The Portland daily press., 1880-09-24
ARCTIC VOYAGERS.
News from Franklin Searching
Party.
RELICS OF THE LOST NAVIGATOR
DISCOVERED

NEW YORK, Sept pa New Bedford dis.
patch to the Herald states that members of
the Franklin search party under Lieut. Fred
erick Schwatka, United States army, were
picked up aby Capt. Michael Baker Of the
barque George and Mary Of New Bedford at
Depot Island on the LIST of Augusta, they hay
ing returned to that point from their sledge
journey to King William Land the 4th of
March OF the present year. The sleage Jour
ney was the longest ever made through the un-
explored Arctic region both as to time and dis
lance, the party having been absent from their
base OF operations in Hudson Bay eleven
months and four days. During that time they
travelled 2S19 geographical or 1921 statute
miles. 1t was the only sedge journey ever
made that covered an entire Arctic winter
During the summer and fall of 1879 they made
a complete search of King Williams Land
ana the adjacent mainland, travelling over
the route pursued by the crews of the Erebus
and Terror upon their retreat toward Blacks
River, and while so engaged the party buried
the bones of all those unfortunates remaining
above ground, and erected monuments to the
memory OF the fallen heroes.
Their research established the fact that the
records of Franklin's expedition are lost be-
yond recovery. The Natchlli 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 survivors OF Franklin s
party are supposed to have finally persisted,
were interviewed by Lievt Schwatka. These
natives broke open the box and threw out the
precious records. which were then either scat
tered TO the winds of thirty Arctic winters or
destroyed by children who took them to their
tents for playthngs. This point was not only
searched by Lieut. Schwatka's party, but by
nearly the entire Natchilli nation, inspired by
promise of a great reward for the discovery
of any remnant of books or papers,
This search failed to discov-
er any of the -ecords, but resulted in the find
ing of a skeleton of sailor about five miles
inland Its existence was previously known
even to local tribes. Every native who could
! impart any information concerning the lost
| crews was hunted up and interviewed Some
| of them had not seen white man since Capt.
| Crozier's party was there. Much valuable in
| formation as to the loss of the Franklin rec
ords was compiled. 1t was also unknown that
one of Franklin's ships drifted down the Vic
| toria Straits, and was unwittingly scuttled by
tho Ookjoolik Esquimaux, who found it near
| an island off Grant Point during the spring of
| 1S49. AT that time one man was found lying
| dead in the steerage, and during the same
| year the natives saw tracks of four white men
| in the spring SHOWS on the mainland.
A large quantity CT relics of Sir John Frank
| Inns expedition have been gathered. From
each spot where the graves were found few
| tokens were selected that may serve to identi-
| fy those who persisted there. A piece of each
| of the boats found and destroyed by the ma
| tives has been brought away, together with
| interesting. though mOurnful, relics in the
| shapes of the PROV of one of their boats, the
| sledge upon which it was transported, and part
of the dragrope 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
| They have also brought the remains of Lieut.
Johp Irving. third officer of the Terror, which
were identified by prize medal found in his
| opened grave. The party endured many hard
| ships, and were once threatened with starva
| ton. No material sickness occurred during
the absence of the expedition in the field, and
no severe frost bites were experienced by any
| of the party.