Interest in the mysterious fate of Sir John Franklin was in no wise lessened by the unexpected return to England of the searching squadron in 1851. Dr. Rae’s land journey of over-eight hundred miles, including a thorough examination of the east and north coast of Victoria Land, had thrown no new light on the tragic situation. The American coast had now been diligently examined from the entrance of Behring Strait to the head of Hudson Bay, and it was generally believed that Franklin had never reached so low a latitude. On April 28, 1852, a thoroughly equipped squadron of five vessels—the _Assistance_, the _Resolute_, and the _North Star_, and two steamers, the _Pioneer_ and _Intrepid_—sailed from England under the command of Sir Edward Belcher. The _Assistance_ and _Pioneer_ were to sail up Wellington Channel. The _Resolute_ and _Intrepid_, under command of Captain Kellett, were to proceed to Melville Island, there to deposit provisions for the use of Captain Collinson and Commander M’Clure, should they succeed in making the passage from Behring Strait, for which, as we have seen, they had set sail in January, 1850. The _North Star_ was to remain at Beechey Island as a depot store ship. By the 6th of July the squadron was in Baffin Bay, accompanied by a fleet of whalers. The ice conditions proved exasperating; the _Assistance_, _Pioneer_, and _Resolute_ were beset and detained for a time, while the rest of the fleet, accompanied by the whalers, stretched in a long train of some three quarters of a mile in length and slowly pushed their way through a narrow lane of water. The American whaler, _McLellan_, had the lead; the _North Star_ of the English squadron followed the _McLellan_. The weather conditions were most favourable; no anxiety was felt for the safety of the vessels, in spite of the fact that the lane of water gradually closed and prevented the ships from advancing or retreating until July 7, when the report was made that the _McLellan_ was nipped in the ice and her crew making ready to abandon her. Carpenters, under orders of Sir Edward Belcher, put a few charges of powder in the ice, to relieve the pressure. [Illustration: ADMIRAL SIR EDWARD BELCHER. _By permission of The Illustrated London News._] [Sidenote: _SIR EDWARD BELCHER’S SQUADRON_] The next day, however, the _McLellan_ was nipped harder than ever with the water pouring into her in a steady stream. While drifting unmanageable, first into one ship and then into another, she was boarded by English whalemen who proceeded to ransack and plunder her, until, at the Captain’s request, Sir Edward Belcher placed sentries on board to prevent further loot, and working parties proceeded to take inventory of her stores, and remove them to a safe distance. In a day or two the _McLellan_ had sunk to the water’s edge, and for the safety of the rest of the fleet, a charge or two of powder put her out of the way.