In the spring of 1848 there were one hundred and five men still living. These half-starved creatures decided to leave the ships and travel by sledges to the North American coast, where they hoped to meet some Indians who would give them food and guide them to the Hudson Bay settlements. Their dreadful march has been traced along the western coast of King William’s Land, and perhaps a few of the party reached the southern end of that island. A number of Eskimos saw and camped with some of them, but would not remain, fearing that there was not sufficient food for all. There is no doubt that food gave out entirely, and that the men died of starvation. Many years later an old Eskimo woman reported having seen a party of white men traveling to the south. She said, “They fell down and died as they walked along.” It is inspiring to think of the heroism of these brave men who discovered the northwest passage. Their patience, perseverance, and devotion to their work deserve our highest admiration. In 1847, when, after two years of waiting, no news of the _Erebus_ or the _Terror_ came to England, great anxiety was aroused and many searching expeditions were sent out. Lady Franklin offered a reward of £2000 to any one who would bring her news of her husband or his companions. Her courage and her determined efforts to trace the lost vessels aroused the sympathy of the world. Lady Franklin spent her entire private means in the search, and it is largely owing to her efforts that we have any knowledge at all of her husband’s accomplishment and of his final fate. The English government also offered a large reward to any one who would find the lost ships or crews. In the autumn of 1850 there were fifteen vessels in the Arctic ocean, hunting for Franklin and his ships. America joined England in the search, and as a result the Arctic regions became far better known than ever before. Several of these expeditions discovered traces of Franklin. McClintock found the most important records. He erected on Beechey island a marble slab which was sent out by Lady Franklin in memory of her husband and his brave companions. [Illustration: RELICS OF THE FRANKLIN EXPEDITION.] If you should go to London, you would find in Waterloo Place another monument erected to the memory of Franklin. There is still another at his home in Spilsby. Lady Franklin also erected a monument to her husband in Westminster Abbey. Although Sir John Franklin deserves the credit of the discovery of the northwest passage, the first man who passed through this passage from the Pacific to the Atlantic was Sir Robert McClure, who made the voyage in 1854. McClure was sent to search for Franklin, and entered the Arctic ocean through Bering strait. Being obliged to abandon his ship, he, together with his crew, crossed the ice of Barrow strait by sledge, where a relief party met them. This was the first and only expedition that ever made the northwest passage, which, for purposes of trade, is useless.