e hundred and thirty-four miles.

[Illustration: A WINTER VIEW OF FORT ENTERPRISE. From a drawing, by
Wm. Back, in Franklin's _Journey to the Polar Sea_, 1823.]

The real work of exploration was now to begin, and the party embarked
in two canoes to sail along the southern coast of the Polar sea, with
the possibility always of meeting the Parry expedition. But the poor
Canadian boatmen were terrified at the sight of the sea on which they
had never yet sailed, and they were with difficulty persuaded to embark.
Indeed, of the two crews, only the five Englishmen had ever been on
the sea, and it has been well said that this voyage along the shores
of the rock-bound coast of the Arctic sea must always take rank as
one of the most daring and hazardous exploits that have ever been
accomplished in the interest of geographical research. The two canoes
hugged the icy coast as they made their way eastward, and Franklin
named the bays, headlands, and islands for a distance of five hundred
and fifty-five miles, where a point he called Cape Turnagain marks
his farthest limit east. Here is George IV. Coronation Gulf studded
with islands, Hood's River, Back's River, Bathurst's Inlet, named
after the Secretary of State, and Parry Bay after "my friend, Captain
Parry, now employed in the interesting research for a North-West
Passage."

[Illustration: FRANKLIN'S EXPEDITION TO THE POLAR SEA ON THE ICE. From
a drawing, by Wm. Back, in Franklin's _Journey to the Polar Sea_, 1823.]

The short season for exploration was now over; rough weather and want
of food turned them home, only half satisfied with their work. The
worst part of their journey was yet to come. Perhaps never, even in
the tragic history of Arctic exploration, had greater hardships been
endured than Franklin and his handful of men were to endure on their
homeward way. On 22nd August the party left Point Turnagain, hoping
by means of their newly discovered Hood River to reach Fort Enterprise.
The ground was already covered with snow, and their food was reduced
to one meal a day when they left the shores of the Arctic sea for their
long inland tramp. Needless to say, the journey had to be performed
on foot, and the way was stony and barren. For the first few days nothing
was to be found save lichen to eat, and the temperature was far below
freezing-point. An uncooked cow after six days of lichen "infused
spirit into our starving party," relates Franklin. But things grew
no bett