The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1869-10-21

er to Mr.. Henry Grinnell, gives a
graphic account of his recent expedi-
ton to King Williams Land, and of
the finding of fresh evidences of the
fate of Sir John Franklin and his
mon:
REFUSE BAY, jane 20, 1869.
Henry Grinnell-Dear Sir-This
day have returned from q sledge
Tourney of ninety days to and from
King Williams Land. 1t was my
purpose, and every preparation was
made, to make the journey last sea-
son; bat my attention then having been
called TO Melville Peninsula, in the
vicinity Of Fury and Hecla Straits,
where native report had it that white
men had been seen, l directed my ex-
pedition there by way of Ami toke,
Oog-lik Isle, Ig-loo lik, with the ar
dent hope and expectation of rescuing
alive some of Sir John Franklin's last
companions.
The result Of this journey was the
finding Of Il tenting place of a few
white men, and stone pillar they
had erected close by it, at the bottom
of Parry Bay, which is some fifty
miles south of the western outlet of
Fury and Hecla Straits, and the visit
ing ofseveral places where white men
and their traces had been seen by ma
tives of Ig-loo-lik and vicinity in or
about the years 16G6-67. 1 also
gained much information from the
natives Of X loo-lik, North Oog liz
Isle, and thercabouts, that confirmed
the report had heard in the winter
of 1S67-68, which l have already
stated And still further proofs OF
this report have been also obtained on
my late visit to King Williams Land.
My sledge journey to the Straits Of
Fury and Hocia, and thence down to
Parry Bay and back to Repulse Bay
by the route already defined, consum-
cd ninety-six days.
The result of myslodge journey to
King Williams Land may be summed
up thus: None of Sir John Frank
Inns companions ever. reached or died
on Montreal Island. 1t was date in
July, l848, that Crozier and his party
Iof about forty or forty-fve, passed
down the west coast of King Will
liam's Land in the vicinity of Cape
Herschel. The party was dragging
two sledges on the sea-ice, which wat
nearly in it's last stages of dissolution
t-one, large sledgo laden with ar
awning-covered boat, and the other
small one, laden with provisions anC
camp materials. Just before Croziel
and party arrived at Cape Herschel
they were met by four families Of ma
tives, and both parties went int
camp near each other. Two Esqui
maux men, who were of the native
party, gave me much sad, but deeply
interesting information.
Some of it stirred my heart will
sadness, intermingled with rage, fo
it was confession that they, will
their companions, did secretly ant
hastily abandon Crozier and his par
tv to suffer and die for need of fresI
provisions, when, in truth, it was il
the power of the natives to save ever,
man alive. The next trace of Crozie
and his party is to be found in tn
skeleton which McClintock discovered
a little below, to the southwark an,
eastward of Cape Herschel; this wa
never found by the natives. TIL
next trace is a eamping-place on tn
sea-shore of King Williams Land
4 4about three miles eastward of Pfeit
fer's River, where two men died an
received Christian burial. At thi
place ish-bones were found by tn
natives, which showed that Crozie
and bis party had caught, while there
a species Of fish excellent for food
with which the sea there abounds.
The next trace of this party occur
some FIVE or six miles eastward, on
long, low point of King William
} Land, where one man died and wa
buried. Then about S. S. E, tw
and half miles further, the mex
trace occurs on Todd's Inlet, wher
the remains offive men lie. The mex
certain trace of this party is on th
west side of the Inlet west of Poir
Richardson, on some low land that
an island or a part of the main land
as the tide may be. Here the avn
UNCOVERED boat and the remains {
about thirty or thirty-fve of Crozier
marty were found by the native POI
yet-ta, of whom Sir John Ross hf
> given description in the account
his voyage in Victoria, 1829-34.
In the spring of1849, large ter
was found by some Of the native
whom 1 saw, the floor of which WI
completely covered with the remair
OF white men. Close bv were tV