M’Clintock marched to the westward[130], with two other extended parties, one under Lieut. Aldrich of the _Resolute_ examining the eastern shores of Bathurst Island, and the other under Dr Bradford taking the west side of Melville Island. M’Clintock himself went along the southern coast of Melville Island, reaching and passing Cape Dundas, the furthest western point of Sir Edward Parry. M’Clintock was then in high hopes of finding traces of some of Franklin’s parties, as there was an idea that Sir John might have passed up Wellington Channel and made his way to the north of Melville Island. It was thought that a retreating party might have made its way to Bushnan Cove, as Parry had given such a pleasant description of that ravine. Thither M’Clintock went, but only to find the wheels of Parry’s cart and the bleached bones of the ptarmigan his party had eaten. He then marched overland to Parry’s winter quarters, and encamped at the foot of Parry’s sandstone rock with the inscription carved by Dr Fisher. The wayworn sledge travellers started on their return on May 27th. They had had the advantage of fresh food from musk oxen, hares, and ptarmigan, and additional fuel from bear’s blubber. But with the summer the most harassing kind of sledge travelling began. Large pools of water formed on the ice floes, and the men often got wet through in ice-cold water. A mixture of ice and snow formed a crust over these pools of water, but not strong enough to bear, and through these they had to wade and struggle as best they could. At length M’Clintock and his gallant band arrived alongside the _Assistance_ on July 4th. Up to that date it was the greatest Arctic feat on record. M’Clintock’s party had been 80 days away, 44 outward and 36 home, and had made 770 miles, reaching a distance of 300 miles from the ship. Their rate was 10½ miles a day, and they were detained 2½ days by gales. Thus was Captain Austin’s extensive scheme of search ably and completely carried out by the officers who served under him, with exemplary fortitude, zeal, and intelligence. There were only three amputations of toes, and one death from frost-bite. Of all Arctic expeditions, Captain Austin’s was perhaps the happiest, the healthiest, the best administered, and the most successful. Its sledge travellers covered 7025 miles on foot, dragging the sledges themselves, and discovered 1225 miles of new land.