Nov. 14, 1859.] IN SEARCH OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN. 5 



opinion that the abandonment of the Erebus and Terror had been 

 contemplated for months previously to its execution ; also, that the 

 whole crew l>ad become affected by scurvy, and greatly debilitated. 

 We know that Franklin's ships were cut off from all supplies of 

 game for three consecutive winters, and that this is the only case on 

 record of ships' crews subsisting solely upon their own supplies for so 

 long a period. 



The Investigator was abandoned after the third winter, but her 

 crew had been able to procure some valuable supplies of fresh food, 

 consisting of game of different sorts, including about 100 reindeer. 

 She lost only three men in this period, yet the whole crew were 

 affected by scurvy. 



But the Erebus and Terror, before being abandoned, had lost 24 

 officers and men, and therefore I conclude that the remainder of 

 their crews were at least as seriously affected as were the people of 

 the Investigator. 



There are two important questions which have been so frequently 

 asked me, that I gladly avail myself of this opportunity of offering 

 some explanation upon so deeply interesting a subject. 



The first question is — Whether some of the 105 survivors may 

 not be living amongst the Esquimaux? The various families or 

 communities of Esquimaux met with by Eae, Anderson, and myself, 

 at different times and places, all agree in saying, * No, they all 

 died.' But let us examine for ourselves. 



The western shore of King William Island, along which they 

 were compelled to travel for two-thirds of their route, is unin- 

 habited, and all that is known to us of the mouth of the Back Eiver, 

 is derived from the journeys of Back, Simpson, Anderson, and my- 

 self; none of us have met natives there, consequently it is fair to 

 conclude that the Esquimaux but seldom resort to so inhospitable a 

 locality. 



In fact their life is spent in a struggle for existence, and depends 

 mainly upon their skill in taking seals during the long winter — a 

 matter which requires such long training, that no European has 

 ever yet succeeded in acquiring it. 



My two Greenland Esquimaux tried various methods at Bellot 

 Strait, yet did not succeed ; and without dogs trained to scent out 

 the small breathing holes of the seals, through the ice and through 

 the snow, which overlays the ice and conceals them from observa- 

 tion, I do not think that even the Boothian Esquimaux could live. 

 It requires not only that a man should possess a trained dog, but 

 that he himself should bo so well trained in the only successful 

 mode of seal hunting in this locality in order to subsist. 



