Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 November 1877 — SIR JOHN FRANKLIN. [ARTICLE]

SIR JOHN FRANKLIN.

A Seaman from Hudson’s Bay Recovers Articles Bearing Evidence of Having Belonged to the Brave Explorer. [From the New York World.] Thos. A. Barry, second mate of the bark A. Houghton, which was cast away, on the 12th of June, upon the coast of Hudson bay, a few mules southwest of Cape Fullerton, has brought to this city some interesting relics of the Franklin Expedition, which he obtained from a native tribe near whose homes the last of the brave explorers are said to have perished. Barry appears to be an honest sailor, and the relics which he has in his possession confirm the correctness of his story as told to a IFbrW reporter. Just a year ago, while the bark was laid up at Marble island, a well-known station in Rankin’s bay, they were visited by a large party of Esquimaux from the Nachille settlement, near Cape Inglefield, who told of the mounds which marked the graves of the white men who had come among them many years before. Two old men of the tribe remembered distinctly the appearance of the strangers, but none of the other natives could speak except in regard to the mounds, and the relics which were still in their possession. The old Esquimaux told Barry that a long time ago a large party of white men had come to their settlement and lived for a long time among them. The old men told how cold the winter was which followed the arrival of the whites. No game of any kind was to be had, and the settlement was reduced before long io the last extremity of destitution. The natives crouched in their huts without fire or food, except some miserable seal skins, pieces of which they chewed. The white men were unable to endure the miseries of winter. The natives were inured to hunger and cold, but many of their tribe perished. One after the other, the remnant of the English expedition died, until all the men had perished in the huts of the Esquimaux settlement. The Esquimaux wrapped the bodies of the dead in skins, and buried them near the settlement, under little heaps of stones. Before all the expedition had starved to death, a cairn was erected among the huts, and the books and papers belonging to the explorers were carefully placed within it. Other valuables were stored in the cairn also, whieh the natives told Barry had been left untouched. They looked on the deposit as sacred, and feared to break into the mound or disturb the relics. They had a number of articles in their settlement, however, belonging to the expedition, made of silver, copper, and iron, and many pieces of wood which had been used to construct boats or sledges. Some of these articles they brought with them to the ship, and Barry was able to procure three large silver spoons, which were unmistakably the property of the Franklin expedition. One of the spoons he has now in his possession. The other two were given to the American Consul at St. John, Newfoundland. The spoon now belonging to Barry is a heavy silver table-spoon, engraved with the Franklin crest, a fish’s head surrounded by a wreath. The natives were willing to guide the crew of the whaler to their settlement, but, as the journey was nearly 1,000 miles in length and. the crew were whalemen and not professed explorers, the offer was not accepted. It is proposed by Morrison & Brown, shipping agents at No. 109 South street, to make an attempt to recover the relics of the Franklin expedition next spring. Mr. Morrison was the agent who fitted out the Polaris. He estimates the cost of fitting out a vessel for a cruise of eighteen months at §15,000, and if this sum can be raised he will endeavor to provide what is necessary. It is understood that the British Government have offered a standing reward of £20,000 for the recovery of the books and other records of the expedition, and if this offer is still open Messrs. Morrison & Brown are prepared to defray the cost of the expedition, which will probably be under the charge of Mr. Barry. He proposes to enter Hudson bay and land at Repulse bay, on its western coast. From thence the journey to Inglefield, about 500 miles, can be made with sleds and dogs, which can be procured at the point of landing. Traveling at the rate of forty miles per day, the settlements of Hachelli can be reached in about two weeks. Here Barry expects to find the cairn untouched, and to bring back the relics of Franklin’s memorable expedition.