﻿1845. LAST LETTERS. 7 



Franklin himself to Lieutenant Colonel Sabine 

 deserves to be quoted, as expressing his own 

 ojDinion of his resources, and also his intention of 

 remaining out should he fail after a second winter 

 in finding an outlet to the south-westward from 

 Barrow's Strait. The letter is dated from Whalefish 

 Islands, on the 9th of July, 1845, and, after noticing 

 that the "Erebus" and "Terror" had on board 

 provisions, fuel, clothing, and stores for three years 

 complete, from that date, adds, " I hope my dear wife 

 and daughter will not be over anxious if we should 

 not return by the time they have fixed upon ; and 

 I must beg of you to give them the benefit of your 

 advice and experience when that time arrives, for 

 you know well that, without success in our object, 

 even after the second winter^ we should wish to try 

 some other channel if the state of our provisions 

 and the health of the crews justify it," 



The following is the last ofiicial letter written by 

 Sir John Franklin to the Admiralty. 



" Her Majesty's Ship ' Erebus,' 

 Whalefish Islands, July 12. 1845. 

 « Sir, 



" I have the honour to acquaint you, for the 

 information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, 

 that Her Majesty's ships ' Erebus ' and ' Terror,' with the 

 transport, arrived at this anchorage on the 4th instant, 

 having had a passage of one month from Stromness. The 

 transport was immediately taken alongside this ship, that 



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