The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1878-06-04
THE FRANKLIN SEARCH.
Esquimaux Reports Respectiny sir
John FPanklin's Expedition.

We noted the reported existence OF
records of Sir John F-anklin's expedition
at page "a of our last number. The
matter has since been carefully inves-
tigated by Chief Justice DAILY, the presi-
dent of the American Geographical
Society, who gave the results in his
recent annual address.
The ascertained facts are as follows:
In 1872 Captain Potter, in command OF
an American whaler in Hudson's Bay,
met some Esquimaux of the Nachili tribe
near Whale point, to the south OF
Repulse bay. The Nachilis are natives
of the Boothla isthmus, often mentioned
in the narrative of Sir John Ross. They
told him that party of whale men came,
a long time before, to place in the Gulf
of Boothia, where the Nachili were then
wintering, and that they all died there.
Captain Potter also obtained some silver
and other things belonging to the Frank
lin expedition from these people. In
1877 Mr.. ThomasF. Barry, in the whaler
A. Houghton, belonging Messrs. Nor
rison & Brown, of New York, wintered
at Marble island, off the mouth of the
Wager River. He was visited by other
Esquimaux of the Nachili tribe.
from whom he obtained a spoon with Sir
John Franklin's crest upon it. They told
him exactly the same story as had been
told to Captain Potter five years before.
Two, who were between fifty and sixty
years Of age, said that they had seen the
white men. They added that the white
men had leader, but that when the
spring came they were all dead. After
a good many had died the lest made a
cairn and put under it some things like
the book in which Barry was writing.
and which the Nachili examined. They
offered to 60 and point out the spot where
the cairn still remains, with the book
under it; but it involved a journey Of
several hundred miles, and Barry was
unable to undertake it. When asked to
point out the position of the island where
the white men died on the map they
always put their fingers on q spot in the
unexplored part of the Gulf of Boothia,
northwest of the entrance to Fury and
Hecla strait, in the direction of Felix
Harbor of Ross, on the east coast of
Boothia. The wonderful accuracy of
these people in delineating coast lines and
islands within their actual knowledge is
well known from the narratives of Parry
and Ross.
Chief Justice Daily has had long and
a long and satisfactory conversation with
Mr. Barry, and is thoroughly satisfied of
his truthfulness; while Joe (the faithful
companion of Captain HalD bears testi-
mony to Barry's competent knowledge
of the Esquimaux language. Sir John
Ross found that the Nachilis of Boothia
were we'll acquainted with the rout to
Repulse bay; and both Ross and Parry
ascertained that the Esquimaux were
acquainted with an extent of country
equal to 400 miles of coast, so that the
presence of Nachili at Whale point is
quite probable.
We fully concurin the opinion of Chief
Justice DAILY, that these reports, whether
accurate or not, are sufficiently impor-
tant to call for a searching investigation
on the spot. The fact of the same story
having been told by separate parties Of
the Nachili tribe in 1872 and again in
1877, is a proof. at allevents, of bona tides,
and to the belief of the tribe in the truth
of what they say; while the testimony of
two men who were alive and present
when the strangers died is presump tive
evidence Of its accuracy. Moreover, a
version of the same story was told to
Hall in 1876 when he wintered near
lgloolik. He received information that
some of Franklin's people had been in
Fury and Hecla strait. He also heard
of cairn built by white men, which he
visited in the spring on the west coast of
the Gulf Of Akkoolee. 1t proved to be
a cairn built by Hudson's bay explorers
in 1874. But this was quite distinct
report from that referring to the white
men in Fury and Hecla strait. The lat
ter is no doubt a version of the same
story that was told Mr.. Barry, and, SO
far as it goes, is confirmation of it.
Hall actually found relics Of white men at
Clifford river, on the north side of Fury
and Hecla strait, in June, 1868.
A comparison of the reports of the
Nachili Esquimaux with the facts already
ascertained respecting the fate of the
Franklin expedition will throw some
light upon the question.
On the 22d of April, 1S4S, the Erebus
and Terror were abandoned, and on the
10Th, the officers and men, consisting of
lO5 souls, were at Point Victory, on the
northwest coast of King William island.
This fact was discovered by Sir Leopold
McClintock and Captain Hudson, when
they found q record containing the infor.
nation and signed by Captains Crozier
Fitzjames. On the 26th the officers and
men were to start for Backs Fish river.
l. is certain they did not start, and that
some at least reached Montreal island,
at the mouth of the Back river, a dis
lance of 300 miles by sledge route from
the ships. For McClintock found the
skeleton of steward on the beach l35
miles from the position of the ships.
Captain Hall found skeleton on Todd
island, in the strait between King Will
liam island and the coast of America,
which has been identified as that Of
Lieutenant LIE Vesconte, of the Erebus.
Anderson and McClintock found further
traces on Montreal island. McClintock
also obtained several relics from natives
on the east coast Of King William island.
They told him that the wreck of a ship
was stranded in position now believed,
from Halls report, to be O'Renly island :,
on the western side of Adelaide peninsu-
la; and they told Hall that one dead
body was in it. All this evidence proves
beyond doubt that the whole of the sur
vivors left the Erebus and Terror with
the intention of making for the Fish
river by marching around the west coast
OF King William island, that some
dropped by the way, but that others
actually reached Montreal island, in the
mouth Of the river.
But there is evidence that a detach-
ment gave up this plan and returned to
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