The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-01-22

4einty &host painful to b borne. Indeed, In eve
IN qoaHr of the globe--in the most remote and
Abcludedssp0t over which the flag of England
waves - the most distant sea in which British
yor Ameyacan ensign has been unfurled-there the
question: 81 Franklin sels1y loss 10 discussed
with the Iveliest interest. In our own country
the feeing in his behalf has been deeply stirred
that one expedition has already been sent to aid in
the search for the missing vessels, and another ID
already preparing for the same purpose From Great
Britain ship after ship has been despatched, and it
appears If the national pride of Britain was
excited to leave no nook or corner of the Arctic
seas unex pIored-no lands islands, however
email, unvisited-where Sir John may have left
the traces of his existence or of his destruction.
8 The tenacity with which most English writers
and travellers adhere the opinion that franklin
is yet alive and may return to his native land is
truly astonishing. but characteristic of the nation
1t appears sometimes if the national pride and
honor of England was involved in the fate of
Franklin. A late writer il the London Times, in
article of considerable length and ability, says
''the total extinction of two British men OF war,
commanded by two such officers Sir John
strongest improbabity." The ability and expe-
rience of Franklin and his officers in Arctic havi
cation freely admitted; but the idea which is
held out in the above extract from the Times, and
which has been put forward by other English wri-
tiers, that British men of war quite exempt
from the dangers Of the sea, is rather extravagant
No vessel whatever its national cha racter, or how
ever we'll othcered and manned, is exempt from
the commonperils of the ocean-the falling E.
berg, the sunken rock, the sweeping hurricane or
the enguiphing wave
Sir John Franklin sailed from ngand in May
1885,, with the Erebus and Terror, having on
board one hundred and thirty eight persons, and
arrived at the Whalefsh Islands in july. The
Erebus was spoken in the same month by whaler
Enterprise; and the whaler Prince of Wales re-
ported that, on the 26th of the same month, she
saw Franklin'svessels in latitude 74o 49, and lon
gitude $50 l3 west. This would place the vessels
NOT ar he mid of Pa Hin,
poste Lancaster Sound. They were then moored
to an iceberg, and waiting favorable opportu-
nifty to enter this sound. From this last named
date Gully 26, l8l5) till August %, 1850, period
of five years and month, traces and no
intelligence of any kind, direct or indirect, was
received from the expedition. At this latter date
traces of the ships were discovered at Cape Ri
ley, by Captain Ommanney. Four days after,
august 27,) unmistakable evidences.such as
fragments of iron, empty tin meat cans, pieces
of cloth, ropes, wood, and paper, both written
and printed, with the dates of l84445-that
Franklin had spent the winter of lS45-46 at
Beechy leland, were discovered by Captain Pen.
ny. Upon this island were discovered also some
sad memorials of the missing ships, whch, uni
ted with the intense drearness of those distant
regions, must have deeply stirred the feelings of
those brave-hearted seamen by whom the discove.
ry was made-the graves of three of Franklin
men who died in January and April, 1896 But
it Ia remarkable that no papers of any kind were
found on this island, deposited as is often the
case in those northern explorations, for naviga-
tors who might afterwards visit the spot, though
cairn, or rounded heap of stones, built upon a
bluff point, seemed to indicate that it was Frank
Inns intention to have left such papers. One of the
records, deposited in cairn by Captain Parry on
Melville leland in 1872 was found to be in state
of perfect preservation when opened thirty years
after by party from Captain Austin's expedition.
1t appears to be the opinion, from several rea-
sons, Of almost all engaged in the search for
Franklin, that he passed up w ellington Channel
This cha nIel leads north from Barrow's Straits,
in 760 lat and 920 Ion. west; and his instructions
received from the Admiralty were to proceed up
this channel, and, if possible. through it. And
Franklin and bis officers expressed their determi-
nation, both before and after leaving England, to
carry out the wishes of the Admiralty. Frank
Inns winter quarters at Beechy Island, in 1856
were no doubt selected to favor this object. This
island lies at the southeastern extremity of We'll
lington Channel, just at it's entrance into Barrow's
Straits; and his situation at that point would
tle him to take advantage of the first opening of
the ice to proceed up this channel, which is now
pretty clearly certaned to be communication
leading into the great polar basin, and at times to
be free from ice. When it was discovered by Par
ry, in 1920, it was clear of ice far as could be
discerned with a telescope; and Captain Penny's
sledge, in the spring of 1851, stopped by open
water it. Whales in great numbers have been seen
running southwark from this channel, and the fact
that they generally swim at the rate of or miles
an hour, and can live under water only fifteen or
twenty minutes at time without rising, proves
that open water exists at intervals the length of the
passage; and every thing now seems to point to it
as the one by which Franklin must be sought
upon the suppostion that he did not attempt to re-
gain his steps eastward after leaving Beechy Island
An account of some of the principal researches
which have been made for Franklin's vessesIwill
be given, merely promising that it will be as short
as ia consistent with intellig ibeness
Early in 1850, the Admiralty, after despatching
expedition by the way of Behring's Straits, sent
four ships under command of Captain Austin, who
had served in an exploring squadron under Cap
toll mat To af,IIx
Barrow's Straits. This squadron consisted of two
sailing vessels and two steam tenders. In COM
pany with Captain Austin vessels, Captain Penny,
a captain Of many years. experience in the north
ern whale fishery. was despatched by the Admit
rally in command of two small sailing vessels. 1t
will be recollected that it was Captain Penny who
fret discovered the traces Of Franklin's encamp
ment at Beechy Island. In the season of 1885,
these two expeditions thoroughly examined Bar
rows Straits, and the adjacent waters, and then
took up winter quarters at the southern extremity
of Wellington Channel. In the spring of 1851,
parties in boats and sledges explored in every di-
rection to an amount in the ag gregate of over two
thousand miles. Captain Ommanney, the com
mander of one fthe sledge parties whose instruc-
tons were to search to the southwark and west
ward between Cape Walker and Banks Land, was
gone from hi vessel sixty days. During some of
this time the thermometer indicated temperature
of II degrees below the freezing point. Captain
Ommanney gives his decided opinion that yes.
sells would be unable to navigate along the coast
he expoerd, from the appearance of fixed ice, and
shoals, and from the southcrly tending of the land
where it was supposed to lie in a westerly direc
ton. Another sledge party travelled along the |
eastern shore of the land explored on the west side
by Ommanney's party. The mercury in the Their
mometer carried by this party was frequently
frozen, and their chronometer was stopped from |
excessive cold. No passages examined by this |
party appeared to be ever sufficiently open for |
navigation. Another party examined Cornwallis |
Island which lies on the western eide of yelling.
ton Channel, Bathurst Isan Byam Martin Island
and Straits, and the coast northwest of Bathurst
Island to the 10th deg. lat. Another party pene-
trated as far west the western coast of Melville
Island. in about ll2 deg. W. long, and visited the
spot where Parry encamped in June, ls20-no
Arctic explorer having since that time got SO far
to the west. This party met with bears, foxes,
muek-oxen, deer and birds, in great abundance. |
They travelled when the cold SO intense that |
bottles Of water carried by the in their breasts
froZe after hour or 30; salt pork broke like suet
and rum thc kened. The intrepid commander of |
II is expedition is certain that Franklin never Wis
tied Melville Island. Other siedge parties exam.
ined the slands lying east of Melville Island but
discovered traces of the object of their search
Sledge parties from Captain Penny's vessels pro.
ceeded up Wellington Channel TO examine both its |
sides. On the 30th May Captain Stewart, COM
one of these parties. arrived at North |
Channel which leads from w ellington into Queens
Channel. Here, to his great astonishment, he !
found an open sea; but, most unluckily, his want |
of boat stopped his further progress. Ducks and |
sea fowls of various kinds were swimming in the |