Edward Belcher and Henry Kellett - 1852-1854

Accomplishments:

• Belcher's mission was to continue searching for Franklin, since all the other parties had been unsuccessful, and also to search for M'Clure and possibly Collinson
• while exploring the northern shores of Grinnell Peninsula as far east as Cardigan Strait and Hell Gate, he discovered the major islands in Norwegian Bay - Graham, Buckingham, Table, Exmouth and Elkins
• he travelled a fair distance along the south coast of Cornwall Island and continued his coastal survey up to Cape Becher
• some of the men from Kellett's sled parties discovered a record left by M'Clure at Winter Harbour giving the location of his ship on Banks Island
• this led to the rescue of the surviving members of M'Clure's party
• the sled parties also discovered new islands in the west and northwest and completed the survey of the Melville Island coasts
• Vesey Hamilton completed the examination of the coasts of Sabine Peninsula and discovered Vesey Hamilton Island
• Mecham discovered Eglinton Island and was the first European to set foot on Prince Patrick Island
• M'Clintock discovered Emerald Island and the Polynia Islands group
• Mecham also searched the Prince of Wales Strait to discover Collinson's valuable records of his explorations in the area during 1851-1852

Interesting Facts:

• Belcher was forced to abandon his ships due to ice in Wellington Channel and ordered Kellett to do the same
• Belcher, Kellett and M'Clure's parties all boarded the same ship and sailed home to England, thereby marking the official end of the search for Franklin
• Mecham, of Kellett's party, travelled 1,150 miles in 71 days - a record journey

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Information taken from Arctic Canada, Volume I, Third Edition, 1982