Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1859-10-12
CAPTAIN McCLINTOCK'S DISCOVERY OF TIL
FATE OF FRANKLIN AND THE EREBUS AN
TERROR "

CAPTAIN McCLINTOCKS DISCOVERY OF THE
nAIE OF FRANKLIN AND THE EREBUS AND
The following has been addressed the Secretary OF
tho Admiralty
'YAcHr Fox u. "
Sir beg You will inform the Lords Commission.
ers OF the Admiralty of the safe this country of
Lady Frankin's Final Searching Expedition which
have had the honor to conduct
Their Lordshps will rejoice hear that our enlea.
yors to ascertain the fate of the Franklin Expedition
have met with complete success.
At Point Victory, on the northwest coast Of King
Williams Island, record has been found dated the a5b
ot April 1878, and sgacd by Captains Crozer and Fitz
james. by it informed that Her Msesty's shin
Ereb"S and Terror were abandoned the 22d of April
1915 IN the ice five leagues the " n w and that the
survivorsin all amounting los souls under the com
mand OF Captain Crozer-were proceeding to the Great
Fish River Sir John Franklin had died on the IIh Of
June, lSiT.
Many deeply interesting relics of our lost country
men have been picked up upon the Western shore of
King Williams Island, and others obtained from the F..
qumanN. by whom were informed that subsequent to
ther abandonment one ship was crushed and sunk by
the ice and the other forced shore where she has
ever since been, aoriing them almost iueXhausble
mine of wealth.
Being unable to penetrate beyond Beilot Strnit the
For wntcred Ia Brenord Bay aud the search including
the estuary Of the Great Fish River and the discovery of
500 miles Of coast line by which have united the eN.
plorai'ons ot the former senching expeditions to the
North and west Ofour position with those ofJames Ross
Deae, aud simpson aud Rae the South has been Der
formed by slcdge journeys this Spring conducted by
Lieutenant hobson, X n, Captsin Allen Young and
myself.
" As somewhat detailed report of our proceedings
will doubtless be interesting to their Lord4h6 il i here
with enclosed, together with chart of our discoveries
and explorations, and at the earliest opportunity will
prt myself the Admiralty to afford further
ton aud lay before their ordshps the record founJ At
Fort victory. have the honor to he &c,
- l.. hcCLINrocE, Captin Il ~"
The enclosure referred 10 above gives a minute &C
count OF the searches made by the crpcdonsry p,r.
Of May.
"I now gave Lieut. Hobson directions 10 search for
the wreck and to follow up any he might Rnd up
on King Williams Island.
" Accompanied hy nv own party and Mr. Peterson
marched along the shore Of King Williams Island
occasionally passing deserted snow hu- but without
meeting naive ti the Sch OF MAY when on Cape Nor.
ton, We arrived at village containing about thrt,
Inhabitants They gathered about without the sigh
est appearance Of fear shynes although none had cy.
er seen living white people before They were most willing
to communicate all their Lnowlcdre aud b,rter nj, tbei5
goods but would have stolen had they not been
very closely watched Many relies of our country
men were obtained could not cary away all VI might
have purchased They pointed TO the inlet had cross
ed the day before and told us that one DAYS march nm
It, and thence four days overland brought them to the
wreck
"None Of these people hsd been there since Is,7-s
at which time they said but little remained their coun.
trymcu having carried away almost everything.
Most oi our information received from an inel
g'n old woman she 1id i was f. the fall Of the wear
that the ship was forced ashore. many Of the white men
dropped by the way they went towards the Great Eiv
or but this was only known 10 them 10 the winter r
I lowing when their bodies were discovered
They All assured us that We would find natives upop
The south Shore at hc Great River and some few nt c
wreck hut, unfortunately ui. was not the case On,
one family was met With Of Point Booth and none at
/ Montreal Island or any place subsequently visited
Point Oglc, Montreal l-lind and Barrow Island were
searched without finding anything except few scraps Of
| copper aud iron In ln EsqumauN hiding place
"Rccrossing the Strait TO King Williams Island VI,
continued The examination Of iis southern shore without
success until the 2th Of Nav, whom about ten mile
castWard Of Cape llerschcl a blcarhcd skeleton vas
found around which lay fragments Of European cloth.
ing Upon carefully removing the SNOW small pocket.
book found containing few lcticrs These although
much decaycd, may vet be dcciphcrcd. Judging from
the remains oi his dross. this unfortunate young man
was steward or officers servant and his position cS.
acy verified The EsquimauN assertion that they drop.
/ ped rs they walked along.
| "On reaching Capc Hcrschcl next day he examined
simpsons caitn rather what remains Of t. whi. Be-
only four feet hg and the central stones have been rc
moved as " bv men seeking something within u Nv
impression Al the time, and which sii rct1in is that
records were deposited there by the retreatug crews
/ aud subsequently removed by the natives
| "Atcr parting from me AZ Cape Victoria on the ash
OF April. Lieutenant llobson made for Cape Frv Ata
short distance westward Of IT, be found a very largo
csirn, and close 10 three small tents With blankets
old clothes, and other relics of shooting or magnetic
station but although the cairn was dug under and a
french dug All round a. distance Of 10 feet no re-
cord was discovered piece Of blank paper folded up
was found IN the calrn and tvO broken bottles which
may, perhaps, haye contained records lay beside IL