With the two ships _Erebus_ and _Terror_ he discovered Victoria Land and the two active volcanoes named after his ships, and pouring forth flaming lava, amidst the snow.

In January 1842 he reached farthest south, 76 deg..

Since his time little has been attempted in the south, though in the winter of 1894-95 C.E.
Borchgrevink again visited Victoria Land.
[Illustration: NORTH POLAR REGION--WESTERN HALF.] On the return of the _Erebus_ and _Terror_ from the South Seas the government placed these two vessels at the disposal of Franklin (who had been knighted for his previous discoveries), and on the 26th of May 1845 he started with one hundred and twenty-nine souls on board the two vessels, which were provisioned up to July 1848.
They were last seen by a whaler on the 26th July of the former year waiting to pass into Lancaster Sound.

After penetrating as far north as 77 deg., through Wellington Channel, Franklin was obliged to winter upon Beechey Island, and in the following year (September 1846) his two ships were beset in Victoria Strait, about twelve miles from King William Land.

Curiously enough, in the following year (1847) J.Rae had been despatched by land from Cape Repulse in Hudson's Bay, and had coasted along the east coast of Boothia, thus connecting Ross's and Franklin's coast journeys with Hudson's Bay.