TRACES OF FRANKLIN. 317 



had been inhabited for some time as a shooting station 

 and a look-out place, for which latter purpose it was 

 admirably chosen, commanding a good view of Barrow's 

 Strait and Wellington Channel. 



Some sledge-tracks led northward for about twenty 

 miles, but the trail ceased south of Cape Bowden, and 

 an empty bottle and a piece of newspaper were the last 

 things found. The results of examining Beechey Island 

 must be given in more detail. Lieut. Osborne says : 

 " A long point of land slopes gradually from the south- 

 ern bluffs of this now deeply interesting island, until it 

 almost connects itself with the land of North Devon, 

 forming on either side of it two good and commodious 

 bays. On this slope a multitude of preserved-meat-tins 

 were strewed about ; and near them, and on the ridge 

 of the slope, a carefully-constructed cairn was dis- 

 covered ; it consisted of layers of fitted tins, filled with 

 gravel, and placed to form a firm and solid foundation. 

 Beyond this, and along the northern shore of Beechey 

 Island, the following traces were then quickly dis- 

 covered : the embankment of a house, with carpenters' 

 and armorers' working-places, washing-tubs, coal-bags, 

 pieces of old clothing, rope,- - and, lastly, the graves of 

 three of the crew of the Erebus and Terror, bearing 

 date of the winter of 1845-6. We, therefore, noiu had 

 ascertained the first winter quarters of Sir John Franklin,, 



" On the eastern slope of the ridge of Beechey Island a 

 remnant of a garden (for remnant it now only was, having 

 been dug up in the search) told an interesting tale ; its 

 neatly-shaped, oval outline - - the border carefully formed 

 of moss lichen, poppies, and anemones, transplanted 

 from some more genial part of this dreary region con- 

 trived still to show symptoms of vitality ; but the seeds 

 which, doubtless, they had sowed in the garden, had 

 decayed away. Nearer to the beach, a heap of cinders 



