This second edition of Brown updates the summary beyond the significant date of 1859 and McClintock’s report. A final section is an unpaginated “Opinions of the Press,” ending with an encomium to Brown from Alexander von Humboldt (August 16, 1858), on the last printed [but unpaginated] page of the book. An excerpt is included here as a remarkable example of a reading experience from an unusual source:
I was much flattered to find one of my letters inserted in your book: and our excellent king, now so sadly ill, has preserved an affecting remembrance of your young countryman [Lieut. Pim?], whom he had invited to his table at Sans Souci, and who read to him, one day, the admirable and dramatic letter of the worthy Captain M’Clure to Captain Kellett (May, 1853): —‘All descriptions must fall below the reality; the heart was too full to articulate; the sick forgot their maladies.’ The King said: ‘Behold, here, an extraordinary moment of life well expressed! What pleasure to know but one moment such as this!’ Be kind enough, Sir, to attribute the little interest of these lines to the necessity of limiting my correspondence, my writing being so illegible.
p. 12, on the boat found by Hobson on the west coast of King William Island: A large quantity of clothing was found in her, also two human skeletons; one of these lay in the after part of the boat under a pile of clothing; the other, which was much more disturbed, probably by animals, was found in the bow; five watches, a quantity of silver spoons and forks, and a few religious books, were found, but no journals, pocket-books, or even names upon any article of clothing. Two double-barrelled guns stood upright against the boat’s side, precisely as they had been placed eleven years before; one barrel in each was loaded and cocked: there was ammunition in abundance, almost thirty or forty pounds of chocolate, some tea, and tobacco. Fuel was not wanting, a drift tree lay within100 yards of the boat; many very interesting relics were brought away by Lieutenant Hobson, and some few by Capt. M’Clintock.