The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1851-08-22
TIDINGS OF SIR JOHN'FRANKLIN.
The following communication appeared Id
the Dundee Advertiser Of the 25th ult:

The following communication appeared ii
the Dundee Advertiser of the 25th ult:
DUNDEE. July 22d. 1851:
Mr.. EDITOR .-Through the medium OF
your highly respectable paper, beg TO lay
the following important particulars before
tho public
Discovery ofihe Bodie, Of FOUR Sailor,;
Supposed to be part Of the Crs,o UhS
accompanied Sir John Franklin.
On Saturday, l9h nj, the whaler f'orat
Of Hull. J. Robb, master. who has been "ue
one md half years, cast anchor at Snorn'
ness. and sent her letters and papers by
post. A letter was received in Aberdeen;
on Monday by Mr.. John Dohe'as, King
street, from his brother. Mr., c. Douglas,
mate of the aforesaid ship. It contains the
following affecting narrative:
sin February last our ships crew PARTIAL
" abandoned the vessel, and erected large
snow house on the shore. it being in many
respects mo'n comforta BILE than on board;
and better suited for hunting operstions.
We had been at hat time five months froaen
up in Lancaster Sound In one of our ex.'
cursions we fell in with party Of Esdui,
mnux indians, nine in number: they had 9
slight knowledge of our Language; they in>
quirpd whether we were Eugllsh or Ameri.
cans. On being satisfied on that point, they
inquired if we belonged TO Chief Franksn;
Tho idea now flashed upon our minds that
they knew something of Sir John and his
crew, and we answered in the affirmative.
They then pointed to the right, TO a tower.
ing heap of snow mountains, and b5 their
gestures they sgn,fed they had gbhe 10
sleep We brought 'hem to our sn0w house,
when | instantly reported The case 10 Mr..
R"bb. our captain. nnd it was agreed that .
party Of Twelve men would accompany the
Indians. and probe their story to the founda.
'ion. The party consisted Of Mr.. Page. our
surgeon, J. Brown, carpenter. wilson.
Blair. Hall, Murray, Agnew CrosIey. Jones.
Jenk'nson, Raffar'y, (seamen,l and myself.
/ We had a plentiful supply Of provisions,
which were packed into fat.bottoned boat
which was covered with seal skin, and some
rifles, spears, &c. We started on our drea.
~ Journey on March 27. Our route was
one of The widest which can be con ectured.
We proceeded IN ZIG zng course up one
hill. down another then to the right, then TO
the left, then TO The right again. On the
fourth day symptoms "f discomfort began to
be manifested by our hardy tars, our feet
we're cut and wounded with the sharp pro.
jecing fragments of ice-the thnw was.
setting in. and we were apprehensiVe Of
being buried by the falling avalanehe Of
snow, which descends like lightning down
the sides Of the mountains. On tho 10th
day, April 5,h, our guides led US Into .
large na,urn nnphitheu,re among the rnctn'
tnins. After a journey of some nlileS We
described some thing waving over the snow
it was black silk handkerchief tied to
tho top nf & walking stick We eGgerly
drew out the sfnH. and commenced opera.
tons BY digging about Two feet deep W.
came IN the bpdy of man, and in few
minutes after We discovered three olher
bodies. They were frozen like ccles; de.
cnmpoSl'on had not commenced. Their
boards were long and shaggy. while their
rigid feature. and wasted limbs spoke in the
language Of nature --they hud died from
want.
Their drrss was that Of British sea men in
cold a,uudes. One man had his name
written or. rather engraved, m his arm,
"H. Cnrr." The res, were o u more or less
marked some Ind crosses on their breasts,
Others stars. ships. letters, &c. Our hearts
sick"ned a, the sight. We replaced ,hem
IN their cold desOnie graves. and set up the
same sad n,eu,cnio mor:. Poor fellows, T
exclaimed, YOU have attempted TO regain
your homes by an overland journey, but you
are left in the desert.
The Indians could give ns no more INTEL
iicence. so we returned. The most pruba:
bic conjecture is, large party had set out
from Sir john Frankln's expeditions: four
had thus perlshed; in all probability the
whole of them are now dead.
Extracts from the letter of Mr.. G. Douglas
to Mr.. John Douglas. Aberdeen, on board
the Flora BY inserting the letter, you
will obiigc, yours respectfully.
THOMAS REID.