Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1859-11-26
[From the London News, Oct. III
: The Franklin Relics.


The public will soon have an onportnni-
ty of examining probably the most inter
'esting collection of relics that has ever
been thro I'd open to their inspection, the
authorltie' ii the United Service Museum
having devoted n, room to the Fish River
by Captain M'Chntock, and purporting to
admit visitors without restriction on all
the ordinary days of exhibition. The room
is at the further end of the building on
the ground floor, and the relics are neatly
arranged in glass cases, and ticketcd with
all the information that could be obtained
or surmiscd respecting thom The detailed
list has already been published, but some
ucd;io;i0i's must bo made, as fc;r effects
have been claimed by surviving relatives
of the hapless Arctic voyagcrs. Enough,
however, remains to crafty a sympathetic
curiosity, and we have no doubt that few
exhibitions, no matter how attractive, ever
excited more public interest and attention
than will these few simple weathcr-worn
fragments of what once belonged to the
brave and true men who, within the desc
latlon of the Arctic circle, had sustained so
well the character and honor of their coun.
try. One or two groups of more favored
visitors found their way into the room Oh
Saturday last, and wc could perceive that
somc OF them were moved even to tears as
they pondcrcd over the glass cases, and en-
deavored to deciphcr the fragments of
writing or print that still remained in the
weather-worn books aud papers
In the first case is the Z" ensign" of one
of the ships reduced almost to shrcds, but
still preserving its color, and reminding
the spectators of the many checrless DAYS
upon which it must have fluttercd SADLY
| but still proudly, from the mast of the ice
bound vessel. In q corner of the same
is also tin cylinder, stained and time
worn. The casual spectator would hardly
notice it, but it stands first in importance
of all that has been recovered, for it con-
talns the record of the death of Sir John
Frankln--that happy death which saved
our brave veteran all the subsequent hor
rors of the journey to the Fish River
Further on are the rude spear heads
into which the Esquimaux had fastened the
iron they obtained from the wreck and a
lockwood two foot rule, whtcned with cx-
posure, but with the figures on it all as
bright as the first day. This was, of
course, the property of the carpenter, who
1T would appear had, even when starting on
his dread Journey, not forgotten the nipple
mentS of his trade. In the same case is
a relic which will arrest the eye of many n
passcr by. 1t is the remains of silk neck
tie, including the bow as carefully and elab-
oratoly tied as if the poor wcarcr had been
making wedding toilette. This, which
was taken from the naked bones of ghast-
ly skeleton which was discovered some miles
distant from the main track of the poor
pilgrims is supposed to have belonged to
the ships steward, rs this class of men are
generally neat in their dress, and sailor
would have adopted much more simple
arrangement, There are also various art-
eles of plate, the greater portion of which
is marked with Sir John Franklin's device.
and two pocket chronometers in excellent
preservation. n small silver watch, ma
ker,s name, " A. Meyers, London" proba-
bly, belonged to some young mate or mid
shlpman, anda worm-eaten roll of paper
upon which the single word "Maiesty" re-
mains, was possibly the much pnzed war
rant of some stout boatswain or quarter
master.
There is a little amethyst seal in perfect
preservation, and goggles and snow wells
to protect the eyes from the dazzling white
ness of the polar snow. Two double bar
relied guns covered with rust are placed far
in on the table. They still contain the
charges which were placed in them by
hands which have long since lost their cum
ming They are labelled "I.oaded" in
large letters, but still we should not be sur
priscd to hear some day of an accident
caused by the morbid curiosity of some
foolish visitor. The books recovered are
very few-they would of cotirse succumb
carly to the rigors of exposure, but there is
still we'll preserved small edition of the
"Vicar of Wakefield, /" some religious poe.
try, and French Testament, in tic fly leaf
OF which is written, in o delicate female
hand, 4" From your attached the appelh-
tion is Deliberately S. NJ. p" The open
medicine chest contains all its bottles and
preparations very little injured and fit.
tie cooking machine has the fuel arranged,
the sticks thrust through the bars ready
for ignition, and lucifcr matches at the side,
as IT might have been prepared over night
for the mornings cooking 1t would
be impossible to exaggelate, the interest
and Importance of all these simple memo.
rials they tell tale that will find it's way
to every heart, and many painful, 10 doubt,
will be the scenes to which they must give
rise, when surviving friends behold in
them thcpropcrty of those whom they have
so long rnourncd in blank uncertainty
Lady Franklin has. we understood alrca.
dy paid the collection frequent visits, ana
q gentleman reaidinct In thr III Il