Page:The life and letters of Sir John Henniker Heaton bt. (IA lifelettersofsi00port).pdf/192

 There were 16 Officers of both ships, I obtained and brought home with me articles, with crests, initials or other marks, showing that they had belonged to 14 of those 16 Officers. There were among these Sir J. Franklin’s Cross of Knighthood (which a woman wore round her neck as an ornament) and a number of his spoons and forks.

On the very day of my arrival I went to the Admiralty and saw the First Lord, Sir J. Graham, who on hearing my story said, "Are you aware, Dr Rae, that the Government have offered a reward of £10,000 for news of the fate of the missing Expedition?" I replied no. He then told me of it, and said that he thought we were entitled to it and would be standing in my own light if I didn't apply for it! My Expedition was not a Government but a Hudson's Bay Co's. one, fitted out wholly at their expense, therefore my report was sent to the Company for and forwarded by them to the Admiralty.

An immediate answer, dated 24th October 1834, was addressed to the Secretary of the Hudson's Bay Co., in which are the following words, "Their Lordships request you will inform Dr Rae of their Lordships high approval of the services of Dr Rae who has set at rest the unfortunate fate of Sir John Franklin and his party."

The award of £10,000 would have been granted almost immediately, but Collinson was still in the Arctic Seas and it was very reasonably thought that he might possibly have a prior claim. This doubt arose from the fact that the Admiralty had rather prematurely paid a somewhat similar claim for finding some lost Missionary people a short time before, another claim soon after having been made.

An Expedition, meantime, was sent down to the Back River to inquire further into the matter, and look for the documents. Nothing of importance came of it, as I believed and stated from the first