The Express.
London, England, 1851-03-26 00:00:00

IHE SEARAI FOR SIR J. FRANKLIN.

The following letters have been received from
Commander Pullen, the officer in charge of the boat party
from the Mackenzie River, in search of Sir John Franklin:
"Fort Good Hope, Mackenzie River, July 17,1850.
" Sir,—l have the honour to report, for the information
of their lordships, a summary of my proceedings since the
28th ult., at which date I had the honour of despatching
my last letter.
" I returned to Fort Simpson on the 3rd inst., from
which date until the 11th, my own party as also tlie
people of the fort were busily engaged in preparing the
boats for the voyage, some of the blue jackets volun-
teering to act as carpenters, and handling saws
and planes with nearly equal facility as the mar-
linspike. I have had the new boat Try Again,
length 40 ft., keel 30 ft., beam 9 ft 4 in., depth 8 ft. 2 in., I
masts 22 ft., fitted with two masts, fore and aft sails, and an
iron keel band. She is certainly very large, but the only
smaller boat there (built for Sir J. Richardson) is not of
sufficient capacity to contain all our provisions and deem
and should we have the good fortune to discover the maw
ing party we shall be enabled to afford them more efficient
I assistance, although her size will entail on the party a little
extra work as regards in-portages, &c. The Logan was
as thoroughly repaired and fitted as possible, and having
received provisions, stores, &c., from Fort fiimpson,,_ we
started from that post on the 11th instant, reached Fort
Norman on the 13th, stopped there one night to receive the
contingent of provisions and stores from that station, and
arrived here yesterday morning, having pulled day and
night (the wind being almost constantly fresh against us),
with the exception of one or two trials of sailing, in which
the Try Again (which name I have given to the large boat)
answered as well as could be expected. We have here
completed our supplies, amounting to 45 pieces, sufficient
for 120 days for oar party of 17.
" I intend also to take up the pemican buried at Point
Separation, leaving a notice there, should any parties arrive
and need provisions, of the nearest post where they may be
obtaiued, which I consider to be that on Peel'. River, to
reach which cannot occupy them more than three days at
the farthest, although I du not consider it probable that any
party can arrive, or, at any rate, before our return, wheal
s-hall, if possible, replace it.
" I have engaged here two Indians to accompany us as
hunters and made arrangements for others to look out for
us on the banks of the Beghoula or Incunnu, should we Je-
ered that river, which they ray is seven nights from this,
and well stocked with deer; but we should probably take
a rather longer time to accomplish the journey as
our men cannot be such expert walkers as these tlttleed
from their infancy to the exercise.
" Should we fortunately attain Bank's Land, and amities
sea clear to the eastward and a favourable breeze, I am lad
to suspect that we may possibly proceed to I'ort Leopold;
but I only name this us a poaible chance, should *ski
lordships not hear from me of our return this seems.
Again, could we only reach Cape Bunny with our boats,
whence Sir J. ltoss turned to the south, we should certainly
not return, but proemd on foot, for which I think we can-
not be better provided, all hands being equipped with
dresses and mocessinsof moose leather, than which nothing
is better adapted to resist the icy blasts of the frigid uorth,
requiring less under clothing, which should always be of
flannel or woollen, except for the feet, duffle or blanket
wrappers being fur preferable to any kind of sock or stock-
ing; and thus the men are less tightly and cumbersomely
clad than with the usual provision of cloth garments,
English leather shoes, &c.
" I have written to Mr. Rae, requesting a supply of pro-
visions, clothing, &e., the former to meet our wants in case
of return by the Beghoola, and to carry us on to the win-
tering station, which the period of our arrival can only
determine—the latter to repay our Indian hunters, who
will not go further south, and such others as may assist us,
fur their eervices.
" We are just on the point of starting, and I hope to
reach the sea about the 23n1 instant. Whenever I meet
with remarkable headlands or points, either on this coast or
otherwise, I shall take care to leave conspicuous notices of
our visit, and perhaps a deposit of provisions. Our stock
on leaving Point Separation will consist of 2,3001 b. of dry
meat, and 1,7001 b. of pemican ; also half-a-dozen cases of
preserved meat, which will remain so to the last.
" Agreeably with the opinion repressed in the latter part
of my journal, I do not think that Captain Collineon's ships
will be able to get along the coast from Point Barrow, if
they reach so far, unless the ice be further removed from
the shore than at the time of our last voyage. The steam
launch will have • good chance, as driftwood is plentifull
along the coast, cut of Cape lialkett ; and, of course, beds
may again do what boats have done before.
" The season has been extraordinarily fine, and our steers-
man (an intelligent man), who was on the coast in both ex-
peditions of Sir John Richardson and Mr. Rae, is confidant
of an openpinion. sea. Others, also, natives of the country, are ai
th e o
"Should I find provisions and fuel plentiful on Bank's
Land, it is possible that I may winter there, for the fur-
ther prosecution of our search next season.
" In conclusion, I beg to assure their lordships that no
efforts (as I before said) will be spared to endeavour to
carry out their wishes to the utmost, and hope that the
termination of this season may, by God's blessing, throw
some light upon the whereabouts of the missing ships.
" I have the honour to be, sir,
" Yours, &c.,
" W. J. S. PULLEN, Commander, R.N.,
" Commanding Boat Expedition in the Arctic Seas.
" To the Secretary of the Admiralty."