'ENTERPRISE,' 540 tons.
Captain Sir James C. Ross; Lieuts., R. J. L. M'Clure, F. L.
M'Clintock, and W. H. J. Browne; Master, W. S. Couldery (acting);
Surgeon, W. Robertson (acting); Assistant-Surgeon, H. Matthias;
Second-Master, S. Court; Clerk, Edward Whitehead; total complement,
68.
'INVESTIGATOR,' 480 tons.
Captain E. J. Bird; Lieuts. M. G. H. W. Ross, Fredk. Robinson, and J.
J. Barnard; Master, W. Tatham; Surgeon, Robert Anderson; Mates, L.
John Moore and S. G. Cresswell; Second Master, John H. Allard;
Assistant-Surgeon, E. Adams; Clerk in Charge, J. D. Gilpin. Total
complement, 67.
The expedition left England on the 12th of June, 1848, and reached
Barrow's Straits by the end of August. Sir James Ross then
endeavoured to find a passage through Wellington Channel; but it was
so completely blocked up with ice that he was compelled to give up
the attempt that year as hopeless. The ice closing in on the ships
at an unusually early period, after running great risk of being
crushed, Sir James took refuge in Leopold Harbour for the winter.
Hence several expeditions were sent out on foot. Sir James Ross and
Lieut. M'Clintock set out in May, with sledges, each accompanied by
six men, and explored the whole of the north and west coasts of North
Somerset; and being absent thirty-nine days, returned to the ships on
the 23rd of June. Meantime Lieut. Barnard started for the northern
shore of Barrow's Straits, crossing the ice to Cape Hind. Lieut.
Browne visited the eastern shore of Regent Inlet, and Lieut. Robinson
the western shore, and reached several miles to the southward of Fury
Beach. No traces were discovered, however, of Sir John Eranklin, but
every device that could be thought of was employed to let his party
know of the position of the ships. At Fury Beach, Lieut. Robinson
discovered Sir John Ross's house, and much of the provisions left
there by the 'Fury' in 1827 still remaining, and in excellent
condition. On the 28th of August, the vessels quitted Leopold
Harbour, where, at Whaler Point, a large supply of provisions, fuel,
and a steam-launch were left, in the hopes that some of Sir John's
party might visit the place. Again, from the 1st to the 25th of
September, the vessels were so closely beset with ice, that it was
feared they might be compelled to spend another winter in those
regions, if they escaped being crushed to fragments. Happily they
got clear after drifting into Baffin's Bay, and reached England in
November.
The 'North Star,' an old 26-gun frigate of 500 tons, had in the
meantime, in the spring of 1849, been despatched with provisions for
Sir James Ross, under command of Mr. J. Saunders. Having got blocked
in by the ice for sixty-two days, she was compelled to winter in
Wolstenholme Sound, on the western coast of Greenland.
Immediately on the return of the 'Enterprise' and 'Investigator,'
they were recommissioned and placed under the command of Captain B.
Collinson, with directions to proceed to Behring's Straits to resume
the search in that direction. H.M.S. 'Plover,' Commander Moore, was
already there, employed in surveying the north-western coasts of the
American continent.