Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1859-10-20

IThc For screw discovery vessel which was to the
Arctic regions the expense of Lady FRANKLIN to dis
cover traces of the missing expedition of Sir JOHN
FRANKLIN returned to England Sept 2l. The follow
ing is Capt. M'CLINToCK's official report by which it
will be seen the fate of FRANKLIN and his expedition has
been definitely ascertained.l
1t will be remembered that the For effected
her escape out of the main pack in Davis
Straits in lat. 63 l-2 deg. NJ on the 25th of
April 1858, after q Winters ice drift of ,l94
geographical miles.
The small settlement of Holsteinborg was
reached on the 28th, and such very scanty sup
plies obtained as the place afforded.
On the Sth of May our voyage was recon-
menced Godhaven and Upernvk visited,
Melville Bay entered early in June, ana cross
ed to Cape York by the Goth here some ua-
tives were communicated with they immedi-
atey recognized Mr. PETERSEN, our intepre-
tor, formerly Known to them in the Grinnel
expedition under DR.. KANE. In reply to our
inquiries for the Esquimaux dOg-driver HANS,
left behind from the Adrancc in 1853, they told
us that he was residing at Whale Sound. Had
he been there / would most gladly have en-
barked him, as his longing to return to South
Greenland continues unabated
On the 18th of July communicated with the
Cape Warrender natives, near Cape Horsburgh
they had not seen any ships since the visit of
the PhGnuE in 1854, nor have any wrecks ev.
er drifted upon their shores.
1t was not until the 9th of July that we
reached Ponds Inlet, owing to a most unuSu-
al prevalence of ice in the northern portion of
Bafin's Bay, aud which rendered our progress
since leaving Holsteinbcrg one of increasing
struggle. Without steam power we could
have done nothing Here alone one old wo-
man and boy were found, but they served to
pilot us up the inlet for % miles, when we ar,
rived at their village For about a week we
were in constant and most interesting COM
municaton with these friendly people Briefly,
the information obtained from them was, that
nothing whatever respecting the Franklin eX-
petition had come to their knowledge, nor had
any wrecks within the last 30 or 80 years
reached their shores.
The remains of three wrecked ships are
known to them two of those appear to have
been the whalers Derterity and aurora, wreck
cd in Aug 1921, some 20 or so miles south
ward of Ponds Inlet The third vessel, now
almost buried in the sand, lies few miles east
of Cape Hav. This people communicate over
land every Winter with the tribes at lglook
they all knew of PARRY'S ships having winter
ed there in 1928, and had heard of late years
of DR.. RAE's visit to Repulse Bay, describing
his boats as similar to our whale boat, and his
party as living in tents, within Snow-houses
smoking pipes, shooting reindeer. &c None
died They remained there only one Winter
No rumor of the lost expedition has reach
cd them Within Ponds Inlet the natives
told US the ice decays away every year, bnt SC
long as any remains whales abound. Several
large whales were seen by US, and we found
among the natives a considerable quantity OF
whalebone and many narwhals horns, which
they were anxious to barter for knives, files,
saws, rifles. and wool they drew us up some
rude charts of the inlet showing that it ex
pandS into an extensive channel looking west
ward into Prince Regents Inlet
We could not but regret that none of our
own whaling friends-from whom We had re-
Gently received SO much kindness-were here
to profit by SO favorable an opportunity
Leaving Ponds Inlet on the 9th of August we
reached Beeehy Island on the llth, aud land.
ed handsome marble tablet, sent on board for
this purpose by Lady FRANKLIN, bearing an
appropriate inscription to the memory of ouI
lost c0uutrymcu il the EIcbps and Ttrer,