Spencer and Innis, and
Tuesday, the 10th, latitude 75 degrees was at last reached, much to
Clifton's joy.

The _Forward_ was now at the very spot where the American ships, the
_Rescue_ and the _Advance_, commanded by Captain Haven, ran such
terrible dangers. Dr. Kane accompanied this expedition; towards the
end of September, 1850, these ships were caught in the ice, and
carried with irresistible force into Lancaster Sound.

Shandon told James Wall about it in the presence of some of the men.

"The _Advance_ and the _Rescue_," he said, "were so tossed about by
ice, that they could keep no fires on board; and yet the thermometer
stood at 18 degrees below zero. During the whole winter the crews were
kept imprisoned, ready to abandon their ships, and for three weeks
they did not take off their clothes! It was a terrible situation;
after drifting a thousand miles, they were driven to the middle of
Baffin's Bay!"

One may easily judge of the effect of such a narration on a crew
already discontented.

While this conversation was going on, Johnson was talking with the
doctor about an event which had taken place here; the doctor, at his
request, told him the exact moment when the brig reached latitude 75
degrees 30 minutes.

"There it is! there it is!" said Johnson, "there is that unlucky
land!"

And so speaking, tears came into the boatswain's eyes.

"You mean Lieutenant Bellot's death," said the doctor.

"Yes, sir, of that brave, good man!"

"And it was here, you say, that it took place?"

"Just here, on this part of the coast of North Devon. It was very
great ill-luck, and this would not have happened if Captain Pullen had
come on board sooner."

"What do you mean, Johnson?"

"Listen, Doctor, and you will see by how slight a thread life is held.
You know that Lieutenant Bellot had already made an expedition in
search of Franklin, in 1850?"

"Yes; in the _Prince Albert_."

"Well, in 1853, having returned to France, he got permission to sail
in the _Phoenix_, in which I was a sailor, under Captain Inglefield.
We came with the _Breadalbane_ to carry supplies to Beechey Island."

"Those which we did not find!"

"Exactly, Doctor. We arrived at Beechey Island at the beginning of
August; the 10th of that month, Captain Inglefield left the _Phoenix_
to rejoin Captain Pullen, who had been away for a month from his ship,
the _North Star_. He intended on his return to send the Admiralty
despatches to Sir Edward B