'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From December 1854 to March 1856. (New Issue.) Edited by the Secretary. Volume XII.' [‎32] (143/258)

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Dl>. G. BUIST
sea in July, and dispersed themselves on survey along shore. In the course
of the season they were able to carry their survey from 110 ° to 149° : from
the latter point, at lat. 79 ° , they turned off in the middle of August, in con
sequence of the severity of the weather, to resume their winter quarters : they
had traversed about three thousand miles during their absence. Dr. Richard
son had conducted a second division of the expedition with equal success and
skill in an opposite direction. On the arrival of spring the expedition turned
their attention homeward, no more remaining to be done in this direction : they
reached Liverpool in September, ■ after an absence of two years and seven
months. No casualty had occurred during the expedition, but two of the men
died on their way from America.
In February 1825, H. M.’s Ship Blossom, under Captain Beechy, was dis
patched from the Pacific and Behring’s Straits to co-operate with Parry and
Franklin,—the one engaged by sea, the other by land, in Arctic research, as
already related. After a vast number of adventures of the utmost interest in
the Pacific, they proceeded to the northward, penetrated Behring’s Straits,
and reached Icy Cape in August 1826 : they reached latitude 71 ° 07’, when
the boats were dispatched to the north-eastward. On the 10th Sept., they re
turned, having been as far as 71 ° 23’31” N., and 156° 21’ 80” W.—be
yond this they found it impossible to penetrate. Just about this time Captain
Franklin and party had reached 149 °, so that the two bands of explorers ad
vancing along the American shore from opposite directions, were within six
and a half degrees of each other. The Blossom in September returned to
San Francisco in California. After a season spent in a long series of the
most interesting enquiries in the Pacific and China seas, Captain Beechy early
in 1827 pushed along the Japanese waters to renew his Arctic researches.
He reached Kotzebue Sound in August: on this occasion they were unable to
penetrate further than lat. 70° 41’—a degree and a quarter short of last
year’s advance, when they found themselves arrested by one vast impenetra
ble barrier of ice. The Blossom returned early the following season to Eng
land, having completed a magnificent scheme of research independently of the
investigation on which she was specially commissioned. The parties of Frank
lin and Parry had returned before her—both unsuccessful in their main ob
jects of discovery in the polar basin and a northwest passage, but both enrich
ed with discoveries of extreme value.
An attempt was soon after this made to reach the Pole in a consider
able measure over the ice. On the 27th March 1827, a party under Captain
PaiTy started in the Gome; steamer for Hammerfast: on the 22nd June they
quitted the vessel, which was now beset in frost, and betook themselves to
their travels. After the most incredible exertions they were able to attain
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