The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1860-02-24
The Last of Sir John Frank
Inns EXpe ditiOn.
DISCOVERY OF CRozIER's REcoRD-THE DE.
SERTED BoAT-sKELEToNs AND RELICS.

DISCOVERY OF CRozIER's RECORD-THE DE-
SERTED BoAT-sKELEToNs AND RELICS.
From The aduane sheets Of Capt. Nc Gin
toch's " Voya7e Of the Fox."
Upon the 9th Of May, 1859, we
reached the western extreme of King
Williams Island in lat. 69o0S N, and
long. 10O00S ". 1 named it after Capt
Crozier of the "Terror," the gallant lead
er of that 9 Forl'rn Hope" Of which we
now just ootainel tidings. The coast we
marched along was extremely Iowa
mere series Of ridges of limestone shingle,
almost destitute of fossils. The only
tracks of animals seen, were those of a
bear and a few foxes-the only living
creatures few willow grouse. Traces
even of the wandering Esquimaux, became
much less frequent after leaving Cape
Erschel. Here were found only few
circle Of stones, the sites of tenting places !;
but SO moss grown as to be of great age.
The prospect to seaward was not less for
bidding-a rugged surface of crushed up
pack, including much heavy ice. In these
shallow, ice covered seas, seals are seldom
found and it is highly probable that all
animal life in them is as scarce as upon
the land.
From Cape Crozier the coast line was
found to turn sharply away to the east
ward; and early in the morning of the
3Oth of May, we encamped alongside a
large boat - another melancholy relic
which Hobson had found and examined a
few days before, as his note left here in
formed me; but he had failed to discover
record, journal, Or pocket book, or memo
randum book of any description.
A vast quantity of ta.tered clothing was
lying in her, and this we first examined.
Not single article bore the name Of its
former owner. The boat was cleared out
and carefully swept that nothing might
escape us. The snow was then removed
from about her, but nothing whatever was
found
The boat measured % feet long, and :
feet 3 inches wide she was built with a
view to lightness and light draught of
water, and evidently equipped with utmost
care for the ascent of Great Fish River );
she had neither oars nor rudder, paddles
supplying their place, and as large rem
nant of light canvass, commonly called
No. 8, was found, and also small block
for reeving sheet through, suppose she
had been provided with sail. A slsping
canvass roof or rain awning, had al>o
formed part Of her equipment. She was
fitted with weather cloth inches high,
battened down all around the gunwaie,
and supported by 2 iron stauncheons, so
placed as to serve likewise for rowing
thowells. There We're so fathoms of deep
sounding line, near her, as an ice grapnel
She appeared originally to have been car
vel built; but for the purpose of reducing
weight, very thin fir panks had been sub
stltuted for her seven upper strakes, and
put on "clincher" fashion.
The weight of the boat alone was about
700 or 500 lbs. only, but she was mount
ed on a sledge of unusual weight and
strength. 1t was constructed of two oak
planks q feet 4 inches in length, inches
IN width, and with an average thickness
of = inches. These pIanks formed the
sides or runners of the sledge; they were
connected by five cross bars of oak, each
four feet long, and four inches by 81 inch,
es thick, and bolted down to the runners
the underneath part of the latter were shod
with iron. Upon the cross bars five sad
dies supporting chocks for the boat were
lashed, and the drag ropes by which the
crew moved this massive sle1ge and the
weights upon it consisted Of p incl
whale line.
have calculated the weight of this
sledge to be $50 pounds it could not have
been less, and may have been considerably
more. The total weight of boat anc
sled dge may be taken at 1,400 pounds
which amounts to heavy load for sever
strong healthy men.
The only marking about the boat were
those upon her stem, by which we learned
that she was built by contract, was recev
ed into the Woowich dockyard in April
1S49, and was numbered 81. There ma,
have been fourth figure to the righ
hand, as the stem had been reduced in or
der to tighten the boat. The ground the
sled rested upon was the usual limeston,
shlngie, perfectly fiat, and probably over
flowed at times every summer, as tht
stones were imbedded in ice.
The boa. was partially out of her cradle
upon the sledge, Sd as to lead ME 20 sup
pose that it was the effect of vioIen
north west gale. She was barely, if a
all. above the reach of occasional tides.
One hundred yards from her upon tn
land side, lay the stump of fir tree, l:
feet long, and 16 inches in diameter at
feet above the roots Although the ic
had used it roughly during It's drift to thi
shore, and rubbed off every vestige Q
bark, yet the wood was perfectly sound.
may have been and probably has been ly
ing there for twenty or thirty years, an
during such period would suffer less de
cay in this region of frost, than in one
sixth Of the time at home. Within fe,
yards of it, | noticed some scanty tufts c
grass.
But all these were after observations
there was that in the boat that transfxe
US with awe. 1t was portion Of two hu
man skeletons. One was that Of Sigh
young person the other Of large, strong
ly made, middle aged man. The forme
was found in the bow of the boat, but j
too much disturbed state to enable Hot
son to judge whether the sufferer die
there LARGE and nowersnl animals. prob;