288 DISCREPANCY IN THE RECOED. Chap. XV. 



deatli by retreating to the Hudson Bay territo- 

 ries up tlae Back or Great Fish River. 



A sad tale was never told in fewer words. 

 There is something deeply touching in their 

 extreme simplicity, and they show in the 

 strongest manner that both the leaders of this 

 retreating party were actuated by the loftiest 

 sense of duty, and met with calmness and de- 

 cision the fearful alternative of a last bold 

 struggle for life, rather than perish without 

 effort on board their ships ; for we well know 

 that the ' Erebus' and ' Terror' were only 

 provisioned up to July, 1848. 



Another discrepancy exists in the second part 

 of the record written by Fitzjames. The ori- 

 ginal number composing the expedition was 138 

 souls,* and the record states the total loss by 

 deaths to have been 9 officers and 15 men, con- 

 sequently that 114 officers and men remained; 

 but it also states that 105 only landed under 

 Captain Crozier's command, so that 9 individuals 

 are unaccounted for. 



Lieutenant Hobson's note told me that he 

 found quantities of clothing and articles of all 

 kinds lying about the cairn, as if these men, 

 aware that they were retreating for their lives, 



See Conclusion, p. 348. 



