Letter from Richard Collinson to Eleanor Isabella Gell, during his expedition to look for Franklin via the Behring Straits He has little doubt that Captains Austin's and M'Clure's travelling parties will meet up and that traces will be found; it is a bitter disppointment to him that he should have been an object of distress; before he left the continent of America he asked for the opinions of the officers, who were unanimous in thinking that their progress would be blocked for that season; he determined to try northwards but found it the most compact ice anyone had seen; they will endeavour, when the first break occurs, to push eastward along the American coast, hopefully allowing him to deliver the letter given to his care. 28 Mar 1851