The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-10-10

TIE MYSTERY OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN's FATE
CLEARED Ur.-While the interesting discoveries
recently made in the Arctic regions, by Captain
McClintock and the crew of the yacht Fox set at
rest forever all hopes and fears as to the fate
of Sir John Franklin and his brave comrades
they stamp upon the records of Arctic investi
CATION melancholy tale Of suffering, and an
instance Of fortitude and devotion to duty al
most without parallel. Stimulated by the un-
dying love of woman, the hopeful nature, the
unyiclding energy Of a fond wife, the little band
Of the Fox set out to make the final search for
the remains of the crews of the Erebus and Ter
ror, that history might at least be able to tell
where and when they persisted. In this endea-
vor they were successful. Falling in with such
traces Of the missing ships, and such informa-
ton from the Esquimaux as they required, the
adventures were enabled to discover the track
of their predecessors, and follow up the trail
accurately, meeting at intervals the mournful
traces of their last journey from the abandoned
ships across the desolate regions ofsnow and ice.
The records found by Captain McClintock at
Point Victory, a full account Of which we pub
Iished yesterday establish the fact beyond ques-
ton that Sir John Franklin died in the midst Of
his faithful companions, on the 18th of June,
lS47, and that the ships were abandoned ten
months later on the 22d of April, l848 more
than eleven years ago. Turning their faces
southwark, the surviving adventures, num-
bering q hundred and five out of the
and fxuan prnn
menced their march over the ice towards
region where they expected to find deer
shooting, and doubtless, also, with view to
carry out, if possible, the object Of the expe-
dition, by ascending Fish river. All the traces
found of them intimate that they were not
short of provisions ammunition or fuel; for, in
or around every cairn were evidences of album
dance; yet they dropped away on that desolate
path, one after the other, until the last one
persisted. The skeletons of some were found
lying in boats, others bleached upon the SHOWS,
surrounded by the relics of home and friends.
How long they held out against the terrors Of
their situation after the 25th of April, 1913, the
date Of the record, will never be known;
enough, they persisted one by one, and they
have mouldered where they fell, in the midst of
silence and desolation, under the SHOWS of
eleven winters.
The fate of these gallant men, as now ascer-
tanned, bears out the assertions which DR.. Rae
made after his search in 1854, that Sir John
Franklin and his crew were not the victims of
Esquimaux treachery, but had probably taken
q course to the southwark over the ice, and
persisted on the journey. All uncertainty as
TO their fate being now set at rest it is pre-
sumable that the expedition Of the Fox is in
deed the final one to the Arctic regions. With
the discovery Of the Northwest Passage or open
sea by Capt. Mcclure came also the conviction
that it was impracticable for purposes Of navi-
cation. No discoveries have since been made
to afford any hope Of better results from Arctic
explorations, and we trust that the solution Of
this twelve years mystery will be the signal to
abandon all further attempts demanding SO
heavy sacrifice of gallant and chivalrous
ives.