'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From December 1854 to March 1856. (New Issue.) Edited by the Secretary. Volume XII.' [‎47] (158/258)

ON ARCTIC DISCOVERY— 1852-54.
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tries, in grateful remembrance of her husband when Governor, had the Isabel
la, her own steamer, once more fitted up, and placed in command of Lieute
nant Kennedy, who in 1851 had commanded the Prince Albert, from Aber
deen, on her second voyage of discovery. Subscriptions now came pouring in
apace : the Admiralty lent every assistance, and the Isabella, towed as far
as the Isle of Wight, left England on the 8th of April, fully provided for a two
years’ sojourn in the Icy Sea. She crossed the line southward on the 12th
May, having proceeded thus far under sail, and reached her destination in
safety. The Plover and she were released from further duty, and returned
to England on the appearance of the Enterprise in October 1854,—thus clear
ing the Northern Pacific just as the Northern Atlantic had about the same time
been cleared of Arctic expeditions. By a singular coincidence within the
same fornight that Captain Inglefield reached England, and Captain Collinson
arrived in the Ariglo-Cbinese waters, Dr. Rae, returned from Canada, bring
ing accounts of the melancholy fate of those who had for the preceding five
years occupied so large a share of the interests of the civilized nations of the
world.
In 1853 Mr. Grennel resolved to equip a vessel at his own expense, and
to entrust the charge of it to Lieutenant (late Dr.) Kane, who had in 1850
accompaned Lieutenant De Haven as medical officer, and subsequently pub
lished an account of that most singular voyage. The Advance, 144 tons, one
of the brigs despatched in 1850, was again selected. She left New York on
the 31st May. The search for Franklin was the first great object of the ex
pedition, but as this was not incompatible with other pursuits, Lieutenant Kane
was provided with a first ratesetofmagneticaland meteorological instruments,
furnished by the Smithsonian Institution, and a distingnished astronomer and
naturalist accompanied him.
They reached Baffin’s Bay on their way south in July 1854, having not up
to this date heard anything of the fate of any of the Arctic voyagers, and con
tinued their explorations till the end of the year.
Having thus brought this portion of the narrative to a close, the proceedings
of Captain Collinson in the Research, the consort of the Investigator
as far as Bhering’s Straits, come next to be considered, reserving to the end
the narrative of Dr. Rae, the last of all for the denouement of this strange
eventful history.
It has been already mentioned that this officer accompanied the In
vestigator, as far as Bhering’s Straits in 1850, but found the ice im
penetrable, and so was compelled to return and winter at Hongkong.
Traces of him had, as already detailed, been discovered as far east as Prince