316 TRACES OF FRANKLIN. 



of timber, and a number of meat-bones. These, all 

 poor and pitiful though they might seem of themselves, 

 seemed to throw so perceptible a light on at least the 

 commencement of the mystery of the Franklin expedi- 

 tion, that they were esteemed a precious prize. 



The Prince Albert arrived at Aberdeen on the 1st 

 of October ; and the relics from Cape Riley were 

 speedily sent to the Admiralty, and subjected there to a 

 rigorous scrutiny. The piece of rope was found to be 

 of navy-yard manufacture, not later than 1841 ; the 

 piece of canvas to have a corresponding character ; 

 the chip of timber to have a recent cut, with seemingly 

 an European axe ; the meat-bones to bear exactly the 

 marks of a ship's provisions used about five years 

 back ; the reported tent-marks to be nearly such as 

 might be expected from a party making a long stay for 

 the purpose of scientific observation ; and the entire 

 circumstances of the traces on Cape Riley unaccount- 

 able by any known or supposable event, except a pro- 

 longed visit, in 1845 or 1846, by a party from the Erebus 

 and the Terror. 



The first traces of the missing ships were discovered 

 by Captain Ommaney, in the Assistance, at Cape Riley, 

 on the 23d August, 1850. The cape is a point at the 

 eastern entrance of Wellington Channel ; about three 

 miles west of it rises the bold abrupt coast of Beechey 

 Island ; and between the shores of this isle and the 

 mainland lies a bay to which extraordinary interest is 

 now attached. On its coast were observed numerous 

 sledge-tracks ; and at Cape Spencer, about ten miles 

 from Cape Riley, up Wellington Channel, the party 

 discovered the ground-place of a tent, the floor neatly 

 paved with small smooth stones. 



Around the tent a number of birds' bones, as well as 

 remnants of meat-canisters, seemed to indicate that it 



