Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-10-27
psscovraY - rus ACTUAL,
WRETCHED FATE OF TIE EON9 LOST
SIR JOHN FRANKLIN,

WRETCHED FATE OF TIE EONG LOST
SIR JOHN FRANKLIN,
Aad Of his Cs.pa.is.s II Ahfsrtlas.
We And the following in the Montreal Herald Of Octo-
Der 2lst:
Hudson Bay Territory for the privilege Of 6rst publish
ing to the civilized worli tho length ascerainsd late
OF the NOBLE but lst.rred Sir John Franklin aud his
gallant company. Ala. that their fate should have been
sad aud that the problem which has long occupied
the thoughts aud engaged the energies Of the great
gators countless friends aad admirers in Europe aud Amer
ca should Do solved by painful distressing
tive as Is contained in the following letter which only
reached Sir George Simpson yesterday aernoon- hav-
ing been forwarded from Yori Factory, via Red River
Our hopes OF Sir John Frlnkns restoration the
been prepared for the fearful reaity-a miserable aud
lingering death from literal stsrvation-posbly, DR..
Rae conectures than starvaon-ou the frozen and
desolate shores Of the Arctic But shall not
detan the reader any reflections Of from the peru.
sal Of DIR. RAGS intensely interesting narrsve-we shall
merely mention that ok Factory situated at tho mouth
Of Hayes River Hudsons Bay, in about Sc n. L. eSS
W. l..
DR. RAES LETTER TO SIR GEORGE SIMPSON.
YoRk Factory, Aug. 4th, 1884.
Ny Dear Gsorge:-four several letters, public and
private Of dates 18th June and l December 1885, and
18th and 10th June 1854 were handed me on the ssth
utimo. my reaching Churchill and rejoiced learn
that health had benefited much my your visit to
| the north.
now ahuuo 70 the expedition An1rs. L arrived
here on the 3l ult. with my small party in excellent
health, but sorry to say without having effected
object Al the time, information has been obtained
and articles purchased from the natives. which places the
fate OF portion, not all Of the then survivors Of Sir
John Frauklins miserable party beyond doubt-a fate
the most deplorable- death from starvation after hav
ing recourse to csunibslsm Of prolongins fe
reached my old quarters at Repuse Bay, tue 10Th
day OF August, and preparations immediately
menced for vinsring On the LIST Sept explained To the
men our position, the stock Of provisions had hand
han ,I~
bad OF getting more &c. &C. pointing all the danger
and difficulty OF position. All readily volunteered
remain and our exertons to collect food aud fuel
with undated cncrgy. BY the end OF September, l09
deer, musk OK, 81 brace Of Ptarmigan aud one seal
had been shot, and the produced 100 salmon.
or the larger animals above enumerated 40 deer and
the musk were Tho, by myself 81 deer by Mstegan
the deer huner) IL oy one OF the men, by Ougbuck.
and l6 by the other tour The migration Of the
deer terminated about the middle Of October aud
animals added stock.
On the 2Sth of October the snow being sufficiently
hard for building were happy to exchange cold
tents Tor the comfortable shelter OF the house
The winter very severe, but the temperature in
snow huts was never so low in winter quarters OF
1876 Z. Up to the 18th of January we had
der the ice in the lakes the nets taken up that
date they produced nothing.
On the 3lst Of March my spring journey commenced
but in consequence OF gales OF wind deep aud soft
aud fosgy weather, made but very little progress We
did not enter Pely Bay until the lTth At place
met with Esqumiux one OF whom, being asked il he
white people, replied in the negative but said
that large party, lat ieas, 10 person had persisted
want Of fool 10 or l2 days journey the
The substance Of the information arious times
| aud from various sources was as follows
In the spring four winters past Spring lS50) party
OF white men amounting about forty travel
ling -OuhNa the ice aud DR., with them
by EsIuimlur who killing seals on the north
shore OF kiig Williams Land, which is large island
named elk tax 10y the Esquinaux. None of the ,rty
could speak the native linsuge n'elgioy, but by signs
the natives understand that Their ships or shin had
been crushed by the ice and that the Whites were now
go 10 where they expected fud deer TO shoot From
the appearance OF the men, all OF whom, except Off
Ger, (chefl looked thin they then supposed be
getting short OF provisions and they purchased small seal
from the natives.
A, late date, the season. but previous to the
disruption OF ice the bodies of about thirty white per
.ons discovered on the continent and tye on an
island near IT, about long days journey (s,y thirty 6v.
or forty mics 10 the northwest Of large stream which
be other than Blacks Great Fish RIVER uamei
by the E.qumaux Dat koo-hi-cs lik its description
and tia, OF the low shore in the neighborhood OF Pot
Ose and Montreal Island agree exactly with that of Sir
George Back. Some Of the bodies had been buried (pro
badly thoe of the ls victims of fAmine) some were in
tent or tens Others under boat that had been turned over
TO form shelter, and several scattered about in differ
ent dlrectiIas VI those found the island, one
supposed 10 have been au oihcer no had telescope
strapped ms shoulder aud bis double barreed gun
gun lay underneath him.
From the mu!ilAtei Of many of the corpses and
the contents Of the kettles is evident that
counrymel bad been driven the last resource-cauni-
baIism-a7 means of prolougiug life.
There appears to have been abundant stock Of
muntou IS the powder emptied in a heap on the
ground by the natives Of the kegs or caes
H. aud quantity Of ball and shot found below high
water mark having been left ice close to the beach
There must have been number Of watches telescopes
co;npasses guns, Several double-barreed &C. ali of
which appear to have been broken up saw pieces of
these different articles with the EsqumauI and together
with some silver spoons and forks purchased many
could obtain A list OF the most important Of these
enclose with rough pen and ink sketch Of the events
aud initials on the forks and spoons The articles them.
selves shall be handed the Secretary Of the Hon
H. Is. &C., ON my arrival in London.
None OF the E.quinau1 with whom conv ersed had ever
seen the whites nor had they at tho place
where the dead found had their information from
those who had been there and hose who had the
party when alive.
From the head of Pelly Bay-whch Is bay, spite of
Sir H. Beauforts opinion to the contrary-I crossed 60
miles Of land in Westerly direction traced the West
shore from Castor aid Polux river to Cape Porter Sir
Jas Ros' and could have got within 80 or 40 miles OF
beot STRAIT but thought useless proceeding further as
l could not complete the whole.
Neverin my former Arctic JOURNEYS had met with
such an accumulation Of Obstacles Fogs storms rough
ce aud deep snow we had fgh; against On one oc.
casion we were . days unable get gImpse at the
sun or even to make ou his position ia the heivens-
This on level coast where the compass WAS of little or
no use was perpcxng in the extreme
The weather such fuer on our return Journey than
when outward bound aud our loads being lighter our
days marches were nearly double the distance and ar
rived at Repulse Bay the 26h May without accident
except in one instance, 10 which Of the party los,
The commencement of Spring was very fine: hut J,pe
and July were colder We unable to get out of the
bay until the 9th Of August.
Our progress along the far as Cape Fullerton
was much impeded by ice: but getting to the south
ward OF the Cape had clear weather. and saw no ice
after wards
The conduct Of the men am happy to say, was, gen.
orally speaking, good; aud we had single case of sick
ness all the time Of our absence
Being anxious to send this Red River by the frat
boats write 10 haste aud briefly shall have the plea
cure Of sending mere detailed by some future
opportunity.
With the utmos. respect, have the honor to be,
Yours ob'dt servt, JOHN RAE.
List enclosed In DR.. Rae's Letter.
CRESTS.
NO. l.-Head OF apparently Walrus or Sea horse
with dragons wings.
No. PA Grifiu, with wings and forked tongue and
tail.
No. IA Grifiin's head with wings
No. "A Dove with olive branch 10 lie BILL surrouu-
ded by scroll, with the motto Spsyo meiiora
No. "a Fish Head, with apparently corr, branches
on either ride
List Of articles psreha',d from tie Eqmiulaux ,aid 10
have been found toMs Wsn, or rather 10 NJ ". Of