468 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 
impart any information concerning the lost crews were hunted up and interviewed. 
Some of them had not seen a white man since Captain Crozier’s party was there. 
‘The interviews were made through the medium of a competent interpreter, and in 
this way much valuable information as to the loss of the Franklin records was 
compiled, Italso made known the fact that one of Franklin’s ships drifted down 
the Victoria Straits and was unwittingly scuttled by the Ookjoolik Esquimaux, 
who found it near an island off Grant Point during the spring of 1849. At that 
time one man was lying dead in the steerage, and during the same year the na- 
tives saw tracks of four white men in the spring snows on the mainland. 
The expedition started from the base of operationsin Hudson’s Bay with but 
one month’s rations of ‘‘civilized’’ food upon their sledges, thus voluntarily 
submitting to a dependence upon the game of the country through which they 
passed. The white men of the party began living upon the same fare and conform- 
ing to a mode of life strictly in accordance with that of their Esquimaux assis- 
tants. The result is shown that it is feasible for white men to adapt themselves to 
the climate and life of the Esquimaux in prosecuting journeys in Polar regions, 
and that they are not necessarily restricted to any particular season of the year 
for that purpose, but can travel at any time and in the same way in which the 
natives travel. A large quantity of relics has been gathered by the party, not to 
gratify morbid curiosity, but to illustrate the last chapter of the history of Sir John 
Franklin’s expedition. From each spot where the graves were found a few tokens 
were selected that may serve to identify those who perished there. A piece of 
each of the boats found and destroyed by the natives has been brought away, to- 
gether with interesting though mournful relics in the shape of the prow of one of 
their boats, the sledge upon which it was transported and part of the drag rope 
upon which these poor fellows tugged until they fell down and died in their tracks. 
In addition to these the party secured a board which may serve to identify the 
ship which completed the northwest passage. 
They have also brought the remains of an officer, Lieutenant John Irving, 
third officer of the Terror, which were identified by a prize medal found in his 
open grave. The party endured many hardships and were once threatened with 
starvation, not, as might be supposed, in the course of the sledge journey, but 
after their return to Hudson’s Bay. When the party reached Depot Island there was 
but one saddle of meat on the sledges, although the return journey was made 
through a country where game could be procured. This was due to the fact that 
before the expedition set out, an ample supply of provisions was left in the care of 
Captain Barry, of the schooner Eothen. He had retained the food on board his 
vessel, stating that he could take better care of it, and promised to leave it at 
Depot Island before returning home. 
Instead of finding the provisions the party found the natives short of food, as 
they had been twice before during the same winter, when they were compelled to 
eat their dogs. Successive storms prevented the hunting of walrus, which is their 
main dependence at thisseason. Lieutenant Schwatka’s party were consequently 
