A STRANGE STORY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2659, 27 July 1889, Page 5 (Supplement)

A STRANGE STORY.

The sad story of Sir John Franklin and his brave comrades of the Erebus and Terror has been often told, but it has been reserved for the Rev. J. Henry Skewes, vicar of Holy Trinity, Liverpool, to recount the " true secret of the disoovery of the great explorer's fate" after 40 years' silence. Everyone knows how tho expeditions, sent out by the Government in search for Franklin, failed to find any traces of the explorer or his party, Hope was almost given up when away in the north of Ireland a very strango occurrence took place. In May, 1849, a child of four, whose pet name, it should be stated, was " YVeasty," died at Londonderry of gastric fever. She was tho daughter of Captain Coppin, a Board of Trade surveyor there. For mouths afterwards the dead child, in the language of her brothers and sisters, was " always about." They were continually " seeing" her in the house. One night when going to bed one of the children, aged seven, told her aunt that there was written on the wall the words, " Mack ay is dead." Mr Mackay was a bauker in the town, and well known to tho children, and next morning it was found that be had died very suddenly about tho time that the writing appeared. The great mystery of Franklin's fate was at this time agitating the country, and soon afterwards it occured to the aunt to get the child to question Weasey," who as usual was " present," relative to the whereabouts of Sir John and how he could be reached. This was done, and "Weasey's" apparition at once vanished, Immediately afterwards " there appeared on the floor a complete Arctic scene, showing two ships surrounded with ice and almost covered with snow, including a channol that led to the ships." This scene, in the form of a chart, the child, presumably 011 the suggestion of her aunt, at once drew. Then in connection with this representation, and in answer to further questions there appeared on the opposite wall, in large round letters, the following •— "Erebus and Terror, Sir John Franklin, Lancaster Sound, Prince Regent lulet, Point Victory, Victoria Channel." No message from the unseen world could have been plainer or more definite than this, but Capt. Coppin, the father of tho child, on hearing the facts was at first incredulous. The child, however, stuck to her story so persistently that he thought it his duty to communicate with Lady Franklin, whose first private expedition with the Prince Albert was shortly to sail from Aberdeen. Her ladyship was naturally much interested in the revelation, and soon became convinced of its truth. The voyage of tho Prince Albert was, however, fruitless. A second time the vessel sailed, under the command of Captain Kennedy, who had been made fully acquainted with the Londonderry vision and had got his instructions accordingly. These however, ho did not, owing to various circumstnnces, carry oat. and he too failed. Dr. Rae, who followed, was rather more successful, but it was not until tho voyage of the Fox that complete success was achieved. Tho Fox was in charge of Captain M'Clintock, Lieutenant Hobsou being second in command, and sailed as late as 1557. Captain M'Clintock's instructions were definite : He was to follow the route defined in the " revelation." To make a long story short, this was done, and the result was marvellous. Point Victory was duly reached ; a dilapidated cai:n there vva-< searched, and among some loose stones Hobson discovered a thixi tin cylinder containing the only written record respecting the crews of the Erebus and Terror that was over found. The record told when and where the vessels were deserted, annourccd the death of Sir John Franklin, aud was signed by tho senior surviving olficers. Lieutenant Hobson continued his journey westward. A short distance from Point Victory he discovered a boat which had belonged to one of the lost ships, with two skeletons, guns and other articles. Hobson, through illness, had then to discontinue his explorations, but M'Clintock came upon huts, the inmates of which were in possession of many thinsrs belonging to the ill-fated expedition, including pieces of plate on which were the crests or initials of Sir John aud three of his officers. M'Clintock reached England safely, and in due time rewards aud honours were heaped upon hirn and his crew, their success being entirely due to the fidelity with which they followed the route indicated by the Londonderry vision.