Toward the close of 1847 serious anxiety was aroused respecting the fate
of these brave explorers. The brave-hearted, devoted wife of the
commander expended her whole fortune on these endeavors to ascertain
what had become of her husband. It is interesting to note that the
people of Tasmania, Franklin's colony, subscribed the sum of L1,700
toward the expenses of the search.
In the year 1850 it was discovered that the first Winter of the
explorers to the following April, or later (1846), had been spent at
Beechey Island, beyond Lancaster Sound, and that it had been an active
holiday time.
In 1854 an exploring party under Dr. Rae were told by the Esquimaux that
several white men, in number about forty, had been seen dragging a boat
over the ice near the north shore of King William's Land, and that
bodies and skeletons were afterward found on the mainland opposite, by
the banks of the Great Fish River. Many relics of this party were
procured by Dr. Rae from the natives, and being brought to England were
identified as belonging to the Franklin explorers. On this Dr. Rae
received the government reward of L10,000.
In 1859 Lady Franklin bought and fitted the yacht _Fox_, which she
placed under the command of Captain Leopold McClintock. The expedition
set sail from Aberdeen, and, on reaching King William's Land, divided
into three sledging parties, under Lieutenant Hobson, Captain Young, and
McClintock himself. In Boothia several relics were discovered, such as
would be dropped or left behind by men too weak to carry the usual
belongings of a boat or sledge.
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