
to plough these seas, and a reward of twenty thousand pounds was
offered to any one who might find the crews of the _Erebus_ and
_Terror_. Captains Kellett and Moore had already, in 1848, attempted
to get through Behring's Strait. In 1850 and 1851 Captain Austin
wintered in Cornwallis Island; Captain Parry, on board the
_Assistance_ and the _Resolute_, explored Wellington Channel; John
Ross, the venerable hero of the magnetic pole, set out again with
his yacht, the _Felix_, in search of his friend; the brig _Prince
Albert_ went on a first cruise at the expense of Lady Franklin; and,
lastly, two American ships, sent out by Grinnell with Captain Haven,
were drifted out of Wellington Channel and thrown back into Lancaster
Strait. It was during this year that McClintock, who was then Austin's
lieutenant, pushed on as far as Melville Island and Cape Dundas, the
extreme points attained by Parry in 1819; it was then that he found
traces of Franklin's wintering on Beechey Island in 1845."

"Yes," answered Hatteras, "three of his sailors had been buried
there--three men more fortunate than the others!"

The doctor nodded in approval of Hatteras's remark, and continued:

"During 1851 and 1852 the _Prince Albert_ went on a second voyage
under the French lieutenant, Bellot; he wintered at Batty Bay, in
Prince Regent Strait, explored the south-west of Somerset, and
reconnoitred the coast as far as Cape Walker. During that time the
_Enterpris