We also buried a copy of the McClintock-Crozier
record, together with the record of our work to date, ten feet north of
the cairn, marking the fact on the tombstone. On our way back to
Franklin Point we buried the skull found on our way up, but found no
further bones until we reached Point Le Vesconte. We saw tenting
places, both of white men and natives, at different points along the
coast, and one cairn that had been torn down and contained nothing. We
found an empty grave on a hill where we encamped, about four miles
below this point, and a skull about a quarter of a mile distant from
it, evidently having been dragged there by wild beasts. The only things
found in the tomb were a large brass buckle and a percussion cap. Near
by were traces of native tenting places. In fact, wherever we found
graves we always found evidences that natives had encamped in the
vicinity, like vultures.
From this camp we marched, to our first camping place on Erebus Bay,
and from there had the most dismal day's work of the entire journey. In
order to pass Erebus Bay on the land, we had to go a long distance
inland to find a place where we could ford a wide and deep river that
empties into it. Throughout the entire length of the river, on both
sides, we had to wade through deep marshes, and at last crossed it
through a swift current, the water reaching to our waists.
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