The New York herald., 1878-01-12
THE ARCTIC MYSTERY.
HAS THE cAIRN CONTAINING THE FRANKLIN
RECORDS BEEN FOUND AT LAsT?-MR. JOHN
RAE OFFERS AN EXPLANATION WHICH MAY
ACCOUNT FOR THE LATEST DISCOVERY

RAE OFFERS AN EXPLANATION WHICH MAY
ACCOUNT FOR TIE LATEST DISCOVERY.
SCIENTIFIC CLUB,
LoSros England, Dec. 20, 1877.
10 THE EDITOR or TnE NEw York HEgALD:-
Observing the deep interest taken by the NEW YORK
HERALD all that relates Arctic subjects tho
great courtesy shown 10 correspondents. whatever
their opinions may be- SO long as they fairly and
honestly stated, am induced TO write TO you
subject which, to judge by several newspaper reports
that have under my notice. has excited some
interest IN your country, and also-but less
extcnt-in England rotor the Eskimo
report brought TO tho States by ME- Barry, mato
OF the whalcr A. Haughton, to the efoct that
Arctic coast about thirty miles south OF Cape Ingle-
field, there Is cairn, In which arc deposited the
records OF tho Franklin Expedition and other valua-
bles that this cairn having held sacred by the
natives had not been touched by them.
Assuming that the Cape Ingedcld referred Is tho
extrome northwest point OF Melville Peninsula, in
latitude 90 deg 81 min. NORTH and named by
Parry hityfour years ago, may mention that ls47
visited and surveyed Cape Crozier tweniy
miles south OF Capo lngleneld, md it-three miles
from It's extreme point-built cairn and deposited
record as was my usual custom ut the end Of any
OF my Arctic journeys, when stones could
DO found. had only man with mo,
the other three having been LETT behind 70
collect fuel aud attempt to hunt. In ls53-54 when
again at Rcpulse Bay, the Eskimos told mo OF this
earn built by ''Srangers aud of foot marks
in tho snow near 1T not knowing that had been there
nor what had done. Iexpaincd the circumstances TO
them, and thought no moro of the matter
In 1868 your lamentod and experienced Arctic ex.
plorcr, Hall, was at Repulse Bay, and heard that
carn and the footsteps OF the who had built had
been seen near tho strait OF the Fury and Hecla
Hall Immediately came to the conclusion that these
must have been Of Frauklu's men, and they
still alive (Soe North Polar Expedition, re-
Gently published under the United States government
auspices at Washington Folio 1919
Hall set out in March for this place with scdgcs and
dogs, accompanied by one whito and
tives After most circuitous journey no arrived at
Cape Crozer, found the carn (but white men, living
or dcad) which he tells too deeply covered with
snow to allow Of its being examined for records !,
This statement surprises me. The cairn must have
beon al least partly in sight, otherwise how could Hall
say he had found IT, on the very position. nearly
as possible, where l had built one, tho eth
OF May, twenty.ono years before! Every Arctic
porer knows, or ought 10 know, that with snow
kne or small saw tho from side Of q cair q,
four or more feet high, could, in hour, be readily
removed sufficiently TO enable It TO be examined tor
records. Surely, then, not only un hour but q
day might have been not III spent by Hall and his
which he had travelled SO iar.
We have now the history, l boheve OF ono and the
same cairn built by me and one of my menon tho eth
OF May 1877. Seven years alterward Hall hears OF a
in tho locality, believes 1t to have becn
but by somo OF Frankiin's party. goes with native
guides, finds II Oh Cape Crozier, but the deep
prevents their examining 1t Tor records
Now have from Mr. Barry what presume to bo
tho Same story, in musniAcd FORM an augmentation
brought about no doubt by additional lapse OF tlme
and frequent conversations between the natives and
Hail on this painful subject 1t would DO OF place
In me TO attempt TO show as think couldl how the
little story OF the has reached present large
proportions Tor 1t tho nrst time that so very
small Arctic molehli has grown into not incou-
Siderable mountain
lu 1854. need hardly say, my whole a,ten-
tion was devoted for some weeks to attempts TO 1nd
out II ary OF Franklin's people was alive
l offered large rewards on tho spoi--lor had tho
means of doing soii they could tell any living
white man, with promises Of much greater ards
the iuture The answer always was, "rhey all
dead" with a tone OF regret.
When asked about books. and offered saws, dasgers
needles, and even guns ior thcm thcy SAID they
very sorry AT least or twove books with mark
where the were found but as these were OF no
use to them The naiives) they given 10 the chill
drcn to play with and up by them" In getting
this Information no leading questions were asked.
Ny belief is that only such books journals as
wero absolutely necessary would be taken from the
ships, and these would be carried or hauled as ar
Yours, &C, JOHN RAE.