a few miles from here, to the north-west of Cape Felix;
they were dragged along N.N.W. to Victoria Point over there," said
the doctor, pointing to a part of the sea. "Now," he continued, "the
ships were not abandoned till the 22nd of April, 1848. What happened
during these nineteen months? What did the poor unfortunate men do?
They, doubtless, explored the surrounding land, attempting any
chance of safety, for the admiral was an energetic man, and if he
did not succeed----"

"Very likely his crew betrayed him," added Hatteras.

The sailors dared not raise their eyes; these words pricked their
conscience.

"To end my tale, the fatal document informs us also that John Franklin
succumbed to fatigue on the 11th of June, 1847. Honour to his memory!"
said the doctor, taking off his hat. His audience imitated him in
silence.

"What became of the poor fellows for the next ten months after they
had lost their chief? They remained on board their vessels, and only
resolved to abandon them in April, 1848; a hundred and five men out
of a hundred and thirty-eight were still living; thirty-three were
dead! Then Captain Crozier and Captain Fitz-James raised a cairn on
Victory Point, and there deposited their last document. See, my
friends, we are passing the point now! You can still see the remains
of the cairn placed on the extreme point, reached by John Ross in
1831. There is Jane Franklin Cape. There is Franklin Point. There
is Le Vesconte Point. There is Erebus Bay, where the boat made out
of the _debris_ of one of the vessels was found on a sledge. Silver
spoons, provisions in abundance, chocolate, tea, and religious books
were found there too. The hundred and five survivors, under Captain
Crozier, started for Great Fish River. Where did they get to? Did
they succeed in reaching Hudson's Bay? Did any survive? What became
of them after this last departure?"

"I will tell you what became of them," said John Hatteras in a firm
voice. "Yes, they did try to reach Hudson's Bay, and they split up
into several parties! Yes, they did make for the south! A letter from
Dr. Rae in 1854 contained the information that in 1850 the Esquimaux
had met on King William's Land a detachment of forty men travelling
on the ice, and dragging a boat, thin, emaciated, worn out by fatigue
and suffering! Later on they discovered thirty corpses on the
continent and five on a neighbouring island, some half-buried, some
left without burial, some under a