Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 1.djvu/24

Rh To him I feel more than ordinarily indebted. He not only helped me in my undertaking, but he has cheered me on, and spoken words of comfort and bright hope when my soul was often nearly overwhelmed. The memory of his generous kindness frequently sustained and helped to invigorate me anew, when wearied and exhausted in the wild regions I have lately been exploring. May every blessing, therefore, attend him and his, is my earnest and grateful prayer. As to the search for Franklin and his brave comrades, who has not heard of its fruitless result? Money and means expended without success! Large ships and small ships, in magnificent expeditions, sent out vainly as to the recovery of those lost! True, some discoveries were made, and certain relics and information brought to England by Dr. Rae in 1854, which gave a clue as to where the missing navigators could have been found; but not until Captain Clintock, of the British Navy, in the spring of 1859, visited Boothia and King William's Land, was anything for certain known. Then, at last, we were positively assured of the locality where these martyrs to science had been, when, as a discovered document proved, the ships were abandoned, and the majority of the crews had taken to the shore. This occurred in April, 1848, and 105 men, as we are told, under command of Captains Crozier and Fitzjames, landed at a given spot, with a view of making their escape, if possible, toward their native home. What became of them, except two skeletons found in a boat, and one other near the beach, has not yet been known. Supposition alone has induced the world to believe them all dead; and, despite proof upon proof, from facts, experience, and sound logical reasoning to the contrary, the Government of England, and British naval officials, with some eminent exceptions, have discarded all idea of farther search, though the truth could now so easily be obtained, and the ground to explore so small and comparatively so easy of access!

I will not trouble the reader now with my reasons for making these statements, based, as they are, upon some years of careful study and examination of all that has been said B 2