June, 1869.] Letter to 3Ir. Grinnell. 415 



horn against the fore leg as one would rub a razor on a strop. This 

 is the animal's habit unless he finds himself, when attacked, near some 

 large stone which he may use for the same purpose of sharpening In's 

 horns. The work of death upon the others of this band and upon the 

 second band, was completed by the rest of Hall's men with guns, 

 spears, and the bow. 



On the 20th of June, 1869, this three months' journey was ended 

 by Hall's arrival at his old quarters. After a friendly talk with the 

 natives of the bay on whose shores he and his party were again 

 safely quartered, he promptly wrote out for his friend Mr. Grinnell a 

 letter which might reach the United States before he himself could 

 return. It so fully states the fixcts of this weary but most important 

 of his journeys, that its proper place seems to be at this point of the 



history. 



Letter from Ca/pt. C. F. Rail to Mr. Henry Grinnell. 



Eepulse Bay, Jtme 20, 1809. 



Dear Sir: This day I have returned from a sledge joiu-ney of ninety days 

 to and from King William's Land. It was my purpose (and every preparation was 

 made) to make this journey last season; but my attention then having been called 

 to Mellville Peninsula, in the vicinity of Fury and Hecla Straits, where native 

 report had it that white men had been seen, I directed my expedition there by 

 way Am-i-toke, the Oo-glit Isles, and Ig-loo-lik, with the ardent hope and expecta- 

 tion of rescuing alive some of Sir John Franklin's last companions. 



The result of my sledge journey to King William's Laud may be summed up 

 thus: None of Sir John Franklin's companions ever reached or died on Montreal 

 Island. It was late in July, 1848, that Crozier and his party of about forty or 

 forty-five passed down the west coast of King William's Land in the vicinity of 

 Cape Herschel. The party was dragging two sledges on the sea-ice, which was 

 nearly in its last stage of dissolution : one a large sledge laden with an awniug- 

 covered boat, and the other a small one laden with provisions and camp mate- 

 rial. Just before Crozier and party arrived at Cape Ilerscliel, they were met 

 by four families of natives, and both parties went into camp near each otlier. 



