The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-11 00:00:00

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Cape Lady Franklin tthd the newly-discovered land,
N:N.E.; or, by actual observation, 143 2 of the horizon.
Fr "From the free motion of the tides and floes in this
direction here parallel to the 'channel (say N.N.W. and
S.S.E.), lam satisfied that we are now in the Polar
Sea, composed, in all probability, of a great archipelago
of islets and sand-banks.
"Time was now too precious to lose in waiting for
open water for the ship ; indeed, I judged correctly in
estimating `the season' closed, and immediately deter-
mined on boat and sledge work. It was first intended
to take two boats, but_the former ctia_men thought
that appearances indicated firm ice or floes. For my
own part Idetermined to secure my great object of set-
tling the position of 411 we had seen, and of being pro-
perly prepared for further operations.
,The light ice-
boat, built after a model lent to me by Capt. Hamilton,
and named after him, was attached to my sledge. Com. mander Richards had the second sledge, and Lieutenant
Osborne the third, provisioned for 21 days, and with a
precautionary depot, sent- overland to a bay likely to
afford shelter. The party started on the 23d of August.
I It was soon found that the pools and cracks between the
floes could not be managed by one boat, and she little
better than pasteboard as to thickness ; a whale-boat was
therefore added. It is immaterial now to mention par-
ticulars, but on the 25th we 'landed on a low point,
where the coast suddenly turns to the eastward, and
I discovered the remains of several well-built Esquimaux
houses, not simply circles of small stones, but two lines
of well-laid wall-in excavated-ground, filled in between
I by about two feet of fine -gravel, welt paved, and withal
presenting the appearance of great care—more, indeed,
than I am willing to attribute to the rude inhabitants or
migratory Esquirnuax. Bones of deer, walrus, seals,
l&c., numerous. Coal found.
I "The addition of the whale-boat rendered the move-
ments of the other party so slow, that I was compel,edo move on singly, leaving Commander Richards to co
iplete the coast line search from his advanced station as
long as his provisions would last (one sledge having
!swamped and spoiled the greater part).
" On the evening of the 27th of August, the anniver-
sary of the action at Aigl'ers, I took possession of the first
large island seen from the former station, naming it, in
comphment to the 'gallant commander-in-ebief, ' Ex-
mouth Island.' The summit I named Milne Peak—our
second in command. To the eastward of me lay a long
Itable island, to which commander Richards would repair,
and connect it with our survey. From the summit of this
island, 580 feet above the sea, and in lat. 77 15 N., I
had anticipated the satisfaction of commanding a most
extensive range. 1 was miserably disappointed ; and,
after watching two steeessitr days; for-hours, through
snow storms, for merely some glimpse of the land I had
now to seek, I was barely rewarded by ascertaining that
an open sea, of about 17 miles, would enable nse to reach
it, if the wind permitted ; for the boat when sledge laden
with tent, bedding, provisions, &c., was not very safe,
even on the Thames above bridge. Fortune favoured us,
and by aid of sails (tent-bottom) and paddles, we reached
our destination the next afternoon, after six hours' toil.
The ice then moving on to the land, completely entrap.
ped us, but we were safe on terra firma. Thick snowy
weather continued with light gleams at times, affording
plhosiengs:on
about
Exmouthbssout
iticl7lei.wr
an„pd
pa
narde
ate
. havinglslands.w
aaias-
cended :osition, which was dote! mined to be
I took possession of this new edition to her Majesty's
territories under the title of North Cornwall,' in coin-
ijcPunnel signmi°dateeetoe occasionally
ts7seto
theul7 3 ra3ihesiii3g3t 0-rhi glimpses
ss
point of land (within three miles
/six.) and satisfied myself that I commanded the
h
north-west extreme for a radius of five miles at least,
pulled along the south
and that no land within the range of Exmouth
Island (seventeen miles distant) existed westerly of
launched
clherdet
overland,uinrt
onedt
the
ocleare op
to the beach,
wt
haeter,ice, w
andand, hic had entrapped us,
having hauled the
western line of the island about 17 miles, where we
landed, and encamped for the night.
c,ll.his position proved to be the southern angle of
North Cornwall, situated in 77 28 50 N. The weather
still continued thick, with occasional snowfalls, and
hiding most of the objects which I was so anxious to
obtain, indeed barely sufficient of Exmouth and Table
Islands to secure my position.
"But in the eastern horizon, where the sun at tifnes
shone brightly, I was enabled from a very elevated po-
sition to satisfy myself th at no land was visible- in the
eastern horizon for 30 miles ; and the eastern low ex-
tremity of this land, North Cornwall, distant about 10
miles E.N.E.
" Throughout this very interesting search not a par-
ticle of drift wood has been noticed since quitting Vil-
lage Point, and not a trace of human beings. Animal
life seems to fail after quitting Exmouth Island. It is
possible that the snow may have covered many objects,
but we noticed them even when heavier snow had fallen
on Table Island.

FPRicE SD.

eena nota, inhoudende de tyd de plants alwaar dit papier
is gevonden geworden.' "

MOVEMENTS OF THE SQUADRON SEARCH-
ING FOR SIR ' JOHN FRANKLIN AND
OTHERS.

"If our unfortunate countrymen have taken the floe
and drifted with it' their case is hopeless. If we may
judge from the aspect of the floes, where they had come
into collision, or where they piled themselves in layers
over 40 feet on the—nark:l-western extremities of the
islands, the feeling was disheartening. We noticed no-
thing equal to it in Melville Bay. Our only resource
now is the close search of the coast line west and south-
westerly, and north and easterly, for any traces of ves-
sels or crews.

" The tides in the parallel of 77 30 are regularly east
and west, the flood coming from the east, and that tide
to the north appearing to prevail at a depth below the
ordinary thickness of the floe, as we frequently noticed
detached heavy masses, drawing some eight or ten feet,
pressing rapidly and forcibly against the weather floe
edge, and a stiff breeze. The boat was on one occasion
so forced to windward, and stove.

" Finding little chance of better weather, young ice
forming, and our position being very precarious in such
a frail boat against a glassy ice, even now on the sur-
face, we took advantage of the lull, and fortunately
effected our escape, under great difficulty, to Table
Island, the day following to ExMouth Island, and for-
ward, rejoining Commander Richards and party before
reaching Village Point.
" I cannot take leave of the little boat without ex-
pressing, in common with all her crew, our admiration
of her most perfect adaptation for the service contem-
plated. She had, it is true, sundry severe injuries, but
under Providence we escaped and returned safely. She
has yet, I trust, much to earn before she is laid up with
her honours due.'

" From our examination of this northern' sea, I now
feel convinced that the so-termed. Smith and Jones's
Sounds are connected immediately with this northern
sea. If Franklin passed eastetr,,through Lancaster
Sound to try the opening of JOnes or Smith's outlets, we
may yet fall upon his 'traces, ati my own spring move-
ments will carry me• in that direction. -Commander
Pullen or Mr. M'Cormiek may have already, in part,
settled this important question ; they were fully im-
pressed by me with the importance of that' course of
search. - •, • •
" Our parties returned to the-ship. bii the Bth of Sep-
tember, having been absent but 16 days. It was satis-
factory, at all events, to .find that trie opinion I had
formed of the 'season -fad seen fully borne out, tne
vessels being securely frozen in from the
period we
quitted.

" So rapidly, indeed, did the ice appear to be uniting
in one common floe, that immediate pre arations were
made for sending out autumnal paities with the depots
for the southern spring search. The 13th of September
was, indeed, fixed for starting, hut gaps were noticed
from our hill (one of the highest in this vicinity), which
entirely stopped our proceedings.
" Eventually, on the 22d, I determined on endeavour-
ing to search closely by the coast line between this and
Cape Beecher, as our rapid movement might have caused
some little object to pass unnoticed—not probable.
" This letter was intended to be deposited at the depot
there for Commander Pullen. Circumstances, now to
be detailed, prevented our getting-more than one-third
of the distance—our return we had to be grateful for.
On the morning of. the 22d the same sledges and leading
officers started on this Service, unfortunately, with a
boat—having reached and pitched our tents for the third
night on an island about 12 miles to the southward of
Mount Percy, or 18 from the ship,. the ice al§o betraying
symptoms of great weakness. Bad weather set in, broke
up the ice, and cut up off from communication with the
mainland for more than a week, reducing us to half al-
lowance, and materially depressing the spirits of our men.
Food we had in a walrus, which we killed ; also plenty
of fuel But no one knew how long this imprisonment
was to last, and the anxiety too ofto.t expressed for very
low,:terePeraturdi wasiniicommon in these cold regions.
At length our wishes were in • some measure realised ;
the comminuted floes froze once more into ice that bore,
and we escaped to the main, skirting its edge
gained a safe landing at night, after • • until we
sundry unpleasant
escapes.
,‘ Further expeditions this season were cut off, not
only by the severity of the cold, but
prevented heavy ice tz'om form-
by the sea maintain
ins a temperature which prevented
my observations on our late,
I now—having-
erreigesuiorfespbeuntnyli.ttle comment, namely xamili7si.uobceedi4,l4,o:tviosisadounadel
discovlt is my wish to give him every
credit ; for he is entitled to Tutch for what he has done.
He hasusuealvinpeuewd a masterly and vigorous intellect beyond
the
,r of men not educated for surveying
operations.
,
ere however, I cease.
It is probable that he' saw beyond hat h had
right to see, but our long;tudes,&c , evince,e any
in the right direction. Therefore, although I disclaim
any mathematical right he has, I willingly give him all
his possible radius of vision from any point which we
can see, and from which, although never visited by him,
we might be 'seen. .

" I have, therefore, throwing overboard the true
bearing, as wall as the possibility of hid acing our points
of the termination of the Queen's Channel, retained the
names of git:Johri and Lady Frankfth as dUr turning
points (notwithstanding an island intervenes, cutting off
Cape Beecher at about 12 miles to the south). The
names he has giv,en maycpe scattered over the interme-
diate points;

9‘ On my return the7ships were housed in, stores
landed, and every preparation made for winter. As it
had been intimated to me that magnetic observations on
a complete scale during the winter would be important,
an observatory was constructed on shore, and the decli-
nation magnetomoter staNdp. lam happy to say that
volunteers from both veliiiels are engaged on this deli-
cate but tedious duty, and trust that our records may
be able to tell their own `tare.
" As my next dispatches will be sent by the spring
travelling parties to meet Captain Kellett to the S.W.,
and Commander Pullen to the S.E., I will wait until the
period for starting, arrives, when I hope to be able to
state our prospects and intentions more have
the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
" EDWARD BELCHER,
u Captain Commanding Arctic Expedition."