The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1856-01-05
From the Montreal Herald of Dec "a.


Observation-Disclosures OF DIR. RAGS
| REPORTS.
From the Montreal Herald of Dec "a.
We have been favored by Z. NJ Hopkins,
ESQ.,, lin the absence of Sir George Simpson,
with the following outline of the proceedings
of the Artic Expedition, which, by instruc-
tions from her Maicsty's Government, was
employed by the IIudsons Bay Company to
follow up the clue discovered by Dr. Rae
while engaged on another exploring cxpcdi-
ton, also fitted out by the lIudSon's Bay
Company of the fate Of Sir John Franklin S
party.
1t will be in the recollection Of our readers
that it is Scarcelyu ycarago that we publish
ed to the world the first authentic mforma.
ton which had been received Of the lalrcnta-
bic fate of the gallant Franklin and his brave
comrades. The Intelligence which was con-
vcyed to DR.. Rae in the Winter Of 1853 81
by the LSquimauX, and in the accuracy of
which that distinguished Arctic traveller
| placed perfect reliance, was received by the
public in England with great hesitation,
arising, probably, from an unwilingncss TO
| believe the moulnful facts.
That intelligence was in substance that in
the Winter of 1850 the ESquimauX saw a
party of whites travelling from the northw ard
toward the Attic coast, dragging a boat over
the ice, intending to use it as soon as they
reached open water; that the party, about
| forty in all, made the land near the mouth of
a large river (thc Great Fish River of Back)
| and there persisted of starvation, to which
were added Il number of frightful details of
| their suitrings, which we will not again in
| fict on our rcadcars. In proof Of the truth
! of these reports the EsquimauX exhibited and
| sold TO DIR. Rae great variety of relics. pr'n
| cipaly silver forks and spoons, marked with
the crests and initials ofvarous officers Of the
ships Ercbus and Terror (Frankln'N) and
among other articles n small order or star.
with Sir John Franklin S name engraved on
it. These were the tangible proofs conveyed
to England by Dr. Rae in confirmation Of the
tales he collected from the Esquimaux but
| his proceedings and conclusions have been
frequently called in question and therefore it
will be the more gratifying to him now that
they are fully corrobolatcd even to minute
details of locality, &C., in which he might
| possibly have been mistaken
As soon as DR.. Rae had laid his report be-
fore Her Majesty's Government, it was decid-
cd that an attempt should be made to follow
up the ira 'e he had obtained commencing at
the point indicated by the Esquimaux as the
scene of the last sutlcrings of the parry OF
whites seen by them in 1850.
The organization and management Of this
new expedition were wisely intrusted to the
liudson's Bay Company. On the 9th OF
October, 1854, the instructions of Her Males
tvs Government and the Company were for
wardcd from London to Sir George Simpson
at Lachinc, where he received them in the
middle of November. His great experience
and well known ability in affairs of that ma
turc enabled him to decide with prompttudc
on the mode of carrying out the expedition
the men to be employed as leaders and in
subordinate capacities, the amount of sup
plies, craft, and all other requisites for the
Undertaking; and on the Goth of November
1851 his instructions were dispatched by
special messenger to the IIudson's Bay Ter
ritorics, all parts of which were put under re.
QUESTION to furnish material the whole to be
collected at the rendezvous, Fort Resolution
in Great Slave Lake. by the LIST Of June fol.
lowing and so complete were the plans and
so carefully had all contingencies been pro.
vided against, that in no point was there a
failure in carrying out his arrangements
The officers selected to lead the party were
MIR. AndeIson,a chief factor of the Company
and MIR. j.. q. Stewart. chief tradcr-boll
well qualified by experience. courage, phys-
cal strength, &c, for the a"du rus duty. The
party consisted of tire two officers and four
teen men, and left Fort Resolution, port o
the H. B. Company on Great Slave Lake, OF
the 22d of June 1854 in two bark canoes, il
which they performed the perilous voyage