1825
- 16 February
- "(p. xviii) ... I embarked with Lieutenant Back, Dr. Richardson, Mr. Kendall,
Mr. Drummond, and four marines, at Liverpool, on board the American packet-ship,
Columbia, Captain Lee; and, on quitting the pier, we were honoured by a salute
of three animating cheers, from a crowd of the principal inhabitants, who had
assembled to witness our departure."
- 15 June
- (p. xx) Arrive at Cumberland House
- 29 June
- (p. 1) At Methye River, The boats of the main part of the expedition, having
travelled from York Factory some 1200 miles, joined by officers who travelled
2,800 miles via New York and Upper Canada.
- 15 July
- (p. 5) Arrive at Fort Chipewyan.
- 29 July
- (p. 9) Arrive at Fort Resolution on Great Slave Lake and meet again with Mr. McVicar
- 4 August
- (p. 14) Arrive at Fort Simpson on MacKenzie River (338 niles from Fort Resolution
on Great Slave Lake)
- 7 August
- (p. 17) Fort Norman, 574 miles from Fort Resolution
- 8 August
- (p. 17) Franklin and Kendall start on a preliminary descent of MacKenzie River to
the sea. Back to Great Bear Lake to establish Winter Quarters. Richardson to
explore Northern shore line of Great Bear Lake in the vicinity of the nearest
approach to Coppermine River and there fix upon a spot to which he might
bring the party the following year, on its return from the mouth of that river.
- 10 August
- "(p. 23) At eleven P.M. we arrived at Fort Good Hope, the lowest of the
Company's establishments; it is distant from Fort Norman three hundred and
twelve miles, and is in latitude 67° 28' 21'' N., and longitude 130° 51' 38'' W."
- 16 August
- "(p. 35) This point is in latitude 69° 14' N., longitude 135° 57'' W., and
forms the north-eastern entrance to the main channel of the Mackenzie River,
which, from Slave Lake to this point, is one thousand and forty-five miles,
according to our survey."
- 5 September
- "(p. 49 At four P.M. we arrived at the foot of the upper rapid, and in
two hours afterwards entered the Great Bear Lake, and reached the house at seven.
Dr. Richardson having returned from his voyage to the northern part of the lake,
the members of the Expedition were now, for the first time, all assembled."
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1826
- 10 March.
- Richardson and Kendall leave Fort Franklin to continue survey of Great Bear
Lake shoreline, returning on the 1st of May.
- 20 June, Tuesday
- Expedition leaves the winter quarters at Fort Franklin to commence the decent
to the sea and the exploration of the coast.
- 25 June, Sunday
- Reach Fort Norman
- 1 July
- Fort Good-Hope.
- 4 July, Tuesday
- Point Separation."(p. 95) It was impossible not to be struck with the
difference between our present complete state of equipment and that on which
we had embarked on our former disastrous voyage. Instead of a frail bark canoe,
and a scanty supply of food, we were now about to commence the sea voyage in
excellent boats, stored with three months' provision. At Dr. Richardson's
desire the western party embarked first. He and his companions saluted us with
three hearty cheers, which were warmly returned; and as we were passing round
the point that was to hide them from our view, we perceived them also embarking."
- 7 July
- Reach the mouth of MacKenzie River and first contact with the Esquimaux.
"(p. 99) I had previously informed Lieutenant Back of my intention of opening
the communication with the Esquimaux by landing amongst them, accompanied only
by Augustus; and I now instructed him to keep the boats afloat, and the crews
with their arms ready to support us in the event of the natives proving hostile;
but on no account to fire until he was convinced that our safety could be secured
in no other way."
- At Pillage Point, Confrontation with the Esquimaux. "(p. 104) A numerous
party then drawing their knives, and stripping themselves to the waist, ran to
the Reliance, and having first hauled her as far up as they could, began a
regular pillage, handing the articles to the women, who, ranged in a row behind,
quickly conveyed them out of sight. Lieutenant Back and his crew strenuously,
but good-humouredly, resisted the attack, and rescued many things from their grasp,
but they were overpowered by numbers, and had even some difficulty in reserving
their arms."
- 13 July
- Point King. "(p. 122) We passed a wide, though not deep bay, whose points
were named after my friends Captains Sabine and P. P. King; and we were drawing
near the next projection, when a compact body of ice was discovered, which was
joined to the land ahead."
- 15 July, Saturday
- Babbage River.
- 17 July, Monday
- Hershell Island.
- 31 July, Monday
- At Point Demarcation, "(p. 142) ... which has been so named from its being
situated in longitude 141° W., the boundary between the British and Russian
dominions on the northern coast of America."
- 16 August, Wednesday
- After reaching longitude of almost 149 Degrees West, Franklin decides to
turn back.
- "(p.160) THE period had now arrived when it was incumbent on me to consider,
whether the prospect of our attaining the object of the voyage was sufficiently
encouraging to warrant the exposure of the party to daily increasing risk, by
continuing on. We were now only half way from the Mackenzie River to Icy Cape..."
- 30 August, Wednesday
- Return to the mouth of the MacKenzie. "(p. 179) we [...] reached the deep
water most opportunely; for, almost at the instant, a violent north-west gale
came on, attended by thunder, lightning, and torrents of rain. The wind, however,
was fair, and brought so much water into the channel of the river, that we passed,
without obstruction, the shallow parts above Pillage Point."
- 21 September
- "(p. 184) We quitted Fort Good Hope at noon on the 8th, arrived at the
entrance of Bear Lake River on the 16th, and on the 21st reached Fort Franklin,
where we had the happiness of meeting our friends in safety."
- "(p. 184) The distance travelled in the three months of our absence from
Fort Franklin, amounted to two thousand and forty-eight statute miles, of which
six hundred and ten were through parts not previously discovered."
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DR. RICHARDSON'S NARRATIVE OF THE PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
EASTERN DETACHMENT OF THE EXPEDITION.
- 4 July, Tuesday
- At point Separation. (p. 187)
- 10 July. Monday
- Reach the Polar Sea. "(p. 211) The water at our anchorage was decidedly
brackish, the beach was strewed with sertulariæ and other marine productions,
and several white whales were seen in the offing; all which circumstances
being considered as decided evidences of our having reached the mouth of the
river, that event was celebrated by issuing to each of the men a glass of grog,
which had been reserved for the occasion."
- 13 July.
- Atkinson Island. "(p. 215) It is bounded towards the sea by a bulwark of
sand-hills, drifted by the wind to the height of thirty feet. Under their
shelter seventeen winter-houses have been erected by the natives, besides
a large building, which, from its structure, seemed to be intended for
a place of assembly for the tribe."
- 18 July.
- "(p. 227) The cape forming the eastern point of this entrance lies in
latitude 70°36' N., longitude 127°35' W.; and proved to be the most northerly
part of the main shore which we saw during the voyage. It is a few miles
farther north than Return Reef of Captain Franklin, and is most probably,
with the exception of the land near Icy Cape, since discovered by Captain
Beechey, in the Blossom, the most northern point of the American Continent.
It was called Cape Bathurst ..."
- 19 July.
- "(p. 231) The coast consists of precipitous banks, similar in structure
to the bituminous-shale cliffs at Whitby, in Yorkshire. They gradually
increase in altitude from Cape Bathurst, and near our encampment their
height exceeded two hundred and fifty feet. The shale was in a state of
ignition in many places, and the hot sulphureous airs from the land
were strongly contrasted with the cold sea-breezes with which, in the
morning, they alternated."
- 23 July.
- "(p. 237) We then landed, and ascended a hill, about seven hundred
feet high, to ascertain the direction of the coast, and had the satisfaction
of finding that we had now reached the northern extremity of this remarkable
promontory. It was named Cape Parry after the distinguished navigator
whose skill and perseverance have created an era in the progress of
northern discovery..."
- 4 August.
- "(p. 253) On the strait, separating the two shores, I bestowed the
names of our excellent little boats, the Dolphin and Union. It varies
in width from twelve to twenty miles ..."
- 7 August.
- "(p. 258) By entering George the Fourth's Coronation Gulf at Cape
Krusenstern, we connected the discoveries of this voyage with those made
by Captain Franklin on his former expedition, and had the honour of completing
a portion of the north-west passage ..."
- 8 August.
- "(p. 260) Having reached the mouth of the Coppermine River, we encamped
within a hundred yards of the position of the tents on Captain Franklin's
former Expedition."
- "(p. 261) The completion of our sea voyage so early in the season
was a subject of mutual congratulation to us all; and to Mr. Kendall and
myself it was highly gratifying to behold our men still fresh and vigorous,
and ready to commence the laborious march across the barren grounds, with
the same spirit that they had shown in overcoming the obstacles which
presented themselves to their progress by sea. ... The distance between
Point Separation and the mouth of the Coppermine River, by the route
we pursued, is nine hundred and two statute miles."
- 9 August.
- "(p. 267) The Coppermine River, for forty miles above Bloody Fall,
flows over an uneven stony bed, betwixt precipitous rocky walls, and is
full of rapids. [...] It was necessary, therefore, that we should leave
at this place the Dolphin and Union, and every thing that was not absolutely
necessary for our journey [...]crossing the barren grounds."
- 10 August. Thursday.
- "(p. 269) At six o'clock on the morning of the 10th, after the men
had been down to the beach to take a last look of our little boats, we
began our march to Bear Lake, intending to keep on the banks of the
Coppermine as far as its bend at the Copper Mountains, and to strike from
thence straight across the hills for the mouth of Dease's River, which
falls into the north-east arm of Bear Lake."
- 13 August,
- "(p. 272) At noon the latitude was observed in 67° 13' N., and as we
were now on the spot where the Coppermine makes the nearest approach to
the north-east arm of Bear Lake, we decided on striking directly from this
place to the mouth of Dease's River, and the course and distance were
accordingly calculated."
- 24 August. Thursday.
- "(p. 281) [...] as we were about to retire to bed, having given up
all hopes of Beaulieu's arrival that day, we heard people talking in the
direction of the mouth of the river, and soon afterwards saw a boat and
several canoes. A musket being fired to show them our position, they
steered for the en-campment, and landed opposite to the huts. They
proved to be Beaulieu's party,..."
- August 28. Monday.
- "(p. 282) On Monday the 28th, I [...] proceeded with the rest of
the party in the larger canoe to Fort Franklin, where we arrived on Friday,
the 1st of September, and received a warm welcome from Mr. Dease, after an
absence of seventy-one days, during which period we had travelled by land
and water one thousand seven hundred and nine geographical, or nineteen
hundred and eighty statute, miles."
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CAPTAIN FRANKLIN'S NARRATIVE RESUMED.
1827
- 20 February.
- (p. 298) Franklin leaves Fort Franklin for a winter journey to Fort
Chipewyan arriving there on th 12th of April."
- 31 May.
- "(p. 307) I embarked ... in the Company's light canoe
with Mr. Stewart and Mr. M'Vicar, having previously made the necessary
arrangements for the passage of Captain Back and his party. We reached
Cumberland House on the 18th June, where I had the happiness of meeting
Dr. Richardson after a separation of eleven months.
- 18 June.
- "(p. 313) After remaining part of a day at Cumberland House, we
proceeded on our journey, Dr. Richardson following in one of the Company's
boats. I reached Norway House on the 24th of June, and Dr. Richardson
on the third day after."
-
- "(p. 315) We arrived at Lachine, near Montreal, on the 18th of August,
and were hospitably entertained by Mr. James Keith, Chief Factor, and
Agent of the Hudson's Bay Company, with whom we remained five days, to
settle the accounts of the Expedition."
- 1 September. 1827.
- "(p. 315) Having embarked [in New York], in the packet ship, [...] we
reached Liverpool on the 26th, after an absence of two years, seven months
and a half. Captain Back, Lieutenant Kendall, and Mr. Drummond, with the
rest of the British party, arrived at Portsmouth on the 10th of October."
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