New-York tribune., 1880-09-26
THE LATEST FRANKLIN SEARCH.

Lieutenant Schwatka's expedition which set
| out two years ago in search of the records of
| the Franklin Expedition, did not succeed in
its great object, but some interesting relics
were found and some interesting testimony
was obtained concerning the fate of the latest
survivors of the doomed party. The search
was undertaken in consequence of state
ment by whaling captain that he had found
spoon in possession of native at Repulse
Bay which had belonged to Sir John Franklin,
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, it was hoped
might prove to be the long-looked-for deposit
of the records of the lamented Franklin and
his brave companions. The native Indicated
King Williams Land as the place of the
cairn-an island lying north of the mainland
of British America, in a northwest direction
from Hudson's Bay. 1t is bounded on the
northwest by Victoria Strait,in which the Frank
lin Expedition was frozen up year and half.
The McClintOck Expedition in search of Frank
lin found on this island the proofs OF
Franklin's death, and 1t was known that some
survivors had traversed 1t In that fOrloin
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 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,
final. 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 other previous expeditions in discover
ing evidences of the survivors which
seem likely to comprise everything that
will now ever be learned, in ad-
ditiOn to what was already known, of the fate
of the expedition. Many of these evidences
consisted of the testimony of natives. now
grown old-for it is more than thirty years
since Franklin ded-and coIrOborated 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 perished. Near
the southernmost point OF King Will
Jams Land some of the natives had
seen many years ago ten white men drag
pipg q sledge with boat on it. Some of
them were very thin, and it was said that
their mouths were "dry and hard and
black "a CHASTITY picture of their condition.
These white men became separated from the
natives, who found O number of dead bodies
the following spring, in and about tent
on the shores of Terror Bay. There were
graves there, and articles of all kinds
Watches knives, forks, spoons. blankets, and
n 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 were eventually lost
Further testimony strengthens the proba
bility that the priceless records of the expe-
ditiOn were lost to the world at this place.
One of the natives spoke of there being tin
case, about two feet long and 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 children's paythings for a time.
1t seems safe to infer that men who
we're engaged in 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 nautical reference
works. A number of tho watches found were
of gold, which could only have be-
longed to officers. There were gold spec
tacles also. The most shocking disclOs
ure made concerning the fate of
these men was the statement of very intel
ligent native, q medicine man in his tribe, who
was boy of twelve years at the time these
bodies were found, that there were evidences
of cannibalism in the party. There we're bones
from arms and legs which seemed to have been
sawn of or cut off with knife.
The most definite discovery made by LIEU
tenant Schwatka's party was that of the grave
of Lieutenant John Irving, third officer of the
Terror, one Of Sir John Ffanklin's vessels
This was identified by finding a silver medal
representing the second mathematical 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 had
been abandoned. A copy of Captain Crozier's
record. which proved the date of Sir