Arizona weekly citizen., 1881-12-25
FRAyKLIN,S FATE.
Some Points Contributed by Returned whalsr

Captain Adams, of the Dundee whaler Arctic. who has just returned from the Davis straits fishing, furnishes some h. formation in regard to his voyage Tn the polar seas. He states that m the course of his search for whales he went mp Vel lngton channel as far as the water had ever been penetrated by an expedlti0h' and hls further progress was checked by encountering the heavy ice of the polar barrier This occurred last August. No whales were seen Tn that quarter anu the Arctic steamed up Barrow straits until the polar barrier was encountered the second time. A course was then taken down Feel sound to within a few miles O. where the Erebus and Terror were lost. Beaeny Island was visited, and there CaptPln Adams saw the monument erected To Sir John Franklin and five of hls tV. He found the house erected in the vlclnhty in a wretched condition, and the pro visions left by former explorers not serviceable. Accompanied by lew or his men be made some search In the To- cality, and just as the party were coming away they were confronted by polar bear, which Captain Adams shot within few yards of the graves. The skin of the bear he intends to present to some of the relatives of Sir John Franklin:
 No whales were seen in this direction, and accordingly the Arctic proceeded up toward the Gulf of Boothia. An at tempt was made to reach this sea earlier in the year, but no advance was possl- ble, owing to the heavy ice. About the end of August, however, the ice was lp q totally different condition, and the Arc tic got up as far as Cape NordenskIod on the west side of BOothia. Here sev- eral whales were got. Before coming away the captain tried to get to the other side. A heavy fog was expori- enced, and when it cleared away the ship was found within fifteen miles of Fury and Hecla straits and in very shallow water.
 In this district the captain got on board very intelligent Esquimaux, from whom he obtained a good deal Of interesting and valuable information. The native stated that when he was a young man in his fathers hut, three men came over the land toward Repulse bay, and that one of them was a great captain when he died. The other two cried very much, saying that he was the "angiguk" or great captain. These two lived some little time in his fathers hut, and he showed Captain Adams the spot on the chart where they were buried. The Esquimaux continuing his narrative, said that seventeen persons started from two vessels which had been lost to the westward, but only three were able to survive the journey to his fathers hut.
 From all the information furnished by Esquimaux, Captain Adams has no doubt that the vessels referred to were those of the Franklin expedition, and that the great captain mentioned was Lieutenant Crozier. Assuming that what the Esquimaux stated was correct, 1t is beyond doubt that the members of the Franklin expedition were attempt ing to reach Hudson bay territory. Judging from the present age of the na- tive, Captain Adams Is of the opinion that his allusion to having seen the men when he was young man must refer to a period some thirty-five years ago.