anished into the northern ice; for three years nothing was heard of
his vessel. {125} The gallant Bellot, attempting to carry dispatches
over the ice, sealed his devotion with his life. Belcher's ships the
_Assistance_ and the _Resolute_, with their two tenders, froze fast in
the ice. Despite the earnest protests of some of his officers, Belcher
abandoned them, and, in the end, was able to return home. The
Admiralty had to face the loss of four good ships with large quantities
of stores. It had been better perhaps had they remained lost. One of
the abandoned ships, the _Resolute_, its hatches battened down, floated
out of the ice, and was found by an American whaler, masterless,
tossing in the open waters of Baffin Bay. Belcher may have been right
in abandoning his ships to save the crews, but his judgment and even
his courage were severely questioned, and unhappy bitterness was
introduced where hitherto there had been nothing but the record of
splendid endeavour and mutual help. The only bright spot was seen in
the achievement of Captain, afterwards Sir Robert, M'Clure, who
reappeared with his crew safe and sound after four winters in the
Arctic. He had made his way in the _Investigator_ (1850 to 1853) from
Bering Strait to within sight of Melville Sound. He had spent three
winters in the ice, the last two years in one and the same spot, {126}
fast frozen, to all appearances, for ever. With supplies dangerously
low and his crew weakened by exposure and privation, M'Clure
reluctantly left his ship. He and his men fortunately reached the
ships of Sir Edward Belcher, having thus actually made the North-West
Passage.

The disasters of 1853-54 cast a deeper gloom than ever over the search
for Franklin. Moreover, the rising clouds in the East and presently
the outbreak of the Crimean War prevented further efforts. Ships and
men were needed elsewhere than in the northern seas. It began to look
as if failure was now final, and that nothing more could be done.
Following naval precedent, a court-martial had been held to investigate
the action of Captain Sir Edward Belcher. 'The solemn silence,' wrote
Captain M'Clure afterwards, 'with which the venerable president of the
court returned Captain Belcher his sword, with a bare acquittal, best
conveyed the painful feelings which wrung the hearts of all
professional men upon that occasion; and all felt that there was no
hope of the mystery of Franklin's fate being clea