276 VAGUENESS OF INFORMATION. Chap. XIV. 



" F. D. Y., 1845," from the Esquimaux of Boothia 

 or Repulse Bay : it had doubtless been a part 

 of poor Des Yoeux's garments. 



At the time of our interview with the natives 

 of King William's Island, Petersen was in- 

 clined to think that the retreat of the crews 

 took place in the fall of the year, some of 

 the men in boats, and others walking along 

 the shore ; and as only five bodies are said to 

 have been found upon Montreal Island with 

 the boat, this fact favoured his opinion, because 

 so small a number could not have dragged her 

 there over the ice, although they could very 

 easily have taken her there by water. Subse- 

 quently this opinion proved erroneous. I men- 

 tion it because it shows how vague our infor- 

 mation was — indeed all Esquimaux accounts 

 are naturally so — and how entirely we were 

 dependent upon our own exertions for bringing 

 to light the mystery of their fate. 



The information obtained by Dr. Rae was 

 mainly derived second-hand from the Fish 

 River Esquimaux, and should not be con- 

 founded with that received by us from the 

 King William's Island Esquimaux. These 

 people told us they did not find the bodies of 

 the white men (that is, they did not know any 

 had died upon the march) until the following 



