The Enterprise and the Investigator set sail together in 1850 to establish the North Pacific arm of the Franklin Search, hoping to meet the by-then missing Franklin as he emerged from the Northwest Passage. It was not to be: the ships were separated after successfully navigating the straights of Magellan only to be met by high seas that separated them forever. This paper was communicated to the RGS by Sir George Back, from Captain Collinson of the Enterprise.
p. 204: On the 2nd of July the Esquimaux arrived from Barter Island, and we obtained from them some papers printed on board the Plover, by which we learnt that that vessel had passed the winter of 1852 at Point Barrow, and that the Investigator had not been heard of since 1850….
The ice broke off alongside the ship [Enterprise] on the 15th of July, but it was the 20th ere a navigable channel was found round Point Brownlow, and then we made but slow progress to the westward owing to contrary winds. On our route we fell in with the Point Barrow natives on their way to Barter Island, who immediately came on board, addressed me by name, and said Maguire had told them to supply us with provisions. A brisk barter immediately took place, and among other things a file of the ‘Illustrated London News,’ containing the opening of the Great Exhibition, was produced, being the first intelligence we had received from England since January, 1851!