Cualquiera que hallare este Papel, se le suplica de enviarlo al Secretario del Almirantazgo, en Londrés, con una nota del tiempo y del lugar en donde se halló.
Een ieder die dit Papier mogt vinden, wordt hiermede verzogt, om her zelve, ten spoedigste, te willen zenden aan den Heer Minister van de Marine der Nederlanden in ’s Gravenhage, of wel aan den Secretaris der Britsche Admiraliteit, te London, en daar by te voegen eene Nota, inhoudende de tyd en de plaats alwaar dit Papier is gevonden geworden.
Finderen af dette Papiir ombedes, naar Leilighed gives, at sende samme til Admiralitets Secretairen i London, eller nœrmeste Embedsmand i Danmark, Norge, eller Sverrig. Tiden og Stœdit hvor dette er fundet önskes venskabeligt paategnet.
Wer diesen Zettel findet, wird hier-durch ersucht denselben an den Secretair des Admiralitets in London einzusenden, mit gefälliger angabe an welchen ort und zu welcher zeit er gefundet worden ist.
J. Netherclife Senr. Farsun 6th 113 St Martin’s Lane
London. John Murray, Albemarle Street. 1859
Lieut. Graham Gore, his warm-hearted and steadfast friend, soon followed his beloved commander. With the rest there was hope of release during the summer months, but, as the month of September came to a close, hope must have given way to something like despair. For the ships had been much knocked about in their slow drift from off Cape Felix to about fifteen miles from Cape Victory of Ross, a distance of about 30 miles. If they ever got free of the ice it was doubtful whether they would float. There was scarcely sufficient food for the third winter, and what remained was slow poison. Nine officers and thirteen men died during that fearful winter, and the rest were much reduced and very weak.
Crozier and Fitzjames must have known the danger only too well. There must be a retreat by Back’s Fish River, but only the strongest would be able to get so far and none were really strong. Fitzjames set to work to prepare two boats for the ascent of the river, taking as his model the boat described by Sir George Back and Dr King. The boats were originally carvel-built. For the seven upper strakes thin fir planks were substituted clinker-fashion, for the sake of lightness. Above the upper strake a weather-cloth, nine inches wide, was battened down round the gunwale, supported by 24 stanchions, so placed as to serve as thole pins for rowing. Six paddles were made for each boat, and they were provided with masts and sails, and sloping canvas awnings. The boats were 28 feet long and 7 feet 3 inches in beam. The sledges on which they were to be carried until they reached the open water required very careful consideration. There might be very rough ground, and it seems to have been thought that it would not be safe to sacrifice strength for lightness. The sledges, therefore, consisted of solid oak runners 23 feet 4 inches long, 8 inches high, and 2½ inches thick, with five oak cross-bars 4 feet long, bolted down to the runners, which were shod with iron. On the cross-bars there were supporting chocks for the boat, securely lashed. The drag ropes were 2¾-inch whale lines, the weight of the sledge 650 lb. Food and fuel for 103 men for 30 days would weigh 10,600 lb. If all hands dragged, the weight would even then be 200 lb. per man. It was indeed a forlorn hope. If succour came down the river in 1848 some might be saved. Crozier and Fitzjames did all for their people that was possible. The date of abandoning the ships was fixed at April 22nd, 1848. Boats’ cooking apparatus, pickaxes, spades, silver of the officers’ messes and other things of the sort for barter with the natives were taken and much clothing. There were also mementos of those who had passed away, taken for their relations, such as Sir John’s orders, a few books, and watches.
The travelling parties, with the two heavy boat sledges, started on their journey with a full knowledge of their condition, and that many must fall by the way. No more heroic band ever went forth to die. They had made great discoveries and had served their country right well.
They reached Cape Victory of Ross, on King William Island, and encamped. Lieut. Irving found the cairn erected by Graham Gore in the previous year, and brought the printed form, with the lines written on it, mentioned on p. 243, to Captain Fitzjames. Fitzjames had some ink thawed, and wrote round the margin:—
In 1848, H.M. Ships Terror and Erebus were deserted on the 22nd April 5 leagues N.N.W. of this, having been beset since 12 Sept. 1846, the officers and crews consisting of 105 souls under the command of Captain F. R. M. Crozier landed here in Lat. 69° 37′ 42″ N. and Long. 98° 41′. This paper was found by Lieut. Irving under the cairn supposed to have been built by Sir James Ross in 1831 4 miles to the northward where it had been deposited by the late Commander Gore in June 1847. Sir James Ross’s pillar has not however been found, and the paper has been transferred to this position, which is that in which Sir J. Ross’s pillar was erected—Sir John Franklin died on the 11th June 1847, and the total loss by deaths in the Expedition has been to this date 9 officers and 15 men.