It is not discreditable to Back's
survey that an error should be made in tracing the course of the river,
for it is probable that bad weather hid the sun from his observation at
that portion of the river where he could travel very swiftly; while
upon our return trip we were moving along this river by stages of not
more than from five to nine miles a day. Our course up the river could
not have been toward the southwest when we saw the sun rise to the
right of our line of march almost daily. The place where the records
were destroyed may be seen to the west of Point Richardson.
Among the most important relics of the expedition are two medals. The
larger one, found at Lieutenant Irving's grave, is of solid silver; and
the neat, cleanly cut edges which are as sharp to-day as if just from
the die, indicate the value placed upon it and the care taken of it by
its owner. It was buried with his remains at a spot about four miles
below Victory Point, on King William's Land, and evidently remained
undisturbed until the grave was found by Esquimaux who visited the
vicinity some time after McClintock's search, more than twenty years
ago. From its position when found by Lieutenant Schwatka it would
appear that it had been taken out of the grave by the natives and laid
upon one of the stones forming the wall of the tomb while they were
seeking for further plunder, and was subsequently overlooked by them.
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