Returning to England, he was appointed, in 1845, to the command of an expedition for the further discovery of the North-west Passage.  The ships Erebus and Terror sailed from England on the 26th of May, and were seen by the crew of the Prince of Wales, a whaler, on the 26th of July, in Melville Bay, for the last time.

Toward the close of 1847 serious anxiety was aroused respecting the fate of these brave explorers.  The brave-hearted, devoted wife of the commander expended her whole fortune on these endeavors to ascertain what had become of her husband.  It is interesting to note that the people of Tasmania, Franklin’s colony, subscribed the sum of L1,700 toward the expenses of the search.

In the year 1850 it was discovered that the first Winter of the explorers to the following April, or later (1846), had been spent at Beechey Island, beyond Lancaster Sound, and that it had been an active holiday time.

In 1854 an exploring party under Dr. Rae were told by the Esquimaux that several white men, in number about forty, had been seen dragging a boat over the ice near the north shore of King William’s Land, and that bodies and skeletons were afterward found on the mainland opposite, by the banks of the Great Fish River.  Many relics of this party were procured by Dr. Rae from the natives, and being brought to England were identified as belonging to the Franklin explorers.  On this Dr. Rae received the government reward of L10,000.

In 1859 Lady Franklin bought and fitted the yacht Fox, which she placed under the command of Captain Leopold McClintock.  The expedition set sail from Aberdeen, and, on reaching King William’s Land, divided into three sledging parties, under Lieutenant Hobson, Captain Young, and McClintock himself.  In Boothia several relics were discovered, such as would be dropped or left behind by men too weak to carry the usual belongings of a boat or sledge.  At Point Victory a cairn, or heap of stones, was discovered by Lieutenant Hobson, with a paper, inclosed in a tin case, which too clearly told its sad story.  After a memorandum of progress up to May 28, 1847, “All well,” it was added on the same paper:  “April 25, 1848.  H.M. ships Terror and Erebus were deserted 22d April, five leagues N.W. of this, having been beset since 12th September, 1846.  The officers and crews, consisting of 105 souls, under the command of Captain F.R.M.  Crozier, landed here in latitude 69 degrees, 37 minutes, 42 seconds N., longitude 98 degrees 41 minutes W. Sir John Franklin died on the 11th June, 1847; and the total loss by deaths in the expedition has been, to this date, nine officers and fifteen men.  Signed, F.E.M.  Crozier, Captain and Senior Officer; James Fitzjames, Captain H.M.S. Erebus.  And start on to-morrow, 26th April, 1848, for Back’s Fish River.”  From this point two boats, with heavily laden sledges, seem to have been dragged forward