Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-11-09
REMAINS OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN
LETTER OF DIR. RAE, &c.

REMAINS OF SIX JOHN FRANKLIN -
LETTER OF DR.. RAE. &c.
We find in the Eastern papers the let
ter of DIR. Rae to Sir George Simpson
dated at York Factory, August 4, 1854
from which we copy so much as is essen
tial to place all the evidence before the
public. York Factory, from whence he
writes, is situated at the mouth Of
Hayes river in Hudson Bay. in about
Sc deg. north latitude, and SO deg. west
longitude. After relating some of the
events of his journey. up to the time OF
his discovery of the remains of Sir
John Franklin, he proceeds as follows:
On the Slst of March my spring
journey commenced, but in consequence
of gales of winds. deep and soft snow,
and foggy weather, We made but very
little progress. We did not enter PeIly
Bay until the 18th. At this place we
met with Esquimaux, one of whom, on
being asked if he ever saw white peo-
pie, replied in the negative, but said
that large party--at least forty per-
sons-had perished from want of food,
some 10 or 12 days journey to the
westward. The substance of the in
formation, obtained at various times and
from various sources, was as follows:
In the spring, four winters past
spring 1850 party of white men,
amounting to about 40. were seen travel
ing southwark over the ice, and drag
ging boat with them, by some Esqui-
maux who were killing seals ON the
north shore of King Williams Land,
which is large island named Kel-ik-
tax, by the Esquimaux. None of the
party could speak the native language
intelligibly, but, by signs, the natives
were made to understand that their
ships or ship had been crushed by ice,
and that the "whites" were now going
to where they expected to find deer to
shoot. From the appearance of the
men, all of whom, except one officer
chief-looked thin. they were then sup
posed to be getting short of provisions,
and they purchased small seal from
the natives.
At later date, the same season, but
previous to the disruption of the ice,
the bodies of about thirty white persons,
were discovered on the continent, and
FIVE on an island near it, about a long
days journey-say 35 or 40 miles-to
the n. W. of large stream, which can
be no other that Backs Great Fish
River-named by the Esquimaux, Out
koo- -lik-as its description, and
hat of the low shore in the neighbor-
hood of Point Ogle and Montreal Is
and agree exactly with that of Sir
George Back. Some of the bodies have
'een buried-probably those of the first
'ictims of famine-some were in tent
,r tents, others under a boat that had
,een turned over to form a shelter, and
several lay scattered about in different
directions. OF those found on the is
and, one was supposed to have been an
'fficer, as he had telescope strapped
'ver his shoulder, and his double-bar-
elled gun lay underneath him.
From the mutilated state of many of
he corpses and the contents of the ket-
les, it is evident that our miserable
ountrymen had been driven to the last
alism--as a means of
'rolonging life.
There appears to have been an abun-
ant stock of ammunition, as the pow
er was emptied in a heap on the ground
y the natives, out of the kegs or cases
it, and quantity of ball and !
hot was found below high water mark, {
aving been left on the ice close to the c
each. There must have been a num- 3
er of watches, telescopes, compasses,
uns, (several double barrelled, &c, I
i Of which appear to have been broken !
P, as l saw pieces Of these different
rticles with the Esquimaux, and, to- I
ether with some silver spoons and i
'rks, purchased as many as l could i
btain. A list of the most important 1
these inclose, with rough pen and q
* sketch of the crests and initials on I
le forks and spoons. The articles c
lemselves shall be handed over to the I
ecretary of the Hon. H. B. & Co., on 7
y arrival in London. I
None of the Esquimaux with whom $
conversed had seen the "whites," nor j
i'd they ever been at the place where =
Ie dead was found; but had their in Q
rmation from those who had been S
ere, and those who had seen the party a
hen alive.
LIST ENCLOSED IN DR. RAE's LETTER.
cREsTs.
o. Head of (spparently) a walrus v