r named Henderson--emerged from the
Arctic Sea, arriving in six months from the time they left the ship,
in Sitka, Alaska."

CHAPTER XLV.

THE VOYAGES OF THE "MERCURY" AND THE "AURORA BOREALIS."

"It was a most fortunate thing that any of the men could live until
they reached civilization," I said, when Captain Adams had finished
his reading of Dunbar's story in the paper.

"It was solely due to that fact that we are here at present, admiral,"
replied Captain Adams. "No sooner was the story published than the
greatest possible excitement arose both in America and Europe. The
United States and Britain felt chagrined that a private citizen had
been able to achieve what the greatest nations on earth, with
unlimited men and money, were unable to accomplish. To satisfy popular
clamor the United States, Great Britain, Russia, France, Germany,
Italy and Spain each fitted out separate expeditions to follow in the
wake of the _Polar King_. These were manned with former Arctic
navigators, and were in each case commissioned and fitted out
regardless of cost to explore the interior world and lay the
foundation of future conquest and commerce. The Secretary of the
United States Navy, at Washington, sent for Dunbar and Henderson, and
forthwith employed both as pilots for the _Mercury_ expedition under
my command."

"How did the English people receive the news?" I inquired of Sir John
Forbes.

"It is useless to say, admiral," he replied, "that the story of the
_Polar King_ was the sole topic of conversation for weeks throughout
the United Kingdom. The Royal Geographical Society, the Royal
Astronomical Society, and the Travellers' Club, all sent special
deputations to the government, asking for the fitting out of a ship to
undertake British research, which might possibly accompany the United
States vessel having the pilots Dunbar and Henderson on board, and
thus partake of the advantage these guides would naturally give the
United States vessel.

"The British Government," continued Sir John, with a smile in his eye,
"saw at once that British interests in the interior world must be
protected at all hazards, and gave the Lords of the Admiralty full
power to act.

"My fame as an Arctic navigator and as the discoverer of the bones of
the great Irish Arctic hero, Montgomery, and those of his men, in a
cabin on Prince Albert's Island, caused the Lords of the Admiralty to
place at my command the frigate _Aurora Borealis_,