462 VOYAGE TO THE 



C xu P ' ^ e were llow ma ^ e sensible of the great advan- 

 "— -v"-' tage arising from the economical system that had 

 1826. been adopted at the Society and Sandwich Islands, 

 and also from the reduction of an eleventh part of 

 the ship's company at Portsmouth, without which 

 the provision before this period would have been 

 wholly expended, as the allowance from the time of 

 leaving Chili had been reduced as low as it con- 

 veniently could, for a continuance, consistent with 

 the strength of the ship's company, who for several 

 months had been on half allowance. 



It now remained for me to consider how Captain 

 Franklin could be most benefited in the event of 

 his party arriving after our departure. It was evi- 

 dent that w r e could do no more than put him in pos- 

 session of every information we had obtained, and 

 leave him a temporary supply of provisions and bar- 

 tering articles, with which he could procure others 

 from the natives. To this end a barrel of flour was 

 buried for him upon the sandy point of Chamisso, a 

 place which, from the nature of the ground, was 

 more likely to escape observation than the former 

 one, where the newly turned turf could not be con- 

 cealed. A large tin case, containing beads and a 

 letter, was deposited with it, to enable him to pur- 

 chase provisions from the natives, and to guide his 

 conduct. Ample directions for finding these were 

 both cut and painted on the rock ; and to call the 

 attention of the party to the spot, which they might 

 otherwise pass, seeing the ship had departed, her 

 name was painted in very large letters on the cliffs 

 of Puffin Island, accompanied with a notice of her 

 departure, and the period to which she had remained 

 in the sound. Beneath it were written directions 



