Shortly after this, the North Star turned homeward, reaching Spithead, England, September 28, 1850.
The British government had by now outfitted two strong teak-built ships, the Resolute and the Assistance, and two steam vessels, the Pioneer and Intrepid. The object of this expedition was to renew the search by way of Baffin Bay and Lancaster Sound. Captain H. T. Austin commanded the Resolute, Captain Ommaney the Assistance, Lieutenant Sherard Osborn the Pioneer, and Lieutenant Commander Cator the Intrepid. Of what they accomplished, we shall speak later.
As early as April 4, 1849, Lady Franklin had made a heartrending appeal to the President of the United States, in which she called on the American nation, as a “kindred people, to join heart and hand in the enterprise of snatching the lost navigators from a dreary grave.” Such an eloquent appeal could not help but rouse the country to the strongest feeling of sympathy and interest. But the prolonged delays incident to our national legislation threatened to defeat her request, until a generous philanthropist, Mr. Henry Grinnell, a New York merchant of great wealth, stepped forward with the munificent offer of two well-equipped vessels, the Advance of one hundred and forty tons, and the Rescue of ninety tons, which he placed at the disposition of the government. Congress accepted this generous gift, and the ships were placed under the direction of the Navy Board. The command was given to Lieutenant E. De Haven, a most zealous and able naval officer; Mr. Murdock was sailing master, with Dr. E. K. Kane, that remarkable man “weak in body but great in mind,” whose succeeding journeys contributed so much to solving the mystery surrounding the fate of the lost ships.
FIRST GRINNELL EXPEDITION
The Grinnell expedition left New York on May 23, 1850, and was absent about sixteen months.
It will thus be seen that the Arctic seas had never been so replete with expeditions, whose heroic object was the search for missing comrades; and the year 1850-1851 was one of unparalleled adventure, exploration, and discovery, but alas! only the most meagre traces of the brave mariners were found, whose deplorable fate stirred the sympathy of the civilized world.
The unfavourable conditions of the “middle ice” in Baffin Bay and the Melville Bay barrier caused the searching expeditions great difficulties and discouraging delays. So strenuous were the conditions at times that the officers and crews of the smaller vessels made every preparation to leave the ships at a moment’s notice, should these vessels be crushed in the ice. By boring, tracking, and cutting, and by one ship towing the other through loose ice as the occasion demanded, slow but steady advance was made to the desired latitudes. Most interesting are the experiences of the little Prince Albert, Lady Franklin’s ship.
In describing a daring attack of this little craft upon ice-floes, Mr. Snow writes most graphically:—
“It was determined by Captain Forsyth boldly to try and break through the impediment, by forcing the ship under a press of canvas. Accordingly, all sail was set and the ship was steering direct for the narrowest and most broken part of the neck. As this was the first and only time the Prince Albert was made to come direct upon the ice to break it with the force she would derive from a press of sail, we were all anxious to see how she would stand it; and right well did she bear the test. The two mates were aloft in the ‘crow’s nest’ to con the vessel; I was standing on the extreme point of her bow and holding on by the fore-stay to direct her movement when immediately upon the ice; and Captain Forsyth was by the side of the helmsman. Every man was at some particular station, and ready to perform anything that was instantly required of him. Cook and steward were also on deck; and throughout the ship an almost breathless anxiety prevailed; for, it must be remembered, it was not a large and powerful ship, but a small, and comparatively fragile one, that was now about to try of her own accord, and with her own strength, to break a piece of ice some feet thick, though not very broad. On either side of her were heavy floes and sconce pieces; and it required the greatest nicety in guiding her, that she might, in her strongest part, the bow, hit the precise spot where the neck was weakest, and not come upon any other part where she could do nothing but severely injure herself.
“On she came, at a rate of full five miles per hour; gaining, as she proceeded, increased impetus, until she rushed towards it with a speed of at least eight miles in the hour. The distance from the neck was about a mile, and the breeze blew steadily upon it. The weakest and narrowest part was that close to the starboard floe, and to that our eyes were all directed.