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T H E F R A N K L I N E X P E D I T I O N 467
considered the works i n question. We know that three men
belonging to the F r a n k l i n ships died at Beechey Island in
1846, and their graves are there to this day. From Graham
Gore's " a l l w e l l " record of 24th May, 1847, I think we may
r i g h t ly infer that no death had occurred during the previous
thirteen months; but between that date and the abandonment
of the ships, only eleven months later, the Crozier and F i t z james
record of 25th A p r i l , 1848, informs us that no less than
nine of the twenty- one commissioned officers of the expedition,
including Sir John F r a n k l i n himself on 11th June, 1847,
and twelve additional men, had passed away. During these
eleven months the ice- beset ships had drifted but some thirty
statute miles south of their position on 24th May, 1847,
and when they were abandoned on 22nd A p r i l they were
still five leagues distant from Point Victory, where they
landed. Only one undoubted grave, partly opened and supposed
to contain the already referred to remains of Lieutenant
Irving, of the Terror, was found i n that vicinity, where
he may have died, or on board ship shortly before their
departure.
Both McClintock and Hobson made a close but somewhat
hurried examination of the west coast of K i n g W i l l i am
Island, and the former devoted some attention to the mainland,
from Point Ogle to and on Montreal Island itself,
without discovering a single grave. A skeleton i n a boat
and a few other human relics only were met with. About
ten or eleven years subsequently, Sehwatka, apart from his
Montreal and other continental operations, conducted a very
thorough and systematic examination of K i n g W i l l i am
Island, which resulted i n the finding of a considerable quant
i t y of human bones over a large area, while I think
Irving's grave is the only undoubted one discovered.
I f there had been anything like an improvised cemetery
on the island, as would probably have been the case
had the remains of the Admiral and his eight officers
and twelve additional men been taken there for interment,
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| Title | Page 490 |
| OCR | T H E F R A N K L I N E X P E D I T I O N 467 considered the works i n question. We know that three men belonging to the F r a n k l i n ships died at Beechey Island in 1846, and their graves are there to this day. From Graham Gore's " a l l w e l l " record of 24th May, 1847, I think we may r i g h t ly infer that no death had occurred during the previous thirteen months; but between that date and the abandonment of the ships, only eleven months later, the Crozier and F i t z james record of 25th A p r i l , 1848, informs us that no less than nine of the twenty- one commissioned officers of the expedition, including Sir John F r a n k l i n himself on 11th June, 1847, and twelve additional men, had passed away. During these eleven months the ice- beset ships had drifted but some thirty statute miles south of their position on 24th May, 1847, and when they were abandoned on 22nd A p r i l they were still five leagues distant from Point Victory, where they landed. Only one undoubted grave, partly opened and supposed to contain the already referred to remains of Lieutenant Irving, of the Terror, was found i n that vicinity, where he may have died, or on board ship shortly before their departure. Both McClintock and Hobson made a close but somewhat hurried examination of the west coast of K i n g W i l l i am Island, and the former devoted some attention to the mainland, from Point Ogle to and on Montreal Island itself, without discovering a single grave. A skeleton i n a boat and a few other human relics only were met with. About ten or eleven years subsequently, Sehwatka, apart from his Montreal and other continental operations, conducted a very thorough and systematic examination of K i n g W i l l i am Island, which resulted i n the finding of a considerable quant i t y of human bones over a large area, while I think Irving's grave is the only undoubted one discovered. I f there had been anything like an improvised cemetery on the island, as would probably have been the case had the remains of the Admiral and his eight officers and twelve additional men been taken there for interment, |
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