A relic of Sir John Franklin's last expedition 1845-8. Five buckles found at Crozier's camp site near Ross Cairn, Point Victory, King William Island on 11 July 1879 by the Schwatka Search Expedition 1878-9. 1 Brass with iron tongue. 2 Brass, with a piece of cloth and part of a leather strap attached. 3 Brass with an iron tongue and a canvas trap attached. 4 A steel tongue attached to a central bar with a roller on the side. 5 Iron, with two tongues and a piece of leather attached. A label (3) is attached.
Frederick Schwatka 'The Long Arctic Search' p. 82 'About twenty feet from high water mark was found a lot of half-rotten navy clothing', F. L. McClintock 'The Voyage of the Fox in the Arctic seas' p. 305 'The clothing left by the retreating crews of the 'Erebus' and 'Terror' formed a huge heap four feet high'.