“Among the traditions handed down from one generation to another, there is this: that many—very many years ago, some white men built a ship on one of the islands of Frobisher Bay and went away.
“I think I can see through this in this way: Frobisher, in 1578, assembled a large part of his fleet in what he called ‘Countess of Warwick Sound’ (said to be in that bay below us), when a council was held on the 1st of August, at which it was determined to send all persons and things on shore upon ‘Countess of Warwick Island’; and on August 2d orders were proclaimed, by sound of trumpet, for the guidance of the company during their abode thereon. For reasons stated in the history, the company did not tarry here long, but departed for ‘Meta Incognita,’ and thence to England, how may not the fact of timbers, chips, etc., etc., having been found on one of the islands (within a day’s journey of here) many years ago, prove that the said materials were of this Frobisher’s company, and that hence the Innuit tradition? In a few days I hope to be exploring Frobisher Bay.”
Describing the circumstances of his interesting discovery on Countess of Warwick Island, Hall writes:—
“We continued on around the island, finding, every few fathoms in our progress, numerous Innuit relics. At length we arrived at a plain that extended back a considerable distance from the coast. Here we recognized, at our right, about sixty rods distant, the point to which we first directed our steps on reaching the high land after leaving the boat.
“I was several fathoms in advance of Koo-ou-le-arng, hastening on, being desirous to make as extended a search as the brief remaining daylight would allow, when, lifting my eyes from the ground near me, I discovered, a considerable distance ahead, an object of an unusual appearance. But a second look satisfied me that what I saw were simply stones scattered about and covered with black moss. I continued my course, keeping as near the coast as possible. I was now nearing the spot where I had first descried the black object. It again met my view; and my original thought on first seeing it resumed at once the ascendency in my mind. I hastened to the spot. ‘Great God! Thou hast rewarded me in my search!’ was the sentiment that came overwhelmingly into my thankful soul. On casting my eyes all around, seeing and feeling the character (moss-aged, for some of the pieces I saw had pellicles of black moss on them) of the relics before and under me, I felt as—I cannot tell what my feelings were—what I saw before me was sea-coal of Frobisher’s expedition of 1578, left here near three centuries ago!”
A more thorough search in the vicinity undertaken at a later period resulted in the finding of flint-stone; fragments of tile, glass, pottery, an excavation which Hall called an abandoned mine, the ruins of three stone houses, one of which was twelve feet in diameter, with palpable evidence of its having been erected on a foundation of stone cemented together with lime and sand; large pieces of iron time-eaten and weather-worn, which “the rust of three centuries had firmly cemented to the sand and stones in which it had lain.”
It will be remembered that of the one hundred men sent out from England with Frobisher in 1578, the majority were miners sent for the express purpose of digging for the rich ore of which Frobisher had carried specimens home on his return from his second voyage, and which was supposed to be very valuable. The miners made “proofs,” as they are called, in various parts of the regions discovered by him. Some of these “proofs” are doubtless what Captain Hall found, and, in connection with other circumstances, evidenced the exact location of Frobisher’s “Countess of Warwick Mine.” Captain Hall presented many of the relics he brought home to the British government through the Royal Geographical Society of London.
HALL’S SECOND JOURNEY
Upon his return to New London (September 13, 1862), Hall immediately endeavoured, through lectures and personal appeals, to equip another expedition to the Arctic. The unsettled state of the nation, plunged into the horrors of a great civil war, made his efforts practically futile; undaunted by the discouraging response, he nevertheless sailed July 1, 1864, and in August was landed, with his meagre equipment, boat and provisions, on Depot Island, Hudson Bay, 64° N., 90° W. Adopting the habits and life of the Eskimos, Hall spent five years in pursuing his researches, receiving occasionally supplies from whalers.
The first year was spent in unsuccessful efforts to secure Eskimo aid. The winter of 1865-1866, Hall had his headquarters at Fort Hope, Repulse Bay, and in the spring reached Cape Weyton, 68° N., 89° W. The Eskimos refused to accompany him farther, but he had the good fortune to meet with natives who had visited the deserted ships, and had seen Franklin. Hall secured from these Eskimos considerable silver bearing the crest of Franklin and other officers.