Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-10-14
, he might find upon King Williams Is

.
land - -
accompanied by my own parry and Mr..
Petersen. ] marched along the east shore of
King Williams Island, occasionally passing
deserted snow butts, but without meeting ma
lives till the 9Th OF May, when off Cape Nor
ton we arrived at a snow village containing
about thirty inhabitants. They gathered
about us without the slightest appearance of
fear or sbyness, although none bad seen liv-
| ing white people before. They were most
willing to communicate all their knowledge
| and barter all their goods, but would have
stolen everything had they not been very
| closely watched. Many more relics of our
| countrymen were obtained; we could not
carry away all we might have purchased.
! They pointed to the inlet we had crossed the
day before, and told us that one days march
mp it, and thence four days overland, brought
| them to the wreck.
None of these people had been there since
17s7-'5S, at which time they said but little
remained. their countrymen having carried
away everything.
Most of our information was received
from an intelligent old woman; she said it
was on the fall of the year that the ship was
forced ashore; many of the white men drop
ped by the way as they went towards the
Great River; but this was only known to
them in the winter following, when their
bodies were discovered.
ali assured US tDat we WOnld ma ma
tlves upon the South shore. at the Great
River, and some at the wreck; but unfor-
tunafely this was not the case. Only one
family were met off Point Booih and none
at Montreal Island or any place subsequently
visited.
Point Ogle, Montreal Island. and Barrow
Island were searched without finding any
thing except a few scraps of copper and
iron in an Esqnimaux hiding place.
fha 70
Island, we continued the examination of the
southern shore without success until the oath
o. May. when about ten miles eastward of
Cape Herscheil, bleached skeleton was
found, around which lay fragments of Euro
pean clothing Upon carefully removing the
snow small pocket book was found, con-
tanning few letters. These. although much
decaytd, may yet be deciphered judging
from the remains of his dress, this unfortu-
nate young man was steward or officers
servant, and his position exactly verified the
Esquimaux's assertion, that they dropped as
they walked along.
On reaching Cape Herschell next day, he
examined Simpsons Cairn, or rather what
remains of it, which is only four feet high,
and the central stones have been removed,
as if by men seeking something in it. My
impression at the time, and which | shall re-
tain is, that records were deposited there by
the retreating crews, and subsequently re-
moved by the natives.
After parting from me at Cape Victoria on
the 18th of April, Lieut.. Hobson made for
Cape Felix. At short distance westward
of it he found very large carn, and close to
it three small tents, with blankets, old clothes.
and other relics of a shooting or magnetic
station but although the cairn was dug I'M
der, and trench dug all round il at dis
lance of 10 feet, no record was discovered.
A piece of blank paper folded up was found
in the cairn, and two broken bottles, which
may, perhaps, have contained records. lay be-
side it among some stones which had fallen
from off the top The most interesting of the
articles discovered here, including boats
ensign, were brought away by Mr.. Hobson.
About two miles further to the southwest
small cairn found, but neither records
nor relics obtained. About three miles north
of Point Victory a second small cairn was
examined but only broken pick axe and
empty canister found.
On the 9th OF May Lieutenant HObsOn
pitched his tent beside q large cairn upon
Mount Victory. Lying among some loose
stones which had fallen from the top of this
cairn. was found small tin case containing
record, the substance of which Is briefly as
follows: This cairn was built by the Franklin
expedition, upon the assumed site of Sir
James Ross pillar, which had not been found.
The Erebus and Terror spent their first winter
ington Channel to lat. ~ deg. N. and return.
ed by the west side of CORVALLIS Island. On
the 18th of September, 1916, they were beset
in lat. so 05 N, and long. 9S % w. Sir
j Franklin died on the llth of JuEe, lS47.
On the 22nd of April. 1913. the ships were
abandoned five leagues to the n. n. w. of
Point Victory. and the survivors, los in num-
ber landed there under the command OF Capt.
CroZier This paper was dated April %, 1913,
md tha IN they intended a
start for the Great Fish River. The total loss
by deaths in the expedition up to this date
was nine officers and fifteen men. A vast
quantity of clothing and stores of all sorts
lay slrewed about, as il here every article
was thrown away which could possibly be
dispensed with: pickaXes, shovels, boats.
cooking utensils. iron work, rope, blocks. can
vass. Il dip circle IA sextant engraved - Fred
erck Hornby, K. N, small medicine chest,
oars, dc.
A few miles southwark. across Back Bay,
second record was found, having been de-
posted by Lieut.. Gore and NJ. DIES VGux in
May, lS47. 1t afforded no additional informa-
ten.
Lent Hudson continued his search until
with in few days march of Cape Herschcll.
without finding any trace of the wreck or of
natives. He left full Information of his inn
portant discoveries for me; therefore, when
returning northward by the west shore of
King Williams Island. had the advantage
of knowing what had already been found.
Soon after leaving Cape Herschell. rbe ira
ces of natives became less numerous aud
iess recent. md after rounding the west point
of the island they cea scd altogether. THIS
shore is extremely low, and almost utterly
destitute of Vegetation. Numerous banks at
single and low isleis lie off it. and beyond
these Victoria Straits is covered with heavy
and impenetrabe packed ice.
When in lat. GSdeg. 09min. N, and Ion. SO
deg 27min. W., we came to large boat, dis
covered by Lieut.. Hobs9n few DAYS previ-
ously, as his notice Informed me. 1t appears
that this boat had been intended for the
cent or the Fish river, but was abandoned APP
paren:ly upon a return journey to the ships,
the sledge upos which she was mounted be-
ing pointed in that direction. She measured
2s feet in length by "A feet wide, was most
carefully fitted and made as light as possible,
but the sledge was OF solid oak, and almost
as heavy as the boat
large quantity of clothing was found
within her, also two human skeletons. One Of
these lay in the after part of the boat, nm
der a pile of clothing, the other. which was
much more disturbed, probably by animals,
was found in the bow. Five pocket watches.
a quantity OF silver spoons and forks, and a
few religious hooks were also found. but no
journals, pocket books or even names upon
any articles OF clothing. Two double-bar-
relied guns stood upright against the boats
side, precisely as they had been placed ele-
ven years before. One barrel in each was
loaded and cooked, there was ammunition in
abundance, also thirty pounds or forty
pounds of chocolate, some tea and tobacco.
Fuel was not wanting; drift tree lay with
in one hundred yards of the boat.
Many very interesting relics were brought
away by Lieut. Hobson. and some few by my
n, Eth Of In 4 haA
Victory without having found any thing turth-
&. ,vas AMIN aNnnlinad