“As the boat touched the shelving rocks,” writes Mr. Snow, “I hastily sprang out into the water, leaving the men to secure her; and ran to the signal-post about fifty yards off. I was there in a moment, with Grate close at my heels. A few paces off I observed another and a rougher post erected, but this one had a small flag flying, and was evidently the principal. I really cannot tell whether the cylinder handed to me in the course of a second or two had been buried or merely tied to the post, so intent was I upon conjecturing what news I should receive. My hands trembled with eagerness, and I could hardly read the paper. It was as follows:—
“‘Her Majesty’s Arctic Searching Expedition.
“‘This is to certify that Captain Ommaney, with the officers of her Majesty’s ships Assistance and Intrepid, landed at Cape Riley on the 23d of August, 1850, where he found traces of an encampment, and collected the remains of materials which evidently prove that some party belonging to her Majesty’s ships have been detained on this spot. Beechey Island was also examined, where traces were found of the same party.
“‘This is also to give notice that a supply of provisions and fuel is at Port Leopold. Her Majesty’s ships, Assistance and Intrepid, were detached from the squadron under Captain Austin, off Wolstenholme, on the 15th inst., since when they have examined the north shores of Lancaster Sound and Barrow Strait, without meeting any other traces. Captain Ommaney proceeds to Cape Hotham and Cape Walker in search for further traces of Sir John Franklin’s expedition.
“‘Dated on board her Majesty’s ship Assistance, off Cape Riley, August 23, 1850.
“‘Erasmus Ommaney.’”
“After the other signal-post had been examined,” continues Mr. Snow, “I made a careful observation of everything around me, and commenced as close an investigation as the hurried nature of my visit, according to my orders, permitted me. The men had also, previously to my telling them and with an alacrity that did them credit, commenced a most prying search. One in a short time brought me about an inch and a half square piece of canvas well bleached; another, the second mate, more fortunate, discovered a piece of rope, as I supposed a ratlin, and which was found to contain the Chatham Dock-yard Navy mark;[2] a third found a piece of bone, with two holes bored in it. Beef bones, and other unmistakable marks of the place having been used within some very few years by a party of Europeans, for some purpose or other, were discovered. The ground presented very much the appearance of having been turned into an encampment, for certain stones were so placed as to lead to the inference that tents had been erected within some of their enclosures, and in others a fire might have been made, but no marks of fire were visible.
“Four of these circular parcels of stones I counted, and observed another which might or might not have been a fifth.”
