SCHWATKA'S SLEDGE JOURNEY. 501 
which being for no use, were given to the children to play with and torn up and 
destroyed.* 
The Eskimos (in 1854) said it was curious that although sledges had been 
seen with the party when traveling, and their tracks on the ice noticed, no sledges 
were found where the dead men were, although the boat or boats were there. I 
asked if there were any signs of fire. They replied: Yes. I then explained that 
as the white men had reached the mainland ‘‘Noo Nah” at no great distance 
from the river they wished to ascend, they did not require the sledges any more, 
and probably used them for fuel. The explanation seemed satisfactory, as certi- 
fied by a bright look of intelligence. To us the absence of the sledges would ap- 
pear of slight importance, but to an Eskimo a large wooden sledge is a grand 
prize; hence, their absence puzzled them. 
I have now to apologize for troubling your lordship with this very long letter, 
a penalty imposed in consequence of the high position you so worthily hold as 
President of the Royal Geographical Society. I have the honor to be 
Yours respectfully, [Signed. ] JOHN RAE. 
The President Royal Geographical Society. 
Note to the Editor of the Kansas City REVIEW. 
Two of the instances of falsehood, (both told with the laudable (?) object 
of exalting the position of the men and officers of her majesty’s navy, at the 
expense of others who have explored on the Arctic coasts), I think it now con- 
venient to add to the foregoing letter. ‘The author of the Northwest passage by 
McClure, (McClure himself is not responsible) an Admiral in the navy, not long 
dead, filled a page of the book with a notice of the Arctic work of myself and my 
Hudson’s Bay voyagers, every word of which is false, and willfully so, because 
this man was informed that his statements were erroneous and proof given to that 
effect, yet he refused to make a correction in the second edition of the work. 
Another Admiral who not very long ago was hydrographer to the admiralty 
and is still living, stated plainly to a very large meeting of our geograpical society, 
that no Arctic explorers, except those of Her Majesty’s service, had ever done 
any good geographical work!! At the time that this statement was made, five 
gentlemen, having no connection with the English navy, had received the highest 
honor that could be bestowed for their Arctic researches—namely : 
Thomas Simpson—Founders’ Medal 1839, for less han half his Arctic work 
accomplished at that date. 
John Rae—Founders’ Medal in 1852, who did nearly as much more work 
afterward. His survey of Wollaston and Victoria Lands were found so much 
more accurate than the subsequent survey of Captain Collinson, that his survey 
was not only adopted on the admiralty charts—names and all, but was used to 
illustrate Collinson’s report in the Arctic blue book. 
Dr. Kane—Founders’ Medal, 1856. 
* This story is repeated to Schwatka exactly as it was told to me twenty-five years before. 
IV—33 
