New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-11-23
ARCTIC SEARCHES,
N ERCTIC SEAKCHES.
DR.. Rae's Reasons for returning home without ver-
flying the Esquimaux Report

To Die Editor of the London Times sssl5 H- ~
SIR-0n looking over your paper this morning I was
in letter purpotng to from brother of the
officers of Her Majesys ship Terror Of vessels Of
the unfortunate expedition under Sir John Franklin
The writer in the first place. says that Dr. Rae has
been deeply reprehensbe for not verifying the report Of
the Esqumaux, and for publishing his report without
verifcaon that he should have kept silence altogether
and not have excited such painful feelings many persons
on such insufficient grounds
To have verified the report which brought home
would believe have been difficult matter, but it
could not possibly be done by party in any other way
than by passing another winter at Repulse Bay and
making another journey the ice and in the
spring of 1855. This could have easily done, without
exposure to privaons than accustomed
the Hudson Bay Coupanys service In the habit of
enduring but had a deeper motive in returning to
England with the information had obtained than The
mere selfish feelings of regard for my own comfort which
is point have much studied. My for re-
turning from Repuse Bay without having effected the
survey had contemplated, to prevent the risk of
valuable lives being sacrificed useless search
portions of the Arctic seas hundreds Of miles distant
from the sad where the lives of many of the long
lost party terminated and am happy to say that my
conduct has been approved by all those whose opinion
value and with whom have conversed on the subject
1t is stated by your correspondent that where Es-
quimaux live, where DIR. Rae's party could find
abundant what should prevent Sir John Franklin
and his party from subsistng too ~
No but perfectly unacquainted with the sub
ject could ask such question.
AT the when Sir John Frankn's party was seen
travelling the ice the seahoes covered by snow
and only be discovered by the acute of smell
the native dogs aud after the seahole Is discovered
much patience experience and requisite to Kill
the seal As soon as the thaws fsay in June the
seals show themselves the cs but they then DIFF
hcult of approach that not of my {0ulgbuck
the interpreter excepted although they often made the
attempt could approach near enough to shoot any Of
these animals. me-. .l- .r s555 W+a..z
wintered at part of the Arctic remarkable by
its geographical formation for the abundance deer
during the Autumn migrations but only then and it
that time that laid winter stock of food
hut it hard work for {a practical sportsmen
picked men and in full strength and raining to collect
suhciency
That portion of the country near totand on which
portion of Sir John Frankns party seen, s in the
spring notorousy the most barren of animal life any
of the Arctic shores and the few deer that be
generally very shy having been hunted during
the winter by Indians the borders of the woodlands
To prove this scarcity of may add that during
Spring journey Of 90 days duration deer only and
a few partridges were shot by us
1t is asked by your correspondent why the uufortu-
nate should have encountered themselves with silver
/ forks and spoons and silver plates,'' etc
The total weight of the silver forks and spoons could
not be than or pounds at the utmost and would
not appear much when divided among 40 persons and
any officer who has had the misfortune to abandon
his ship boat where but particularly in the
| Arctic Sea- knows well how apt to cucumber
themselves with articles far useless and bulky than
/ afew forks and spoons.
suppose by sver plate your correspondent alludes
to the silver plate with Sir John Frankin's name en-
grsved thereon, and which may possibly weigh halt
| ounce--no great addition to mans load
Again, your correspondent says that the ships have
i been abandoned and pilaged by the Esauimaux.n In
this opinion perfectly SO far regards the aban
donment of the ships but not that these ships pill
laged by the natives Had this been the case, wood
would have been abundant among these poor people 1t
not so, and they reduced to the necessity OF
making their sledges, of musk skins folded up and
frozen together alternative to which the want Of
wood alone could have reduced them. Another proo
that the natives had little wood among them may BIZ
adduced @s1l Say &t @a
the respectabeof the old Esqumaux, distributed
among them all the wood could spare, amounting tx
two three and some broken poles. When thest
things delivered to them bade the Esqumaux in
terpreter who speaks both his own and the English Ian
guage uenty to ask whether they their acquaintance
near Pelly Bay had most wood. They all immedi
ately shouted out, holding up their hands that the,
themselves had most need scarcely add that had tn
ships been found by the Esquimaux stock of wood SUI
cient for many years for all the natives within
of several hundred miles, would have been obtained
1t may be as well here to state for the information
your correspondent and others, that the authorities
Hon Hudson Bay Company have in the most kind man
permitted me to devote my whole time as long
quse, to satisfy the questions, far in my powell
and to reply communications from the relatives
friends Of the mssng party instead of to compet
chart and write up the report Of my expedition 70
their information.
may interest your readers to learn that ovean
expeditions have been decided uponthe in boats
go down the Mackenzie River in search of Capt Collin
son. about the safety of whom there anxiety
the other in canoes down Backs Fish River make
ther inquiry the fate Sir John Frankiins peop
aud endeaYor to obtain relics and shonl
remains of the dead be found to place them decent
under ground zi=4..
Commissioners of the Admiralty and Capt. Shepher
Deputy Governor of the Hudson Bay Company that ths
expeditions should be LETT wholly In the hands OF tt
Hudson Bay Company and the same evening the Deput
Governor had posted letters Sir George Simpson Terr
toral Governor containing full details the ohec
and mode of carrying into effect these expeditions.
trust that any Of the relatives of the lost navigator
who may future wish to make any remarks 0
the mode in which have acted, in the very perpexn
position in which placed will first do me the fave
of communicating with me- and, if cannot satisfy the
doubts it will then be quite time enough to make the
opinions public Such would be the fair and sati
factory
In conclusion let observe. that at loss to di
cover what course of proceeding your correspondent
would have desired me to pursue have assigned IL
reason for my return if he offer an equally got
one or better why should have stayed out anoth
year should be most happy to learn it, either by lett
/ to myself or through the medium Of your columns.
, have the honor to be- sir, your most ob't serv't.
! JOHN RAE.
Tavstock Hotel, ooyent Garden, Oct, So