ons, and although Captain
MacClintock took some in 1859, I can assure you there is still some
left for us."

"In fact, these regions have been explored for fifteen years, and
until certain proof of Franklin's death was received, the Admiralty
always kept five or six ships cruising in these waters. If I'm not
mistaken, Griffith Island, which I see in the middle of the open
space, has become a general rendezvous for explorers."

"True, Doctor, and Franklin's ill-fated expedition has been the means
of our learning so much about these parts."

"Exactly; for there have been a great many expeditions since 1845. It
was not till 1848 that there was any alarm about the continued
non-appearance of the _Erebus_ and the _Terror_, Franklin's two ships.
Then the admiral's old friend, Dr. Richardson, seventy years of age,
went through Canada, and descended Coppermine River to the Polar Sea;
on the other side, James Ross, in command of the _Enterprise_ and the
_Investigator_, sailed from Upernavik in 1848, and reached Cape York,
where we are now. Every day he threw overboard a cask containing
papers telling where he was; during fogs he fired cannon; at night he
burned signal-fires and sent off rockets, carrying always but little
sail; finally, he wintered at Leopold's Harbor in 1848-49; there he
caught a large number of white foxes; he had put on their necks copper
collars on which was engraved a statement of the position of the ship
and where supplies had been left, and he drove them away in every
direction; then, in the spring, he explored the coast of North
Somerset on sledges, amid dangers and privations which disabled nearly
all his men. He built cairns, enclosing copper cylinders with
instructions to the absent expedition; during his absence, Lieutenant
MacClure explored fruitlessly the northern coast of Barrow Strait. It
is noteworthy, Captain, that James Ross had among his officers two men
who afterwards became celebrated,--MacClure, who found the Northwest
Passage, and MacClintock, who found the last remains of the Franklin
expedition."

[Illustration: "He caught a large number of white foxes; he had put on
their necks copper collars."]

"Two good and brave captains, two brave Englishmen; go on, Doctor,
with this account which you know so well; there is always something to
be learned from the account of bold adventurers."

"Well, to conclude with James Ross, I have only to add that he tried
to go farther west from Melv