The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-11-03


ing many relics, and the information that sew.
eral years ago ship was crushed by the ice
of the north shore, off King William Island,
but that all her people landed safely, and went
away to the Great Fish river, where they died.
This tribe was well supplied with wood. obtain
ed, they said, from a boat left by the white men
on the Great river We reached our vessel AT.
ter twenty-five days absence, in good health,
but somewhat reduced by sharp marching, and
the unusually severe weather to which we had
been exposed. For several days after starting.
the mercury continued frozen. On the I'd Of
April, our long-projected spring journeys we're
commenced; Lient. Hobson accompanied me
as far as Cape Victoria each of us had sledge
drawn by four men, and an auxiliary sledge
drawn by six dogs This was all the force we
could muster. Before separating, we saw two
Esquimaux families living out upon the ice in
snow huts from them we learned that a second
ship had been seen off King William 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 gave
Lieutenant Hobson directions to search for the
wreck, and follow up any traces he might find
upon King Williams Island. Accompanied by
my own party and Mr.. Petersen, | marched
along the east shore of King William Island,
occasionally passing deserted snow huts, but
without meeting natives till the 9th of May,
when off Cape Norton we arrived at a snow
village, containing about thirty inhabitants
They gathered about US without the slightest
appearance Of fear or syhness, although none
had ever seen living 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 car
ry away all we might have purchased. They
pointed to the inlet we had crossed the day be-
fore, and told US that one days march up to it,
and from thence four days overland, brought
them to the wreck. Most of our information
was received from an intelligent old woman
she said it was in the fall of the year that the
ship was forced ashore many of the white men
dropped 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. They all assured US that We would
lind natives upon the south shore, at the Great
river, and some few at the wreck; but unfortu-
nately this was not the case. Only one family
was met with off Point Booth and none at
Montreal Island or any place subsequently
visited.
Recrossing the strait to King William
Island, we continued the examination of its
southern shore without success until the oath
OF May, when about ten miles east of Cape
Herschel bleached skeleton was found,
around which lay fragments of European
clothing Upon carefully removing the snow,
small pocket book was found, containing
few letters. These, although much decayed may
yet be ,deciphered. Judging from the remains
OF his dress, this unfortunate young man was
steward or officers servant, and his position
exactly verified the Exquimaux's assertion,
that they dropped as they walked along. On
reaching Cape Herschel next day, he examined
| Simpsons Cairn, or rather what remains of il,
which is only four feet high, and the central
stones have been removed, as if by men seek
ing something within it. Ny impression at the
time, and which still retain, is, that records
were deposited there by the retreating crews,
and subsequently removed by the natives. AZ
ter parting from me at Cape Victoria on the
2Sth of April, Lieut.. Hobson made tor Cape
Felix; at a short distance westward oft he found
blankets, old clothes, and other relics of a shoot
ing or magnetic station; but although the cairn
was dug under, and a trench dug all around it
at distance of ten feet, no record was discov-
cred. A piece of blank paper folded up was
found in the cairn, and two broken bottles,
which may perhaps have contained records, lay
beside it amongst some stones, which had fall
en- from of 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 was found, but neither records nor
relics obtained About three miles north of
Point Victory a second small cairn was exam
ined, but only broken pickaxe and empty
canister found. On the 9th of May, Lieut.. Hob
son pitched his tent beside large cairn upon
Point Victory. Lying amongst some loose
stones which had fallen from the top of this cairn
was found a small tin case containing record,
the substance of which is briefly, as follows
This cairn was built by the Franklin Expedi
ton, upon the assumed site of James Ross's
pillar which had not been found. The Erebus
and Terror spent their first winter at Beechy
| Island, after having assembled Wellington Chan
mel to latitude TO n, and returned by the
west side Of CORVALLIS Island. On the 18th
of september, 1916, they were beset in latitude
| ZOE 81 NJ, and 9So 23/ west. Sir John Frank
lin died on the 18th of June, ls47. On the
I'D Of April, l848 the ships were abandoned
FIVE leagues to the N. N. W. of Point Victory,
and the survivors, one hundred and five in
number, landed here, under the command of
Captain Crozier.' This paper was dated the
18th of April, l84s, and upon the following
day they intended to start for the Great Fish
river. The total loss by deaths IN the expedi-
ton up to this date was nine officers and IF.
teen men. A vast quantity of clothing and
stores of all sorts lay strewed about, as if here
every article was thrown away which could pos
sibly be dispensed with; pickaxes, shoyels,
boats, cooking utensils, iron work. rope, blocks,
canvas, adip-circle, sextant, engraved Fred.
eric Hornby, r. N small medicine chest,
oars, DC.
"Lieut Hobson continued his search until
within few days march of Cape Herschel,
- Gndi fron &C fho oc
natives He left full information of his impor-
tant discoveries for me; therefore, when re-
| turning northward by the west shore Of King
William Island, had the advantage of know
ing what had already been found. Soon after
leaving Cape Herschel, the traces of natives be-
came less numerous and less recent, and after
rounding the west point of the island they
ceased altogether. This shore is extremely
low and almost utterly destitute of vegetation
Numerous banks of single and low islets lie
off it, and beyond these, Victoria Strait is COW
cred with heavy and impenetrable packed ice
When in latitude 69' 81 NJ, and longitude 99o
27< W., we came to large boat, discovered by
Lieut.. Hobson few days previously, as his no
tice informed me. 1t appears that this boat
had been intended for the ascent of the Fish
river, but was abandoned apparently upon a
return journey to the ships, the sledge upon
which she was mounted being pointed in that
direction. She measured % feet in length, by
n 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 A
large quantity of clothing was found within her.
also two human skeletons. One of these lay in
the after part of the boat, under pile of cloth.
ing the other, which was much more disturbed,
probably by animals, was found in the bow.
Five pocket watches, quantity of silver spoons
and forks, and a few religious books, were also