Elson, reached lat. 71° 23' 39"[errata 1] N., and penetrated to the eastward as far as 156° errata|21'|21' 30"}} W.; or about 120 miles beyond Icy Cape. This boat was despatched by Commander Beechey, to co-operate with the Lion and Reliance, on the 18th of August – the very day that they began to retrace their way towards the mouth of the Mackenzie, which they reached on the 30th of the same month, just at the commencement of a violent N.W. gale, attended by thunder, lightning, and torrents of rain. On the 21st of Sept., they arrived in safety at Great Bear Lake, after travelling a distance of 2048 statute miles, of which 610, including 374 of sea coast, were through parts not previously discovered.
In the mean time, Dr. Richardson and the assistant-surveyor had most fully accomplished the object of their voyage to the eastward, and travelled 1980 miles, of which 37 were by a portion of the Mackenzie never before visited by Europeans, 863 by sea, and 433 overland, from the mouth of the Copper-mine River to Great Bear Lake. “I may be allowed,” says Captain Franklin, “to bear my testimony to the union of caution, talent, and enterprise in the former, which enabled him to conduct with singular success, an arduous service of a kind so foreign from his profession and ordinary pursuits; and to the science and skill, combined with activity, of Mr. (now Lieutenant) Kendall, which must heighten the character he has already obtained for general ability and energy in his profession.”
The most northerly part of the American continent seen by this branch of the expedition, is situated in lat. 70° 30' N., long. 127° 35' W.
Captain Franklin remained on Great Bear Lake until Feb. 20th, 1827; when he set out on foot for Fort Chipewyan, accompanied by five men, in order to secure provisions for the remainder of the party, and to rejoin Dr. Richardson, who, being anxious to extend his geological researches as far as possible, had gone in a canoe to Great Slave Lake, immediately after his return from the sea. The other officers and men were directed to proceed to York Factory, as soon as the ice should break, and from thence, by
Errata:
- ↑ Correction: 39" should be amended to 31"
