546 RECORD DISCOVERED 



ined Simpson's Cairn, or rather what remains of it, 

 which is only four feet high, the central stones having 

 been removed, as if by men seeking something within it. 

 My impression is, that records were deposited there by 

 the retreating crews, and removed by the natives." 



In the mean while still more important discoveries 

 had been made by Lieut. Hobson. After parting from 

 M'Clintock, on the 28th of April, at Cape Victoria, he 

 made for Cape Felix, the northernmost point of King 

 William's Land. At a short distance westward of it he 

 found a very large cairn, and close to it three small 

 tents, with blankets, old clothes, and other relics of a 

 shooting or a magnetic station ; but, although the cairn 

 was dug under, and a trench dug all round it at a dis- 

 tance of ten feet, no record was discovered. A piece 

 of blank paper, folded up, was found in the cairn, and 

 two broken bottles, which may, perhaps, have contained 

 records, lay beside it, among some stones which had 

 fallen from off the top. The most interesting of the 

 articles discovered here, including a boat's ensign, were 

 brought away. About two miles further to the south- 

 west a small cairn was found, but neither records nor 

 relics obtained. About three miles north of Point Vic- 

 tory a second small cairn was examined, but only a 

 broken pickaxe and empty canister found. 



On the 6th of May Lieut. Hobson pitched his tent 

 beside a large cairn upon Point Victory.* Lying among 

 some loose stones which had fallen from the top of this 

 cairn, was found a small tin case, containing a record, 

 which gave the first authentic and definite information 

 as to the fate of the Franklin expedition. This most 

 interesting document is a sheet of paper furnished by 



* So called by Sir James Ross, in 1830. It was the farthest point 

 reached on King William's Land by that indefatigable Arctic traveller. 



