The Sun.
London, England, 1850-10-24 00:00:00

SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN.

COMMANDER PULLEN'S BOAT EXPEDITION.
The following are extracts from a letter of much
more recent date than the interesting narration we i
published a short time since, of the proceedings of
Commander Pullen's party, in the Hudson's Bay
Cempany's territories of North America. It is from
the same gallant cent, Lieutenant W. H. Hooper,
and is addressed to his father, in the City :
June 27, 1850.
My dear Father,—l have not time now to detail
at length our proceedings, but can merely say that
we endured a sufficiency of discomfort and some
danger, and should, without our customary caution,
have been " scooppered" by the Esquimaux, with
whom we had considerable trouble and a slight
brush. At the end of August we entered Mackenzie
River, and in a few days reached a post of the Hud-
son's Bay Company, on the Peel (a branch of the
former river). Here Mr. Pullen left me with half
the party to winter, himself proceeding with the rest
to Fort Simpson, the bead-quarters of the district on
the Mackenzie. In less than a fortnight I found
that my party could not be sustained at Peel's River,
and therefore set off after Mr. Pullen, but was only
able to reach Fort Norman (the post below Fort
Simpson), where I decided to remain, having had
one man frost-bitten on the journey. The
party and myself went across to Bear
Lake, and there wintered, subsisting on fish and
water. At the breaking up of the ice Dr. Rae came
down from Fort Simpson, and I set off for Fort Simp-
son with the party, being soon followed by that
gentleman (a most delightful man). On the 20th of
this month we started from Fort Simpson with the
outward goods (i. e. furs), and were proceeding on
our way to the sea, there to embark in the company's
ship, and return to England, when we encountered—
two days since—a canoe, containing Admiralty dis-
patches, among which was your letter ; and now I can
show you why my time for writing is brief. We are off
to the coast again to look after poor Sir John Franklin,
of whom, it is needless to say, we have seen no trace ;
so that, instead of returning home next October
and relating our proceedings in the good cause, I
shall, in a few days, be off again to the sea, to assist
in another search—and may God grant not again un-
successfully—and shall not see you until October,
1851, when, please God, we shall return to England
in the company's annual ship from York Factory, in
Hudson's Bay.
We are now in Great Slave Lake, accompanying
the outward boats to a fort near, whence, having
obtained provisions for cur voyage, we return to Fort
Simpson, hasten our preparations, and be off to the
sea down the Mackenzie as fast as we can. This
slight sketch will also explain to you the
e!egant irregularity and crinkum-crankum style of
my epistle, which is being indited in the boat while
pulling through the Great Slave Lake.
Your letter of the 24th of January arrives in Mr.
Barrow's letter to Captain Pullen, and sure I am that
if that gentlemen could have witnessed my joyful
emotions on the occasion of its receipt he would need
no more eloquent expression of thanks for his favour.
The receipt of the (to me) most ardently desired
gifts, viz., your letter and the news of my promotion
in May, 1849—the latter, by the bye, conveyed by
their Lordships in a message of satisfaction at my con-
duct before leaving the Plover. *
As for this journey, I must tell you plainly that,
however grieving it is to be disappointed of returning
Lome, yet I am, nevertheless, delighted to go again,
and think that we do not hopelessly undertake
another search, since our intended direction is con-
sidered the most probable channel for finding the mis-
sing ships or crews. We go down the Mackenzie,
along the coast eastward to Port Bithurst, and thence
strike across to Wollaston or Benks's Land. The
season will, of course, much influence cur proceed-
ings, but we shall probably return up the hitherto un-
explored river which runs into the Arctic Ocean from
Liverpool Bay, between the Coppermine and Mac-
kenzie.
I shall write to Colonel Sabine if I can. I wish
you would call upon him and give my respectful re-
membrance of his kind courtesy to me. Say that
we have got the magnetic dip along the coast, and that
the Fox goes with us on our second trip, and he may
rest assured I will use my best endeavour to obtain
complete observations wherever possible. You might
also allude to my great grief at the accident which
befel the instrument in May, 1848, of which I did
not before tell you, but that I have endeavoured
to correct its effect as much as possible by
obtaining numerous sets with the instrument in
every mode I can think of, and noting as fully as I
could any defect or otherwise that I observed. At
Fort Simpson Captain Pullen, as well as myself, took
numerous sets, and I think that that position will
serve as a base, particularly as we shall probably
winter there in 1850 and 1851.
When at Bear Lake I made such observations on
the aurora borealis (which was there magnificent) as
was possible, and have formed a theory on it which I
shall submit to him either now or when we reach
England. Unfortunately, I had not a single instru-
ment, so could not observe the influence of the phe-
nomenon upon the magnet, as it is asserted to have,
but which I do not think.
I am much grieved to learn of the death of poor
Sheddon, the owner of the Nancy Dawson yacht; his
kindness and assistance to us cannot be sufficiently
expressed. Captain Pullen is very good and very
kind. lam as happy with him as I could be with
almost any one ; he is, I believe, a truly religious
man ; has seen much and suffered ranch ; his real
goodness of heart is evident in his actions and fatherly
care of those placed under his charge ; and I long to
see him put a crown instead of a star over his anchor.
Captain Moore does not appear to have been promoted.
I should like to see him get his step very much.
As for my health I never was better, I think, in
my life than I have been since I left you, and par-
ticularly since I wintered in this country. The cold
I feel but litte, and am now not the least hardy of the
lot and have never had any illness.
We shall not have many delicacies in our trip,
pemmican and dry reindeer flesh being our only food
(the latter having from its particularly inviting qualities
been nick-named "waistcoat pieces" by our boys),
and as much of the pure element to imbibe as we
please. But do not you think that this will break
my heart. I have been nearly one winter with
nothing but herrings, and if I cannot go a summer in
a rather improved condition, I ought to be anywhere
but here, and so say we all. When we return
from the sea the party will probably winter at
Bear Lake. I shall, most probably, be at Fort
Simpson * I place implicit con-
fidence in my gallant commander's advice and
intentions. This, as you may suppose, is a very com-
;'ortable state of affairs, and when I add that our men
are good, hard-working chaps, and evidently well
satisfied with their captain, whom we'd follow to the
death, and apparently also with me, I think that we
may be considered a united and devoted (as we have
been called "a gallant") little band. So hurrah !
for the coast once more, and then to our loved homes.
'*
Friday, 28th—We have to-day been stopped by
the ice in Slave Lake, and are going to turn back to
Fert Simpson at once, so I have no time to say much
more. Ido not think that you will get another let-
ter or even news of us until April, 1851—if so earl
—as there is no other mail till December next.
Believe me, &c.,
WILLIAM lIIILME ILOPER.

DAVIS'STRAITSWHALEFISHERY
ABERDEEN, MoNDAL-TYesterday afternoon LW"
two whalers, the Pacific and the St. Andrew's, arrived
here from Davis' Straits. They report a very un-
favourable season and a very unsuccessful fishery. In
the month of July seven vessels got beset in the ice,
ard were so closely packed that it was for a time
concluded that they would have to winter in the
Arctic regions. Having provisions only for a single
voyage, the idea of passing the winter there was a
terrible thought. A consultation was, therefore, held
amongst the commanders, and it was agreed that it
should be put to the men whether any of them, and
how many, would volunteer to remain in each ship,
while the others would make the best of their way to
open water, and disperse themselves among the ships
that were clear of the ice. From twelve to fourteen
men volunteered to remain in each ship, it being
considered that that number would be sufficient to
manage her ; but if the provisions would have
served for more through the winter, there
would have been no difficulty in getting ad-
ditional volunteers. The Jane, of Ba'ness, was the
nearest ship in the open water, and towards that vessel
150 men proceeded, the parting from their comrades
being, in many instances, of a very affecting charac
\
ter. The whole of these men were received on board
the Jane, and Captain Walker proceeded without loss
of time to apportion them among other vessels. This
was done in the course of a few days, but soon after
indications Pppeared of the ice giving way, and, to
the gratification of all, it speedily broke up. The ice-
bound whale-rs were then soon at liberty, and lost to
time in gatherihg their men and proceeding with the
fishery. The breaking up of the ice, however, had
the effect of making the fish very shy, and it being
t[ I found impossible to get through Melville Bay to the
west land, few whales were killed.
The ice continued open up to the time the Pacific
and St. Andrew's left for home on the sth instant ;
1 but the weather had been so stormy that most cf the
, 1 other ships were driven up the country to take shelter
under the high land. Nothing was seen of the ships
composing the expedition in search of Sir John Frank-
lin since the dates mentioned in Commander For-
syth's dispatch; but it is the opinion of arse in these
whalers, who are able from long experience in the
Arctic regions to judge that the breaking up of the
ice and clearance of Lancaster Sound would open a
passage round Cape Reilly, where the remains of Sir