364 THE POLAR WORLD. 



Meanwhile Lieutenant Ilobson, who was exploring with another sletlge par- 

 ty the north-western coast of King William's Land, had made the still more 

 important discovery of a record giving a laconic account of the Franklin ex- 

 pedition up to tlie time when the ships were lost and abandoned. It was found 

 on ^lay G in a large cairn at Point Victory. It stated briefly that in 1845 the 

 *' Erebus" and " Terror" had ascended Wellington Channel to lat. 77°, and re- 

 turned by the wesi side of Cornwallis Island to Beechey Island, where they 

 silent the first winter. In 1846 they proceeded to the south-west, through Peel 

 Sound and Franklin Sound, and eventually reached within twelve miles of the 

 north extremity of King William's Land, when their progress was arrested by 

 the ice. Sir John Franklin died on June 11, 1847, having completed — two 

 months before his death — the sixty-first year of an active, eventful, and honor- 

 able life. On April 22, 1848, the ships were deserted, having been beset since 

 September 12, 1846. The officers and crew, consisting of 105 souls, under the 

 command of Captain Crozier, landed with the intention of startnig for Back's 

 Fish River, which, as we have seen, they were never destined to reach. 



Quantities of clothing and articles of all kinds were found lying about the 

 cairn, as if these men, aware that they were retreating for their lives, had then 

 abandoned every thing which they considered superfluous. 



Thus all doubts about Sir John Franklin's fate were at length removed. lie 

 at least had died on board his ship, and been spared the miserable end of his 

 comrades as they fell one by one in the dreary wilderness. 



The two wrecks have disappeared without leaving a trace behind. A sin- 

 gle document, some coins and pieces of plate — this is all that remains of tlie 

 gallant ships which so hopefully sailed forth under one of the noblest seamen 

 that ever served in the navy of Great Britain. 



It is a curious circumstance that Franklin's ships perished within sight of 

 the headlands named Cape Franklin and Cape Jane Franklin by their discov- 

 erer, Sir James Ros«, eighteen years before. 



't. 



!l 



i 



I 



