Allen Young paid a very interesting visit to the cryolite mine in South Greenland[153] where he found his old ship, the _Fox_. He took in a supply of coals at Kudlisit in Disco, and was fortunate in passing through the ice of Melville Bay. After leaving letters for the _Alert_ and _Discovery_ on one of the Cary Islands, he proceeded up Lancaster Sound to examine the depôt on Beechey Island. He then went down Peel Sound in very thick weather. He was entering upon his own ground, his discoveries during the journey from the _Fox_ in 1859. Then came a great disappointment. Dense pack ice extended right across the channel near Levesque Island and there was nothing to the southward but solid pack, with a strong ice-blink beyond 72° 14′ N. Cape Bird, the northern portal of Bellot Strait, was distant about 10 miles. Young ascended Roquette Island (about 200 feet) but there was nothing to be seen but unbroken pack extending from shore to shore and he inclined to the belief that the only way was by Bellot Strait. He reluctantly beat to the northward, and by September 7th was clear of Lancaster Sound. He landed again at the Cary Islands and fortunately found letters from the _Alert_ and the _Discovery_. These he brought home, arriving at Spithead October 16th, 1875. The cause of the Franklin disaster was that no provision was made against unavoidable detention or other misfortune, either by stationing a depôt ship to fall back upon, or by sending a relief ship. I represented to the Admiralty the importance of taking some such step in the case of the Nares expedition, and Sir Allen Young agreed with me. But the Admiralty authorities only awoke to the necessity when it was too late to send an expedition themselves. They therefore requested Sir Allen Young to undertake the duty with the _Pandora_, giving up his own cherished plans for the North West Passage. He felt bound to consent. This time he took Lieutenant Arbuthnot, R.N., as his second, as well as Navigating Lieutenant Pirie, Koolemans Beynen, and an Austrian naval officer, the late Admiral Alois Ritter von Becker. The _Pandora_ was to take out letters to Littleton Island or Cape Isabella, and if possible bring back despatches from Captain Nares. [Illustration: The _Pandora_ (Captain Allen Young) in Peel Strait]