Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1859-10-20


willing to communicate all their knowledge
stolen everything had they not been very close
ly watched. Many more relics of our coun.
trymen were obtained we could not carry
away all we might have purchased They
pointed to the inlet we had crossed the day
before, and told US that one days march up it,
and thence four days overland, brought them
to the wreck
None of these people had been there since
1878, at which time they said but little re
mained, their countrymen having carried away
everything.
Most of our information was received from
an intelligent old woman she said it was on
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 Riv-
er but this was only known to them in the
Winter following, when their bodies were dis
covered
They all assured US that we would find ma
tives upon the south-shore, at the Great Riv-
er, and some few at the wreck but unfortun-
ately this was not the case Only one family
were met off Point Booth, and none at Mon
treal Island or any place subsequently visited
Island were searched without finding anything
except a few scraps of copper and iron in an
Esquimaux hiding-pIace.
RecrosSing the Strait in King Williams
Island, we continued the examination of the
southern shore without success until the oath
of May, when about ten miles eastward of
Cape Hershell, bleached skeleton was found,
around which lay fragments of European cloth
ing Upon carefully removing the snow a
small pocket-book was found, containing a few
letters. These, although much decayed, may
yet be deciphered Judging from the remains
of his dress, this unfortunate youGg man was
steward or officers servant, and his position
exactly verified the Esqumauxs assertion, that
they dropped as as they walked along.
On reaching Cape HershelI next day. we ex-
amined Simpsons Cairn, or rather what re-
mains of 1t, which is only four feet high, and
the central stones have been removed, as if by
men seeking something within it, My impres,
sion at the time and which | still retain, is
that records were deposited there by the re-
treating crews, and subsequently removed by
natives.
After parting from me at Cape Victoria ON
the 28th of April. Lieut HosBoN made for
it he found very large carn, and close to it
three small tents, with blankets, old clothes,
and other relics, of shooting or magnetic
station but although the cairn was dug un-
der, and trench dug all around it at dis
tanCe of ten feet, no record was discovered
A piece of blank paper folded up was found
iu the cairn, and two broken bottles, which
may, perhaps, have contained records lay be
side it iu some stones which had fallen from of
the top The most interesting Of the articles
discovered here, including boat ensign, were
brought away by Mr.. HoBsoN. About two
miles further to the southwest q small cairn
was found, but neither records nor relics OBJ
taiued. About three miles north of Point
Victory u second small cairn was examined,
but only broken pickaxe and empty cannis-
ter found
On the 9th of May, Lieut. HoBsoN pitched
his tent beside large cairn upon Mount Vic
tory Lying among some loose stones which
had fallen from the top of this cairn, was found
a small tin case containing a record, the sub
stance of which is briefly as follows This
cairn was built by the Franklin expedition, up
on the assumed site of Sir JAMES Ross pillar,
which had not been found. The Ercbus and
Terror spent their first Winter at Beechy
Island, after having aScended Wellington
Channel to lat. 72 deg. n, and returned by
the West side of CORVALLIS Island. On the
18th of Sept, lS46 they were beset in lat
80 05 n, and long. 90 % W. Sir j. Frank
LIN died on the llth of June lS47. On the
22d of April lS4S, the ships were abandoned
five leagues to the n. n w of Point Victo
ry, and the survivors, l05 in number, landed
here under the command OF Capt CRozIER-
This paper was dated April %, lS48, and up,
on the following day they intended to start
for the Great Fish River The total loss by
deaths in the expedition up to this date, was
nine officers and fifteen men. A vast quantity
of clothing and stores of all sorts lay Strewed
abolt, as if here every article was thrown
away which could possibly be dispensed with
pckaxes, shoves, boats, cooking utensils, iron
work, rope, blocks, canvass, dip circle, a sex
| tant engraved FREDERIC HoRNBY, Il. N" O
small medicine chest, oars, &c
A few miles southwark. across Back Bay, a
second record was found, having been depoSi
ted by Lieut.. GORE and NJ. DEs VGUs in May
l847. 1t afforded no additional information
| Lieut. HoBsoN continued his search unit
within few days march of Cape Herschel
without finding any trace of the wreck or o.
natives. He left full information of his impor
taDt discoveries for me therefore, when re
turning nOrthward by the west shore of King
Williams Island. | had the advantage of know
ing what had already been found
Soon after leaving Cape Herschel the traces
of natives became less numerous and less re
cent, aud after rounding the west point of the
island they ceased altogether This shore il
extremely low, and almost utterly destitute o.
vegetation. Numerous banks of shinge anC
low islets lie off it, and beyond these Victoria
Strait is covered with heavy and impenetrablt
packed ice.
When in latitude 50 degrees N, and longi
tude SO degrees and 27 minutes W., we came
| To q larra boat discovered hv IIent HnRSnN