shore, and in the far north never breaks up. It forms a broad platform, lifted above the level sea, sometimes 20 or 30 feet high and 120 feet wide.

While Hayes was going west, another expedition, called the north-east party, was sent out, and they discovered that Smith Sound opened into a great sea or basin, which they named Kane's Sea. Sledging across the frozen basin to the foot of the Great Glacier, where Kane had previously left a cache of provisions, William Morton (who led the party) was sorely disappointed to find the place completely rifled by bears. Not daunted, they pushed their way onward in a northerly direction, and saw, to their astonishment, that out of Kane's Sea was a broad expanse of open water, spreading still northwards, with passages sometimes 15 miles between the huge masses of floating ice. This was Kennedy Channel. A bay to the east they named Lafayette Bay, and two small islands beyond after Sir John Franklin and Captain Crozier. At Cape Constitution their progress was arrested; so Morton says he fastened a flag to his walking-staff, and planted it on the 'highest northern land, not only of America, but of the globe.' By some unfortunate delay in getting their ships afloat upon the breaking up of the ice, they were kept as prisoners of the ice king a second winter; and as scurvy had broken out among them, and their provisions ran low, their position was trying in the extreme. Dr. Kane's enthusiasm and ardent love of nature, even in her severest aspects, kept up his spirits to the last. He seemed specially struck with the beauties of an Arctic sky. In his journal he says: 'I am afraid to speak of some of the night scenes. I have trodden the deck and the floes when the life of earth seemed suspended-its movements, its

sounds, its colouring, its companionships; and as I looked on the radiant hemisphere circling above me, as if rendering worship to the unseen Centre of light, I have ejaculated in humility of spirit, "Lord, what is man that Thou art mindful of him!" And then I have thought of the kindly world we had left, with its revolving sunshine and shadow, and the other stars that gladden it in their changes, and the hearts that warmed to us there, till I lost myself in memories of those who are not, and they bore me back to the stars again.'

Through the whole of this narrative there is a beautiful tone of devoutness, quite refreshing to read. And no wonder; if man must ever feel his own insignificance, and yet his high destiny, surely it must be in those dreary wastes and vast solitudes, which are scarcely ever broken by the human voice. How true are the words of the Psalmist,' He giveth snow like wool; He scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes; He casteth forth His ice like morsels: who can stand before His cold?'

In May 1855, Kane resolved to abandon his ship, and take southwards in boats and sledges. For nearly four months was this little party exposed to all the perils of an Arctic voyage, sometimes boating, sometimes sledging, until at last they reached Upernavik, where they took ship for the Shetland Isles. But what of Sir John Franklin? Not a relic had they found. Mystery, doubt, suspense, almost despair, began to fill the minds of those interested. Still Dr. Kane had done a noble thing, and earned for himself a place among the bravest and boldest.

Ibid.

LESSON 4.

STORIES OF ARCTIC

EXPLORATIONS.

IV. THE SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN
FRANKLIN.

adamantine, not to be broken oomiaks, boats for women

anonymous,

name

without the

orthodox, proper, right
resplendent, very bright
route (pron. root), way,
journey
strand, shore

succumbing, sinking under
ultimately, at last
wotting, knowing

It is now time we took up the story of the Fox, which was interrupted to notice the spirited enterprise of Dr. Kane. Captain M'Clintock was well fitted to take charge of the expedition, having been for eight or nine years constantly engaged in one or other of the search parties. This expedition proved most successful. They obtained positive traces of the lost explorers, and proved beyond a doubt that Sir John Franklin and his crew had perished long, long before. They found out that the two ships, the Erebus and Terror, had passed their first winter at Beechey Island, had afterwards gone south-west, entered Peel Channel, and

C

were caught in the ice off King William Land. A document which was found stated that Sir John had died on the 11th of June 1847; and thus he was spared the fearful miseries his companions had to endure. You will remember reading that Dr. Rae had started on an overland route towards the mouth of the Great Fish River, and thence to Banks Land. From the information he gathered, in addition to that obtained by Captain M'Clintock, we learn 'that upon Franklin's death the survivors (105 of them) abandoned the ships, and under the guidance of Captain Crozier started for the mouth of the Great Fish River, but miserably perished for the most part by the way, many of them dropping dead as they walked. Several relics were brought back to England,-relics which proved only too truly that their owners were beyond the reach of human help. And so ended the search after Sir John Franklin, so far as England was concerned.

Some years ago Punch had a few touching verses on this subject by an anonymous writer :

'The Polar clouds uplift-a moment and no more, And through the snowy drift we see them on the shore,

A band of gallant hearts, well-ordered, calm, and brave,

Braced for their closing parts,—their long march to the grave.

'Through the snow's dazzling blink into the dark they've gone :

No pause the weary sink, the strong can but strive on,

Till all the dreary way is dotted with their dead, And the shy foxes play about each sleeping head.

'Unharmed the wild deer run, to graze along the

strand,

Nor dread the loaded gun beside each sleeping hand.

The remnant that survive onward like drunkards reel,

Scarce wotting if alive, but for the pangs they feel.

The river of their hope at length is drawing nighTheir snow-blind way they grope, and reach its banks to die!

Thank God, brave Franklin's place was empty in that band!

He closed his well-run race not on the iron strand.

'Not under snow-clouds white, by cutting frostwind driven,

Did his true spirit fight its shuddering way to heaven;

But warm, aboard his ship, with comfort at his side,

And hope upon his lip, the gallant Franklin died.

'His heart ne'er ached to see his much-loved sailors ta'en;

His sailors' pangs were free from their loved captain's pain.

But though in death apart, they are together

now

Calm each enduring heart, bright each devoted brow!'

Had we more space at command, it would be interesting to notice at length the account of another American undertaking, led by Dr. Hayes, who (you will remember) went out as surgeon in Dr.