Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-26

Eskmos had plumber Of some sort from the
wrecked vessels. One Of them said that ship
having three masts had been crushed by the
ice to the west Of King William Land, but that
all the people had landed safely.
In April McClintock set out with larger
party, travelling southwark along the west coast
Of King William Land He was told at the first
Eskimo village he visited that they had seen
two ships, one of which sank In deep water,
the other being forced on shore by the ice.
Thereupon, said the EskimoS, all the white
people went away TO the big River" taking
boats with them and IN the following Winter
many skeletons were found
McClntock Immediately set out to discover
the stranded ships. But the sea had swallowed
them.
At Cape Victoria the party was split into
two parts. Hobson taking one toward Cape
Felix, King William Land, while McC1ntock,
with the other, kept more southerly course.
Crossing Wellington Strait to IN inhabited
snow village, McClintock py~aexsed from the
Eskimos several pieces Of sEver plate, bearing
the crest or initials Of FRANKLIN, Crozier and
others These natives also possessed uniforms
and brass buttons, which were easily recognized
as having belonged to the Franklin expedition.
One of the old women told McClintock that
many Of the white men, in their retreat from
the wrecked vessels, had dropped by the way
as they went toward the Great Fish River; that
some of them were buried and some were not.
At another place they discovered a kayak pad
die constructed out Of the blade Of an ash oar.
Crossing over to King William Land, upon
the shore along WHICH the retreating crews
must have marched, McClintock found hui
man skeleton. It was on gravel ridge near
the beach, which the wind kept partially bare
of sgnow, and here and there few fragments
Of clothing were seen through the snow.
Hobson's party had made its way to Point
Victory, on the northwest coast of King William
Land, and there they discovered the only ex-
listing record Of the Franklin expedition. This
was dated May %, 1S47, and told briefly that
the two Franklin ships had wintered in the
ice in latitude 20 degrees minutes north ana
longitude SO degrees % minutes west. They
had sailed up Wellington Channel to latitude
~ degrees north and had returned along the
western side of CORVALLIS Island.
Whether Franklin intended to pursue his
northern course and was stopped by ice at
latitude n degrees north, or purposely took a
route which seemed to lead away from the
coast Of North America, probably never win be
known.
The Spring Of 1S47 found the two vessels
within 80 miles Of the known sea off the coast
Of North America. But in June 1847 accord
ing to further entries on the records, Sir John
Franklin died. In April, 1848, the two ships
were abandoned IS miles northwest of Point
Victory, and the survivors bravely set out In q
desperate struggle for life.
WHEN McClntock reached the WESTERN
most point Of King William Land, which
he named for Capt. Crozier of the Terror he
came Rpon a large boat It was about the
size Of the ordinary whaleboat, but of very
light draft. Evidently it had been built for
ascending the Great Fish River. It's weight
was about ESQ pounds, and it was mounted
upon sledge Of unusual weight and size.
The Sledge alone, McClintock estimated,
weighed $50 pounds. The total weight of boat
and sledge would have been a load for
dozen strong, healthy men; the emaciated and
scurvy-stricken Franklin survivors must have
found it crushing burden. .-.--
In this boat were portions Of two human
skeletons. Wolves or other predatory beasts
had destroyed much Of the remains. Nearby
were found five watches, two double-barreled
shotguns-one barrel in each loaded and
Notwithstanding muzzle upward against the
boats side, probably as q protection against
polar bears or wolves There was a large
amount of clothing and several pairs of boots
There was no food of any kind in the
vicinity except 40 pounds Of chocolate. brt
great deal Of silver tableware was found
In the boat. OF the many unexpectedly %
or 30-who were attached to this boat IL
seemed very strange 10 McClintock that tho
remains Of but two were found The sledge,
he observed, was headed in q northeaster1y
direction. Is If the party had abandoned their
retreat to the southwark and were travelling
back toward the ships. The position of the
boat was about so miles from Point Victory.
Were the 20 or 80 men who must have
been with the boat unable to drag It farther.
and did they abandon the two men whose
skeletons were found, supplying them with
such provisions as could be spared, to laSe
until the return Of the others from the shfpS
with q fresh stock? Whether any of this
10 unknown.
After the expeditions Of Rae, McClintock,
Schwatka and Brwash, We probably know
all that we shall ever know Of the fate %
the Franklin survivors We know how the
explorers persisted: where, and with soma
reasonable degree OF certainty, when An
honor to their memoryl
The reader perhaps wonders why so few