Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-10-12

seven knots at the eprtngs Va tue 9Th OF sep
tember we passed through Bellot Strait with.
out obstruction, and secured The ship TO- fixed
ice across its western outlet From here until
the 27th, when deemed il Unnecessary TO retreat
into Winter quarters, VIC constantly watched
the movements of the ice in the western sea
OF channel In mid chanuel 1t was broken up
and drifting about; gradI ally the proportion Of
water increased, until at length the ice which
inleryened was reduced 10 three OF four miles
in width But this was firmly held fast by
numerous islets, and wthstood the violence Of
the Autumn gales. II was tantalizing beyond
description thus to watch from DAY to Jay the
free water which we could not reach, aud which
washed the rocky shore few miles TO the
southwark Of us!
During the sntumn attempts were made TO
carry ont depo,s Of provisions towards the
magnetic pole but these almost entirely failed
in consequence Of the disruption Of tue ice to
| the southward Lieut. iIobson reformed with
his slejge parties in November, after much
suffcring from severe weather, and imminent
| peril on one occasion, when the ice upon which
they were encamped became detached from the
Shore and drilted off to leoward with them
Our woterlng position was at the east cn-
traucc to Bellot Strait, in a snug harbor which
| | have named Port Kennedy, after my predeces
sor in these waters, the commander Of one Of
Lady Franklia's former searching expeditions.
| Although vegetation was toerubly abundant,
and our two Esquimax hunters, Mr.. Petersen
| and several sporlemen, constantly on the alert,
| yet the resources Of the country during IL
months only yielded us eight reindeer, two
bears, eighteen seals, and few waterfowl and
ptarmigap.
The winter was unusually old and stormy.
Arrangements were completed during the win
ter for carrying out our intended plan of search,
| felt it TO he my duty personally TO yisit Mar
shall Island, and ia 50 doing purposed to COM
! pluto the circuit of King Williams Island.
| 10 Lieut.. HObson ] allotted the search of the
", stern shore of Boothia TO the magnetic pole,
and from Gatcshead Island westward TO Wyn
niatts furthest. Capt Alien Young, our sail
ing master, was to trace the shore OF Prince of
| Wales Land, from Lieut.. Br5wne's iurthest,
aud also to examine the coast from Bollot Strait
northward TO Sir James Ross lurthest.
Early spring iuuneys were commenced o.
the 18th of February, 1882 by Capt. Young
and myself Capt, Young carrying his depot
across to Prince of Wales Land, while | went
southwark towards the magnetic pole, in tho
hope of communicating with the Esquimar,
aud obtaining such information as might lead
us at once to the object our search.
was accompanied by Mr.. Petersen, our in-
terpreter, and Alex Thompson, quartermaster.
We had with us two eleJges drawn by dogs
Ga the 2sth OF February, when near Cape Vic
tpria, we had the good fortune to meet small
party Of natives, and were subsequently visited
by shout forty five individuals
For four days we remained in communica
ton with them, obtaining many relics, d the
information that several years ago Il ship was
t crushed by the ice off the north shore, off kmg
Williams Island, hut that all her people landed
safely, and went away TO the Great Fish River,
where they died This tribe was well supplied
with wood, obtained, they said, from boat left
by the white men on the Great River.
We reached our vessel after 25 days alb
sence in good health, but somewhat reduced by
sharp marching and tho unusually severe
weather to which we had been exposed. Fol
several days alter starting, the mercury cOntin
ued frozen.
On the I'll of April our long projected Spring
Journeys oOmmenced Lieut.. Hubson accom-
panied mo as far as Cape Victoria, each ot u,
$ had a sledgo drawn by four men, and an auxil
iary sedge drawn by six dogs. This was al
Tho force we could muster.
Before separating we saw two EsquimauA
families living out upon the ice in snow huts
from them we learned that second ship hat
: been seen oil King Williams Island aud that
she drifted ashore on the Fall of the same year
From this ship they had obtained vast deal o
wood and iron.
Inow gave Lieut.. IIobson directions to seaIcl
/ for the wreck, and TO follow up any traces hC
5 M ght fud upon King Williams Island
j Accompanied by my own party and Mr Pc
. terson, marche along tho east phore Of KIM
i Willilm's Island, occasionally passing deserIo,
snow huts but without meeting natives till tn,
Q sth of May, when off Cape Norton we arriyeI
J.; at a snow village containing about thirty ia
II habitauts They gathered about us withou
II the slightest appearance Of fear OF shyness
although none had ever seen living whit
c people before. They welc most willing TO com
Il municate all their kuowlodgo and barter al
# their goods but would have stolen everythin
is had they not been very closely watched. Ma
& ny more relies Of our eountrymen were obtain
e ed; we could not carry away all we might hav
a purchased They pointed To the inlet we ha
ID crossed the day beiJTe and told us that on
ir one days march up it, and then four day.
1t overland, brought them to the wreck.
20 Mono of these people had been there sine
ID 1878, at which time they said bat little It
/ mnned their country men having carried ava
ir everything.
81 Most of our information was received fror
an intelligent old woman shO said il was on th
fall OF tho year that the ship forced ashore
re many olthe white men dropped by the way q
h. they went towards the Great River; but thi
b was only known TO them in the winter follow
W ing, when their bodies were discovered.
u
ID tiyes upon tho south shore, al the Grcat Rive
y aud some few at the wreck but unfortunately
10 this was not the case, Only ono family wor
r. met on off Point Booth and none at Montrei
ts Island or any place subsequently visited
as Point Oglo, Montreal Island, and Baro'
s. Island were searched without finding anythin
- except few scraps of copper and iron IN q
ne Esquimaux hiding place.
=, Kecrossing the strait to King Williams II
I'd land, we continued tue examination OF tn
US southern shore without success until the 2lt
as Of May, when about ten miles eastward Of Caf
go uerschell, a bleaehed skeleton was foun,
* around which lay Fragments OF Europea
10 clothing. Upon calefully removing the sno
ey small pocket book was found, containing
ls few letters These, although much deoayeC
IT'S may yet be decyphered Judging from the n
an mains of his dress, this unfortunate young ma
co was a steward or officers servant, and his pos
ton verified the Esquimaux assertion, that the
OF dropped as they walked along,
e On reaching Cape llerschel next day W
no examined Simpsons Cairn, or rather what n
~ mains Of il, which is ouly four feet high az
h the central stones have been removed, as II
a men seeking something within i. MY lmpre
lis sion at the time, aud which still retain, is III
20 records were deposited tLere by the retreatin
'st crews, aud subsequently removed by the nj
tives.
ct After parting from ma at Cape Victoria q
m the 29th Of April. Lieut. IlObson made foI CaI
ha Felix At a short distance westward Oi u /
-e found very large earn, and close 10 It thre
n small tents, with blankets, old clothes, al
ed other relies Of shooting or a magnetic statiol
h, but although tho cairn ives dug under, and
ye trench dug all round it at distance Of 10 ie
Of no record was discovered piece OF blar
e. paper folded up was found 10 the calrn, and tv
l. 4. s.,as parhana huVa pn