r our long and crooked walk about Stromness; and the
failure of the good folk there to induce us to trust ourselves on their
ponies for a ride to Kirkwall, naturally limited our knowledge of the
neighbourhood.

Above the town of Stromness rises a conical-shaped hill; it has, I
believe, been immortalized by Scott in his "Pirate:" it had yet deeper
interest for me, for I was told that up it had toiled dear friends now
missing with Franklin. I and a kind shipmate walked out one evening to
make our pilgrimage to a spot hallowed by the visit of the gallant and
true-hearted that had gone before us--and, as amid wind and drizzle we
scrambled up the hill, I pictured to myself how, five short years
before, those we were now in search of had done the same. Good and
gallant Gore! chivalrous Fitz-James! enterprising Fairholme!
lion-hearted Hodgson! dear De Vaux!--Oh! that ye knew help was nigh!

We surmounted the hill--the Atlantic was before us, fierce and
troubled; afar to seaward the breakers broke and lashed themselves
against the firm foundation of the old Head of Hay, which loomed
through mist and squall, whilst overhead the scream of sea-fowl, flying
for shelter, told that the west wind would hold wild revelry that
night.

"H.M.S. North Star," carved on the turf, showed where some of her
people had chosen this spot for a record of their visit to Orkney; we
did likewise, in honour of our own bonnie craft; and then, strolling
homeward, discussed the probable chances of the existence of the said
"North Star;" the conclusion arrived at being that there was more cause
for anxiety on her account than for Franklin's Expedition, she having
gone out totally unprepared for wintering, and with strict injunctions
not to be detained: "l'homme propose, et Dieu dispose."

I could have hugged the snuffy old postmaster for a packet of letters
he gave me. I rushed on board to a cabin which proved, as the First
Lord had sagaciously remarked, into how small a space a Lieutenant
Commanding could be packed; and, in spite of an unpaid tailor's bill,
revelled in sweet and pleasant dreams.

[Headnote: _PLAN OF SEARCH._]

The "Intrepid" and "Pioneer" rejoined the ships at Long-Hope; and my
gallant comrade and I made a neck-and-neck race of it, showing that in
steaming, at any rate, there would be little to choose between us; and,
on May 15th, the Arctic squadron weighed, and, passing out of the
Pentland Firth, the "Dasher" and "Lightning" chee