Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1851-08-28
FlaIsE. e slr g.A. rr...ll.. III.

luS"s W tne. Otedmer Arctic, in an,
other column, that the story is gen
erally credited: so ,'',hr7
DUNDEE, July 22d, 1851.
Mr.. EDrToR: Through the medi
um OF your highly respectable paper
beg TO lay the following importan
particulars before the public: -L
Discovery Of the bodies of foui
Sailors, supposed to Be part Of tn
crea0 tcho accompanied Sir job,
Franklin.-On Saturday, l9th uIt.
the whaler Flora, Of Hull, J. Robb
master, who has been out one and,
half years, cast anchor at Strom
ness, and sent her letters and paper,
by post. A letter was received in
Aberdeenaon Monday by Mr.. Johr
Douglas, King street, from his broth.
er, Mr.. g. Douglas, mate of the
Aforesaid ship. 1t contains the TO-.
lowing affecting narrative:
ain February last our ships crew
partially abandoned the vessel, and
erected a large snow house on the
shore, il being in manyioresy yec:s
more comfortable than on board, and
better suited for hunting operations.
We had been at that lime five
months frozen up in Lancaster
Sound. In one OF our excursions
we fell in with a party Of Esquimaux
Indians. nine in number; they had a
slight knowledge OF our language;
they inquired whether we were En-
glish or Americans. On being salts
fed on that point, they inquired il
we belonged to Chief Franklin
The idea now flashed upon our
minds that they knew something Of
Sir John and his crew, and we an
swered in the affirmative. They
then pointed to The right, to a tower
ing heap OF snowy mountains, and
by their gestures they signifed they
had gone 10 sleep. We brought
them TO our snow house, when | in
stantly reported the case 10 Mr..
Robb, our captain, and it was agreed
that party Of twelve men would
accompany the Indians and probe
their story 90 the foundslion. The
party consisted OF Mr.. Page, our
surgeon, ]. Brown, carpenter, Viii
son Blair, Hall Murray, Agnew
tCrosleys Jones' Jenkinson. Raffarty,
.(seamen) and myself. We had a
plentiful supply Of provisions, which
were packed into a flat-bottom boat,
which was covered with seal skin,
and several rifles, spears, &c.
We started on our dreary Journey
on March 9th. Our route was one
Of The widest which can be comics
tured. We proceeded in zig-zag
course up one hill, down another,
then TO the right, then to left, then
TO the right again. On the foulth
day symptoms Of discomfort began
TO be manifested by our hardy tars,
our feet were cut and wounded with
sharp projecting fragments OF ice
the thaw was setting in, and we
were ap2rehensive Of being buried
by the falling avalanche Of snow,
which descends like lightning down
the sides Of the mountains. On the
tenth day, April 5tb, our guides led
US into Large natural amphilheaire
among the mountains. After a
journey OF some miles we described
waving over the snow
and it was a black silk handkerchief
tied TO the top Of a walking stick.
We eagerly drew out the staff, and
operations BY digging
about two feet deep. We came on
the body of a man, and in a few
afterwards we discovered
three other bodies. They we're fro
zen like icicles; decomposition bad
not commenced. Their boards were
long and shaggy, while their rigid
features and wasted limbs spoke in
the language of nature-they died
from want.
Their dress was that Of British |
'eamen in cold.latitudes. One man |
had his name written, or rather en-
graved, on his arm, al. Carr,'AI
The rest were all more or less mar
Ied, some had crosses on their
breasts, Others stars, ships, letters,
&c. Dur hearts sickened at the
iighto We replaced them in their
,olG desolate graves and set up, the
anne sad n1emento niori.- Poor fel,
ows, I exclaimed, you have attemp-
ed7to regain your homes byan over.
and journey, but you arsileftin in the
Iesert. -e.. ~ =. ,1ir- .aVl
The Indians could give US no more
Intelligence, so we returned. The
most reasonable conjecture is,
lrge party had set out from Sir John
'ranklin's expeditions Iourlhad thus I
erished; in ali probability the whole {
re now dead" Z
1Extiacts from the letter Of Mr.. s
|. Douglas, TO Mr.. John Douglas, c
.berdeen, on board the Flora Z
By inserting the letter, you will
hl,0a fxvofTrs rasr,rSfft,ll.-- = rrr-......l