246 CROZIER' S RECORD. Chap. XV. 



1846-7. That winter appears to have passed without any 

 serious loss of life ; and when in the spring Lieutenant Gore 

 leaves with a party for some especial purpose, and very pro- 

 bably to connect the unknown coast-line of King William's 

 Land between Point Victory and Cape Herschel, those on 

 board the 'Erebus' and 'Terror 'were " all well," and the 

 gallant Franklin still commanded. 



But, alas ! round the margin of the paper upon which in 

 1847 those words of hope and promise were written, the 

 following words had subsequently been faintly traced : — 



"April 25, 1848.— H. M. ships 'Terror' and 'Erebus' were deserted 

 on the 22nd April, 5 leagues N.N.W. of this, having been beset since 

 1 2th September, 1846. The officers and crews, consisting of 105 souls, 

 under the command of Captain F. R. M. Crozier, landed here in lat. 

 69° 37' 42" N., long. 98 41' W. Sir John Franklin died on the nth 

 June, 1847; and the total loss by deaths in the expedition has been to 

 this date 9 officers and 15 men. 

 (Signed) (Signed) 



" F. R. M. Crozier, "James Fitzjames, 



" Captain and. Senior Officer. " Captain H. M. S. 'Erebus.' 



"and start (on) to-morrow, 26th, for 

 Back's Fish River." 



With the exception of the signatures, and the note stating 

 when and where they were going, which was added by Captain 

 Crozier, the whole record was written by Captain Fitzjames. 

 There is some additional marginal information relative to 

 the transfer of the document to its present position : I insert 

 it here by itself, having omitted it in its proper place in 

 order to simplify the more interesting part of the record. 



"This paper was found by Lt. Irving under the cairn supposed 

 to have been built by Sir James Ross in 1831, 4 miles to the northward, 

 where it had been deposited by the late Commander Gore in June, 

 1847. Sir James Ross' pillar has not, however, been found, and the 

 paper has been transferred to this position, which is that in which Sir 

 James Ross' pillar was erected." 



This little word late shows us that poor Graham Gore was 

 one of those who had passed away within the twelvemonth. 



