TRACES OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 677, 28 January 1852, Page 4

TRACES OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN

ARCTIC SEARCHING EXPEDITION. '

(From the- London Times, Sept. 10.) The following letter from Capt. Parker of the Truelove, whale ship, giving an acountof Capt. Austin’s expedition up to the 13ibo| Sept. 1850, has been brought by Capt, Ord of the Tyne, of Berwick-upon-Tweed, which ship anived at that port on the 6th instant From this letter it would appear that the Searching Expeditions were abeut to enter into winter quarters on the southern shore of Cornwallis Island, in Birrow Straits and Capt. Parker, of the Truelove, transmit! a letter from Mr. Kane, surgeon of lhe United Stales expedition, which will be read with the deepest interest by all concerned in Sir John Franklin’s expedition.

The traces of Sir John Franklin’s expedition, which had been already reported by Capt. Forsyth as having been discovered by Captain Ommanney aud Lieutenant Bertie Carter, had been further followed by Captain Ommanney, Captain Penny, and Captain de Haven, of the United Slates expedition, placing beyond a doubt the safety of Sir John Franklin’s ships up to this point, which was their first winter quarters, and during their sojourn at which there is not lhe slightest ground tor supposing that any disaster of any description had occurred beyond lhe ordinary casualties of life among such a number, three men having died of the two ships’ companies up to April, 1846, about which ueriod they would be preparing to push forward on the main object of the expedition. N.B.—The persons whose graves are hete reported formed part of the expedition. Mr. M’Donald is assistant surgeon of lhe Terror. “Davis Strait, July 24, 1851. “ My Lord, —May it please your lordships to receive at my bauds the enclosed testimony, received on the 12th of July, of the American searching vessels, of the account of their voyage in search of Sir John Franklin. “On the 13th September, 1850, they left all the searching vessels at Cape Matlyrs, Cornwallis Island, they not being enabled to pursue any further westward direction from that date. ” A harbour called the Assistant Uarbvuti discovered by Captain Ommanney, three mile* south of Cape Martyrs, was the place in selection for them to winter in. The bay ice was forming very strong at lhe time, yet the Advance and Rescue were determined to proceed homewards, but unfortunately, howeref, a gale sprung up and drove them up Wellington Channel fifty miles, and afterwards they were frozen in. “I have not yet been enabled to get furthet north than the Devil’s Thumb ; and tb* time being limited for my sojourn in that quarter, I cannot give you any more particulars, excepting that the two American seis and the Prince Albert were left by u! near the Duck Islands, the wind being«outh» west, and blowing strong at the time. “ The American schooners have left souls despatches for the Admiralty atSievely, which I hope in due time will he received. “At this date 1 am off Stolstinburg- The ice in my voyage northwards seemed to very light, but I could not get through it in time. The American Captain De HaventoW me that the winter was very mild, and tM be can give no further particulars respecting Sir John Franklin than the enclosed account ne said he was determined to go to theses! of search again, after having wintered; allthe documents received from the Adtnir*' l ? and others I gave to him.—l remaiih lords, your lordships’ most obedient servanii

“John Parker, Master.”