entertained that an attempt to effect the north-eastern passage did not form the object of the expedition.
“We all felt the greatest desire to advance; but considering what would be the consequences of any accident befalling the ship, which might either oblige her to quit these seas at once, or prevent her returning to them a second year, it was evident that her being kept in open water was paramount to every other consideration; particularly as she had been furnished with a decked launch, well adapted by her size to prosecute a service of this nature. It was one of those critical situations in which an officer is sometimes unavoidably placed; and had further discovery depended upon the Blossom alone, it is probable I should have proceeded at all hazards. My orders, however, being positive to avoid the chance of being beset in the ship, I considered only how I could most beneficially employ both vessels, and, at the same time, comply with the spirit of my instructions. Thus circumstanced, I determined to despatch the barge along the coast, both with a view of rendering Captain Franklin’s party the earliest possible assistance, and of ascertaining how far it was possible for a boat to go. Not a moment was to be lost in putting this project in execution, as the middle of August had arrived, and we could not calculate on a continuance of the fine weather with which we had hitherto been favored. We accordingly returned towards Icy Cape, in order to join the barge, which was surveying in that direction.
“My intentions were no sooner made known, than I had urgent applications for the command of the barge from the superior officers of the ship, who, with the ardour natural to their profession when any enterprise is in view, came forward in the readiest manner, and volunteered their services; but Mr. Elson had hitherto acquitted himself so much to my satisfaction, that I could not in justice remove him; more especially at a moment when the service to be performed was inseparable from risk. Mr. Smyth, the senior mate of the ship, was placed with Mr. Elson, who had besides under his command a crew of six seamen and two marines.
“Since our separation, the barge had kept close along the beach, and ascertained the continuity of the land from the spot where the ship quitted the coast to Icy Cape, thereby removing all doubts on that head, and proving that Captain Franklin would not find a passage south of the cape to which I had given his name. On the 17th, at midnight, I made Mr. Elson’s signal to part company, and he commenced his interesting expedition with the good wishes of all on board.”
From the time of his passing Behring’s Strait up to the 23d of August, Commander Beechey enjoyed an almost uninterrupted series of favorable weather; during which a survey was made of the whole of the coast from Cape Prince
