Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-02-25

1S47, was signed by Lieut. Gore and Des
Vpux, the mate. But the mournful sequel is |
to be added. Around the margin of the paper, |
dated April, %, 1913, the words were written by
another hand that the Terror and Erebus were
deserted on the 22d of April having been be-
set since September IL, 1916 that Sir John
Franklin died on the lth June, 1S47 and that
the total loss by deaths in the expedition to that
date had been 8 officers and ID men. Such, in
a few words, was the sad taleIof all that we yet
know of the fate of Sir john Franklin. The
Spring of lS47 found the expedition within 80
miles of the known sea off the coast of Ameri
ca confident, no doubt, after having already in
two seasons sailed over 800 miles of previously
unexplored waters, of being able in the coming
navigable season to pass over so short an inter-
vening space. But this was not to be. Within
a month after the record was placed on Point
Victory, the gallant and beloved founder of the
expedition, Sir John Franklin, was dead and
the following Spring found Captain Crozier, on
whom the command devovcd, at King Williams
Island endeavoring to save his men from ter
rible death by perilous retreat.
On the 3Oth OF May, the party came upon
another melancholy relic which Hobson had
found few days before. This was q large boat,
containing vast quantity of tattercd clothing.
But not single article bore the name of its
former owner. The party was transfixed with
awe, when they discovered in the boat portion
of two human skeletons. One was that of a
slight young person, the other of large,
strongly-made, midde-aged man. The former
was found in the bow of the boat but in so dis
turbed a state that it could not be told whether
the sufferer had died there large and powerful
animals, probably wolves, had devoured much
of this skeleton, which NAV have been that of
an officer. Near Il were found the fragment of
pair of worked slippers and pair of small,
strong shooting halfboots. The other skeleton
was in somewhat more perfect state, and was
enveoped with clothes and furs. Close beside
it, were found five watches; and there were two
double-barreled guns-one barrel in each load
ed and cocked-standing muzzle upward against
the boats side. Five or six small books were
found all of them Scriptural or devotional
works, except the "Vicar of Wakefield" A.
mong the great quantity of clothing, there were
seven or eight pairs Of boots of various kinds
silk handkerchiefs, soap, sponge, toothbrush,
and hair combs. Beside these, were found twine,
nails, saws, files, bristles, wax lends, salmak ers'
palms, powder, bullets, shot, cartridges, wads,
leather cartridge-case, knives of different kinds,
needle and thread-cases, slow match, several
bavonet scabbards cut down into knife sheaths,
two rolls of sheet-lead, and an immense variety
of other articles, for the most part, such as mod
erp sledge-drvers would consider a useless ac-
cumuation, and very likely to break down the
strength of the crews. The only provisions in
the boat were tea and chocoate-no biscuit nor
meat of any kind. A portion of tobacco, and
an empty pemmcan tin were discovered. In
the after part Of the boat were twenty-six pieces
Of plate, of which eight bore the crest of Sir
John Franklin.
The position of this abandoned boat was a
bout 80 miles, as sledge would travel, from
Point Victory, 6j miles from the position of the
ships, 20 miles from the skeleton of the steward,
and $50 miles from Montreal Island. 1t is sup
posed by Captain MClntock that their boat was
returning to the ship; that the party were un-
able to drag it any further; and that these two
men, not being able to keep pace with their
shipmates were left by them, supplied with such
provisions as cold be spared to last until the
! return of the others from the ship with fresh
; stock.
The other relics of the expedition were o
nconsiderable Importance, and by the middle
of July. the brave little yacht which had endured
the trial of two successive Winters in Artic ice
was nearly ready for sea on her homeward voyage
1t was not, however, until the 2lst OF August
that she succeeded in fully escaping from her
Imprisonment and once more gaining the open
sea. The voyage from Greenland was made in
: 10 days, and on the Goth September, the Fox
and her intrepid officers and crew arrived in the
English Channel
The result of Sir John Frankln's explora.
tions according to Sir Roderick Murchison
was as follows He ascended Wellington Chan.
, nell then an unknown sea, to II deg. \. lat, q
more northern latitude in this meridian thar
that attained long afterward in ships by Sir Ed
; ward Belcher, and much to the north of the
points reached by Penny and De Haven. Next
he navigated round Cornwallis's Land which
he thus proved to be an island The discover,
! of navigable channel throughout, between
CORVALLIS and Bathurst Islands, though made
; in the very Summer he left England, has to thi:
, day remained unknown to other navigators
} Franklin then steered to the southwest, anC
probably passing down Peels Strait in 1916
and reaching as far at lat. 20 deg 05 min. n. ant
long. 6S deg. % min. W., where the ships wer,
beset, it is clear that he, who, with others, hat
previously ascertained the existence of a chan
( mel along the north coast of America, with which
the sea, wherein he found his grave commune
Gated, the first real discoyerer of the North
| West passage. fhis fact, therefore, must bt
! inscribed on the monument of Franklin.
) The narrative, of which we have thus giyer
t a slight abstract, is written with modest sim
plicity, which reflects high honor ON the persona
character of the author, while the record of hi'
acts presents brilliant illustration of his prac
teal energy and courage. The volume abound
r with vigorous and graphic descriptions of Arc
5 tic scenery, animated sketches of the appear
4 ance and customs of the natives, and fresh con
, tributions to the natural history of those remote
], and heaven.forsaken regions.-N. Y. Tribune
e CAUGHT IN HIS OwN TRAP.-Once two min
;stars Of tho orOcpal on avta am