Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1869-10-30
Halls Arctic journey.

N"f'' W : IIdli, tHc ciIllHCIJ ArctIl
explorer, who returned to New Bedford on
Sunday, September 9th. from five years
search for the remains of Sir John Frank.
Inns companions, has written an interest.
ing letter TO Mr.. Henry Grinncll, giving
the details of his cruise, together with the
unmistakablc evidence of the fate of Sir
John and his party. We make the fol.
lowing extracts:
SKELETONS OF FRANKLIN's CREWS.
The result of my sic lgc journey to King
Williams Land may be summed up thus :
None of Sir John Franklin's company cy-
er reached or died on Montreal Island.
II was late in July, 1S4S, that Croz.cr and
his party Of about forty or fifty passed
down the ives. coast of King William $
Land. in the vicinity of Cape IIcrschcl.
The party was dragging two slcdscs on
the Sca-ce. which was nearly in its last
stage of dissolution-onc large sledgc
laden with an awnn"-covcrcd boat, and
the other, a small one laden with provis-
ions and camp material. just before Gro
zicr and panty arrived at Cape IIcrschcll.
they were met by four families of natives.
and both parties went into camp near each
other. Two ESquimaux men, who were of
the native party. gave me much sad, but
deeply interesting information Some of
it stirred up my heart with sadness. inter
mia lied with rage, for it was Il confession
that they with their companions did secret
ly and hastily abandon Crozicr and his
party to suffer and die for need of fresh
provisions, when. in TRUTH it was in the
power of the natives to save every man
alive. The next trace of Crozier and his
party is to be found in the skeleton which
Met tlntock discovered little below. to
the southwark and eastward of Cape Her.
schcll; this was never found by the ma
tivcs.
The next trace is a camping place ON
the sca-shorc of King Williams Land
about three miles eastward of PtcHcr river,
where two men had received Christian bur-
ial. At this place ii,l-boncs were found
10y the natives, which showed them that
Crozicr and his party had caught while
there Il species of fish excellent for food
with which the sea there abounds. The
trace Of this party occurs some five or six
miles eastward, on a long, low point of
King Williams Lands. where one man
del and was buried. Then about 5. :.
H., two aud half miles further, the next
trace occurs. On Todd's Inlet, where the
remains Of five men lie. The next GER
tain trace Of this party is on the west side
of the inlet west of Point Richardson, on
some low land that is an island or part of
the main land, as the tide may be- Here
the awning boat and the remains
Of about thirty or thrty-fvc of Cozicr's
party were found by the native Poo-yct-ta
of whom Sir John Ross has given a de-
scripton in the account of his voyage in
the Nictory-lS29-3i.
In the spring of 1889, large tent was
found by some of the natives whom saw,
the floor of which was completely covered
with the remains of white men. Close by
were two graves. This tent was little
way inland from the head of Terror Bay.
In the spring of 1861, when the snow
was nearly all gone, an Esquimaux party,
conducted by native wcll-known through
out the northern regions, found two boats,
with many skeletons in and about them.
One of these boats had been previously
found by McClintock the other was found
lying from one'quartcr to one-half mile dis
tant, and must have been completely en-
tombed in snow at the time McClintock's
parties were there, or they most assuredly
would have seen it. In and about these
boats, in addition to the many skeletons
alluded to, were found many relies, most
of them similar in character to those Nc
Clintock has enumerated as having been
found in the boat he discovered. The ma
tive who conducted this native party in
its search over King Williams Land is the
same individual who gave DR.. Rae the
first information of white men having died
to the westward ofwhere he DIR. Rae)
then was Pelly Bay, in the spring of
1854. His name is In-nook- -poo-zhe-j jock,
and he is a native of Neitchillie, great
traveller, and very intelligent. He is, in
fact, walking history of the fate of Sir
John Franklin's expedition. This native
l met when within one days sledge jour-
uey of King Williams Land.
RELICS OF FRANKLIN.
! could have gathered great quantities
"A very great variety-of relics Of Sir
John Frankln's Expedition, for they arc
now possessed by natives all over the Arc
tic regions that visited or heard of-from
Ponds Bay to Mackenzie River. AS it
was l had to be satisfied with taking upon
our sledgcs about one hundred and twcn-
ty-lve pounds total weight of relics from
the natives about King Williams Land.
Some of those l will cnumcrate: 1st. A
portion of one side (Sevcral planks and
ribs fast toscthor) of boat, clinker built,
copper fastened. This part Of boat is of
the one found near the boat found by Nc
Clintock's party. I'd. A small oak sledge
runner, reduced from the sledgc on which
the boat rested. Sd. Part the mast ofthe
Northwest Passage ship. 4th Chronom-