THE FEANKLIN EXPEDITION 455 



date at the top and bottom of the record proves this ; but in 

 all other respects the tale is told, in as few words as possible, 

 of their wonderful success up to May, 1847. But alas ! alas ! 

 around the margin of the paper which Lieutenant Gore, in 

 1847, wrote the words of hope and promise, another hand 

 had subsequently written the following words: 



" ' April 25th, 1848. H.M. ships Terror and Erebus were 

 deserted on 22nd April, five leagues north north-west of this, 

 having been (ice) beset since 12th September, 1846. The 

 officers and crews, consisting of 105 souls, under the com- 

 mand of Captain F. K. M. Crozier, landed here in latitude 

 69° 37' north, longitude 98° 41' west. Sir John Franklin 

 died on 11th June, 1847. The total loss by deaths in the 

 expedition has been to this date nine officers and fifteen men. 

 ' F. K. M. Ckoziee, 



Captain and Senior Officer. 

 ' James Fitzjames, 



Captain H. M. ship " Ereius." 

 ' And start (on) to-morrow, 26th, for Back's Fish Eiver.' 



" There is some additional marginal information relative 

 to the transfer of the document to its present position (the 

 site of Sir James Eoss's pillar of 1830) from a spot four 

 miles to the northward, where it had originally been deposited 

 by the ' late Commander Gore.'' (Gore also deposited a similar 

 record in a small cairn in Back's Bay, several miles to the 

 south. Both records were found by Lieutenant Hobson.) 

 This little word ' late ' shows that he, too, had passed away. 

 In the short space of twelve months how mournful had be- 

 come the history of Franklin's expedition — how changed 

 from the cheerful ' all well ' of Graham Gore ! 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 of the leaders of this retreating 

 party (Captains Crozier and Fitzjames and Doctors Stanley 

 and Goodsir, who were well known for their talents and 

 acquirements) were actuated by the loftiest sense of duty. 



