Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-10-12
fsts ct sar John EFaaAiiaAs Expedition
TlIE EXPLORATIONS OF CAPT. MccLlN-
TOCK AND HIS OFFICERS IN TIE ny
AERR0REAE Rs0ION5--THE RELICS OF
THE LOST VOfA0ERS

7
THE LOST vOfA0ERs Ell
> he Losdn Tinses o. sspssmbsr he 2s.l
coafans the detailed repsrt Of Cap, McClin'ock .
the steam ya,ch fex. relating to the discovery o
relics of Sir John Frankln's Arctic exploring OK
petition.
Cant. MoClintock. after giving IN account Of III.
voyage Of the Fox up 10 the Spring Of 1859, du
ring which lime they found no traces OF the expe
ditinn, saws:
Tho winter was unusually cold aud stormy
Arrangements were completed during The winter,
for carrying out the intended plan q search.
felt il to be my duty personally. to visit Marshal
Island, and in 80 doing proposed to complete the
circuit OF King Williams Island.
4 To Lieut. fiobson allotted the search OF the wes-
tern shore of Doothia to the magnetic pole, and
,ftom Ga,cshead Island westward 10 Wynniaus
.fnrthest Capt. Alloa Young our sniling master.
was To trace the shore of Prince OF Wales Land,
from Lieut.. Brownies furthe-i, and also to exam
inc the coas, from Belot strait northward to Sir
James Ross furthest.
Early Spring journeys were commenced on tho
18th OF Feb. 1882 by Capt. Young and ny.elf
Cart Young carrying his depot across to Prince
of Wales Land. while went southwark towards
the magnetic pole. in the hope Of communicating
with the Esqumaux, nud obtaining such inflrma-
ton M might lead us q, to the object Of our
search.
I was accompanied by Mr.. Peterson. our inter
prefer and Alex. Thompson. qusrtermaster. We
had with us two slcdges drawn by dogs. On tho
18th Of Feb. when near cape Victoria. VIC had the
good fortune to meet small party Of natives and
were subsequently, visited by about45 individuals.
For four days we remained in communication
with them. obta ming many relics and the iniur-
nation that several years ago ship was crushed
lLy the ice of the north shore, of King Williams
Inland. but that MI her people landed safely, and
went AWAY to the Great Fish river. where the
died This tribe was well supplied with wood,
'obt tanned they said, from boat left by the white
men on the Great river.
: On the ID If April, our long projected Spring
journeys were commenced: Lieut. IIobson accom-
panied me as far rs Cape Victoria; each Of us had
slrdce drawn BY four men, and an auxiliary
sledge drawn by six dogs. This was all tho force
we could muster.
Before separating We saw two Esqnimaux fami-
lies living out upon tho ice in snow huta: from
them we learned that second ship had bocn
If King Williams Island, and that she drifted
ashore in the fall OF the same year, From this
ship they had obtained vast deal Of wood and
iron.
now give Lieut. IIobson directions to search
for the wreck. aud to follownp any traces hc might
find upon King Williams Island.
Accompanied Ivy my own party and Mr.. Potter
sen, marched along the shore Of King Williams
Island 90 AS, nally passing des rted SNOW h"s.
but without meeting natives till the Sth OF May.
when off Of Cape Horton we arrived mt II snow
village containing about thirty inhabitants. They
gathered about without the slightest appearance
of fear or shyness, although none had ever seen
living white people before. They most viii
ling 10 communicate all their knowledge and bur
ter all their goods, bnt would have stolen every
thing had they not been very closely watched -
Many more relics Of our countrymen were obtnin-
ed; we could not carry AWAY all we nigh, have
purchased They p intcd to tho inlet We had
crossed the day before; and told Us that one dny's
march up H. and thence four days overland
brought ,hom 10 the wreck
! None OF these people Ind been there STAGE 1857
SO, at which time they Nald but little remained,
their countymen having carried away almost
everything.
Most OF our information was received firm M
Intelligent old woman; shn said it in tho tall
of the year that tho ship was forced ashore many
iof the white men dropped by the way AZ they
went towards the Great river: but this only
known to them in the winter following, when their
bodies were discovered.
They all assured MS that would find natives
upon the south shore, Mt the Great river and some
few at the wreck but unfortunately this was not
the case. Only one family wac met with on Point
Booth. and n me Mt Montreal Island, or any place
subsequently visited.
! Point ogle Montreal Island and Barrow Isl
and were searched without finding anything ex.
cent n few scraps Of copper and iron in an Exqui-
mnux hiding place.
Re-crossing the Strait to k,ng William Island
we continued the examination of its southern
shore without success until the 9th Of MAY. until
about ten miles eastward Of Cape iie,schcll
bleachcd skeleton was found. around which Ia,
fragments oil European clothing. Upon CAREFUL,
removing tho snow II small pocket-bouk WAS found
containing few letters. These, although much
deoayed. NAY yet be eciphored. Judging from
tho remains Of his dress. tins unfortunate Young
1
siton exactly verified the Esquimauxs assertion
that they dropped as they walked along.
On reaching Cape llershcll next day, We exam
med Simpsons Cairn, or rather what remains o
it, which is only four feet high, and the uentra
stones have been removed, as if by men seekin,
something within it, My impression NJ the tim,
and which still retain is that records were do
posited there hy tho retreating crews, and subse
quently removed by the natives.
After parting from mo at Cape Victoria ON tn
,2Sth Of April Lieutenant Hobson made ior Cap
Felix. AT short distance westward of it he rjun
, n very large carn, and close t. ii three sinu
tents with blankets. old clothes md ether relic
OF shooting or n magnetic station; but nlthoug
the EARN WINS dug under. and q trench dug al
round it at distance Of 10 feet no record was ,li.
covered piece IF blank paper folded up wa
found in the rairn. and two broken bottles whic
may, perhaps. have contained records, lay tcsid
ii among some stones which had fallen ira,n q
the top. The most Interesting of the artclci ii,
covered here, including IA hoat's ensign wcr
brought away by Mr. IIohson. About two mile
further 10 the southwest small ruirn was fnnn,
but neither records or relics obtained Aba,
r three miles north Of Point Victory second sn,a
earn WAS examined, but only "a broken riekax
and empty canister found.
, On the 9Th If May Lieut. Ilrnson nitcAed hi
tent beside large rairn upon Point Wit Try. L.,
. ngamong some ousr stones which had inllcn tr,,i
4 was a I'm oil