Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-10-13
VOL. XXXVII.
arctic Discovery.

party, sent out over two years ago under
Lieut.. Schwatka, Z. S. A. The party was
picked up by Capt Michael Baker, of the
oarque George and Mary. of New Bedford
At Depot Island, August lst, they having
returned to that point from their sledg,
Journey to King Williams Land on tn,
4th of March Of the present year. The
sledge journey was the longest ever made
through the unexplored arctic region both
AS to time and distance, the party having
been absent from their base of operations
in Hudson Bay eleven months and four
days. During that time they travelled
2,ol9 geographical or 3.25l statute miles
1t was the only sledge journey ever made
that covered an entire arctic winter The
expedition, consisting of four white men
and IL Exquimaux, started from the base
OF operations with but one months rations
OF " civilized " food. After that the white
men of the party began living upon the
fare of their Esquimaux assistants. The
result has shown that it is feasible for
white men to adapt themselves to the
climate and the Esquiamaux in the polar
regions.
During the summer and fall of 1879 they
made complete search of King Williams
Land and the adjacent mainland, travelling
over the route pursued by the crews of the
Erebus and Terror upon their retreat
toward Backs river, and, while so engaged
the party buried the bones of all those un-
tortunates remaining upon the ground
ard erected monuments to the memory of
the fallen heroes. Their research estab-
llshed the fact that the records of Frank
I'm s expedition are lost beyond recovery.
From the story of the natives it is believed
that the officers and crew of the Erebus
and Terror met "A terrible fate. Old men
and women OF the EXquimaux tell
story of those who were doubtless the last
survivors of those vessels with a minute
ness of detail which places their fate be-
yoRd doubt. Of what had become of their
leader and the large number who consti-
tuted the crews nothing could be discover
ed. Only small party of officers, black
about their mouths with no flesh upon
their bones. were seen dragging a boat
across the ice, and nothing more was seen
of them until their skeletons were found
under their boat, and in tent, prey to
wild beasts, and with evidence that they
had been driven to feed on their weaker
before yielding to starvtion
and cold.
RELICS OF THE FRANKLIN EXPEDITION
Some Nachilli Exqumaux who had
found tin box about two feet long and
one foot square, filled with books, ut
point on the mainaud near Backs river,
where the last of the survivors of Frank
Inns party are supposed to have finally
pershed, were interviewed by Lieutenant
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
Oy children who took them to their tents
or playthngs. The point was not only
searched by Lieutenant Sch watka's party
out by nearly the entire Nachili nation,
inspired by Il promise of a great reward |
or the discovery of any remnant of books
)r papers.
This search failed to discover any of the
records, but resulted in the finding of
skeleton of "A sailor about five miles inland.
It's existence was previously unknown
wen to local tribes. Every native who
,ouId imptrt any Information concerning
he lost crews WAS hunted upanl interview
I'd. Some of them had not seen Il white
nan since Captain Crozer's party was
here. Much valuable information rs to
he loss OF the Franklin expedition was
1t is also made known that
me of Franklin's ships drifted down the
Victoria Straits, and was unwittngly
cultled by the Ookjoolik Equimaux,
Who found it near an island oil Grant
Point during the spring of 1919, and cut
hole through its side. at the surface of
he ice, to obtain entrance to the b, Id. At
hat time one man was lying dead in the
teerage. During the same year the
atives saw tracks of white men in the
pring SHOWS on mainland.
They brought the remains of Lieut.. John
rving. third officer of the Terror, which
we're identified by prize medal found in
lis opened grave. The party endured
many hardships, and were once threaten
d with starvation. No material sickness
ccurred during the absence of the expedi-
ion in the field, and no severe frost bites
we're experienced by any of the party.
A large quantity of relics of Sir John
'ranklins expedition have been gathered
rom each spot where the graves were
ound, and few tokens selected that may
erve to identify those who perished there.
piece OF each of the boats found and
destroyed by the natives has been brought
way, together with interesting relics in
he shape Of the prov of one of their
'oats, the sledge upon which it was
and part of the drag-rope
pon which these poor fellows tugged
ntil they fell down and died in their
racks. In addition to these the party
ecured board which may serve to iden-
ify the ship which completed the north
vest passage.