The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1880-11-03
MISCELLANY.
7REl LATEST FRaNKLIN SEARCH.

/
TIE LATEST FRANKLIN SEARCH
Lieutenant Schwatlth's expedition, which
sci out two years ago 10 search of the records
ofthe Franklin Expedition, did not succeed
Units great object but some interesting relics
were found, and some Interesting testimony
was obtained concerning thesfate of the latest
survivors Of the doomed party. The search
was undertaken in consequence of a state
ment BY a whaling captain tsat he had found
a spoon in possession Of native at Repulse
Bay which had belonged to Sir John Frank.
lin, and that, according to the native, the
cairn from which the spoon was taken con-
tained many other similar articles, with books
and papers. This, il was hoped, might
prove to be the long looked. for deposit of the
records of the lamented Franklin and his
brave coInpanions. The snative indicated
King Williams Land as tbepisce of the cairn
Ian island lying north of the mainland of
British America, in q northwest direction
from Hudsons Bay. II is bounded on the
northwest by Victoria Strait in which the
Franklin Expedition was frozen up year
and half. The McCnntoclS Expedition in
| search of Franklin found on the island the
proofs of Franklin's death, and it was known
that some survivors had traversed it in that
Eforlorn retreat southwark which they were
never to complete. Lieutenant Schwatka's
expedition was accordingly sent out, only to
find that the story of the cairn, was either a
deliberate fiction, or an idle tale without
foundation or clew Of any kind.
1t was resolved, however, to push on from
Repulse Bay to King Williams Land and
make search for relics of the expedition
which should be thorough, and, if possible,
| flnaL. This journey occupied the summer
and winter of 1879, and was accomplished by
dint Of great energy and endurance the win
ter being intensely cold. 1t was successful
beyond previous expeditions in discovering
evidences Of the survivors which seem likely
TO comprise everything that will now ever be
learned, in addition to what was already
known Of the fate of the expedition. Many
Of these evidences consisted of the testimony
Of natives now grown od--for it is more than
thirty years since Franklin died--and corroL-
GRATED in various ways There seems much
reason to believe that the Schwatka party
found the point at which the last remnant of
the franklin expedition persisted. Near the
southernmost point Of King Williams Land,
some of the natives had seen many years ago
ten white men dragging sledge with boat
on it. Some Of them were very thin, and it
was said that their mouths were dry and
hard aud black "a gbastly picture of their
condition. These wlitemen became separat-
ed from the natives, who found a number of
dead bodies the following spring, in and about
a tent on the shores of the Terror Bay
There were graves there, and articles of all
Ikinds--watches, knives, forks, spoons,
blankets, and large number of books. The
books and papers were not cared for. The
children had them to play with, as they had
the gold watches; and all we're eventually
lost.
Further testimony strengthens the prob.
ability that the priceless records of the expe-
dition were lost to the world at this place.
| One Of the natives spoke of their being tin
case, about two feet long and a foot square,
which was broken open and found to contain
books. Some of these lay uncared for among
the rocks until they disappeared in the sand,
or were carried away by the winds others
became the chidren's playthings for Il time.
1t seems safe to infer that men who were en-
gagged III a desperate and almost hopeless
struggle to get back to habitable regions, and
whose strength was fast failing them, would
not burden themselves with any books but
the records which embodied the. history of
the expedition, and perhaps one or two fiau-
tical reference works. A number Of watches
found were of gold, which could only have
belonged to officers. There wee gold spec
tacles also. The most shocking disclosure
made concerning tile fate of these men was
the statement of a very intelligent native, a
medicine man in his tribe, who was a boy OF
twelve years at the time these bodies were
found, that there were evidences of cannibal-
ism in the party. There were bones from
arms and legs which seemed to have been
sawn off OF cut off with a knife.
The most definite discovery made by Lieu
tenant Schwatkas party was that Of the
grave of Lieutenant John Irving, third officer
of the Terror, ono of Sir John Frankhn's
vessels. This was identified by finding a
silver medal representing the second mathe-
NAUTICAL prize of Royal Naval College,
awarded to " john Irving, midsummer, 1920. ="
The grave was near Cape Jane Franklin, and
at the camp made after the two vessels bad
been abandoned. A copy Of Captain Crozier's
record, which proved the date of Sir John
Franklin's death; was also found, made in the
handwriting Of Captain Meclintock, whose
expedition brought back to England and
| America IN 1855 the not welcome news that
at least uncertainty as to Frahklin's fate was
ended. An attempt to find Sir Johns grave
was without success.
Few etories Of heroism and suffering hays