Two master-mariners, Messrs. John Allison and George Fife, of long experience in the Greenland whale fishery, were likewise taken into his Majesty’s service on this occasion.
In his official instructions from the Admiralty, Lieutenant Parry was ordered to make the best of his way to the entrance of Davis’s Strait; to advance, when the ice would permit, along the western shore to Baffin’s Bay; to enter Sir James Lancaster’s Sound, explore the bottom thereof, and, if possible, pass through it to Behring’s Strait. This was the most favorable supposition; other directions were given, in case the route here marked out should not be found practicable. If he succeeded in getting through Behring’s Strait, he was to proceed to Kamtschatka, and send, through the Russian governor, a duplicate of his journal to London. From thence he was to proceed either to the Sandwich Islands or to Canton, to refit the vessels and refresh their crews; and then to return home, by such route as he might deem most convenient. It was left to his own judgment, when on the spot, to decide upon the propriety of wintering in the Arctic regions; and minute directions were given as to the observations to be made with the various philosophical instruments on board. Though the finding a passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific was the main object of the expedition, yet the ascertaining many points of natural history, geography, &c. was consider d o most important one, never to be lost sight of. Whenever a landing was made on the northern coast of North America, a pole with a flag was to be erected, and a bottle buried cat the foot of it, containing an abstract of his proceedings and future intentions, for the information of Lieutenant John Franklin, who was sent, at the same time, on a land expedition, to explore that coast, from the mouth of the Copper Mine River to the eastward. The Hecla and her consort were prepared with great attention for the voyage, as well as with every thing for the scientific objects of the expedition, and the comfort of their crews. The total number of persons, on board both vessels, was 94, most of whom bad served under Captain Ross, in 1818; and every individual was ordered to receive double the ordinary pay of Her Majesty’s navy.
