Fitzjames naturally had a good deal to do with the appointment of officers. The First Lieutenant of the _Erebus_ was Graham Gore, who was at the battle of Navarino, and with Sir George Back in the _Terror_. He served in the China war under Nias, who had been Parry’s midshipman in his first two voyages and was “a man of great stability of character, a very good officer, and the sweetest of tempers” wrote Fitzjames. The second Lieutenant was Le Vescomte, who was First Lieutenant with Fitzjames in the _Clio_; the third, Fairholme, had been through trying adventures in Africa. When in command of a prize slaver he was wrecked on the African coast and captured by the Moors, who carried him off as a prisoner, but he was ultimately rescued by some French negroes on the Senegal. He next served with Fitzjames in the _Ganges_ in the Mediterranean, afterwards volunteering for Trotter’s Niger expedition. He went up the river as far as Egga, but was invalided. Afterwards he was in the _Excellent_ and _Superb_ until he joined the _Erebus_. He was a zealous, smart young officer, as also was Des Voeux, who was with Fitzjames in the _Cornwallis_. He was then “a most unexceptionable, light-hearted, obliging young fellow.” Of the two youngest officers, Sargent and Crouch, many good things were said. In the _Terror_ were Hodgson, who was with Fitzjames in the _Cornwallis_, and Irving, a relation of Sir George Clerk of Penicuick[125], who had had experience of roughing it in the Australian bush. Hornby--a good officer and messmate but a little disappointed at having so long to wait for his promotion--and young Thomas, were the mates in the _Terror_. Dr Goodsir, a man of considerable scientific attainments, was the naturalist in the _Erebus_, and Macdonald, the Assistant Surgeon of the _Terror_, had been for a cruise in a whaler, and had some knowledge of the Eskimo language. Sir Edward Parry was often down at Woolwich when the ships were fitting out, giving Fitzjames the benefit of his experience. The _Erebus_ was an old bomb vessel of 370 tons, very strongly built, and with a capacious hold. The _Terror_ was also a bomb vessel, rather smaller, of 340 tons, repaired after Back’s voyage, and specially strengthened. Fitzjames was very anxious to have steam power. There was little time, but it was arranged that each ship should have a small auxiliary engine and screw, to propel them a few knots during calms. This was the first time a screw steamer was used in Arctic service. Crowds of visitors came to see the ships before they left Woolwich. On the 18th of May Sir John Franklin performed divine service for the first time, off Greenhithe, and on the 19th the expedition started with the brightest prospects. Franklin’s instructions were to make for the coast of North America by passing west of Cape Walker, high land seen by Parry at a distance, to the south of Barrow’s Strait. He was also authorized to try a route by Wellington Channel, if he found it free of ice.