Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1880-10-06
THE SCHWA TKA ARCTIC EA-
petition RETURNED. :.
A Three thousand TiCo Hundred and
Frtty-one Nile Siedge Trip.

The arrival at New Bedford Mass ,
on the 23d ult, of the Arctic search
party, which, rnder Lieutenant Fred
erick Schwatka, U S. A., started April
l, 1879, from Depot Island, Hudson's
Bay, for sledge tour of exploration
through King William Land, and
reached the same point on its return
March 4, 1880, is an event OF great IN
terest. The expedition sailed. from
New York June 19, 1863. for the pur-
pose of seeking authentic data regard
ing the fate of Sir John Franklin and
recovering the records of his expedl-
ton. In the latter object the explorers
we're unsuccessful, but they have found
abundant evidence as to the fate OF Sir
Johns men, and have buried the re-
mains Of many of them. They have
also demonstrated the possibility OF
prosecuting Arctic research by sledges
in any season of tie year, and added
materially to the knowledge of the
geography of those hyperboreal regions.
During their sledge journey of eleven
months and four days, the longest on
record, they travelled 2,s19 geograph-
ical, or 1881 statute miles. 1t was
the only sledge journey made that COW
cred an entire Arctic winter. During
the summer and fall of 1879 they made
a complete search Of King William
Land and the adjacent mainland, ira
Yelling over the route pursued by the
crews of the Erebus and Terror upon
Dtrnr
while so engaged the party buried the
bones of all those unfortunates remain
ing above ground, and erected monu-
ments to the memory of the fallen he
rOes.
The Natchilli Esquimaux, who had
found a sealed tin box, about two feet
long and one foot square, filled with
books, at point on the mainland near
Backs River, where the last of the sur
vivors of Franklin's party are supposed
to have finally perished, were inter-
viewed by Lieutenant Schwatka. These
natives broke open the box and threw
out the precious records, which were
then either scattered to the winds OF
thirty Arctic winters or destroyed by
the children, who took them to their
tents for playthings This point was
net only searched by Lieut.. Schwatka's
party, but by nearly the entire Natchil-
Ii nation, inspired by promise of
great reward for the discovery of any
remnant of books or papers, no matter
what was their present condition. This
search failed to discover any Of the
records, but resulted in the finding OF
the skeleton of sailor about five miles
inland. Its existence was previously
unknown, even to local tribes. The
expeditionists learned that one Of
Franklin's ships dri'ted down the Vic
toria Straits and was unwittingly scut-
tied by the Ookjoolik Esquimaux, who
found it near an island off Grant Point
during the spring of 1889. At that
time one man was lying dead in the
stecrage, and during the same year the
natives saw tracks of four white men
in the spring SHOWS ON the mainland
Lieutenant Schwatka's men started
out on their long trip with but one
months rations Of civilized food up
on their sledges, thus voluntarily sub
mitting to dependence upon the game
Of the country through which they
passed. The white men OF the party
began a mode of life strictly in accord
ance with that of tteir Esquimaux as
.sistants. From each spot where the
graves were found few tokens were
selected that may serve to identify
those who persisted there. A piece of
each of the boats found and destroyed
by the natives has been brought away,
together with interesting though mourn
full relics in the shape Of the Prov Of
one Of their boats, the sledge upon
which it was transported, and part Of
the drag rope upon which these poor
fellows tugged until they fell down and
died in their tracks. In addition to these
the party secured board which may
serve to identify the ship which COM
pIeted the northwest passage. They
have also brought the remains of an
officer, Lieutenant John Irving, third
officer of the Terror, which were identi-
fed by prize medal found in his open
ed grave.
The party endured many hardships
and were once threatened with starva-
tion, not, as might be supposed in the
sledge journey, but after their return
to Hudson Bay. When the party
reached Depot Island there was but
one saddle Of meat upon the sledges,
although the return journey was made
through country where game could
be procured. This was due to the fact
that before the expedition set out an
ample supply of provisions was left in
the care of Captain Barry, of the
schooner Eothen. When the sledge
party returned to Depot Island no
trace of Captain Barry or the provis-
ions was found, and the natives were
short Of food the conclusion being in
eyitable that Captain Barry had sailed
for home with the supplies. The win
ter was pronounced by the Esquimaux
az one OF unusual rigor. This fact was
attested by the freezing of Rowe's Wei
come throughout its entire extent from
shore to shore, even below the latitude
Of Whale Point. On January 3, 1880,
the thermometer sank toll degrees
Fahrenheit, or l03 degrees below freez-
ing point, and during the entire day it
did not raise aboye-69 degrees Dur.
ing sixteen days tae average tcmpera-
ture was 100 degrees below the freez-
ing point, and during twenty-seven
days it was bclow-60 degrees. All
this time the party travelled, in fact
they never halted q single day on &C
count Of the cold No material sick
ness occurred during the absence Of the
expedition in the field, and no severe
frost-bites were experienced by any Of
the party.
Some boys at Oberlin, Ohio had
heard that sausage was made of cats