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| Archive Reference / Library Class No. | D8760/F/FEG/1/18/3 |
| Former Reference | D3287/31/11 |
| Title | Letter from Sir John Richardson to Eleanor Isabella Gell, relating to subjects arising from search expeditions and the prospect of future expeditions, including uncomplimentary references to the 'Eskimo' peoples, and on the publicity about the dispute between the Gells and Lady Franklin |
| Date | 12 Nov 1853 |
| Description | Signature cut off but identified as Sir John Richardson at top in different hand |
| Extent | 3 sheets |
| Level | Item |
| Repository | Derbyshire Record Office |
| Full Catalogue List | Click here to view a full list for this collection |
| Sender | John Richardson |
| Sender Location | Haslar Hospital, Gosport |
| Recipient | Eleanor Isabella Gell |
| Recipient Location | No address |
| Archive Creator | Eleanor Isabella Franklin, later Eleanor Gell (1824-1860) |
| Gell family of Hopton Hall, Wirksworth |
| Format | Document |
| Term | Inuit |
| Ethnic groups |
| Geographical exploration |
| Geographical exploration |
| Arctic regions |
| Explorers |
| Indigenous populations |
| Franklin Expedition (1845) |
| Transcript or Index | Haslar Hospital
12th November 1853
My dear Mrs Gell
Taking the subjects mentioned in your letter in the order in which they occur, I may say that the white jar unquestionably belonged to one of the medicine chests usually furnished to the Navy, but as the chests are never returned complete back to store it is impossible to trace its origin – I am surprised however at the mention of Eskimos on the north shore of Lancaster Sound and trust that Captain Inglefield must have said the south shore – or perhaps you meant Wolstenholme Sound. If so the North Star was supplied with a medicine chest and Dr James Rae, then assistant Surgeon of the ship is the proper person to apply to and indeed the only one who can say whether he lost one of his jars in the winter or no. The Eskimo would steal it if they had the opportunity – I cannot account for such a jar being found in Lancaster Sound unless in the vicinity of Beechey Island – or on the Wollaston Islands and in the latter place only it could occur by Dr Rae having carried it ashore. Sir John Ross’ vessel the Victoria left in Regent Inlet was plundered by the Eskimo and articles from her were carried to Repulse Bay and doubtless through the archipelago of islands leading to Ponds Bay but I do not know that Sir John Ross had a naval medicine chest. I cannot give you Dr James Rae’s address but it may obtained from Sir William Burnett and indeed he is in the best position to make enquiries about the jar.
With respect to the grave at Point Warren I believe it to be a pure fiction, as it should be a piece of unheard of civilisation in an Eskimo to bury a stranger since no pains are taken to cover up the bones of people of their own nation, though when in prosperous circumstances the relations do bury the dead of their own families. I think that the lying old fellow with whom Captain Mc Clure communicated was desirous of drawing the boats crew inland, to the distant hill where he said the grave was, for the purpose of placing them in a situation where they might be more readily assailed and plundered. Similar falsehoods were told to me, and for the purpose of inducing me to land not far from that place I was told that a party of white men were living on Richards’ Island, but it happened that I had been on that island on the preceding day and was therefore prepared to give a flat contradiction to his report which I immediately did. On being told in his own language, which admits of no courtly modifications, that he was ‘’a liar’’ he laughed and turned to another subject. For lying and stealing the Eskimo people cannot be matched yet by those who understand them the truth may after a time be elicited.
Projects of an Expedition to Spitzbergen are contained in today’s Athenaeum. I have not been able to gather any evidence whatever of the sea beyond 82°N.Lat. being navigable and am one of those who think that the pole will never be reached by water. Sir E. Belcher’s hurried dispatches are so badly and obscurely written that we must wait before forming an opinion of what he did or what he saw. You could see a notice in the Times of the 10th instant in a dull mercantile article stating that Capt. Fales saw one of the searching squadron in Port Clarence on the 15th July last. This was the Enterprise I think, and another in the middle of August passing through Beerings Strait. This last was perhaps the Rattlesnake as I scarcely think that the Plover could have left her winter quarters near P. Barrow to pass through the Straits and return again so easily. Your conjecture respecting the two ships seen in 1851 is a probable one, and if the ships were carried by a floe through the inlets on the south side of Lancaster Sound and not into Davis Straits by Ponds’ Bay or Frobisher Inlet, they might be seen in the sea at the time spoken of. But if deserted during their detention by the crew, much of the deserted property would be carried off by the Eskimos and would long ere this have been recognised by the Whalers who assemble annually in Ponds’ Bay. Enquiries in that quarter by one able to speak the Eskimo language fluently would elicit the truth .The ship which goes out next summer with provisions to Lancaster Sound, should take on an interpreter at one of the settlements in Greenland and devote some days at Ponds’ Bay on her return homewards to intercourse with the Eskimo-
I certainly feel much for you and Mr Gell at the publicity given to matters of purely a domestic character. I am very imperfectly informed on the matter never having spoken either to Mr Gell or Lady Franklin or her immediate advisers on the subject. And some years ago when asked to interfere by one of Lady Franklin’s relatives I declined. I was not acquainted with your Father’s intentions about a will and was not at all likely to be mentioned in any way in one made in 1829 – nor do I know of a later one. If he made any settlement before going out in 1845 it was most probably under the advice of Mr Henry Booth whom he consulted on law matters. Miss Booth of Stamford was Mr H. Booth’s executor, and Dennis Jones of Stamford is executor to Miss Booth. To him or to the lawyer employed by Miss Booth who is also dead, the papers would pass but Dennis Jones I suppose is the legal custodian of the will if any such was made at that time. Your Uncle at Clifton will be able to speak as to the probability of the existence of such a thing. When your Father sailed he left a power of attorney to Mr H. Booth and myself to act in some legal matters, but did not say to me that he had done so and I did not hear of it till Mr Booth’s death.
Lady Richardson and Josephine write with me in kind regards to Mr Gell and yourself and Edward sends kisses to the babies - while I remain [valedictory part of letter cut off]
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