Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-02-25
MISCELLANY.
THE FATE OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN.
A Narrative ~ the Discovery Of the Fate of
Sir John Franklin IA nd his Com pm ~ ions.

A Narrative ~ the Discovery Of the Fate of
Sir John Franklin aud his Companions.
by Captain MClintock, Il. N, LID. PIP. 375. Tick
nor & Fields.
Immediately after the return of DIR. Rae, in
1854, with some relics of Sir John Franklin's
expedition, Lady Franklin determined to APP
propriate the remainder of her fortune (already
much exhausted by previous searchcs) to an cx-
ploration of the localities in which the last
traces of her husband had been discovered
The Government had declined taking any part
in further enterprises for that purpose from a
conviction that, as there was no prospect of
saving life, it would be wrong to expose the
officers and men to the perils inseparable from
such an undertaking. Lady Franklin, accord
ingly, at once commenced preparing to send out
an expedition, equipped and stored at her own
expense. Several friends of the cause, includ-
ing some of the most distinguished scientific
men in England, volunteered their aid, and thus
a considerable additional sum was raised in fur
therance of the effort.
On the 18th of April, 1857, Lady Franklin
offered the command of the proposed expedition
to Capt. M'Clntock, by whom it was most cheer
fully accepted. \ better choice could hardly
have been made Capt. MClintock had already
served in three consecutive expeditions from
1913 to 1854 was conversant with all the de-
tails of the service; was deeply interested in
the cause; and had eminently distinguished
himself in the voyages of Sir John Ross and
Captain Austin, and especially in his extensive
journeys on the ice, when associated with Capt.
Kellett.
The screw-yacht Fox, of III tons burder
which had been purchased for the enterprise,
was placed at his disposal and arrangements
made to speedily refit her for the voyage. Her
velvet hangings and splendid furniture were, of
course, removed the large skylghts and capa-
cious ladder-ways were reduced to limits more
suitable to polar cline; the whole vessel was
externally sheathed with stout planking, and in
ternally fortified by strong cross-boams, longi-
tudinal beams, iron stancheons, and diagonal
tastenings; the false keel was taken off, the
slender brass propeller replaced by more mas
siye iron one, the boiler taken out, altered, and
enlarged the sharp stem cased in iron until it
rcsembled ponderous chscl set up edgeways
and the whole rig of the yacht adapted to her
new and hazardous duties. The strictest econ
omy was necessarily observed in the internal
fitting up of the vessel. The officers were
crammed into little cabins hardly better than
pigeon holes, in order to make room for proyis-
ions and stores. The mess-room for five per-
sons measuring eight feet square. The only ap-
paratus for heating the yacht was few very
small stoves.
As soon as the design of the enterprise was
made known, many old shipmates of Captain
MClintock, in previous Arctic voyages, offered
their services, and in this way an excellent crew
was obtained, seventeen out of the twenty five
persons Of whom it was composed having al
ready served in the Arctic search. The second
in command was Lieut.. W. b. Hobson, an Off
Ger distinguished in Arctic service. An intelli-
gent commander in the mercantile marine, Capt
.h.. l,,l
Black Sea during the greater part of the Cri-
mean campaign. joined the expedition as sailing
master. DIR. David Walker volunteered for the
post of surgeon and naturalist; and just before
sailing, Carl Petersen, the Esquimaux inteipre
ter for Capt Penny and DIR. Kane, arrived from
Copenhagen to take part in the enterprise.
Provisions sufficient for twenty-eight months
were taken on board, including preserved veg
etables, lemon juice and pickles, for daily con
sumption, and preserved meats for every thirt
day, together with as large a supply of Allsop',
stoutest ale as room could be found for. Sew
eral tons of pemmican were added to the stores
composed of prime beef cut into thin slices anC
mixed with about an equal weight of meltet
beef fat.
The little vessel sailed from Aberdeen on tn,
first of July, and arrived in Melville Bay on tn,
twelfth of August. Thus far the voyage hat
to press in, covering the whole bay toward tn,
north, quite in the steep face of the great gla
| cier which takes the place of the coast line
| The appearance of this stupendous glacier, ex
tending its unbroken length for 40 or 80 miles
was in the highest degree imposing. Its sea
| cliffs, at the distance of 3 or miles, seemed
comparatively low, yet the icebergs detached
from it were of the loftiest description. Th
far-of outline seen against the eastern sky, hat
faint tinge of yellow; it was almost horizon
tai, and of unknown distance and elevation.-
There was an unusual dearth of birds and seals
everything around was painfully still, excep
when an occasional iceberg was split off from
the parent glacier; when rumbling crash wa
heard, like distant thunder.
After several Intellectual attempts to escap
from the ice, it became apparent, before tn
close Of August, that the vessel would be com
PEELED to winter in the pack The dreary sea
son passed away more cheerfully than one woul,
imagine; Christmas was celebrated by genera
festival; hams, plum-puddings, preserved goose
berries and apples, nuts, sweetmeats, and Bur
ton ale graced the merry board; the officer
joining with the crew in the convivial enjoyment
of the day. Nor was the arrival of the Ne,
Year permitted to pass without "observanc
due" Exactly at midnight the band, consist
ing of two flutes and an accordeon, struck up
lively tune at the door of the captain, and
procession was formed of amateurs in grotesqu
apparel, armed with frying-p pans, gridirons, ket
ties, pots and pans, with which to add to tn
charms of the concert.
After almost incredible perils, the vessel wa
once more in the open sea, on the 26th of Apri
having been carried back by the floating ic
nearly fourteen hundred miles, the longest drii
ON record. Steering for Holsteinborg, the ex