Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. The instructions given to Frana by the Admiralty had directed him to pass through Lancaster Sound into Barrow Strait, thence to Cape Walker, and from Cape Walker to make his way into Behring Strait by any possible channel. The general Opinion was that he had sailed to the west Of Melville Island (or Peninsula), and then been caught in the ice among the islands which stud that portion of the Polar Sea. And it was assumed, but on very insufficient grounds, that he would be engaged in an effort to cross the ice and reach one Of the Hudson Bay Company’s settlements or some whaling-station.