- 98 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE, 
CORR ESEONDENCE: 
SCHWATKA’S SLEDGE JOURNEY. 
(Copy furnished by the Author.) 
2 ADDISON GARDENS, KENSINGTON, Nov. 6th, 1880. 
My Lorp :—In the brief account of Lieutenant Schwatka’s sledge journey to 
King William’s island, by Mr. C. R. Markham, in the November number of the 
Proceedings of the Geographical Society, my name is mentioned, but in such a 
manner that I feel entitled to be permitted to offer some explanation. 
It is said that ‘‘several relics of the Franklin Expedition were bought by 
Dr. Rae in 1854 from the natives and sent home.” 
What Mr. Markham, with that propensity for unfairness for which he is 
notorious, is pleased to call ‘‘ several relics,” not sent, but brought, home by me, 
consisted of more than seventy articles, among them twenty-three silver spoons 
and forks, nine pieces of silver watch cases, one case of a silver-gilt chronometer 
and dial, two pieces gold watch cases, two pieces gold watch chain, sovereigns, 
half-crowns, shillings, etc. On some of these articles were the initials or crests 
of thirteen of the officers (there were sixteen officers in all) and the names of 
two of the men, ‘‘ Hickey” and ‘‘ Fowler.” 
In addition to these was a cross of the Hanoverian Order of Knighthood, 
and a small silver plate with Sir John Franklin, K. C. H., engraved upon it. 
These relics are deposited in the painted hall at Greenwich Hospital, and 
taken altogether are, with the exception of the record obtained by the Fox Expe- 
dition of 1858-9, equal, at least, in importance to all that has been brought home 
by subsequent explorers, and were sufficient, in combination with my plain, 
unvarnished report, to elicit from the Lords of the Admiralty a letter by their 
Secretary, dated 24th of October, 1854, in which the following paragraph occurs : 
‘¢T have to request you will inform Dr. Rae of their Lordships’ high approval of 
the services of Dr. Rae, who has set at rest the unfortunate fate of Sir John Frank- 
lin and his party.” (See letter No. 4, page 834, Arctic blue book 1855.) 
As regards the more painful part of the information obtained by me; had 
any one heard and seen as I did, the Eskimos tell what they had to say, they 
could not, zf zmpartial, have failed to believe that they spoke the truth. Had I 
not reported a/ that was told me, my men would have done so, and aid, and | 
might have been justly accused of withholding a part. I found on my return 
from my fifty-six days’ sledge journey, that the three men left in charge at 
Repulse Bay—none of whom could understand or speak a word of the language— 
had been already informed by natives, who had been for some time occupied 
near them, of all the most important sad details by pantomime or dumb show. 
