Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-10-21
The Discovery of the Fate of
Sir John Franklin.

Sir John Franklin.
We give below an abstract trcceived by
the Canada's malis) of Captain M'Clintock'.
statement to the British government of his
researches relating to Sir John Franklin
/ viz;
The following describes what was found
on the sth of May
Most of our information was received from
an intelligent old woman; she said that it
was ON the fall Of the year that the ship was
forced ashore ; many Of the white men drop
ped by the way, as they went toward the
Great River; but this was only known to
them in tho winter following, when their
bodies were discovered.
Further discoveries were subsequently
made:
Recrcs,ing the Strait to King William ;.
Island we continued the examination of its
southern shore without success until the 9th
of May. when about ten miles eastward of
Cape Ilerschel, /. ble,ched skeleton was
found, around which lay fragments of Euro
pean clothins. Upon carefully removing
the snow a small pocket book was found con-
tanning a few letters-these, although h
much decayed, may yet be deciphered
Judging from the remains of his dress,
this unfortunate young man was a stew
ard or officers servant, and his position
exactly verified the Esquimaux's asscr-
ton that they dropped as they wake /
along.
After relating that near this place
we're found several cairns, with nothin.
in them {pro ,ably the records. If any had
been removed by the natives, the record
continues:
"On 9th Of May. Lieut.. Hobson pitch.
cd his tent beside large cairn upon
Point Victory. Lying among some
top of this carn, was found small tin
case containing record.the substance OF
which is briefly as follows:
"This cairn was built hy the franklin
expedition, upon the assumed site of
James Roses pillar, which had not been
found. The Erebus and Terror spent
their first winter at Beechy island. after
having ascenied Wellington Channel to
lat II deg. n, and returned by the wes.
side Of Cornwsllis Island. On the 18th
ot cSPtClipSls AotOs tuSS "SlO OGoSt III
lat 10 05 N. and Ion. 9S % W.
SIR John Frankl n died on the llth of
June, 1917 On the 22d April. 1913,
the ships were abandoned five leagues to
the n. n. W. Of Point Victory, ar d the
survivors, l05 in number. landed here
under the command Of Captain Cro-
zier.'
This pape, was dated 25th April, 1913.
and upon the following day they intend
ed to start for the Great Fish River. The
total loss by deaths in the expedition up
to this date, was 9 officers and Is men.
A vast quantity Of clothing and stores
Of all sorts lay strewed about, as if here
every article was thrown away that could
POSSIBLY be dispensed with-pick-axes,
shevels, boats. cooking utensils, iron
york, rope, blocks, canvass. dip circle,
s,xtant, engraved "Frcderic Hornby.
K. n" small medicine chest, oars, &c.
A few miles southwark, across the
Back Bay, second record was found,
having been deposited by Lieut.. Gore
aud N. des Veux in May, ls47. 1t af.
forded no additional information.
When in lat. SO 90 n, and lon. 90 81
W.. we came to large boat, disc ovsred
by Lieut.. Ho bson few days previously,
as his notice informed me. 1t appears
that this beat had been intended for the
ascent of the Fish River, but was aban-
doned apparently upon return journey
to the ships, the sledge upon which she
was mounted being pointed in that direc-
ton. She measured % feet in length
by l2 feet wide, was most carefully