f Franklin's vessels had actually made the northwest passage to
O'Reily Island, southwest of King William Land. Five men remained on
board alive, but the vessel was abandoned by the crew. The next spring
the Eskimos found it in good condition frozen fast in the ice.

The skeletons of Franklin's men were found scattered over King William
Land, where they had perished one after another from starvation and
cold. Some had engaged in conflict with the natives in endeavoring to
secure food, but being weak from hunger were unsuccessful. Of the one
hundred and five men who accompanied Franklin not one was ever found
alive.

During the year 1850 the problem of the northwest passage was solved by
Captains M'Clure, Collinson, and Killet. South of Melville Island,
M'Clure, who had sailed through Bering Strait, met the ship of Killet
which had come through Lancaster Sound. M'Clure, having wintered near
the connecting waters, had really established the existence of the
passage by observation before the meeting. Twenty days later Collinson
came up in his ship. Finding the problem of the northwest passage
solved, he turned to the southeast and completed the passage in another
direction.

It thus became evident that so far as commercial purposes were concerned
a northwest passage was impracticable and that further northern
exploration must be considered in the light of scientific and geographic
value only.

Hall's labors did not cease with his discovery of the Franklin
expedition. He became an enthusiast concerning the arctic and seemed to
enjoy its weird icy scenery and attendant perilous excitement. Believing
that he could reach the north pole if he had a properly equipped
expedition, he planned a fourth voyage and appealed to Congress for
assistance.

A generous appropriation was made by Congress, and on July 3, 1871, the
expedition set sail from New London, Conn., carrying a full crew and
several scientists. The vessel, which was named the _Polaris_, touched
at several places on the western coast of Greenland to secure
additional dogs and skins suitable for arctic clothing, and then steamed
north as far as seemed safe, to establish winter quarters preparatory to
making a dash for the pole in the spring.

The vessel passed through Robeson Channel into the polar ocean, reaching
82 deg. 11', then the highest point ever reached by a ship. Not finding a
good harbor, Hall sailed south about fifty miles. He anchored near the
Greenl