An Arctic Hero.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 182, 11 December 1886, Page 3

An Arctic Hero.

Captain" Bedford Pirn, whose death ia announced from England, was one of the heroes of the search for Sir John Franklin. He was the officer who found McClure's men of the Investigator in their third wintering and enabled them to retreat to Sir E. Belcher's ships. This timely rescue at a time of extreme peril rendered possible the first and only passage from one ocean to the other. The Investigator entered the Arctic Ocean from Behring Strait, and the officers and crew after abandoning the ship returned to England by Lancaster Sound and Baffin's Bay. Captain Bedford Pirn's sledge journey to Mercy's Bay was made in twenty-eight days during March, 1853, with the temperature 50deg. below freezing point. This heroic rescue was one of the episodes of arctic adventure most frequently discussed at Cape Sabine during Lieutenant Greoley's terrible wintering in Starvation Camp. lie and hia companions were looking for the appearance of a similar messenger from Littleton Island, bringing tidings of human aid close at haud and a ship to be expected from the south to take them home. j mong the first despatches which Lieutenant Greeley received upon his return to the United States was one from Captain Bedford Pirn himself expressive of sympathy and congratulation ; and when the British Association mot at Montreal the gallant Englishman exerted his powerful influence in favour of a complimentary recep tion to the American explorer. It was largely owing to his efforts that Lieutenant Greeley was made the guest of the Association, and that a dinner attended by many of the most eminent English scientists -was given in honour of his achievements. — '• N. Y. Tribune."