RICHARDSON, Sir JOHN, F.O.B.. M D. LL.D., etc., a celebrated traveler and natu ralist, was b. Nov. 5, 1787, at Dumfries, Of which town his father. Gabriel Richardson, osq. was several yeas provost. In his 14th year he left the academy of Dumfries to study at the university of Edinburgh, with a view to the medical profession. After obtaining his diploma, Richardson entered the royal navy, and in 1807 was appointed assistant-surgeon to the a'cionphe frigate, in which lie was present at'the battle of Copen hagen. Some time later, the was engaged in the blockade of the Tagus. when. after twice volunteering to go in the boats on cutting-out expeditions, Richardson was transferred to the flag-ship. After the convention of Cintra the ships left the Tagus, and Richardson was nominated to the Blossom sloop-of-wa•. in which he served on the coast of Africa, lord Exmouth removing him to the Bombay, 74. in 1810. His next rev vices were in the Cruises', on the Baltic and North sea stations; afterward surgeon of the 1st battalion of royal marines, stationed in Canada, and later doing service in Georgia, Richardson haying charge of the hospital-ship for the sick and wounded of the brigade. His next appointment, 1819, was that of surgeon and naturalist to the overland expedi tion under Franklin. In 1822 Richardson returned to England. and early in 1824 became surgeon to the royal marines at Chatham. In 1825–'27 he accompanied Frank lin in his overland expedition to the mouth of the Mackenzie, and by orders of the admiralty was detached to snryey the coast between that river and the Copperniine, executing the task with singular success and ability. On returning from this expedition Richardson resumed his ditties at Chatham, remaining there till his promotion, 1838, to be physician of 'Iasi:1r hospital, and inspector of naval hospitals and fleets. In .18-16 Richardson received the honor of knighthood; and two years later, Inured by genuine friendship and unsurpassed self-devotion, set out to search for and if possible save his former traveling companion. sir John Franklin. of whom nothing. had been heard for upward of two years. On March 25, 1848. Richardson, accompanied by Mr. Rae, departed from Liverpool to look for the missing expedition between the Mackenzie and Coppermine rivers. Landing at New York, Richardson hastened by way of Montreal
and the Canadian lakes to the head-waters of the which he descended, and then turned eastward by capes Bathurst and Parry. Contrary to former experience. the sea toward eapeKrusenstern was found closely packed with dangerous drift-ice. After immense labor the party reached cape Hearne, where it was found necessary to abandon the boats, end after 12 days' fatiguing march, throned) half-frozen swamps and over hills covered with snow, succeeded in gaining fort Confidence, at the north point of Great Bear lake. Here Richardson spent the winter in scientific. observations. returring to England in 1849, and resuming, his duties at Ilasktr. In 1855 Richardson tendered his resignation, after 48 years of almost unexampled activity in the public service. Moved in all his actions by a high sense of honor and sincere piety, possessed of the most unselfish nature, and a mind so acute as almost intuitively to form correct judgments, united the humble and loving disposition of a child, Richardson, during his long career, was one of the most lovable as well as useful own of the present century. Up till his death, June 5, 1865. he possessed much of the elasticity of youth; and whenever a scientific society assembled, he was found leaving for a time his quiet home by the lake of Grasmere to take part in the deliberations.
Richardson was a fellow of the Royal societies of London and Edinburgh, of the royal geographical society, member of the geographical society of Paris, many other literary and scientific bodies in Great Britain, the continent of Europe, and Amer ica. He contributed largely to the account of Franklin's first expedition (Loud. 1823); and to that of the second expedition (Lond. 1828). In 1830 appeared Fauna Poreali Americana, The Fish; _4 Boat Voyage through Rupert's Land and the Al clie Sea (Lond. 1851); The Polar Regions (1861). Besides zoological appendices to the voyages of Parry, Ross, Back, etc., his contributions to the journals and transactions of various societies have been very numerous. A recent work is the 11fuseunt of Vatui'al _History, in con junction with several other distinguished naturalists.