Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-10-20
Relics of Sir John Franklin.

| HAoH ouf nioS VI Elglsn pdperS, VIC cohuenso
the following in relation to the expedition in
search of SIR John Franklin. An abstract of
Capt. McClintocks statements of his researches
is as follows:
" Most of our information was received from
an Intelligent old woman she said that 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"
Further discoveries were subsequently made:
" Recrossing the Strait to King Williams
Island, we continued the examination of its
southern shore without success until the 24th
of May,when about ten miles eastward of Cape
Herschel, bleached skeleton was found around
which lay fragments of European clothing
Upon carefully removing the snow, a 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 yonng man was stew
ard or officers servant, and his position exactly
verified the Esquimaux's assertion that they
droppeda as they walked along"
After relating that near this place were
found several cairns, with nothing in them,
(probably the records, if any, had been re-
moved by the natives,) the record continues:
"On the 9th of May, Lieut.. Hobson pitched
his tent beside large cairn upon Point Victo-
ry, Lying amongst some loose stones which
had fallen from the top of this cairn, was found
small tin case containing record, the sub
stance Of which is briefly as follows:
" This cairn was built by the franklin expe-
diton upon the assumed site of John Ross s
pillar, which has not been found. The Erebus
and Terror spent their first winter at Beechy
Island, after having assembled Wellington Chan
mel to latitude 76 deg. N, and returned by the
west side of CORVALLIS Island. On the 18th
of September, 1916, they were beset in latitude
70 05 N, and longitude 90 90 W.
Sir John Franklin died on the llth of June,
lS47. On the 22d of April, lS4S, the ships
We're abandoned five leagues to the N. N. W.
of Point Victory, and the survivors, l05 in
number landed hero under the command of
Captain Crozier." This paper was dated 25th
of April, lS47, and upon 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 officers and Is men.
." A vast quantity of clothing and stores OF
all sorts lay strewed about as il here every ar
ticle was thrown away which could possibly be
dispensed ,wth-pick-axes, shoyels, boats, cook
ing utensils, iron work, rope, blocks, canvas,
Il dip circle, sextant, engraved Frederic
Hornby, R. NJ a small medicine chest, oars,
&C., &c.
"a few miles southwark, across Back Bay,
IL second record was found, having been deposit
ed by Lieut. Gore and NJ des Veux, in May,
lS47. 1t afforded no additional information.
When in latitude 60 deg 90 min. N, and
longitude so deg 27 min. W., we came to a
large boat discovered by Lieut.. Hobson few
days previously, as his notice informed me. 1t
appears that this boat had been intended for
the ascent of the Fish River, but was abandon
ed apparently upon a return journey to the
ships, the sedge upon which she was mounted
being pointed in that direction. She measured
% feet in length by 7 l-2 feet wide, was most
carefully fitted, and made as light as possible,
but the sodgo was of solid oak, and almost as
heavy us the boat.
"A large quantity of clothing was found
within her, also two human skeletons. One OF
these lay in the alter part Of the boat, under a
pile of clothing the other, which was much
more disturbed, probably by animals, was
found in the bow. Five pocket watches, q
quantity of silver spoons AMI forks, and few
religious books were also found, but no journ
ais, pocket.books, or even names upon any ar
ticle of clothing.
Two double barrclled guns stood upright
against the boats side, precisely as they had
been placed eleven years before. One barrel In
each was loaded and cooked there was ammu-
milton l.. abundance also some 30 or 40 pounds
of chocolate, some tea and tobacco. Fuel was
not wanting; drift tree lay within 100 yards
Of the boat"
Many deeply interesting relics of our coun'
trymen have been picked up upon the western
shore of King Williams Island, and Others OBJ
taned from the Esquimaux, by whom we were
J informed that subsequent to their abandonment,
: one ship was crushed and sunk by the ice, and
the other forced on shore, where she has ever
since been, affordlng them an almost inexhaustl-
nile mine of wealth.
Among the interesting relics gained from the
Boothian Esquimaux, near the magnetic pole'
were seven knives made by the natives out OF
, materials gained from the last expedition, one
knife without u han lle, one spearhead and
staff, (the latter having broken oif,) two files, a
large spoon or scoop, the handle of pine or bone,
the bowl of musk OK horn, six silver spoons and
forks, the property Of Sir John Franklin, Lieuts
H. De Vesconte and Fairholme, A. Mcdonald
Assistant Surgeon, and Lieut.. Il. Couch, (sup
posed from the initial letter L and crest lion
head, a small portion of "a gold watch chain d
{ broken piece of ornamental work, apparently
y silver gilt few small naval and other meta
buttons silver medal obtained by Mr.. Me
Donald as prize for superior attainments at Q
= medical examination in Edinburgh, April
9 1898, some bows and arrows in which wood
: iron or copper has been used in the construc
% tion-of no other interest.
o The spear staff measures feet 3 inches ii
y length, and appears to have been part of ligh
boats rail it measured (before being partially
rounded to adapt it to its present use) about
st | l-2 to l 3-8 inches; is made of English oak
l. L. L.. AaA A.urhsA H.