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I
VOYAGES AND DISCOVERIES
IN THE
ARCTIC REGIONS.
EDITED BT F. MAYM.
'Tis pleasant by tlie cheerful hearth to hear
Of tempests and the ilanncrs of the deep,
And pause at times, and feel that we are safe;
Then listen to the jjerilous tule asrain,
And with an eager and suspended soul
Woo terror to delight us.
SOUTIIET.
LONDON:
LONGMAN, BKOWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANa
1855.
vmmmmm
Boppnra
BippBaiBHaBI
PREFACE.
The greater part of the work now offered to the
Public, was origmally prepared for publication in a weekly
Periodical, and appeared some six months ago.
A desire having been expressed for its republication in
a separate form, the author has been induf'ed to add two
chapters, embodying the most recent accounts of Arctic
enterprise that have reached us : and she would fjiin hope
that this attempt to give, as it were, a bird's-eye view of
so deeply interesting a subject, will secure some portion of
public favour.
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THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
CHAPTER T.
E A K L Y VOYAGES.
WILLOUGHBY's expedition in SEAKCII or A NOUTII-EAST PASSAGE.
" Jliscriible tlicy
Who, here entangled in tlie giitliering ice,
Take their last look at the descending sun ;
Wliile full of death, and fierce with tenfold frost.
The long, long night incumbent o'er tlieir lieads
Falls horrible. Such was the IJriton's fate,
As with first prow (what have not IJritons dared !)
He for the passage sought, attempted since
So much in vain, and seeming to be shut •
By jealous nature Avith eternal bars.
In thf ^c fell regions, in Arzina caught,
And to the stony deep his idle ship
Immediate seal'd, he with his hapless crew,
Each full exerted a' his several task,
Froze into statues ; to the cordage glued
The sailor, and the pilot to the helm."— Thomson.
The early annals of maritime adventure afford few records of
voyages to the frozen waters of the North, or discoveries in the
inhospitable ice-bound lands which they embrace. It required
stronger inducements than such a region could afford, to tempt
the navigators of the olden time to brave the perils of an ele-
ment, of which the best of them knew so little; for we must nob
forget that, before the invention of the mariner's comjiass, the
voyagers who ventured out of sight of land, had no guides to
trust to but the stars, which often proved sadly precarious ones,
and when clouds or mists veiled their friendly light, the small,
ill-made craft was left to drift helplessly at the mercy of wind
and tide. "We cease to wonder, therefore, at the trifling amount
B
4
T
li-.
2 TUE ARCTIC REGIONS.
of maritime (Uscoveiy wliicli marked the early ages, otherwise so
rife with conquest and adventure. The bravent spirits quail
heforo unknown dangers, and the perils of the deep, exaggerated
by fiction, daunted the courage which would have defied on land
the best disciplined army. Some few voyages, however, even
more adventurous than the famous Argonautic Plxpedition, stand
recorded in the pages of the classic writers, and prove that even
in days of darkest ignorance, brave, earnest spirits will ever find
or make a way to knowledge. Thus we have mention of Hi-
inilco, an adventurous Carthaginian, who, sailing fVom his African
home, coasted Spain and France, reaching even the southern
shores of Britain; and a little later Tytheas, a native of the
Greek colony of Marseilles, followed in his steps with still
greater enterprise. Not only did this fearless man track the
coast of our island to its northern extremity, but 1 e boldly ad-
ventured six day>j' voyage on the unknown seas beyond it, and
at length was rewarded by reaching an island named Thule.
Here Pvtheas found, to his unbounded astonishment, that even
at midnight there was no darkness ; a phenomenon well calcu-
lated to excite the surprise of one, who had gazed night by night
at the brilliant stars of his southern clime, and now found them
superseded by the clear twilight which broods over the Shetland
Isles, during those few hours, in their long summer days, when
the sun sinks below the horizon. Deeply amazed at the wonders
he met with, Pytheas pursued his way still further towards the
untraversed regions of the west ; but his course was soon arrested
by a barrier unknown to his sunny land. This he describes as
"neither earth, air, nor sky, but composed of all three;" and
before this mysterious obstacle he turned back, believing he had
reached the furthest limits of nature. Yet for all that, Pytheas
was a brave man, and a daring sailor for his times ; though with
fuller knowledge, some may be inclined to hold in light honour
this pioneer of Arctic discovery, who took six days to sail in his
clumsy galley from Dunnet-llead to the Shetland Isles, and
when there, was turned back by a thick sea-fog !
The Romans, amidst all their greatness, were utilitarians, and
never encouraged expeditions which aid nov varecviy ,ena ^o ja_
willouoiiby's expedition.
dignity or advancement of the Empire. The barbarous forest-
clotlied countries which lay beyond its uortheru bounduiy alioid-
ed little iuducemont for invasion, and there was still less hope
of finding fertile lands over the vast stormy waters that washed
their western shores.
During the centuries of darkness and barbarism which f<dlow-
ed the downfall of the Roman Empire, the s])irit of enterprise
slumbered, and expeditions /;-o?/i the north became the terror of
Europe. The touching simplicity of a passage iu the Litany
used at that time, — " From the fury of the Northmen, good Lord
deliver us!" — proves the dread with which these fierce pirates
were regarded. Truly, it must have been a feaiful day fur the
peaceful inhabitants, when a wild viking landed with his ruth-
less followers upon the defenceless coast of France or England ;
for pillage and plunder were the elements they lived in, and
■when they returned to their ships, burning villages, rifled stores,
and the corpses of the unoffending possessors, slain by thei** own
hearthstone, proved how effectually the work of destruction
had been completed. Yet, even among these untamed marauders,
one or two are known who preferred the excitement of adven-
ture to pillage. Thus, Ohthere, a Norwegian chief, rounded
the North Cape, and j^enetrated as far as Russian Lapland ; and
Nadodd, in 8G1, discovered Iceland, whither many of his country-
men afterwards emigrated. From thence, in 982, some of the
most adventurous, under Eirek of the Red Hand, crossed to
Greenland, where they founded a colony ; and a century later,
the pirate Biarni forestalled the discoveries of Columbus and
Cabot, by landing on the mainland of America, below the St.
Lawrence.
During the early part of the middle ages the spirit of mari-
time adventure seems to have been transferred to the Republican
cities of Italy, — then at the height of their prosperity, — but here
traffic was the object, and their principal trade lay through the
Mediterranean, with the costly merchandise brought overland
fi'om India and the East. With the exception, therefore, of two
Italian merchants, driven by stress of weather far out of their
course, and thrown respectively on the coast of Norway and the
IH
4 THE ARCTIC HEGI0N3.
Slu^tlaiul Isles, the stilliioss of the Nortliern Soas wmm undisturb-
ed by tlio keel of an intruding vessel for five long centuries.
The close of the lifteenth century, however, opened a new era in
the history of navigation; the loiig dormant spirit of dlscovexy
was aroused, the genius of Colun»l)US had re-discovered t ho for-
gotten secret of the Atlantic, and thrown open to the astonished
eyes of Europe an unknown, undreamed-of land. True, tL^y
were yet ignorant of the extent and importance of the newly-
found territory, which they regarded as the western coast
of Asia ; but still a grand exploit was achieved, a voyage across
those mighty waters had been safely accomplished, and instead
of arriving at the en I of the world — as was predicted by some
of the gravest philosophers of the day — Columbus had reached
aland which seemed a paradise of rare and bewitching beauty.
At his return, the fever for adventure spread through Europe,
and there was scarcely a beardless 'prentice lad who did not
long to cross? the seas, and emulate the fame of the Geaoese, by
discovering in his turn unknown lands.
This excitement of course gave rise to numberless expeditions,
with objects as various as their cqui})ments and originators ; but
as our business is only with the early Arctic voyages, we shall
pass over even the history of Johu Cabot, — who made the im-
portant discovery of Newfoundland, and whose adventurous
prow first touched the mainland of America, — to spenk of the
expeditions projected during the relcn of Edward VI. in search
of a North-East passage to India.
In tne vague and imperfect geography of those days, little was
known regarding the true extent or position of India and
" Catli;\y" — or China, — which were generally coupled together,
and seem to have been regarded as one great treasure-house of
wealth, from which all Europe might draw without fear of
diminution. Still greater was the general ignorance concerning
the north of Asia, as may be inferred from the course marked out
for the first expedition. It was proposed to coast along the
northern shores of Europe, and to ascend some large river, — the
position of which they did not pretend to define, — by following
which to its source they would easily reach the heart of the
-s, ■ -^ %
m
mm
-the
willougiiby's expedition. 5
charni'. > \egions of which tliey wcro In search. Chimerical a?
was ilii^ plan, it was sot on foot by sundry Loudon niorchants,
— " men ot'great wisdom and gravity," we are especially informed,
— and warmly advocated by Sebastian Cabot, t)\c son of the well-
Icuown navigator, himself the Grand Tilot of England, and
the acknowledged oracle of the day on all nautical matters.
Under such ausi)ices the project met with general encouragement,
the sum of £0000 was easily raised by shares, and employed in
the oquipment of three vessels : the like of which, we are assured
by t'ne ( Jrand Pilot himself, " was never i" any realm seen, used,
or known!" 'Ihis squadron, jn-ovisioned for eighteen months,
was placed under the guidance of Sir Hugh Willoughby, a man
of high Inrth, ;iud "^-Miowned in war," but possl 'y not much
fitted by nautical expc^^-ienco for the dangers ar 1 difficulties of a
voyage of discovery. His second in command was Kichard
Cliancelor, a iwotvcje of Sir Henry Sidney, and particularly recom-
mended " for the many good parts of wit in him." A letter was
addressed by King Edward to " all kings, princes, rulers, judges,
and governors of the earth," exhorting them to • ,3 hospitality
towards: his servants; and Cabot drew up a code of regulations
for the use of the officers and crews, some of which are truly
admirable, and others irresistibly absurd. Of the first class may
be insttmced his directions that prayers should be read on board
each ship morning and evening; his prohibition of all "ribaldry
and ungodly talk, dicing, carding, tabling, or other devilish
games;" as well as his caution against " conspiracies, part-tak-
ings, factions, false tales, which be the very seeds and fruits of
contention!" He particularly directs *.h^t any natives they
meet are "to be considered advisedly, and treated with gentle-
ness and courtesy, without any disdain, laughing, or contempt ; "
but we cannot commend the next hint, that it may be advisable
occasionally to allure one on board, and make him intoxicated,
because "if he be made drunk with your wine or beer, you
shall know the secrets of his heart." The "liveries" of the
sailors were to ))e carefully put by, and only worn on special
occasions, when it was desirable to appear " in good array, for
the honour and advancement of the voyage." Possibly theso
6
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
m
treasured garments might be furnislied to counteract the effect
which Cabot apprehended from the outlandish appearance of the
natives ; for he especi^dly desires them not to be " affrighted,"
if savages meet them dressed in lioi o' and bears' skins, with bows
and arrows in their hands, as this formidable array would only
be assumed to intimidate them. The most earnest warnings,
however, in the document are directed against " persons armed
with bows, who swim naked in various seas, havens, and rivers,
desirous of the bodies of men, which they covet for meat." Pos-
sibly some vague ideas concerning sharks or alligators may have
suggested this extraordinary passage; physicial geography being
little understood b}^ Cabot or his compeers.
Thf iOth of May, 1553, beheld the departure of the three
vessels from Greenwich. The hand of death was already laid
ujjon the young king, and he v/as unable to grace the spectacle
by his presence, but even this circumstance scarcely shadowed
the brightness of the scene. The courtiers and grandees crowded
to the palace-windows, the populace lined the shores, the ships
fired salutes, and " the mariners shouted in such sort that the
sky rang with the noise thereof"
Very different from the hope and ccjfidence excited by that
triumphant commencement of the voyage, must have been
AVilloughby's feelings when a tempest overtook them off North
Cape, with such " flawes of wind and terrible whirlwinds," that
they were forced to take to the open sea, and let the ships drift
as they would. The admiral had previously assembled his com-
manders, and exhorted them to keep together as much as
possible, but in case of unavoidable separation to regard Ward-
Imys, in Finmark, as the place of meeting. His voice was now
heard in the lulls of the storm calling earnestly to his comrades
to keep close together; but his vessel carried so much sail that it
wos impossible to obey him, and, amidst the darkness of that tem-
pestuous m'ght, Chancelor and VVilloughby parted, — never to meet
again. The dawning light of the next morning showed the admiral
that he was alone, but his smaller vessel, the " Confidence," soon
rejoined him, and together they continued their voyage.
'. The imperfect maps of the time were often totally at variance
M .
WILLOUGHBY S EXPEDITION.
soon
with the real position of the land, and Willonglihy seems to
have spent the largest part of the hrief nortliern suuuner iu
following their guidance till he found himself totally at fault,
and then retracing his course to the point from which he had
diverged. Each check, too, was rendered doubly mortifying Ly
the knowledge that winter was coming on, and that he should
have been far on his voyage, instead of still beating about
in much the same spot, witliout having even gained certain
knowledge of the right direction in whicli to proceed. After
his sepanition from Chancelor, the admiral groped his way in
much perplexity for many days; and land was hailed with a
cry of joy as it rose before the glad eyes of the weary voyagers.
As they drew near, its apjiearance gave little promise of com-
fort; the snow-covered cliffs rose cokl and desolate from the
dark sea, all was bleak and barren, and no sound met the ear
but the wailing cry of the circling gulls, and the occasional crash
of falling ice as it broke away from the frozen surface of the cliff.
On this°inhospitable coast of Nova Zembla they vainly endea-
voured to effect a landing ; but their efforts being bafHed, they
returned again to their ships, and, in total ignorance of their
real situation, sailed on far into the Northern Ocean, in the vain
hope of reaching Norway, which they had in flict left to tlie
south. At length they discovered their mistake, and changing
their "course they steered S.W., and after many days saw the
a)ast of Russian Lapland.
Our sympathies are strongly called forth for these brave
countrymen of ours, who set out with so much courage,
and so little knowledge, on an enterprise so fraught with
dan-er. Sadly and wearily must the time have passed for
them, as they drifted day after day on the dark, pitiless waters;
and e'vcn tlie stoutest heart among them must sometimes have
quailed while musing on the unknown fate of their comrades,
and their own uncertain destiny. How tliey nnist have longed,
amidst that weary monotony of sea and sky, for the green fields
and smiling vallevs of dear native England ; and how mockingly
and sadly memory must have pictured the remembered features,
the sweet home-flices, while each day made it more doubt-
8
THE ARCTIC SEGIOXS.
fill if tlieir living eyes would ever gaze upon the loved originals
again !
Amidst all these doubts and fears, the intensitv of the arctic
winter came upon them, heralded by sleet, and frost, and driving
snow, which rendered yet more drear the gloomy prospect around.
Tlien apjieared the stern, awful icebergs, menacing destruction
as tliey approached, and huge floating fields of ice gathered
round the devoted ve.^sels, closed in, and held them helpless
prisoners in that deadly clasp. It must be remembered, too,
that all these rigours were unmitigated by the thousand contri-
vances which inventive ingenuity has framed to render the
climate endurable to seamen of the present time; and were
sustained by men unprepared by previous ' information or
experience to expect such hardships. They were, no doubt,
rendered yet more trying by the absence of that blessed sun-
light, which the captives had never so loved nnd prized as now
that they were deprived of it. Amidst all this bodily and
mental suffering, we cannot doubt that the passionate horne-
yearnings of the exiles were rendered yet more bitterly intense
by a prophetic foreboding that they were hopelessly vain !
Meanwhile months rolled by, and many loving hearts in Eng-
land reckoned up the time, and looked out anxiously for the
return of tiiose who never came. It is the same old tale, told
over and over again in this sorrowful world, yet never losing its
melancholy interest ! "Hope deferred" lingered on through
time which sorrow lengthened out into a long life of suffering,
till tidings came at last — tidings that some Kussian sailors,
wandering by chance along that desolate coast, had seen with
astonishment two large ships, apparently deserted ; had entered
them, and found them floating sepulchres, tenanted only by the
dead ! A note, dated January, 1554, proved that some at least
had survived till then, but no other word or sign remained to
east a gleam of light on the dark and mysterious fate of the first
English Admiral, and his gallant crew, who vainly strove to
penetrate the frozen regions of the north.
We have yet to notice the less melancholy fate of Bichard
Chancelor. After parting company with Willoughby, he
\
willoughby's expedition.
9
V
reached Wardhuys in safety, and there waited patiently for
seven days, at the end of which time, not being joined by his
companions, he seems to have given them up in denpair, and
ajrain set sail towards the east. In course of time, he found
himself in " an extensive bay," — in reality the White Sea, — and
on landing made himself so popular by gifts and courteous bear-
ing to tlie half-savage natives, that crowds came from all parts to
gaze at the new-comers, who were reported to be " of a strange
nation, of singular gentleness and courtesy ;" and by them Chan-
celor found himself abundantly supplied with provisions and
every other necessary. He further contrived to learn from his
new friends — how, it is difficult to imagine, since the two par-
ties can scarcely have possessed any common medium of commu-
nication — that their country was called Muscovy, or flussia, and
was governed by a Czar, who bore the. unmusical name of Ivan
Vasilovitch, and held his court at Moscow. Thither Chancelor,
who possessed a most indomitable spirit of enterprise, deter-
mined to proceed, and notwithstanding tlie immense distance,
and his total inexperience in the only practicable way of tra-
velling — with sledges over the snow — he safely accomplished
his journey, and brought back, on his return to England, a ftir
more substantial benefit than the discovery of the imaginary
north-east passage, in the permission of the Czar for the esta-
blishment of trade between England and Russia. The " Muscovy
Company" was in consequence speedily formed, a regular system
of traffic between the two countries was organized, and Chancelor
acain set out for Russia, furnished with credentials from Philip
and Mary. This second voyrgo, having no connexion with arctic
discovery, it is out of our province to describe. Suffice it to
say, that he returned homewards with four ships heavily laden
wii'h Russian commodities, having on board his own the Czar's
ambassador. The home voyage proved singularly unfavourable,
and he had the mortification of seeing two of his vessels wrecked
off the coast of Norway ; the third reached London in safety,
but that which contained the commander himself, was carried
by a violent tempest as tar as Pitsligo, in Scotland, in which
bay it wa^ wrecked. Chancelor made one last effort to save
10
THE ARCTIC KEGIOXS.
himself and the airbassador in a small boat, but fortune was
against them ; the skiff was upset, and though the Russian
reached the shore and the capital in safety, the brave English-
man, who had outlived the perils of the northern seas, perished
amid those stormy waves, within sight of his native shores !
1
BARENTZ WINTERS IN NOVA ZEMBLA.
11
CHAPTER II.
BARENTZ WINTERS IN NOVA ZEMBLA.
" So Zembla's rocks (the beauteous work of Frost)
Kiss white in air, and glitter o'er the coast ;
Pale suns, unfelt, at distance roll away,
And on th' impassive ice the lightnings play;
Eternal snows the growing mass supply,
Till the bright mountains prop th' incumbent sky;
As Atlas fix'd each hoary pile appears,
The gather'd winters of a thousand years." — roPE, Tcmi^le of Fame.
The tragic issue of Willoiigliby's voyage seems to have stamped
a melancholy and unsuccessful character on all subsequent at-
tempts; and after two more expeditions, sent out in 1550 and
1580, had returned without making any advance towards the
discovery of the wished-for passage, the English were contented
to abandon the enterprise. It met with cordial support, how-
ever, in the United Provinces. These had just struggled into
independence, and now counted upon obtaining by commerce
that position among the European states which could in no
other way be held by so insignificant a territory. But the
ordinary lines of approach to the treasure-lands of the East were
strictly guarded by the fleets of Spain ; and the Dutch, unable
to cope with such formidable rivals, caught eagerly at the idea
of a northern passage. Could such a way be discovered, they
might yet obtain a lion's share in the precious merchandise of
Cathay, without the risk of encounter with a foe whose power
they feared, but could not equal. They had yet to learn that
the ice-fields and mountains of the northern seas were enemies
more hostile and invincible than all the armadas of Spain ! The
first essay was made by a private company of merchants, who
prepared three ships and a small yacht, and appointed as pilot
12
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
I i
and general superintendent "William Barentz, one of the most
experienced seamen of tlie day. The expedition sailed from
Texel on the Gth of June, 1594, but separated into two divi-
sions when they arrived at the island of Kilduin ; Barentz, with
his two vessels, chose the bolder course of coasting Nova Zembla,
and finding for himself a more northerly passage than liad yet
been attempted ; while his less adventurous partner in command
\"-as contented to follow the beaten track through the Straits of
"Waygntz. The first land at which the latter party touched
after their separation was the little island of Waygatz, then
garbed in all the beauty of its brief, bright summer. Very
pleasant and " delightsome" to the voyagers was this oasis amidst
the watery desert through which they liad so lately passed; in-
deed, the old Dutch chronicler waxes eloquent while dilating
upon its verdant appearance, and the abundance of fl.ower3, herbs,
and plants it produced, not forgetting "a great store of leeks!"
On one of the capes of this island they discovered a large num-
ber of wooden images, with from four to eight heads, ranged in
order, with the faces turned tov ards the east. From this cir-
cumstance the headland received the name of the Cape of Idols,
the Dutch very naturady supposing, from the bones and frag-
ments that lay near, that the Samoiedes, a people inhabiting the
neighbouring coasts, were in the habit of sacrificing, and paying
idolatrous worship to them. One writer, however, in detailing
the circumstance, stands forth as champion to the Samoiedes,
pronounces them guiltless of idolatry, and suggests that these
hideous images were erected in memory of departed friends.
With all desire to preserve the furthest extent of ch3,rity, we
own to a little difficulty in accepting this explanation, involving,
as it does, the necessity of assigning to these "departed friends"
the unusual privilege of possessing six or eight heads apiece !
Proceeding onward through the Straits of Waygatz and the Sea
of Kara, our adventurers found themselves involved in the ice
which lined the coast of Nova Zembla; but this proved only a
temporary obstacle, and was forgotten, together with all the
other trials and sufferings of the voyage, in the joy with which
hailed the sight of a clear expanse of blue open sea, stretch
they
expanse
open
BARENTZ WINTERS IN NOVA ZEMBLA.
13
ing onward as far as the eye could reach, while the Russian coast
trended away rapidly towards the S.E.
In these days of diffused knowledge, when the youngest
school-child gains by his map a far more accurate notion of the
northern regions than the brave seamen of whom we have been
speaking ever won by all their deeds of daring, we can scarcely
realize how very scanty, and often how entirely erroneous, was
the information collected for their guidance. The best geogra-
phers of that day were still the humble disciples of Pliny, who
lived and wrote hundreds of years before, and the correctness
of whose teaching may be estimated by his theory concerning
Asia. The northern boundary of this vast continent he held to
terminate in a promontory named Tabis, from whence the
voyage was short and easy to its eastern and southern shores.
It was very natural, under such teaching, tliat these Dutch
adventurers, weary A'dth their long voyage, and eager to reach
the golden regions for which tliey were bound, shoukl leap
hastily to the joyful conclusion that they had rounded the pro-
montory of Tabis, and by following the coast southward cculd
not fail speedily to reach Cathay. Could they but have known
the reality, how it would have damped their hopes! What
dreary news it would have been to hear that they had only
reached the Gulf of Obe, and that a hundred degrees of longitude
still lay between thein and the goal to which those swift-winged
hopes had flown so speedily ! Satisfied with- the prospect
of success, they did not press onward to test its reality, but
turned their prows westward, and started in full sail for Holland,
eager to convey their joyful tidings without delay.
In the mean time, Barentz pursued his northern way, coasting
Nova Zembla, but disappointed in his hope of speedily obtaining
an easterly passage. Almost the only incidents recorded of this
voyage are a few encounters of some of his crew with bears and
walruses, in all of which the bipeds seem to have suffered the
mortification of defeat. Having arrived at the northern extre-
mity of Nova Zembla — a higher latitude than any navigator is
recorded to have reached before — we feel almost surprised to
hear that Barentz turned back, before strong opposing winds
u
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
*
H
' ,
ii
and floating ice, just as the passage eastward opened before him.
In courage, however, this great man was never found wanting,
and many circumstances connected with his ship or his crew
may have made him willing to postpone to a future day his
chance of discovery, and seek safety in present return. Off
liussian Lapland he fell in with his companions, and the four
vessels returned together to Texel.
The issue of this voyage was considered so highly successful,
that a large expedition was fit:ed out immediately, at the
expense of the States-General, consisting of six vessels, laden
with all kinds of merchandise. A light yacht was added, which
was to bear them company as far as the imaginary promontory
of Tabis, and from thence was to return, bearing the good news
of their preservation through the most perilous part of their
voyage. In northern navigation the superiority of small com-
pact vessels over large massive ones is now an acknowledged
fiict; it v^as then a question to be tried, and the ill success of
th'3 great Dutch squadron of 1595 might well have decided it!
This luckless expedition was long in reaching even the familiar
Waygatz Straits, and, when arrived there, turned back in utter
despair of ever making way through the masses of ice which choked
the passage, and returned in a crestfallen manner to Holland,
without having accomplished any one of the objects for which it
had been sent out. Although great disappointment was felt at
this failure, the scheme was not wholly abandoned ; and, though
the States-General prudently declined supplying any more funds
for equipments, they offered a reward to any one by whom the
object of the voyage should be successfully accomplished. Tlie
more onerous duty of supplying ways and means for making the
experiment was undertaken by the Town-Council of Amsterdam,
who were sensible enough to fit out their two vessels for dis-
covery instead of traffic. They proved their good judgment
also by selecting the pilot, Barentz, as commander of one vessel,
though the choice of John Corneliz Kyp for the other does nofe
seem to have been equally happy. But that over which these
worthy burghers chuckled most heartily was, their own wonder-
ful s/igacity in providing against any risk of home-sickness, by
BARENTZ WINTERS IN NOVA ZEMBLA.
1^
forming the crews entirely of unmarried men; never conceiving
tlie possibility— good simple men that they were— that even a
phlegmatic Dutch sailor might fall in love, and that visions of
some rosy-cheeked, flaxen-haired damsel might visit the day-
dreams of more than one of that bachelor crew, even amidst the
cliilling snows of the north.
Barentz and his party set sail on the IGth of May, 1596, under
the cheering influence of bright weather, and confident expec-
tations of success. Their first adventure, however, was not a
happy omen, nor did they so safely escape from the onset of their
ursine foe as on a former occasion. In the quaint narrative of
tlieir voyage by Gerrit de Veer, who was himself an eye-witness
of all the incidents he relates, the catastrophe is deemed worthy
of a pictorial representation, « showing," as the label attached
to it states, "how a frightful, cruel, big bear tare in pieces two
of our companions." After a voyage of twenty-five days, they
had ocular demonstration of their near approach to the regions
of ice. " One of our men walking on deck," says De Yeer, " on
a suddaine began to cry out with a loude voyce, and sayd that
bee sawe white swannes : which wee that were below hearing,
presently came up, and perceived that it was ice that came driv-
ing from the great heape, showing like swannes, it being then
about evening." They soon became beset by a very inconve-
nient flock of these "white swannes," which greatly retarded their
progress, and forced them to sail at a slow rate until they
reached a small island of very bleak and desolate appearance.
Some of the party efiected a landing, but found nothing to repay
the efibrt ; they climbed one of the hills, and when arrived at
the summit, finding it impossible to gain footing for their
descent, were obliged to lie down and try the hazardous experi-
ment of letting their own weight carry them down the steep
glassy surface. They tried once more the oft-repeated experi-
ment of taking a bear alive by means of a noose, and, having
failed in all their attempts, set sail in disgust ; naming the
highest peak "Mount Misery,"— in memory, perhaps, of their
very uucomioriai/iu iuucit; ui ae3->.eiii,-=tia.t .a^...>
last disappoiu mt, by bestowing u:;>on the newly-discovered
16
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
I ;
spot the name of " Bear Island." Still pumiing their course to
the north, they reached Spitzbergen ; and, after coasting its
western shorcH for some time without finding any passage east-
ward, they returned to Bear Island, where Barentz and Corneliz,
who seem never to have ccn-dially acted together, differed in
opinion, and finally parted company. Corneliz returned safely
the following year to Holland, and as his voyage has never been
chronicled, we may conclude it led to no important results.
That of Barentz, however, was rife with incident; and we
must plead for our reactors' indulgence, if we somewhat exceed
ordinary limits, while relating the adventures of this brave man
and his companions, whose courage and endurance carried them
so nobly through the untried horrors of an arctic winter.
As early as the beginning of August we find our voyagers in-
volved in the ice, and still further perplexed by a dense fog.
While this continued, they moored their vessel to a large berg for
safety, and, as the weather cleared, they began cautiously to
work their way from one of these masses to another, breaking
m they went through the ice, which was now forming over the
whole surface of the water, and "making it crack on all sides."
Strange and awful must have been the scene which now pre-
sented itself to their unaccustomed eyes ! The wide fields of ice
covering the sea,— the blue « lanes" of water which afforded a
precarious passage amongst them,— and, above all, the majestic
icebergs, towering into a thousand fiuitastic forms ; some of a
deep sea-green, others wrapped in a white snow-mantle ; some
rooted immovably in the ocean depths, others, that had broken
from their hold, and now drifted slowly at the bidding of wind
and tide— grand even in their ruin— threatening destruction, as
they passed, to the puny vessel which had so boldly ventured
into their silent realm ! Silent, indeed !— No cry, no sound of
life, broke that awful stillness ; nothing but the thundermg
crash which announced the fall of a mighty fragment from some
decaying iceberg, and then the startled echoes woke from rock
and berg around, till it seemed as if every crag and cliff guvo
back a separate voice to swell the doleful chorus.
Tbrouf^h such scenes the vessel advanced slowly to the most
m
BARENTZ WINTERS IN NOVA ZEMRLA.
17
northern point of Nova Zembla, the crew being cheered by the
tidings that from the Ingl; cliffs of Orange Island, clear open
water had been «een to the S.E. The clfort to reach this invit-
ing channel — which seemed to })romise a s])eedy realization of
the object of their voyage — was frustrated by the ice, which
gathered about the sliij) as it lay near shore, and gradually col-
lected under and around it, till it was rais'^d far above sea-level
on the summit of "a huge grounded ice-hill." All hope of re-
turn before winter now vanisheil, and the cheerful courace and
devout resignation with which these brave sailors submittetl to
their fate, might teach a lesson to many in our more enlightened
age. "It grieved us much," says their simple chronicler, "to
Ive there all that cold winter, which we knew would fall out to
be extrcame bitter; but, being bereaved of all hope, we were
compelled to make necessitie a vertue, and with patience to at-
tend what issue God would send us." They did not, however,
sit down in idleness to await this " issue," but set vigorously to
work to build a house upon the land ; a necessary step ; for the
vessel had sustained so much injury from the pressure of the ice
and the intense cold — which, acting upon the juices of the wood,
caused it to split and crack — that they feared it would not long
hold together. It was not easy in that inhospitable region to
find materials even for the humble hut which they proposed
erecting. " We had not much stuffe to make it withall," con-
fesses De Yeer, " in regard that there grew no trees nor any
other thing in that country convenient to build it withall." In
nothing discouraged, however, Barentz went to " view the coun-
try, and to see what good fortune might happen to them," — and
perseverance brought its own reward. " At last," says the original
narrative, " we fouud an unexpected comfort in our need, which
was that we found certaine trees, roots and all, which had bin
driven upon the shoare, either from Tartaria, Muscovia, or else-
where, for there was none growing upon that land, wherewith
(as if God had purposely sent them unto us) we were much com-
forted, being in good hope that God would shoAV us some further
favour; for that w^ood served us not only to build our house,
but also to burne and serve us all the winter long ; otherwise^
G
18
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
J ■'
without a doubt, we had died there miserably with extreame
coUl." The vessel continuing to crack and give signs of speedily
breaking up altogether, they worked Jit the house with increas-
ed diligence, though the int(!iiso co^d was nearly beyond endu-
rance, and almost every thing they touched with the naked hand,
froze to it. One man, while working, incautiouslv put a nail be-
tween his lips; it froze instantly, and when torn olF brought
skin and blood with it ; an accident which taught them a les-
son of care for the future. Their difficulties in building the hut
were greatly increased by the loss of the carpenter, who died
soon after the commencement of the undertaking. The ground
was so hard and frost-bound, that they tried in vain to dig a
g/ave, and the poor fellows were constrained to conteni them-
Ives with laying their dead comrade in the cleft of a rock — the
best interment they were able to give him. The work was
carried on in great fear of the bears, which were numerous, and
verv bold. One day, Barentz, from the deck of the vessel, saw
tlnie bears stealthily approaching a party of his men, who were
labouring at the hut; he shouted loudly to warn them of their
peril, and the men, startled at the near approach of danger, sought
safety in flight. One of the party, in his haste and perturbation,
fell into a cleft in the ice, but the liungry animals fortunately
overlooked him, and continued their pursuit of the main body.
These gained the vessel, and began to congratulate themselves
on their safety, when, to their horror, they perceived that their
foes, instead of beating a retreat, had actually scaled the ship's
sides, and seemed determined to follo^^ up their advantage.
Matters now became serious. One of the saviors was de.^i>atched
for a light, but, in his hurry and agitatiuu, ^ouid not induce tlie
match to take fire ; the muskets were thus rendered useless, and
the sailors in despair kept their enemies off by pelting them with
whatever articles came first to hand. This unequal conflict con-
t'jvned for some time; the invaders retreated for a minute under
the influence of some well-aimed blow, but speedily returnetl
to the charge, and the stock of available missiles was growing
terribly low, when the combat vvas happily ended by the aeci-
sive stroke of a halbert, which produced such a forcible impression
r4
BAKENTZ WINTERS IN NOVA ZEMBLA.
19
upon the largest bear, that he promptly retired from the
field, attended by hia two coinpuiiions. J>y the middle of
October, the hut wrw completed ; and, though tlie accom-
modations it aiforded were Hcanty, they were glad to take up
their abodo in it at once. A Kick comrade was drawn in a
sledge from the ship by eight of the able-bodied men, and ti»
him was assigned the most comfortable position by the centre
fire, while all the rest arranged their beds as best they could,
on shelves which had been built round the walls. They now
commenced an examination into the state and (piantity of tlieir
provisions, which led to one or two murtifying discoveries.
They had on board several tons of tine Dantzic beer unopened ;
and it must have been extremely vexatious to find the iron-
bound casks broken to i)ieces, and the contents existing in the
form of solid masses of ice, which, when melted, had all the
taste of bad water ! In quick succession, upon this investiga-
tion, follows the statement of the reduction which of necessity
took place in the allowance of food. On the 8th Nov., " We
shared our bread among us, each man having four pounds and
ten ounces for his allowance in eight dales ; so that then we
were eight dales eating a barrell of bread ; whereas before, we
ate it up in five or six dales." Next week the sharing of their
wine is recorded. " Every man had two glasses a day ; but
commonly our drink was water, ^^^ich we molt out of the snow."
A little later still the narrator informs us very simply, that
they " had but seventeen cheeses, whereof one we ate amongst
us, and the rest were divided, to every man one for his por-
tion, which he might eat wh'^n he list." As the winter ad-
vanced, and the scarcity of food was still more felt, they tried
the plan of setting traps ; by these they caught a good many
small arctic foxes, which proved very tolerable eating. The
skins also were very serviceable made into caps, " to keepe them
■warme from the extreame cold." One of their chief difficulties
was in washing their clothes; for directly they took them
from the hot water and began to wring them, the linen froze hard
in their hands ; and as for drying, the side farthest from the fire
was frozen as the things hung before it ! Soon, liowever^ to add
p 4 .1 i
'I
I ■■
i !
I
m
20
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
firinff itself bei^an to nm short, and a lieavy
,.ir suHermgs, tiring itseii oegan to run
fall of snow having moreover stopped up their attempt at a
chimney, they ran great risk of being at once frozen and suffo-
cated. For some time they denied themselves the luxury of a
lire, and tried to substitute hot stones passed from bed to bed ;
but this experiment completely failing, they resolved for once
to be warm, cost what it might. In pursuance of this deter-
mination they lighted a large lire of sea-coal in the middle of
their hut, carefully stoppe.l up every aperture by which cold
might enter, and fell asleep in the enjoyment of a most delicious
temperature. In a short time, however, one or two awoke in a
state of suffocation, and contrived to totter dizzily to the door ;
by opening which they probably saved the lives of the whole
yiarty, who were long before they wholly recovered from the
effects of their indulgence. The sun had now entirely taken his
departure, and during the dreary three months' night, when the
wild storms and intense cold prevented them from venturing
beyond the walls of their hut, they had much difficulty in pre-
st!rving right reckoning of time, as the cold had stopped their
clocks. They several times disputed as to whether it was day
or night, and, at last, were forced to construct a rude sandglass,
which measured time tolerably. There is a touching sentence
of De Veer's, picturing their sufferings at this time : " We lookt
X)itifully one upon tlie other," he says, "being in great fear that
if the extremity of the cold grew to be more and more we should
all die there with cold ; for that what fire so ever we made would
not warm us." The ice was now two inches thick upon the walls,
and even on the sides of their sleeping-cots; their principal
occupation was mending their stockings, in which they continu-
ally burnt holes without warming their feet; and the very
clothes they wore were whitened with frost, so that as they sat
together in their hut they " were al as white as the countrymen
usld to be when they come in at the gates of the towne in Hol-
land with their sleads, and have gone all night." Yet amidst
what we should consider unmitigated m isery, these hardy men
kept brave and cheerful hearts ; and so great was their elasticity
of spirit, that, remembering the 5th January was "Twelf Eve,"
BARENTZ WINTERS IN NOVA ZEMBLA.
21
tliey determined to celebrate it as best they might. It would
be little short of a sin to give this unique detail in any other
words than those of the old chronicler himself " And when we
had taken paines al day, we remembered ourselves that it was
Twelf Even ; and then we prayed our maister that we might be
merry that night, and said that we were content to spend some
of the wine that night which we had spared, and which was our
share, (one glass,) every second day, and whereof, for certaine
dales, we had not drunke; and so that night we made merry,
and drew for king. And therewith, we had two pounds of meale,
whereof we made pancakes with oyle, and every man had a white
biscuit, which we sopt in the wine. And so supposing that we
were in our owne country and amongst our friends, it comforted
us well as if we had made a great banket in our owne house.
And we also made trinkets, and our gunner was King of Nova
Zembla, which is, at least, eight hundred miles long, and lyeth
between two seas."
A few weeks more, however, brough* a partial mitigation ot
their sufferings. The friendly face of the sun appeared again,
and was welcomed with universal delight-nothing damped by
the doubts of Barentz, who, being unacquainted with the refract-
ino- power of the atmosphere, strove to convince his companions,
by'' all manner of elaborate calculations, that the luminary thoy
so crladly greeted, had no right to appear for fifteen days more.
The severity of the cold did not yet begin to abate, but the gales
and snow-storms ceased; and they were thus able to brave the
outer air, and indulged for many hours each day in running,
leapincr and athletic games. As the spring advanced and a thaw
commenced, they began to examine into the condition of their
imprisoned vessel, which, contrary to all ..pectation, still held
tooether Its position, however, afforded little comtort; for as
the large sea-floes disperse.!, immense fragments ot ice came
drifting shorewards with every tide, and added to ihe insur-
mountable barrier which already encircled it. In March these
"romparts'^ could be crossed by seventy-five paces; at the begin-
ning of ]May, their breadth was increased to five hundred! Ihis
fact dispelled at once any hopes the ice-bound adventurers might
K: i
i ^ i
,
'■'i
:•'
I
; t
i
22
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
d of
their good ship
still have entertainea oi seeing tiieir gootl snip tree once more,
and sailing back in it to Holland. The only prospect of escape
from their dreary prison, was afforded by the two boats. These
they filled with provisions, and rigged them out nnder the gun-
ner's direction, from the spoils of the poor deserted vessel, which
seemed to be abandoned as a sort of propitiatory sacrifice to the
offended deities of frost and snow.
The whole party finally quitted the scene of so much suffering
on the l-lrth June, 159G, with glad hearts; rejoicing too much
in their deliverance from that long imprisonment, to estimate in
its full extent the danger which attended a voyage of nearly
2000 miles in two open boats through waters still encumbered
with masses of ice. Hajipy were they, too, in their ignorance of
the sorrow which was still further to darken that perilous voyage.
But though they knew it not, the hand of death was already
coldly laid upon the brave and noble " master," whose encourage-
ment and sympathy had cheered them on to duty, and the silent
eloquence of whose example had preached, during those long
months of pain and captivity, lessons of fortitude and self-devo-
tion never to be forgotten.
On the fourth day of their voyage, the frail boats became sur-
rounded by immense qviantities of floating ice, which so crushed
and injured them that the crews, giving up all hope, took a
solemn leave of each other. De Veer had proved himself of
good service in several former emergencies, and to his presence
of mind and agility the whole company owed their lives on the
present occasion. With a well-secured rope he leaped from one
fragment of ice oo another till he gained a firm field, on which
first the sick, then the stores, the crews, and finidly the boats
themselves, were safely landed. Their progress was here arrested
while the boats underwent necessary repair; and during this
detention, upon a floating ice-raft, in the midst of the desolate
region where he had overcome dangers, and survived hardships,
such as no European had before endured, the gallant Barentz
closed the troublous voyage of life ! He died, as he had lived,
calmly and bravely ; thinking less of himself than of the welfare
of his crew; a chart of these perilous seas was spread out beforo
BARE^'TZ WINTERS IN NOVA ZEMBLA.
23
ce more.
him, and his last words were directions as to the course in - "lich
they were to steer. His death was bitterly mourned by the
rough men under his command, whose warm hearts were quick
to appreciate true nobility of soul. They loved and revered him
as a friend and father; and even the joy of their anticipated
arrival was damped by the remembrance that he who had sliared
in. all their sufferings, could not partake of their consolation.
The onward progress of the two boats amidst the besetting ice
was tedious and dangerous in the extreme. By the 28th of July,
they had only reached the southern extremity of Nova Zembla,
where thev fell in with two Russian vessels, the crews of which
could scarcely be persuaded that of the Dutch expedition, the
strong vessel and hardy seamen, which some of them had seen
the previous year, nothing was lefb but these two battered boats,
with their feeble, wasted occupants. The Russians " exchanged
presents," we are told, but do not seem to have offered any real
assistance to the poor weary mariners, who soon parted company
with them, and, at the end of August, arrived at Kola. Here,
to their pleasant surprise, they found their old comrade, John
Corneliz, who received them on board his vessel, and conveyed
them to Amsterdam.
91
THE ARCTIC REGIOXS.
I ■
If
[> I
!l 1
^ I
I 1; !
H ilii
CHAPTER III. '
FINAL ATTEMPTS TO DISCOVER THE NORTH-EAST PASSAGE.— VOYAGES TO'WARDS THS
NORTH POLE.
And now there came both mist and snow,
And it grew wondrous cold,
And ice, mast-high, came floating by,
As green as emerald.
And through the drifts the snowy cli;t3
Did send a dismal sheen ;
Nor shapes of men nor beasts we ken,—
The ice was all between.
Coleridge.
Up ! up ! let us a voyage take ;
Why sit we here at ease?
Find us a vessel tight and snug,
Bound for the Northern Seas.
There shall we see tlie fierce white bear,
Tlie sleepy seals aground.
And f'.e spouting whales that to and fro
, Sail with a dreary sound.
And while the unsetting sun shines on
Through the still Heaven's deep blue,
We'll traverse the azure waves, the herds
Of the dread sea-horse to view.
William IIowitt.
The disastrous issue of Barentz's last voyage effectually pre-
vented his sober-minded countrymen from engaging any further
in such a perilous enterprise, and the English undertook again
the responsibility of carrying out a scheme which they had been
the first to originate. A new generation had succeeded to the
one which witnessed the triumphant commencement of Wil-
lougbbv's voya2:e, and mourned and shuddered over its terrible
conclusion. Science had made wondrous advances during the
fifty intervening years ; the experience of every unsu<:->'^C3sful ex-
ATTEMPTS TO DISCOVER THE NORTH-EAST PASSAGE. 25
plorer was so' much valuable information, for the guidance of his
successors in the career of discovery ; clear water had been seen,
by nearly every expedition, beyond the ice barrier which arrested
their advance, and finally, " if such a passage to India really ex-
isted, why might not England obtain the glory and advantage of
its discovery 1 " Thus reasoned sundry members of the worship-
ful Company of London Merchanl^s, and so conclusive did those
arguments appear, that without loss of time they placed a vessel
under the command of Henry Hudson— who had already given
promise of his future prowess during a voyage to Spitzbergen—
and saw him weigh anchor and drop down to Blackwall, on the
22nd April, 1 608. Profiting by the experience of others, Hudson
avoided the usual track through the Straits of Waygatz, and
steered boldly northward, with the purpose of rounding Capo
Zelania. The surrounding ice, however, arrested his progress
before he had passed lat. 75^ and, having extricated himself
with some difficulty, but only "a few rubs," he shaped his course
according to the wind towards the E. and S.E., and on the 2Gth
gained the coast of Nova Zembla. About ten days before they
reached the land, two of the crew, Thomas Hilles and Henry
Rayner, " solemnly averred," that whilst standing on the deck
they had been favoured with the sight of a mermaid. Their ac-
count of this Lady of the Waters answered generally to the
received descriptions of her mythical order, only she lacked the
mirror, and her hair was black instead of the sea-green tix'sses
supposed to be the distinguishing property of the marine sister-
hood. Moreover, these sight-seers inform us " her tail was as of
a porpoise, but speckled like a mackerel." Although June was
not yet past, Hudson decided— rather prematurely we think-
that a more northerly route offered no chance of success that suni-
mer, and determined on trying the old Waygatz passage. His
impression of Nova Zembla in its summer guise is a curious con-
trast to the dreary picture of the N.E. coast, drawn by the com-
panion of poor Barentz. " It is, to man's eye, a pleasant land,"
says the English sailor, '' much mayne land with no snow upon
it; looking in some places green, and deer feeding thereon."
TJie Waygatz course was given up that they might follow the
u
I 'i ■
}
11
26,
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
I r
opening afforded by a large sound, whicli tliey confidently hoped
would furnish a passage to the other side of the island, while the
commander calculated that a little slaughter among the herds of
morse frequenting the banks would materially lighten the ex-
penses of the voyage. This newly discovered sound, however,
soon bi-ought them to a river, where the boats came to anchorage
in oneflithom's depth of water; the morse too so cleverly avoided
coming to close quarters that not one was killed, and when
Hudson retraced his course, intending once more to try his for-
tune in the open sea, he found his passage impeded on all sides
by immense masses of ice, " very fearful to look on." He de-
voutly records " the mercy of God and his mighty help" in guid-
ing his vessel safely through the dangers that surrounded it, and
in granting them ultimately a safe return to England. A subse-
quent voyage by this brave navigator, under the auspices of tlij
Dutch East India Company, was even more profitless and unsatis-
factory than the one of which we have been speaking ; indeed, it
was only when engaged in the career of north-western discovery
which we hope to relate in future chapters — that the genius
of our gallant countrymen fully displayed itself.
One final attempt in a north-easterly direction was made by
Captain John Wood, an enthusiastic advocate of this most
chimerical of schemes. He induced the Admiralty to intrust
him with two vessels, and started to achieve the passage in 167o ;
but his hopes were prematurely blighted by a storm which
wrecked his own ship, the " Speedwell," oft^ the further coast of
Nova Zembla, and compelled him and his crew to take refuge on
board tb.e " Prosperous Pink," in which vessel he returned home,
« a sadder and a wiser man" than when he left it. Wood's voy-
age stands on record as the last in that series of N. E. expeditions,
which marked the infancy of modern navigation, and combined
so much singular incident and individual heroism with such uni-
versal ignorance and credulity. Long before this last attempt,
however, we must bear in mind that more inviting fields of dis-
covery had drawn away general attention to the north and west;
and consequently, the final relinquishment of this N. E. search
may be attributed fiir more to the general advancement of know-
VOYAGES TOWARDS THE NORTH POLE.
27
tiid
ledge, than to the f^iilure of the expeditions that succcbsively
attempted it.
In our anxiety to preserve this detail from confusion, we
have followed the series of north-east voyages to their conclusion,
without pausing to notice other efforts at northern discovery,
which, though prosecuted durhig the same interval of time, were
directed to a different object. We should be but unfaithful
chroniclers, however, did we not afford a passing notice to the
early voyages towards the North Pole. These do not certainly
afford any of the romantic incidents which lend so strong v
charm to the records of the north-eastern and north-western ex-
peditions, yet they are not wholly destitute of interest, for two
of the most noted men in Arctic history, Hudson and Baflin,
commenced their career in these Polar voyages. The project ot
reaching India by this northern route was soon proved to be
impracticable, yet much solid benefit was gained to England by
the attempt. Hitherto, a few morse or whales, caught near the
shores of Scotland, had furnished a scanty supply of skins and
oil ; but now that the treasures of the Polar Seas were more ful-
ly revealed, the London merchants spsedily reaped a plentifrJ
liarvcst from the discovery. We may thus truthfully aver thi.t
to the unsuccessful search for a Polar passage, England owes iii
a great measure her extensive and valuable Avhale fisheries.
In 1603, eight years after the last voyage of Barentz, Sir
Erancis Cherie, a London alderman, fitted out a vessel named
the " God-speed," and sent it, under the command of Stephen
Bennet, to try its fortune in the icy regions, without apparently
any matured plan or defined object. Possibly a vague notion
of discovering the best whaling localities may have influenced
the course of the commaider, who, after pursuing the old track
round the North Cape, on reaching Kola changed his direction
entirely, and steered the ship N. W. till it reached the " Bear
Island," where the Dutch had landed on their outward voyage.
Ignorant of its previous discovery, Bennet proudly named it
after his patron Cherie ; and having caught thereon two foxes
and a few fish, and discovered the teeth of a defunct morse,
" proving that those animals did use there," he complacently
28
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
I-
i I
ft I
considered the acliievement sufficiently distinguished to autho-
rize his return to England. He made his appearance accordingly
in London about the middle of October, and so satisfied his easy-
tempered patron that he was sent out during several subsequent
seasons, in the same ship, and fulfilled his vocation as morse-
slayer to the satisfaction of his employers mind equally as to
his own.
In 1G07, the first real Polar voyage was undertaken by
Henry Hudson, who set sail under the auspices of the Muscovy
Company, with the hope and intention of reaching India by
crossing the Pole. This daring design is the more singular
from being the first eflfort in this direction, and also the first
voyage undertaken by the brave seaman whose name is equally
imperishable in the New as in the Old World. The devout
spirit in which this voyage was commenced, finds a beautiful ex-
pression in the name given by this commander to the first
strange land which greeted his eyes. It was "a high castellated
mountain," which rose coldly up from behind a bleak snow-
covered headland ; but the earnest-hearted, cheerful mariner
found beauty and comfort even on this barren coast of Greenland,
and his grateful spirit displayed itself in calling that desolate
eminence "The Mount of God's Mercy." A more northerly
cape which broke upon his sight after a long continuaiict; of
heavy fog, he named, under the same feeling, " Hold- with -Hope."
A few days after this we find Hudson changing his course,
and keeping a N. E. direction; and on the 27th of June he
approached Spitzbergen, which Barentz had discovered just
twelve years before. Along the shore of this island Hudson
coasted, threading his way among the ice until, according to his
own calculation, he reached lat. 81^°, whilst he saw land to
north as far as 82°. As the northern extremity of Spitzbergen
only reaches 81", there must liave been some error here in his
reckoning, or the wide ice-fields stretching far on into the
distance were mistaken by him for land; and truly in such a
quarter, where sea and land wear alike one uniform hue of
cold and deadly whiteness, whilst the craggy outline of the
precipitous shore is matched by the fantastic ruggedness of vast
VOYAGES TOWAllDS THE NORTH POLE.
29
ice mountains and iiivpilerl floes breaking the level aurfoce of
the ocean, it must he a difficult mutter to discern the boundary-
line which separates the two. Very little was actually gained
by this voyage; but the young captain who had conducted
it felt more conlidence in liis own powers, Jid had acquired
moreover precious experience for his next attempt ; nor were
his employers discontented with the issue of their experiment
since by it they had obtained certain and satisfactory intelligence
of the immense herds of morse and seals which frequented the
coast of Spitzbergen.
In the next expedition the Muscovy Company prudently
resolved to combine profit with experiment, and the Captain,
Jonas Poole, was informed that, though discovery was the prin-
cipal object, he might " catch at intervals some morse," or " even
one or two whales," by way of defraying the expenses of the
voyage. Unfortunately for the ciiuse of science, Jonas Poole
seems to have possessed such an eminently practical mind as to
read his instructions in an inverted orcier, and, consequently,
when they reached Fair Foreland, in Spitzbergen— although
there was a free, open sea ahead, and every encouragement to
proceed— a large herd of morse unluckily appearing in sight, he
considered it liis duty to devote himself to the pursuit as a
mightv hunter; and throughout the remainder of the voyage
we^'find not a word on any subject of higher interest than the
slau-hter of deer and walrus, and now an ' ^.hen the capture of a
whal'e. On his return, Poole brought . .xk so propitiatory an
offering of oil and morse-teeth, that the Company forbore giving
him tlfe reproof he deserved for neglecting the primary object of
the voyage, and sent him out again, with the old instructions,
the following year, in command of the " Elizabeth," although
thev had so clearly proved on the previous occasion how incap-
able he was of combining the two objects of profit and discovery.
The result was a just and well-deserved, though severe, disap-
pointment.
The " JNIary Margaret" whaler, went out in company with
the " Elizabeth," and the latter was to join her in taking whales
and morse during the outward voyage ; parting company with
30
THK ARCTIC REGIONS.
I,
! ■
!
1:
i .«■
ri I
her when they reachoa the limits of the fishing territory. F..-^
and storms soon separated the vessels, and when Poole reached
the coast of Spit/herrren, he found three boats full of drenched,
miserable sailors, the survivors from the wrecked " 3Iary Mar-
.raret" Eeccivin- these on board his own vessel, he set to
work dilio-ently as before on his hunting and fishing expeditions,
though the overloaded state of his small ship, with the ad.Utional
crew' should have been a powerful argument against the pro-
ceedim'. He succeeded in securing a cargo of oil, skins, and
teeth, "amounting to twenty-nine tons; a tolerable burden, he
triumphantly remarks, for a vessel of lifty ! But such gi-eediness
of -ain eiKled in peril and utter disappointment. The last
spoUs overweighted the little ship, which sunk with its encum-
bering freightage, barely allowing the men time to escape with
their "lives," whilst the avaricious commander fought hard for
his amidst the floating staves, spara, and other debris of the
foundering barque. Thomas Marmaduke, commanding a Hull
whaler, pfcked up these unfortunate mariners; and his charity
in the time of their need, Poole repays l^y such a catalogue oi
cmplaints and accusations, that his biographer Purchas
apologises for omitting them on the ground of their length !
We gladly turn from so painful an evidence of ingratitude and
obstinacy, although the next expedition— six well-armed ships
—under the command of William Baffin, cannot enlist our full
approbation. The object of the armament was less that of dis-
covery, than of empire. It proposed to chase from the Greenland
Seas all foreign vessels that might attempt to fish there, though
on Avhat ground England claimed an exclusive right on these
coasts, which her sons neither discovered nor colonized, it is
difficult to imagine. The following year, we rejoice to add, this
imworthy assumption was abandoned, and the sails were again
unfurled in the honourable career of northern discovery.
Thomas Fotherby, in the '' Thomasiue," with Kaffin as pilot,
set out in 1G14, in company with the great Greenland fleet, to
explore the seas to the north of Spitzbergen.
This " fleet " consisted of ten ships and two pinnaces, all en-
gaged in the whale fishery, so that Fotherby could rely little
VOYAGES TOWARDS THE NORTH POLE.
31
upon thidr assistance or company. Tlioy all, however, shared in
the general calamity of imprisomuont early in the vovMge-
eleven ships being fast in the h-e at once ! 15ut time, which re-
lieves so many misforiunes, brought theirs to an end also, and,
by the Gth of June, the Tliomasine had reached Hakluyt's Head-
land; there, however, the ice again arrested them, not by im-
prisoning the ship itself, but, as in stalemate at chess, by bloc -vUig
up every avenue of exit or egress. Magdaleua Bay— IVIaudlen
Sound, as Fotherby calls it— was lined unbrokenly from shore
to shore; to the north of Ilakluyt's Headland the ice agani pre-
sented an impenetrable 1)arrier ; and though he sailed for twenty-
eight leagues to the west, he could discover no oj.eniug towards
th° north, and returned bullied to his former position.
Two Dutch ships, sent out with a like mission to his own,
gave up hope, and disappeared to the south on their homeward
way • but Fotherby determined on a final effort, and pushmg oil
from Cape Barren, he gained twenty-four leagues before he came
face to face with the relentless ice ngain. Nothing daunted by
the severity of the climate, or even by the murmurs of the crew,
who were impatient to follow the Dutchmen's example, the com-
mander ventured up Kedclilfe Sound in a boat, after the weather
had forced the ship into harbour. The ice had formed u].on the
water even there to the thickness of a half-crown piece, and they
were glad to return to the ship. On their way back they ob-
served that the Dutch ha<l been busy with a cross which they
had put up on the shores of this sound, with the king', arms and
a sixpennv-pieee nailed upon it. These their good friends had
lowered from their exalted position,—" sixpence and all,' says
the narrator, in a paroxysm of indignation at the insult,— and
the arms of Prince Maurice were substituted in their stead. The
English sailors had the satisfaction of setting this matter to rights
before they rejoined their waiting vessel.
in the mean time, a general thaw gave ground of sanguine
hope that the north passage might yet be accomplished, and the
Thomasine pushed gallantly onward till she reached the latitude
of 80" Here the stillness of the sea was broken by a mighty
noise of waves, breaking as it were upon an extensive shore.
i, i
82
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
Fothcrby had, in fact, readied a gigantic barrier of ice which
seemed to guard the approach to the mysterious regions of the
Pole, and wliicli lie vainly strove to penetrate. Failiug in tliis
last attempt, and fearing the approach of winter, he took advan-
tage of a north wind, and reached home in safety by the begin-
ning of Octolier. The following year he tried his fortune again
ui the "Kichard," a pinnace of only twenty tons. But this
voyage was in a great measure a repetition of the i)receding one.
Fogs, ice, and storms alternately ibrced him into harbour. Im-
mense ice-fields drove his i,iny vessel before them from Hakluyt's
Headland to latitude 70". Still further south, the mist so be-
wildered him that the little island of Jan Mayen aj^peared as " a
snowy hill very high amid the clouds," and the fog "lying on
each side made it appear like a great continent." In short he
met with very little success in his last voyage; and though he
still counselled the "worshipful company" to make "a yearly
adventure of £150 or £200 at the most," in the cause of northern
discovery, his last report gave such slender encouragement that
for many long years no further attempt of the kind was made.
lit' '
I
I '1 T
VOYAGES IN SEAUCII OF THE NORTH-WEST I'ASSAGi:.
33
CHAPTER IV.
ILVUXY VOYAGES IN SEAUCII OF THE NOIITII-M'EST PASSAGE.
Ah 1 not to cnitili the vaunting foe,
In combat o'er the main,
Nor perisii by a glorious blow,
In niurtiil triuniph shiin,
Was their unutterable fate ;
That story would the iluse relate,
Tile song might ris^e in vain ;
In ocean's deepei-t, darkest bed,
The secret slumbers with the dead.
On India's long-expecting strand
Their sails were never I'lirl'd,
Never on known or friendly l;ini
By stoniis their ked was Iiurl'd ;
Tiieir native soil no more they trod,
They rest beneath no hallow'il sod ;
Tliroughout the living world,
The siole memorial of their lot
liemaius, — they were, and they are not !
James MoNTcoMSKr.
We have reserved tliis division of our subject until the North-
east and Polar voyages had received due consideration, in order
to avoid the confusion consequent on mixing them up with
others in the order of time. We have also reserved it on account
of the peculiar interest excitcil by the incidents connected with
it, and because the search for a passage to India — which was
speedily abandoned in other directions — has here been pro-
secuted even to our own times, and the long riddle of three hun^
dred and fifty years at last solved by the undaunted perseverance
of our gallant countryman, M'Clurt-. -although these reasons
liave induced us to place the north-west voyages last in order of
recital, we mu t bear in mind that they commence in reality before
either of the other schemes for reaching India were originated^
D
;f^8
Ill
^ 1
THE AliCTIC REGION'S.
,' I
k !
t ;
V ii
i! ' I'
"We must look I'jr tlie first of these, in fact, as far back as A.D.
1500, when tlie strange New World, brought to light by Culumbus
eight years before, was still the great centre towards which the
thoughts and hopes and wishes of Europe all converged. The
spirit of enteri)rise had been early aroused in Portugal, and to
her belongs the honour — second only to that of Columbus — of
discovering the passage round the Cape of Good Hope. Not
content, however, with this brilliant achievement, one of her most
illustrious houses — that of Cortereal — embraced the career of
northern adventure. There are grounds for surmisiug that the
fame of discovering Newfoundland, generally awarded to our
countryman, Cabot, might be assigned with greater justice to John
Ymz Cortereal, nearly a century earlier. Without pausing to
enter upon this disputed question, we can safely affirm that
whatever distinction the father won or deserved was fully sus-
tained by his son, Caspar Cortereal, who, in loOO, set sail for
the west, with a spirit kindred in its energy to that of the great
Genoese himself Much doubt and ignorance at this tinu3 pre-
vailed respecting the extent am^ position of the new continent;
many believed it to be the further coast of Asia, whilst those
who came iiearest to the truth greatly underrated its extent,
and, after the manner of Pliny, assigned to it an imaginary
north cape, by rounding whicli a short and easy passage would
open to the shores of India, To find this speedy route was
the self-imposed mission of the brave Portuguese. The broad
watei's of the St. Lawrence tempted him to ascend it for some
distance, hoping that he had at once discovered the object of his
search; the lessening width of the channel, and the descendhig
current of the river, undeceived him at last, and, returning
to the open sea, he steered to the north. The coast of Labrador
— now visited by Europeans for the drst time, since Biom Heri-
olfson, the Icelander, discovered it in a.d. 1001, — bears the name
of Corterealis in maps of early date, which are still preserved. The
timber with which this region abounded seems to have engaged his
special notice, both from its abundance and the sombre character of
its verdure, the gloomy primeval forests of fir and pine presenting,
doubtless, a strange contrast to the olive and chestnut grovea of
TOTAGES IN SEARCH OF THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 35
;k as A.D.
JoluDibus
vhich tlie
ed. The
il, and to
mbus — of
pe. Not
■ her most
career of
that the
id to our
!e to John
ausing to
firm that
fully BUS-
t sail for
the great
til 11(3 pre-
iontinent ;
ilst those
ts extent,
imaginary
age would
route was
Che broad
t for some
)ject of his
lescending
returning
' Labrador
liom Heri-
3 the name
jrved. The
ngaged his
haracter of
presenting,
t groves of
his own bright land. The natives he found " a small and friendly
people;" but wo think he might have repaid their kindness
better than by carrying off fifty-seven of their friends and rela-
tions on a compulsory visit to Portugal ! This first voyage
terminated safely, though the southern seamen, who had only
hitherto pni-sued their calling on the warm waters of the Medi-
terranean or the Indian Ocean, were not a little discomposed and
terrified by the piercing winds, sharp snow-storms, and threaten-
ing icebergs which visited them before their commander could
be induced to quit the shores of America. With high hopes of
eventual success, Gaspar Cortereal beguiled the winter season
l)y preparing two vessels for the prosecution of his design ; and
with the first favouring summer breezes he bade adieu once more
to his native land. Ah ! was there no sign, no portent, no fore-
boding to stay his course, and bind him to the home which, once
quitted, he should never re-enter ? The two vessels bore each
other faithful company across the great Atlantic, and Cortereal
steered directly for the channel which we now know as " Fro-
bisher's Strait. ' But at its entrance his doom overtook him.
The floating ice which tilled the strait separated the vessels, and
in a terrible storm which followed, " one was taken, and the
other left." The crew of the companion-ship searched long and
anxiously for their dauntless commander, but the dark, silent
waters yielded no confession of their secret, and the sorrowing
survivors came disconsolately back to Portugal. At home the
missing adventurer had a brave brother, who needed but the
impulse of fraternal anxiety to rouse his soul to deeds of heroic
daring. Miguel Cortereal had permitted Gaspar to go forth
alone on his glorious path to fame; but the charm of love is
mightier than that of ambition, and he waited but tlie earliest
burst of coming spring to weigh anchor with three good ships
in search of that dear lost brother. The vessels severed at the
entrance of what is now called " Hudson's Bay," and proceeded
to examine the ditforent inlets and creeks with which it abounds.
They were long divided, but at length two again met, and re-
turned home with tidings rife with terrible uncertainty. And
Miguel's own ship, with its fine crew and noble-hearted com-
36
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
,-. 1 t
1 r ,
1 1
1 ''
1 .»• I
\y.
fl ll ~\'
mander? ITotliing of its dark fate has ever been revealed ; — of
Miguel himself we know that one day during tliat eventful sum-
mer he and his long-sought brother met again, in that far-off land
where there are no more partings ! A third brother yet
remained, and he besieged the throne with petitions for leave to
seek, in his turn, for his missing kindred ; but the King refused
permission. Two of the brightest ornaments of his court had
perished, he said, and he could aftbrd to lose no more. It seems a
strange ordering of events tliat the pioneers of modern discovery
in the north-east and nortli-wcst should in both cases be over-
taken by so drear and mysterious a ftxte ; nor do we wonder
that, after this tragic commencement, Portugal abandoned the
enterprise, which England has prosecuted with varying success
from that to the present dny.
Of the tvv'O first expeditions from our own shores we have only
vague and unsatisfactory knowledge. A Mr. Kobert Thorne, of
Bristol, possessed sufficient influence at the Court of Henry
VIII. to induce that Sovereign, in 1527, to send oat two vessels,
containing "divers cunning men," on a mission of northern dis-
covery. It is greatly to be regretted that no record of this
vovaae can be found ; our ijleanings onlv serve to this amount,
— that one of the ships was named "Donjinus Vobiscum;" that
the "cunning men" numbered amongst tliem a canon of St.
Paul's, skilled in matliematics ; that one of the vessels was wreck-
ed in "a deep and dangerous gulf" to the north of Newfound-
land; and that the other, having made observations on Cape
Breton, and the neighbouring coasts, returned safely to England.
The next attempt can scarcely be reckoned among the regular
expeditions, since it was not only destitute of any systematic
plan, but must have owed its very existence to the most hare-
brained folly and ignorance. Thirty young gentlemen — of good
family, but for the most part utterly devoid of the knowledge
or experience needful to their success as adventurers or colonists
— })ut themselves under the guidance of IMr. Hore, a wealthy
citizen, and landed, after a two months' voyage, at Capo Breton.
They subsequently proceeded to Newfoundland, — for what object
it is difficult to guess ;— and there, it would seem, they estp.blish-
t
lied ; — of
tful sum-
,r-ofFland
)ther yet
I' leave to
£C refused
!onrt had
.t seems a
discovery-
be over-
e wonder
[oned the
ig success
have only
riiorne, of
3f Henry
^o vessels,
bhcrn dis-
ci of this
3 amount,
mj" that
)n of St.
'as wreck-
ewfound-
on Cape
England,
le regular
ysteniatic
lost hare-
— of good
nowledge
* colonists
, wealthy
Breton.
Iiat ohject
estpbiish-
VOYAGES IN SEARCH OF THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 37
cd themselves. Famine, with all its attendant miseries, soon
stripped their adventure of whatever romance yet lingered
around it ; and after living for sometime on the fisli whiclfthey
found in the sea-birds' nests, they were driven at last to the
horrible expedient of cannibalism. One victim was thus sacri-
ficed, but before the lots were drawn for a second, a French
vessel approached the shore, and the English party, with the
strength of desperati(^n— for the well-fed, well-armed crew, and
the famislied colonists, must have been ill-matched antagonists,
—gained by some means the mastery of the ship, recommended
the ejected sailors to be contented with the barquo tliey had
themselves long abandoned, and without delay made a speedy
return to England in the vessel they had tlius forcibly taken
from its lawful owners.
Tliis strange narrative is furnished by Hakluyt, the indus-
trious chronicler of early northern navigation, who professes to
derive his information from personal intercourse with Bawbeny
and Buts, two of the adventurous volunteeis, who were still liv-
ing at the time he wrote. The latter— Buts— informed him,
that on his return he Avas so altered in person, by the sufferings
of those few months, that it was long before his parents could
recognize him as their son. 'J he French crew, meanwhile, found
their way home in the desei-ted English vessel bequeathed to
them by their victors, and were so loud in their complaints of
vdiat certainly was unwarrantable treatment, that Henry YllL,
\veighing the grievances of both parties, with more regard to
strict justice than he evinced in many other cases, refunded from
his ])rivate jmrse the loss wliich the foreigners had sustained.
The attempts at discovery <luring the reigns of Edward VI.
and Mary, took a north-eastern direction, as we have already
detailed ; but in the days of Elizabetli, the question of the N.W.
passage was again revived, and, through the interest of the
Earl of Warwick, ATartin Frobisher— who had solicited mer-
chants and nobles during fifteen years for means to undertake
" the only great thing left undone in the world,"— -pursued the
search in 157G, with three little vessels of thirty-five, thirty, and
ten tons^ respectively. During July and the early part of
?'*!J:'!?T^K-'ii"JL'W«lSB
38
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
/ 1 I
i u
I <
August, tliis little squadron coasted Greenland and Labrador,
but were prevented by the ice from effecting a landing. They
fell in about this time with some Esquimaux, of whom they give
the following quaint report : '' They are like to Tartars, with
long black hair, broad faces, and flat noses, having boats of seal-
skin, wdth a keel of wood within the skin." These natives
proved rather shy, and were with difficulty allured on board;
unfortunately the English did not reciprocate their distrust, and
five sailors, who rowed their visitors back to land, were induced
to accompany them still further, and were never again heard of.
This first voyage was little remarkable in itself, but its acciden-
tal results tended much to the advancement of northern research.
Frobisher dignified the coasts he had discovered with the
euphonious title of Meta Incognita, and being somewhat per-
plexed how to satisfy the numerous requests he received for
some relic or curiosity from this new country, ho broke in pieces
a large glittering stone which he had brought back with him,
and distributed the fragments. One of these precious pieces
accidentally fe^U into the fire, and when taken out its brilliancy
had so increased, that the goldsmiths to whom it was submitted,
with one accord pronounced it a genuine specimen of the pre-
cious ore, congratulated Frobisher upon his wonderful discovery,
and, by their sapient decision, threw all England into a ferment
of joyful excitement. No difficulty was experienced now in pro-
curing money or vessels. The Queen herself contributed the
'• Ayde," a ship of 180 tons, furnished means for fitting out the
" Michael" and " Gabriel," two smaller vessels of thirty tons each,
and granted Frobisher a parting audience, at which he kissed
her hand, and received her best wishes for his success.
" A merrie wind" carried the little barques speedily on their
way, and they reached without hindrance the region of con-
tinual light, which they very justly pronounced to be " particu-
larly cheering to such as wander in unknown seas and long
navigations, where both the wind and raging surges do pass
their common course." After some delay and bewilderment
from fog, Frobisher reached the entrance of the strait which
iears his name, and pi-oceeded for some distance in boats among
VOYAGES IN SEARCH OF THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE.
39
the floating ice which intercepted the progress of his shi;is.
How lucid were his geographical notions onr readers may judge,
when we tell them that he firmlj'- believed the land on one ^ide
of this channel was Asia, and on the other America ! On the
American side he erected a column, in honour of his patron, the
Earl of ^yarwick, and encountered a large party of natives, wdio
at first appeared friendly, but soon sahited the English party
with such a shower of arrows as put an end to all amicable
understanding!:.
When Frobisher regained his ships outside the strait, he found
them tossing at the mercy of a violent gale ; the surrounding
ice rendered their position one of great peril, and they were
forced to tack fourteen times in four hours. A day or two after
this, however, all such troubles were forgotten in the delight of
discovering a large mass of the glittering stone they so earnestly
sought. *' We were all rapt with joy," exclaims tlie narrator of
the voyage, Dionese Little, " forgetting both where we were, and
what we had suffered." Then follow sundry reflections upon
"the glory of man, — to-night looking for death, — to-morrow
devising how to satisfy his greedy appetite with gold;" which
brevity compels us to omit. In their encounter with tlie
Esquimaux the ship-party had taken one prisoner, through whom
tliey fancied they obtained some clue to the fate of those five
seamen who had been lost the preceding year. A party of forty
men were sent inland to pursue the natives and force them to
confession, but no certain intelligence was gained, and suspicion
darkened almost into conviction of the worst kind, on the dis-
covery of a shirt, a girdle, three shoes for contrary feet, and an
English canvass doublet, in one of the native boats. A letter,
with pen, ink, and paper, for an answer, was left in this boat, and
tlie party returned to the ship enriched only by the capture of
two Esquimaux females, one of whom was speedily set at liberty,
whilst the other was probably carried to England in company
with the prisoner taken in their first encounter. Very little
progress towards "Cathay" was made during this summer, but
200 tons of the imaginary gold were secured, and as the delusion
regarding it continued, the expedition was considered as emi-
40
TIIE ARCTIC REGIONS.
fl
U I
nently successful. A large squadron of fifteen vessels was fitted
out in consequence for the summer of 1578, commissioned not
only to bring back an untold amount of treasure, but also to take
out materials and men to establish a colony on the shores of
Meta Incognita — the name bestowed upon all the country sur-
rounding the entrance of Hudson's Bay.
Tlie fate of this grand effort presents no exception to the
ordinary doom of all cumbr. as r>xpeditions to the stormy north.
The " Dennis," a large vessel, vv^s so crushed by an iceberg at the
entrance of Frobisher's Strait, that it sank almost before the
startled crew could reach the other ships. Nor did these wholly
escape disaster. The gale increasing to a storm, huge masses of
ice struck the sides of the trembling vessels, whilst all the sailors
could do in defence of their "wooden walls," was to suspend
planks and poles over each side, with a view to break the force
of blows powerful enough to shatter in pieces planks three inches
thick. " At length," says the devout old navigator, " it pleased
God with his eyes of mercy, to look down from heaven;" the
wind subsided, the ice drifted away, and the squadron was
enabled to proceed. A thick fog prevented any clear view of
the shore, along which they sailed for some considerable way
before Frobisher could be convinced they were not actually pro-
ceeding up the strait already alluded to. Had he persevered in
the course before him, he would doubtless have gained the distinc-
tion won by his successor, Hudson, through the discovery of that
fine bay which bears his name; but finding this course was really
a new one, Frobisher resolutely turned back, and in time reached
his former station. Here a consultation was held. The materials
brouc^ht out for building a house of timber were very incomplete;
one portion having sunk in the " Dennis," and another havmg
been destroyed in warding ofif the ice. Captain Fenton of the
*' Judith," proposed to brave the winter, with sixty men, in such
a hut as could be constructed with the remainder ; but the car-
penters required two months for such a work, and, with the ice
gathering around, the ships could only remain half that time at
the most. In despair, Frobisher suggested that some effort at
discovery might yet cast a redeeming lustre over their luckless
VOYAGES IN SEARCH OF THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE.
41
voyage; but here again his captains perplexed him with doubts,
and urged the shortness of the time, and the danger of the intri-
cate channels, so forcibly, that he finally yielded to their opinion,
and steered direct for England. What reception they met with
on their return, and how their patrons bore their disappointment,
we are not told. Frobisher himself followed Sir Francis Drake
to the West Indies, commanded one of the largest vessels opposed
to the Spanish Armada, and ended his active life while attacking
a small French Fort, on behalf of Henry IV,, during the war
with the LeafTue.
A more careful investigation must soon have proved the utter
worthlessness of the " glittering stone," since no further mention
is made of it ; and when sundry Loudon merchants again " cast
in their adventure," and sent out John Davis, in l5^o, his mis-
sion was solely to i^eek for a north-west passage to India. The
two ships with which he was entrusted bore the luminous appella-
tions of ''■ Sunshine," and " Moonshine," and besides all usual
and necessary equipments provided for the expedition, a liand ot
music was attached to it, in order, Ave find, "to cheer and
recreate the spirits " of the natives ! Before Davis arrived in
sight of Greenland, his ships were surrounded by icebergs ; and
when land at length broke on their view, its aspect was dismal
in the extreme. The south-west coast he describes as " deformed,
rocky, and mountainous, like a sngar-loaf standing to our siglit
above the clouds. It towered above the fog like a white mist
in the sky, the tops altogether covered with ;3now, the shore
beset with ice, making such irksome noyse, that it was called
the Land of Desolation." The very sea which bordered this
dreary coast was " black and thick like a standing pool," and
the voyagers were glad to turn from such a gloomy shore — being
prevented all near approach by the ice — and steer through the
open water to the north-west, " hoping, through God's mercy,"
adds the commander, "to find our desired passage." A few
days iajer he again sighted land, which, though the northern
part of the same coast, presented a less inhospitable appearance.
A body of natives here met a party of the sailors, when the latter
advanced towards them, making gestures of friendship, and
42
THE ARCTIC REGIO^JS.
f t
11
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*
H
dancing merrily to the music of the hand. "We do not learn if
grave John Davis footed it with his shipmates, but the Esqui-
maux appeared decidedly propitiated by the exhibition of Jack
Tar's ao-ility ; and the seamen having imitated the signs of the
natives, by pointing to the sun, and beating their breasts, a
friendly understanding was forthwith established. A few trifling
presents served to gain skins, furs, and even the clothing they
wore. The next day brought a still larger party, equally eager
to maintain this unequal traffic, and the barter continued until a
brisk wind carried the strange visitants away from their simple-
minded friends. The remainder of the season Davis employed in
sailing up a broad channel, twenty or thirty leagues wide, and free
from ice, which ai)peared to tend to the north-west, and afforded
him sanguine hopes of accomplishing the often-baffled project.
This noble passage still bears the name of its discoverer, and is now
familiar to all as Davis's Strait. The approach of winter com-
pelled him to return before he had followed this new track of
promise further than sixty leagues ; but he managed to inspire
those at home with a portion of his own ardent enthusiasm, and
so plausibly was the prospect set forth, that no difficulty was found
in refitting the vessels, and Davis looked to the approaching
summer for complete success.
l! I
r 1
VOYAGES IN SEARCH OF THE KOUTH-WEST FASSAGE.
43
CHAPTER Y.
FARLY VOYAGES IN SEAHCIl Or THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE.
On the frozen deep's repose,
'Tis a dark and dreadful hour,
When round the ship the ice-liclds close,
And the northern night-clouds lower.
But let the ice drift on !
Let the cold blue desert sjiread !
Tlifir courfC xvith mast and tlag is done, —
Even there sleep England's dead.
Mrs. Uemans.
Thy soul was nerved with more than mortal force,
Hold mariner upon a chartless sea,
With none to second, none to solace thee !
Alone, who daredst keep thy resolute course
Through the broad waste of waters drear and dark,
'Mid wrathful skies, and howling winds, and worse —
The prayer, the taunt, the threat, the •aautter'd curse.
Of all thy brethren in that fra^jile barque.
TUPPER.
The " Sunshine " and the " Moonshine " were joined in this
their second voyage by the "Mermaid," a vessel of 120 tons,
and left the British coast under the control of the same steady
hand which had guided them so well during the previous sum-
mer. Stormy weather prevented the expedition from reaching
its former anchorage — lat. 64° — until the 29th of June, 1586,
though they were within sight of the southern extremity of
Greenland on the 15th ult. On landing, Davis and his men
were immediately recognised by the natives with whom they
had been familiar during the first visit, who now crowded
round the sailors with an abundance of signs and unintelligible
greetings. Davis confirmed these friendly feelings in the
Esquimaux by the munificent gift of twenty knives, which con-
verted the chief men of the tribe from acquaintances into devoted
44
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
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adherents. For some time the natives occnricd themselves ha m.
lessly, in foot-race.s, wrestling and leaping matches with then
new associates; but as they grew more familiar they greatly
shocked the latter by " mauy and solemn incantations, the men-
tion of which Davis couples with a devout expression of thanks
for their f tilure. During the time spent on this coast, the com-
iD-mder undertook an expedition int.o the intenor ot he countiy ,
here the " broad river," which he proposed to follow to its source
proved CO be only a shallow creek, and though he tried to mount
Various eminences suitable for observation, " the mountains, he
says, '' were so many and so mighty, that liis purpose availed
not " On his return to the coast he was assailed by the an-
gry complaints of his meu against the Esquimaux, whose thievish
propensities had long irritated the sailors, though, to the com-
mander, such acts had only " ministered an occasion of laughter.
The system of depredation had now, however, grown serious ;
even tht; cables and boats belonging to the expedition were not
safe • and after vainly endeavourhig to intimidate, by havmg
two 'pieces fired over their heads, '' which," says the narrator,
- did sore amaze them,"-some loose iron being abstracted ten
hours afterwards, and kindness and gifts equally failing to work
a reform,-the chief ringleader, a " master of mischief, was de-
tained as prisoner, and his companions fled precipitately before
the advance of their former allies. A brisk wind favoured the
project of the advf^nturous captain for pushing across the bay,
and on the 17th of July, he summoned his .rew on deck to gaze
on the strange new country which they were rapidly approaclung.
Far as the eye could reach extended a high line of coast, diver-
sified by numerous creeks and inlets, and lofty mountains stood
boldly out in their snowy majesty against the clear background
of the sky, excluding effectually all view of the scenery beyond
them Already the elated navigator saw himself hailed as a re-
nowned discoverer-already he had peopled this terra *nco^m^c.
with a new race-already he had seen in fancy beyond that
mountainous range, sheltered valleys whose scanty verdnre look-
ed enchanting to the eye, wearied with the sterile whiteness of
the long coast-line-already he beheld this new-found territory
VOYAGES IN SEARCH OF THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. i5
explored, named, and defined in tlie chart of these northern seas
wliich lay spread out on his cabin-table — when a cry of disap-
pointment from those on deck hastily summoned him to the
mortifying discovery, that the land of his proud hopes was in
reality nothing but " a most mighty and strange quantity of
ice ! " The centre of Baffin's Bay is often filled with an immense
tract of ice for the greatest portion of tlie season, and this mis-
take on the part of the explorers was the natural result of their
ignorance as to the character of these ''floes." After following
for some days the coast of this enormous field, a fog came on,
during which ropes, sails, and cordage were alike fast frozen, and
the seamen, hopeless of accomplishing the pnssnge, warned their
commander that " by his over-boldness he might cause their
widows and fatherless children to give him bitter curses." Un-
able wholly to resist this appeal, Davis left the " jVIermaid" and
"Sunshine" to return home, and pusLed on in the "Moonlight"
with the boldest men of the three crev/s. In this shi]) he reach-
ed the opposite shore of Baffin's Bay at the beginning of August,
and coasted southward from lat. 06" 30', in hopes of finding some
opening westward ; he did not attempt either Cumberland or
Frobisher's Straits, however, and, by some unaccountable over-
sight, missed the magnificent channel opening into Hvlson's Bay.
Ofif the coast of Labrador, two of his sailors were killed by the
natives ; and September being ushered in with a v iolent tempest,
Davis gave up further attempts for the year, and returned to
England. One more chance
was granted to
his earnest en-
treaties, and the 10th of June, 1587, saw him once more nearins
Greenland, in his old-tried barque the " Sunshine," in company
with the " Elizabeth" and a pinnace. The supplies for this voy-
age being furnished under the express condition that the atten-
dant expenses should be lightened as much as possible by fishing
at all suitable times, the two large ships were stationed for that
object near the part of the coast which they had formerly visit-
ed ; whilst Davis steered forward in the small vessel, which
alone remained at his disposal, and which must have been ill-
suited for such an enterprise, since it was found to " move through
the water like a cart drawn by oxen."
HI
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46
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THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
In the fuce of sucli discouragements this earnest-minded navi-
gator reached ktt. 713° N. by tiie 28t}i of Juue. and named tlio
ponit at which ho touched " Sandci-Hon's Hope:" from then c«
he tackud to the ^Y., iu wliicli direction liis course was arrested
by the mighty ice barrier whidi had so deceived him and his
crew on tlie previous voyage. 'J'ime and perseverance WToiight
out a deliverance here, and by the 19th July he had crossed to
the opposite side of the Strait which bears his name, and sailed
for two days up Cumberland Strait, whicb, it will be remembered,
he discovered on his first expedition. It is difficult to imagme
what prevented Davis from following up this promising com-
mencement, but the fact is on record; he returned to the main
channel in the belief that Cumberland Strait was an enclosed
gulf, and, after passing the entrance to Hudson's Bay without
an effort to investigate it, repaired to the rendezvous appointed
for the whaling vessels to meet him on their way to Engbind.
To the consternation of Davis ar.d his men, they discovered that
their unworthy companions had si)read their sails across the
Atlantic, unmindful of the peril to which the small pinnace
would be necessarily subjected in braving alone tlie homeward
voyage. The courage of these stout sailors did not fail them,
and by the good Providence which ever befriends the true-
hearted, the little barque— hardly sea-worthy, short of provisions,
and with barely half a hogshead of water on board— lived
through the storms and dangers of the Atlantic; and its crew
furled their sails at length in safety.
Manifold must have been the perils and privations of that
homeward voyage; want of space forbids our even faintly
sketching them; but we love i^ record the fact, wherein forti-
tude and courage triumphed over such an array of physical
suffering and impending danger. Harder than the war uf the
elements and the desertion of his companions, was the after
experience of disappointment to the energetic voyager. In vain
did Davis strive to promote the despatch of another expedition,
for which he prophesied, with the sanguine temper of a time
sailor, certain and infallible success. The spirit of the nation
waa chilled by three successive disappointments; and aU that
VOYAGLS IN SEAIICII OF TUi: XORTil-WEST PASSACIE.
47
even Mv. Sanderson — his most steady and influential friend — ■
)uld oilor by
)lation,
globe made by Moly-
y oi conHoiation, was
neux, the lirat artist of that day, setting tbrtli fully all Davia's
discoveries. This curious production of early art is still pre-
served in the Middle Temple Library.
After a pause of liftcen years, northern discovery again found
favour in the eyes of the nierchaiit-princes of London, and Cap-
tain George Weymouth set sail for India by the north-west
route, with \wo vessels, the ** Godspeed" and " Discovery," under
the united au!t;pices of the Muscovy and Levant Companies, a.d,
1G02. Passing Greenland — which appeared to him "a main
bank of ice" — \A''ey mouth gained sight of the American coast
by the end of June, and proceeded by the usual track up Davis's
Straits. The progress of this expedition was greatly retarded
by fogs, which prevented all knowledge of the real position of
the ships, and often exjiosed them to great danger from their
unknown proximity to bergs and icelields. On one occasion a
pai-ty having landed on a " floe" to procure ice for melting, ima-
gined themselves near the land from the sound of the waves as
if breaking upon an adjacent shore, but examination proved it
to be only " the noise of a great quantity of ice, which was very
loathsome to be heard." The impenetrable mist around seemed
rather to thicken than disperse, and as progress was out of the
question when they could not see two ships' length before them,
the Captain issued orders for the sails to be taken down. So
well had the strong northern frost done its work, however, that
even in " this chiefest time of summer they could not be moved,"
and, upon renewing the attempt the following day, it was only
by cutting away the ice from tlie ropes that they succ ded.
The sailors, unused to the severities of an Arctic climate, took
panic at these symptoms of prbinature winter, and much secret
consultation led to a unanimous conspiracy to overpower the
captain, confine him as a prisoner to his cabin, and " bear up the
helm for iingland." Weymouth, acting with the prompt energy
which formed a striking feature of his character, on the first in-
timation of this df^siorn assembled the wljolo crew, with " Mr.
Cartwright, the preacher," and " jNIr. Cobreth, the master," as
« I '<^\
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1. 1,
48
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
witnesses upon his side, boldly taxed them with the intended
mutiny, and appealed to them for an explanation of such con-
duct. The crew maintained a resolute position, but without
violence in word or act ; they produced in writing their reasons
for the step, insisted on a change of course, but pledged them-
selves to serve with heart and will in any attempt at discovery
in a more southerly direction. Resistance to such a powerful
and united movement was worse than useless, and Weymouth
was too sensible a man for one moment to attempt it. The
helm was "put about" by the men, while he retired to his cabin
to deliberate, and though he punished tlie ringleaders afterwards,
he was wise enough to pass over the offence at the time. The
remainder of tlie fleeting summer was spent in sailing up a pro-
mising inlet, which seemed to afford good hope oi the wished-for
north-west passage.
According to the commander's own calculations the two ships
penetrated 100 leagues up this channel, before a violent storm
drove them back to the open sea, but from his own account of
his course the distance is manifestly overstated. This part of
his progress forms by far the most important feature of the
voyage, and some consideration is due to the man who nearly
forestalled Hudson in his great discovery; and in reality paved
the way for his more fortunate successor, by drawing pulilic at-
tention to this inlet, now so well known as the entrance to
Hudson's Bay. A terrible storm marked the liome-vard voyao-e,
but "the Lord delivered his unworthy servants," and "tliey
reached Eiigland in all safety.
A melancholy issue awaited the next attempt. In 1606, the
Muscovy and East Ijidia merchants took heart once more, and
sent out John Knight— a brave sailor who had gained experi-
ence in the Greenland seas— with a v?ssel of forty tons. Mis-
foi-tunes attended this voyage from its commencement ; the ship
was detained in the Pentland Frith for upwards of a fortnight
by stress of weather ; during Iier passage across the Atlantic
she was cruelly used by wave and win.. , and finally, as she
neared the coast of Labrador, was so crushed and bruised by the
icebergs with which she came in contact, that the crew wero
VOYAGES IN SEARCH OF THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 49
thankful to take shelter in the first cove that presented itself,
and lost no time in drawing their frail craft high up on the dry
sand beyond the tide mark, where she might undergo the neces-
sary repairs. This position, however, proving far from com-
modious or satisfactory, the captain manned his boat next day,
and while the rest of the crew were briskly at work, sailed across
to the other side of the inlet in hope of discovering some more
convenient anchorage. Leaving all the men, except the mate
and one other, in charge of the boat. Knight with his two com-
panions landed to explore the strange coast. They climbed the
steep acclivity of the shore, lingered for a moment on the summit
of the cliffs— their figures showing clear against the sky, as they
exchanged gestures of greeting and flirewell with the party in
the boat, — and then they disappeared on the other side, and the
eyes of their messmates had looked on them for the last time— for
they never came back again ! Those who remained waited on
the shore till evening with their boat, marvelling much that
their three companions returned not; muskets, trumpets, and
earnest voices praying for some response, all fliiled to evoke an
answering sound, and Avhen evening had darkened into night,
and eleven o'clock arrived without any sign or signal of the
missing party, they returned sadly enough to tlie ship with these
dreary tidjngs. During this melancholy night— which the for-
lorn crew passed in alternate lamentations over the loss of their
brave commander and comrades, and plans for search and rescue,
— the ice had so accumulated in the channel which poor Knight
crossed the day before, that though the boat was speedily rigged
for the expedition, and the party who occupied it were one and
all uncontrollably impntient to start, the morning light convinced
the most daring of the iuiposslbility of venturing into such an ice-
encumbered s^ii*. Thus passed two miserable days, the suffering
of wl\ich was greatly aggravatetl by the inactivity in which
these restless ardent spirits were forced to remain.
On tiie night of the last, Saturday, June 28, tlie little encamp-
ment was furiously attacked by a large party of i natives, who
comuienced the assault by launching a shower of arrows through
the darkness, and, coming into closer quarters, crowded into the
E
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
shallop, snrruiirtled the little camp, and broke the stillness of the
night by wild and discordant cries. The English, startled from
their sleep, and bewildered by the sndden and unexpected onset,
collected themselves as none bnt English sailors would, and
although they were only eight in number, and the natives, at
the most moderate computation, must have exceeded fifty, they
marched out in such formidable array, with a large dog at
their head, and the unanimous volley with which they greeted
thc;ir visitors did such execution, that the invaders, appalled at
such an unexpected reception, made off with all possible speed.
The ice detained them within musket-range for some little time,
and the shots by which the sailors continued to express their vexa-
tion at this disturbance of their night's rest, took good effect, as
the retreating party were heard "crying to each other very
Efore." The aggressors are described as a diminutive, tawny-
coloured, flat-nosed, beardless, and man-eating people. Of the
latter attribute those who thus depicted them had happily no
02:>portunity of judging.
Several days had now elapsed since the loss of the master, and
this attack, while it left little doubt of his fate, proved only too
clearly the danger which surrounded them, and the certain de-
struction to which a longc>r tarj-iance would expose the whole
party. These considerations induced them without loss of time
to brave the homeward voyage, though their vessel was minus a
rudder, and the leaks were so numerous that the painps were
worked witliout even half an hour's cessation duriuGf the three
weeks which elapsed between the time of setting sail and reaching
Newfoundland. Here they received most friendly hospitality,
their vessel was again made sea-worthy, and after a good passage
they carried their tale of disasters to headquarters in London.
The next individual in the well-lilled list of these Arctic
heroes, has already become flirailiar to us in the career of N.E.
and Polar voyages, but it is by the search for the N.W, route
that Hudson has made himself a name and memory in the
hoai'ts of his countrymen, and this no less by his grand discovery
than by his dauntless perseverance and energy through discord
aii'i insubordination, harder to battle with than the perils of
VOYAGES IN SEARCH OF THE NOllTH-WEST PASSAGE. 51
wind and tide; while all tliafc is gentle and pitiful in the human
heart must shrink and tremble at the dark fate which ended th^
eventful career of this bold leader in northern discovery.
Hudson commenced his eventful voyage under the patronage
of Sir John Wolstenholme and Sir Dudley Digges, who do not
seem, however, to have contributed much beyond their names to
the expedition, which was fitted out on a very inexpensive scale,
consisting only of one vessel of fifty-live tons, provisioned for six
months, and manned by a crew who speedily proved themselves
in every way unworthy of the name of British sailors. The ship
left the Thames on the 17th April, IGIO, and aft^r rounding
Cape Farewell, the commander found himself by the end of June
in the same broad channel which Weymouth had already in some
measure explored. The navigation of these straits was very
intricate, large masses of ice encumbered the surface of the water,
and the danger which menaced the vessel of being drifted by one
of the frequent eddies or currents against some of the numerous
grounded ice-islands, was rendered yet more imminent by the
dense fogs to which they were continually subject.
Amidst these difficulties, the crew — shamefully difierent from
the brave, hardy men who had shared so unmurmuringly the
perils of Willoughby and Barentz — repined and despaired, and
their own companion, Abacuk Pricket, who, by his own narrative,
stands convicted as a mean-spirited coward, confesses that many
of them fell sick through fear. Their dauntless commander,
willing to rouse them by kindly means from this faint-hearted-
ness, assembled the entire crew, spread out his chart before their
eyes, pointed out the undeniable fact that they had outstripped
all former navigators in this direction by a hundred leagues, and
finally appealed to the rialecontents themselves, whether, with
such a prospect of success before them — almost within their reach
— they would tamely relinquish it, and return? Had any latent
nobility of soul existed in the breasts of his sullen auditors, it
would have kindled into flame at this manly, energetic address;
but though one or two caught a momentary glow from his en-
thusiasm, and spoke " honestly respecting the good of the action,"
the majority voted for return at all risks, and Hudson, disgusted
I
t I
Ifjir
w
i'l *^
1;'
^1
52
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
by the total absence of enterprise and ambition which this deci-
sion displayed, dismissed them from his cabin, and followed his
own course. Pressing forward along this unknown channel, they
reached at last a fair island, covered with vegetation, and peopled
by large herds of deer and jflocks of sea-fowl. Here the indolent
crew craved leave to rest and enjoy themselves, and their enmity
to their commander was not a little increased by his refusal ;
though he had on his side cogent arguments, in the shortness of
the yet remaining summer, and the necessity of pressing forward,
to reach, if possible, some more temperate clime before winter
fairly set in.
A few days more passed on, spent by the crew in murmurs
and discontent, and by the commander in earnest longing and
ardent expectations of success; and then the repinings were
cheeked, and the ambitious dream was satisfied, for the shores
between which they sailed suddenly trended away to the right
and left, and revealed a boundless blue expanse of v^ater, rippling
and sparkling in the morning sunshine. Hudson's Bay lay before
them, but the discoverer himself was happy in the belief that
the north-west passage was indeed accomplished, and that his
glad eyes looked upon the bright waters of the Pacific.
It was now the beginning of August, and the crew considered
that the passage had been accomplished, and nothing prevented
a speedy return home ; but Hudson was bent upon completing the
adventure, and wintering, if possible, on the sunny shores of
Cathay itself. For the next three months, therefore, they tro eked
the south coast of this inland sea, considering it as the northern
boundary of America. November arrived before they had reach-
ed any comfoi ^able haven ; the ice closed round, and the explorers
were left to brave the winter without possessing among them
that spirit of cheerful unanimity which would have enabled them
ccmtentedly to endure the hardships it entailed. Their six
months' supply of provisions was now nearly exhausted, and
though "Providence dealt mercifully" in sending white par-
tridges and fish, they were reduced ere the spring to cat iVoga
and moss. The time must have past drearily enough to poor
Hudson, who not only shared in all their privations, but was
VOYAGES IN SEARCH OP THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 53
L murmurs
regarded by all as the cause; but conscious rectitude, and the
earnest following out of a great purpose, would sustaiix a noblo
hearted man in even yet more trying circumstances; and amidst
the loneliness of that unfriendly companionship, h nay perhaps
have realized in feeling what a modern writer has so forcibly ex-
pressed in words — " The isolated state is the highest grandeur
upon earth, if a man knows that the Suj3reme Judge is his friend,
or at least his one confidant."
The spring, to which Hudson had looked forward as the ter-
mination of all this bodily and mental suffering, brought the
dark tragedy to its conclusion. The ship was again afloat; and
when the day broke on the 21st of June, 1611, the captain came
forth from his cabin, refreshed by sleep and strong in body and
mind, to meet the duties and trials of the day. As he stepped
on deck, his arms were suddenly pinioned, and he found himself
helplessly in the power of three of his men. He looked round
the deck in momentary dismay. On every side were surly,
cruel-featured men, their faces darkened by evil passions, and
tiieir hands fully armed. Inquiry, expostulation, entreaty, and
command, failed alike to elicit a word, and the unfortunate com-
mander at last resigned himself as only a brave man can, and looked
on calmly at the ominous preparations which were going forward.
A small open boat was in waiting, and into this, Hudson — his
hands being previously tied behind his back — was lowered ; some
powder and shot and the carpenter's box came next, followed by
the carpenter himself, a strong, brave fellow, Hudson's one
devoted adherent among the rebellious crew. The boat's cargo
was completed by all the sick and infirm sailors, who coidd be of no
use on board the ship ; and, with an unheard of refinement of
cruelty, were thus abandoned by their messmates, while their
presence nullified the slender chance of escape which a vigorous
crew might have afforded their unfortunate commander. If
any thing could still further aggravate the iniquity of this most
atrocious proceeding, it would be the fact that Henry Green, the
chief ringleader, had gained admittance into the crew by Hud-
son's hunipnity, after having been cast off by all his friends, and
was regarded with particular favour by his kind deceived patron.
54:
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
All being ready, at a given signal tlie boat, with its unhappy
fi'eight, was cast adrift, the sails of the vessel were spread, and the
last despairing cry for mercy was borne faintly past the mutineers
by the breeze that whistled through their cordage, and carried
them briskly over the foaming billows on their homeward course.
The evil deed was effectually done — no tidings or traces of the
deserted commander were ever gained, and until that day when
'•'the sea shall give up her dead," and the murderers and their
victim shall once again stand face to face, it must remain one of
those secrets to which Time, the great revealer of mysteries,
brings no elucidation.
Ill}
i I
■s 1
1; ■
VOYAGES IN SEAllCH OF THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 65
i unhappy
d, and the
mutineers
nd carried
ird course.
,ces of tlie
day when
and their
ain one of
mysteries,
CHAPTER VI.
EARLY VOYAGES IN SEARCH OF THE NORTIT-M'EST PASSAGE.
In storm and in sunsliine,
"Whatever assail,
■We'll onward and conquer,
And never say fail !
Anon.
But the mutineers did not escape wholly unpunished. The
strictest search through the private cabin of their unfortunate
commander brought no hidden store of provisions to light, and
during a fortnight's imprisonment among the ice, they sustained
life by the cocklegrass found on a neighbouring island. Having
reached at last Cape Digges— " the Cape where fowles do breed,"
as Pricket expressed it— their guns procured food in plenty,
and they established friendly relations with a party of natives
who met them on landing. " God so blinded Henry Green,"
adds the conscience-stricken narrator, that he believed their
professions of cordiality, and a large party were lured on shore
and taken at a disadvantage by their treacherous allies. Green
died before the boat could be pushed from the shore; two othera
expired soon after they reached the ship, and a fourth two days
after; Pricket himself escaped, severely wounded. Thus
perished the c/we/ actors in that infamous conspiracy, by a doom
a^ certain and unexj^ected as that to which they had consigned
their victim ! Ivet, the last survivor of the ringleaders, sunk
under the hardships of the homeward voyage, which was per-
formed imder the extremity of famine; their whole stock of
provisions being only 300 birds, rhot off Cape Digges. Half a
bird WHS the daily allowance of each man, and it was considered
an induh^'ence to be allowed to fry them in grease obtained from
candles, which were distributed every week for this purpose.
56
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
i 1- 1
Ir f
i' f
in "
The account of the great expanse of sea which had been
reached stirred public curiosity not a little, and Sir Thomas
Button set sail the next year with Pricket and Bylot — another
of the mutineers — as guides. He pushed boldly across the bay,
und to his great mortitication, instead of reaching Japan, found
himself confronted by a range of bleak coast, — the western boun-
dary of the great bay, — which he named in his disappointment,
"Hope Cliecked." He examined the western and northern
shores without finding any indication of a channel in the right
direction ; but the London merchants, unwilling to abandon all
their highly raised hopes on his single testimony, sent out, in
1G14, Captain Gibbons; who was pronounced by Button himself
" not short of any man that ever yet he carried to sea." This
voyage did not add much to his reputation; all he achieved was
an entanglement among some loose ice, w^hich ended in his
si>endiijg the whole summer blocked up in a bay on the coast of
Labrador; named in com])liment to the exploit, " Gibbons His
Hole !" Next went Bylot, now promoted to tiie rank of com-
mander himself, with Baffin as his pilot. He too skirted the
northern shores of the bay, and came back in despair of any
success from efforts in that quarter. The same men were sent
out again in IGIG, with directions to try their fortune beyond
Davis's Straits, Of this voyage — one of the most important of
the series, if we regard results as the criterion — we possess only a
few meagre details furnished by Baffin himself. They followed
the Greenland coast from Santlorson's Hope northwards, and
made the circuit of the immense bav now called Baffin's, namino-
the different points they passed after the chief patrons of the
expedition, who are still commemorated in " Cape Dudley
Digges," and Wolstenholme, Smith, Jones, and Lancaster Sounds*
It is curious to notice the cursory indifferent manner in which
Baffin speaks of these several inlets, upon which he never seems
to have bestowed a thought of investigation; indeed, directlv
after mentioning Lancaster Sound — the highway to fields of
later western discovery — he observes that his hopes of finding a
v/estern passage diminished daily ! His report of this vast en-
closed bay, with no indication of a western channel, greatly dis-
VOYAGES IN SEARCH OF THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. oT
oouraged any furtlier attempts, and the next eflfort was made by
Jons Mimk, a Dane, who set out with two good vessels, under
the patronage of his king. Christian IV., 1G19. Tliis worthy
met with no better success than his predecessors in his survey
of the coasts of Hudson's Bay, and was fain to take up winter
quarters at the mouth of Chesterfiekl inlet. Here the scurvy —
that scourge of sailors — began its ravages, and, ignorant of the
right way of treating it, the only remedy employed was spirits;
this soon frightfidly aggravated the disorder, the number of
sufferers increased daily, provisions began to foil, and when
Munk, after four days spent in his lonely hut without food or
solace, crept feebly out, he met two miserable shadow-like beings,
the sole survivors from the fifty-two fine healthy men, who had
set sail with him from Denmark. How these three men
gi-adually rallied into strength again, how they rigged out the
smallest of their vessels, and navigated it %vith so few hands, and
how, finally, after a voyage fraught with perils, they reached
home once more, would tax time and space too much to relate.
King Christian, discouraged by tlieir failure, sent out no more
expeditions, and England, believing nothing farther was to be
hoped from Baffin's Bay, confined all efforts to Hudson's Bay.
In this direction Captains Fox and James set out and returned
in 1G31-2, without accomplishing any thing. Knight and
Barlow were despatched on the same errand, 1719. Not return-
ing as expected, Captain Scroggs was vainly sent the next sum-
mer to search for them, and their fate remained a mystery for
fifty years, till the wrecks of two vessels, discovered on Marble-
island, afforded a probable solution. In 1741, Captain Middle-
ton sailed up Roe's Welcome, tried Wager Inlet and Eepulse
Bay in vain, and returned home. His patron, Mr. Dobbs, dis-
ci'editing Middleton's report, so wrought upon the public mind
that 1 10,000 was subscribed for a new equipment, and £20,000
offered as the reward of success.
Captains Moor and Smith set out with it, 174G, ascertained
the already well-known fact that the Wager afforded no passnge,
and — came back! The Admiralty papers contain notices of
the armed brig "Lion" being sent out in 1776 and 1777, to
I
lOT
II
j I' ■
fill
■"I' I j
I
58
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
meet Captain Cook, slioui,] h
Beliring's Strait, but notJiin.
coiumuntlers. We lia
e
succeed
accomi.lisiied by either of the
was
making tlie passage by
voya-es and if n l ^"^ ""^'^ «'^"elu(k.l the record of early N.W.
too ijor :,„:::::;;: '7'-\"'- »"»- ^^w-.... to a.'n
cue objecMn'a ; r : : ::r:uLr=''^^ ""^"^'•'■*™ '-'
yet had we altogether on' l,!' .^'-^^ ■^'""r''''"7 =
liave been a mere ,li-v o.fni 7 *''® '*""''"' ^™«1J
Bults ,tm , ^ '-"talogue ol vessels, commanders, and re-
sults— still mere luiiiiterestincr we siil,r„;f fi *u
its more lengthened ferm. W I .t , ' IZ <•' T?-*"'^ '"^
-0 consider it the dnt, of all iui 1 f Ui t Lnt^'to '1^ ^"'™''
earnest effort afrer l-,„.»,i i^ i , "'^^"i^«ins to pas« over no
it fails of snec;t ° "" -"vaneement, merely because
of Arctic diL"'"' 'T/"''" '^'""^^■' " *''^ P™t--te<l "tn-'-le
OT iiictic discovery, is the wnv I'n i,rM^i ""^"oo^^
go bravely out, ne^;ed t,:;: "aT : tll^r^^f "' r'""'
by the sufferinc-s or nerik „,. .r. !^''"^^'"'*"'«. ^^'"1 undaunted
of their prede^eC h ' *^''1'""'""™*«. »■• even the death
»arehbefd,yroX';;ii ;:;: -;^:;;:— 'T- '''"
with the bodies of their oomra.le:. t bee Z « 'T"'
veterans were truly heroes '< without f , " "orthern
tbat we should record thtir died a„ J i"" ""'j'""™* -l'--h."
if our readers have conr^f.^^ o /«^^^ ^^
pade in the gallant achievements of th» ^'i '"'*'°™'
the British navy, „ead our ZTLtJ!"' ' °""'""*" "^
MODERN VOYAGES TO THE NORTH POLE.
59
CIIArTER YII.
MODEKN VOYAGES TO THE NOUTU POLE,
The ice was here, the ice was there,
The ice was all around ;
It crack'd and gruwl'd, and roar'd aud howl'd,
Like noises in a swouud.
COLEUIDGE.
Along the course of more tlian two centuries our readers
have patiently gone vvit^ us — closing up a series of expeditious
with thf date 1741. From that period we now pass at once to
•witliin eighty years of the present time, and if our gentle
readers will acconipa;.^ us, we will imagine ourselves on a bright
summer's morning, surveying the various sail assembled at the
Nore, like birds preparing to spread their wings for a distant
flight. A pleasant breeze ruffles the surface of the water, and
stirs the pennons floating from the masts of two vessels lying at
anchor. They are the " Kacehorse," and the " Carcase," under
Captain Phipi)s, windbound at the mouth of the Thames
since the 21st of May, and only aAvaiting a favourable breeze to
proceed direct to the North Pule. Brave hearts and true are
on board j never did bolder ofliccrs command a flner crew; and
among the former stands the young cockswain of the " Carcase,"
Horatio Nelson, destined in after years to shed such glory ou
the annals of England, and to establish the supremacy of her
naval power throughout the world ! We can see the busy sailors
running to and fro, swarming up the rigging, swinging from
rope to roj)e, now lost amid the voluminous folds of an enormous
sailj now ap}iearing again upon the end of a small upper-yard,
which to our eye looks scarce bigger than a hair. Now the
broad white sails unfurl in the sunlight— now the wild sailors'
Ill
k >
i
31 t
If i
il
ii
ii ■
i
!' I
I
nil
60
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
clionis Is wfifted faintly to our ear, as the ponderous anchor
rises slowly and unwillingly to the surface of the water — now
a long, deafening cheer breaks from the light-hearted tai-s,
swelled and prolonged by the multitudes that line the shore, and
so the ships take their course over the " vasty deep." All
speed to the venturous mariners who, on this 4th of June,
1773, have thus inaugurated the career of modern northern
discovery !
Resuming our narrative in the appropriate past tense, we can
report but indifferent success to the etlbrts of Captain Phipps,
whose mission was less to attempt the direct northern route to
India, than to penetrate, if possible, to the Pole itself. The ice
to the north of Spitzbergen baffled every endeavour to proceed,
and after vainly trying east and west to find a passage round, or
amongst it, the ships at last became surrounded, and when thus
ice-bound, little chance seemed to offer for their escape. Sawa
made very slight impression on ice twelve feet thick, and the
slow advance such means would effect towards the west, wae;
more than counteracted by the rapid progress eastward of the
ice-field in which they were imbedded. Under these circum-
stances an effort was made to drag the boats over the ice, in the
hope of reaching some Dutch whalers returning homewards; as
the English had neither provisions nor equipments to brave the
winter. This was slow work, however, and before many milea
had been accomplished, a providential thaw, together with a
brisk N.E. wind, enabled the ships to fight their way again into
clear water. After this deliverance, and a brief refit in the
harbour of Smeeremberg, they made a speedy return to Eng-
land.
We are indebted for some of the most interesting modern
researches connected with the Polar regions to Mr. Scoresby,
who, familiarized from early youth with the perils and adven-
tures of the whale fishery, combined much practical knowledge
with an earnest love and desire for the advancement of science.
To him belongs the distinction of having advanced nearer to the
Pole than any previous voyager. In l80{j, he attained lat.
81° 30', when a distance of only five hundred geographical miles
MODERN VOYAGES TO THE NORTH POLE.
61
lay between him and the ?ole. Nor must we overlook his
examination of the eastorn coast of Greenland — previously little
known — which alone woidd furnish subject-matter for a most
interesting narrative.
In 1818, another attempt to reach the Pole was made by
Captain Buchan, with the ships " Dorothea " and " Trent." Af-
ter much difficulty, these vessels gained lat. 80** 34', nor^h of
Spitzbergeu ; but were obliged speedily to withdraw, aiid try
their fortune off the western edge of the pack. Here, however,
a wild war of ice and waves prevailed, so that choice and neces-
sity equally induced the bold experiment of dashing through it,
to take shelter in the pack. First went the " Dorothea," and
then the " Trent," whose crew seemed to a man imbued with
tlie dauntless spirit of the Lieutenant in command — Franklin
— the gallant officer whose fate we have now to deplore. A
dreadful pause preceded the critical moment. "Each person,"
says Beechey, in his narrative, " instinctively secured his own
hold, and, with his eyes fixed upon the masts, awaited in
breathless anxiety the moment of concussion. It soon ar-
rived — the brig, cutting her way through the light ice, came in
violent contact with the main body. In an instant we all lost
otir footing, the masts bent with the impetus, and the cracking
timbers from below bespoke a pressure which was calculated to
awaken our serious apprehensions." The gloominess of the scene
and circumstances was not cheered by the dolorous tolling of
the ship's great bell, which never sounded of itself in the rough-
est gale, but now was so swung by the violent motion of the ship,
that its deep tones pealed forth like a death-knell, and the offi-
cers, fearing the awakened superstition of rl^o r o, ordered it to
be muffled. A few hours released the vessel : :rom their im-
prisonment, but the " Dorothea " was found to be completely
disabled. A short time at Fairhaven in Spitzbergen was spent
in necessary repairs, and even then :■ . e was unfit for any further
service than the voyage to England. Franklin volunteered to
prosecute the enterprise with the " Trent " alone, but the Ad-
miralty orders opposed such a proceeding, and the vessels re-
turned home in company.
f ..
:
u • i
r *
li
N I
it ^
t ■
ftiii
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
Five years later, the nature of the northern ice was ao-ain
tested by the " Griper," gim-brig. On board this little shiirwas
Caj^taiii (now Colonel) Sabine, whose name is so deservedly dis-
tinguished by various arduous scientific experiments. He had
befor(3 this been engaged in an important series regarding the
comparative length of the pendulum as affected by tlxc jn-inciple
of attraction, both at Sierra Leone and the West Indies. A
similar course of observations in the higher latitudes being very
desirable, the " Grij^er,'' under the command of Captain Claver-
ing was commissioned for this service ; and, after a short delay
at Hammerfest, in Norway, Captain Sabine was landed on a
small inland to the north of Ilaiduyt's Headland, Spitzbergen.
Here Captain Clavering left him, wiMi a party of eight men, and
the launch stored with six mon.:. provisions, as a resource in
case of accident overtaking the "Griper," which now spi.ad her
sails and stood boldly for the Tole. Clavering was ultimatelv
compc]led,however,like his predecessors, toretire baffled beforethe
unyielding ice, which closed all approach to a higher latitude than
80° 20'. The next station occupied by Captain Sabine was one
ot two small islands off the east coast of Greenland, named, in
commemoration of the experiments carried on there. Pendulum
Islands. Not a trace of civilisation now remains on this deso-
late eastern coast, where, in a. p 1400, there existed such a
flourishing Danish colony, with its cathedral— within which
seventeen bishops were enthroned in succession— its sixteen
parishes, and its two hundred and eighty forms. The wilder-
ness has reclaim -1 its own, and possesses it in tenfold desolation.
Clavering describes the northern point where they landed as a
spot to which " Spitzbergen was a paradise." During an excur-
£ion of thirteen days, which brought them to the shores of the
great l)ay or basin discovered by, and named after the old Dutch
voyager, Gael llamkes, in 1G54, they met only one dwindled
tribe of Esquimaux, numbering in all twelve persons; and thou<rh
they followed the coast south to Cape Parry, the aspect still re-
mained the same. The little " Griper " suffered a terrible storm
on her way home, the blows she received would have '* knocked
a Greenlandman (whalei-) in pieces/' according to her captain's
■'<■': «, ■
MODEUN A^OYAGES TO THE NORTH POLE.
G3
as a
own opinion ; and the anchors with whicli she was moored to an
iceberg, gave way one after another, till before daybreak she was
left helplessly to the mercy of the gale. However, she battled
througli, and after some weeks' detention at Drontheim, carried
lier crew and passengers in safety back to England.
In 1827, Captain Parry — whose qualifications as a northern
voyager might be guessed from the tact tliat, in the preceding
nine years, he had accomplished four voyages and passed four
winters in the arctic seas — laid before the Admiralty a plan for
reaching the North Pole by boat and sledge travelling over
the ice. Novel and darin_, as was the scheme, it appeared so
feasible, especially under such able management, that Parry was
speedily despatched in the '• Heela," which was to be housed in
some safe cove in SpitzL rgen, while her cajjtain prosecuted his
experiment. Two strong, flat-bottomed boats, twenty feet long
and seven broad, were constructed for the enterprise, and each
fitted with provisions, nautical instrume'its, a bamboo mast, a
sail (which also served as nn awning), fourteen ]mddles, a sfceer-oar,
boat-hooks, tkc. These boats were available for dragging over
the ice when necessary, though they could not supply the place
of the four sledges which conveyed baggage and i)rovisions.
Eight reindeer were taken on board at Hamn\prfest, to facili-
tate still further the plan of sledge-travelling; but the first view
of the ice showed how totally useless they would be, and as no
further mention is made of them, it is probable they met the
dt)om to which they Avere reserved from the first in case of
necessity, and did good service to the hungry sailors, in the
form of '■ savoury meat." The ice-fields over which Parry and
his men were to travel, little accorded with Mr. Scoresby's de-
scription, on which he had founded so much of his scheme. " I
once saw," says Mr. Scoresby, " a field that was so free from
either fissure or hummock, that I imngine, had it been free from
snow, a coach might have been driven many leagues over it, in
a direct, line, without obstruction or vlanger." This ice, on the
contrary, was composed of loose, rugged masses, to cross which
the boats were unladed, and four, five, and six journeys backwai'd
and forward over the same ground was the necessary consequence.
64
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
lu some places the ice took the form of sharp pointed crystals,
which cut the boots like penknives; in others, sixteen or
eighteen inches of soft snow made the work of boat-drairfjinar
both ftitigiiing and tedious; and one day, when heavy rain melted
the surface of the ice, four hours of vigorous effort accomjilished
'Only lialf a mile. Sometimes the men were obliged, in dragging
the boat, to crawl on all-fours, to make any progress at all ; and
one day — which may serve as a sample — five homes' work accom-
plished an advance of a mile and a half, though at least ten
miles had been traversed in carrying the provisions, &c., and the
boats had been launched and hauled up four several times, and
dragged over no less than twenty-five separate pieces of ice ! All
these discouragements and labours our brave countrymen bore
not only with courage, but with cheerfulness ; and when after a
hard night's labour they lay lown to rest, more jokes were
cracked, more stories told, and more hearty peals of laughter
rang out through the clear, cold air, than are heard round many
a warm fireside in England. Parry adopted the plan of night-
travelling because the snow was harder then ; because they thus
obtained the greatest amount of warmth during the hours of
sleep, when it was most needed ; and most of all, because, while
the constant light afforded them every fiicility for travelling,
they thus escaped in some measure that viol ^nt inflammation of
the eyes known by the name of snow-blindness, Avhich the glare
of the snow in full daytime renders it almost impossible to
escape. It may be imagined how difficult it was, in this
inverted order of things, to distinguish day from night ; even
the ofiicers were constantly making mistakes, and several of the
men honestly confessed that they never knew night from day
during the whole time of the expedition ! The party generally
rose at the sounding of a bugle in the evening, had prayers,
changed their fur-lined sleeping-dresses for travelling ones made
of strong blue box-cloth, breakfasted upon hot cocoa and biscuit,
packed the sledges, and set off. After five hours' travelling,
they stopped for an hour, and dined off pemmican, — a kind of
pounded meat prep;: ^ for the use of the navy, — of which nine
ounces formed the dan^^ allowance for each man, and then their
MODER', VOYAGES TO THE NORTH POLE.
65
toil recommenced, and was continued for six or even seven lionrs.
When morning came, they halted "for the night," as they
phrased it, hauled up the boats, changed their generally drip-
ping garments, ate their supper, smoked their pipes, and after a,
while set the watch — which was regularly kept, both against
bears, and for the purpose of drying the wet clothes — and lay
down to rest.
For some days, Parry and his officers were at a loss how to
account for the strange contradiction which every observation
showed between the latitude and the record of actual distance.
Thus, on the 20th July, he says, '' great was our mortification in
finding that our latitude, by observation at noon, was only 82^^
36' 52", being less than^ve miles to the northward of our place
at noon on the 17th, since which time we had certainly travelled
twelve in that direction." And on the 2Gth, they were bewil-
dered to find themselves three miles southward of the observation
taken on the 22nd, since which they had certainly travelled ten
or eleven due north. The ice which they travelled was in reality
drifting to the south at the rate of more than four miles a-dav!
When this fact was ascertained, the hopelessness of any further
effort in a northerly direction became apparent ; and after halting
for one whole day, to allow the weary sailors the rest and refresh-
ment they so much needed, Parry commenced his return amidst
the general regrets of officers and men, who, thongh they saw
the impossibility of accomplishing the scheme, yet had identified
themselves with its success too fully not to feel the bitterest dis-
appointment at its failure. The highest latitude gained was 82''
45', and the distance journeyed — taking the frequent retracings
(»f the road at a very moderate computation — was at least six
Imndred and sixty-eight miles ; which distance in a direct line
■vrould have taken them nearly to the Pole itself The number
of miles traversed in going and returning. Parry estimates as
eleven hundred and twenty-seven. The retnrn was easy in
comparison to the outward journey; the glare of the sun was no
loDPcr in their flices. and the southward drift so facilitated their
progress, that, of the forty-eight days during which they were
absent from the vessel, thirty-three were consumed in the out-
F
6G
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
I
' •'!
rl
' <im
L.
ward, and only fifteen on the homeward journey. Hecla Cove
was reached without any remarkable adventure, and their good
little barque bore them safely home before the winter. Since
this voyage, interest and effort have been alike concentrated on
the north-west passage, and the avenues to the Pole are likelv,
for some time longer at least, to remain unexplored.
RECENT NORTH-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
67
CHAPTER VIII.
RECENT NORT^-^VEST EXPEDITIONS.
Even so dotli God protect us if we be
Virtuous and wise. Winds blow, and waters roll,
Strength to the brave, and power, and deity ;
Yet in themselves are nothing ! One decree
Spake laws to them, and said that by the soul
Only the nations shall be great and free.
WOUDSM'OItTH.
"We must now glance liastily at the progress of north-west
discovery from the year 1818. Up to that time no material
knowledge had been gained since the days of Bylot and Baffin.
The immense expanse of sea between Greenland and America was
regarded as an enclosed bay, affording no chance of an opening
westward; Hudson's Bay, too, had never been examined after the
iailure of the unlucky expedition under Moore and Smith, and
England, deeply engaged in internal defence and Eurojjean war,
could give no thought to the subject of the north-west passage.
But after the proclamation of peace, public attention was again
directed to the enterprise which for three centuries had been
encouraged and prosecuted by our greatest navigators, and Sir
John Barrow, by his memorials and representations, induced the
Admiralty to send out, in 1818, four vessels. The course of two
which were bound for the Pole we have already followed : the
" Isabella" and " Alexander" which remained, were commis-
sioned under Commander John Boss for the exploration of
Baffin's Bay, with rcgartl to the north-west passage, as increas-
ing knowledge only deepened the conviction of its existence in
the minds of the most experienced seamen and learned geo-
graphers of the time. It is much to V)e regretted that Com-
mander Ross was placed at the head of this important expedition,
in
68
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
: f
1.1 Si
Jl
f '
r 1
i
4h
'^H
kno« ledgo, perseverance, nor entlnisiasm, so necessarv for t !
pro«.,n,on of a voynge of cUseover,; a.,l 'to the lb 'Z oftht
qual, « n,ay be attribnted iu great measure the failure of tte
seooml, and after sailing for some little distance up the last he
"o n d « f iTfr? '"•■^^^^- - «- »'-e, left Lincasrer
of 1 TT' *° *'" ='■"=** ^«'o»i^l"nent and mortification
route tl!"''%T ■"' ^""'''^""■^ "-"^"''^t^' ™ -l'i-i»g V t "
loute tiio north-west nfmc!no-A tu^ i.i •.• , o "j' i-'J^^
little satisfied witl tlfeSt ?,, ''""''"' "* '"""« ^^''^ «°
the express purpose of thorouo-hlv exnlorin. fl '
openino- wluoh hnA i.. * "^ (^xpioung the promising
Itnm^ wiiicii had been so unaccountably neo-lected P.n^n;,
feabine, to whose <^cnoni\f,n «++ • ^^e^itctta. Captain
> wiiusc scientitic attainments we allnrlArl ;^ ^ i x
earlier « I !' ^ t,:: T" '" ""''T''' «--' ^ "-nth
instead of roundinl i" X c, ' 'f '"" *"'■"" ^^^"^"'^ ^^^
before them, no tic „f nl T ?'"""' •='"" ""^ ^"^^
^veretobes en thesoun, '^ ' °''' "^"'^''' fountains"
^ act.ii, tjie sounain<Ts werp +il'o« -.ttM i
and a fresh east wind earriedllllt 7 , ""^ «ea-ehah,s,
interruption from ice !! / ''"P'^"-'' '""™«'' S™'o
Straits, PaTrveZirelT"'';? '"' '^'"'^ '"^'' ""^' Harrow's
south oa ■ I'S^:""' '" -^-I'loringa large inlet on the
it -ended, ^^ Stigt :::: L^^xtt^^^^^
e^ent Inlet, returned to the ^lain channel. Much
RECENT NOIlin-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
69
neither tlie
ary for tlie
nee of these
lure of the
of Baffin's
ig Smith's,
^ages Jiave
3 Polar sea
tliev were
'' by sixty
■ievv of tlie
;he last, he
he passage,
Lancaster
)rtification
ng by this
le were so
I other ex-
[ecla"' and
!ompanied
t out for
promising
Captain
our last
Etoss.
^ month
fin's Bay
nd wide
)untains"
a-ehains.
Some
Barrow's
it on the
n which
became
name of
Much
notice was excited about this time by the variations of tlio needlf,
which so much increased as they proceeded westward that the
compass was virtually usele-s ; '• the directive power of the needle
becoming in lat. 73° so weak as to be completely overcome by the
attraction of the ship; so that the needle might now bo said to
point to the North Bole of the ship. "
On the 22nd of August, Parry discovered and named ^Yellington
Channel, and soon after had the satisfaction of announcing to
his men, that having reached 110° W. long., they were entitled
to the \ing's l^ounty of £5000, secured by order of council to
*'such of his Majesty s subjects as might succeed in penetrating
thus far to the west, within the Arctic circle." After passing
and naming Melville Island, a little progress was still made
westwarti, but the ice was now rapidly gathering; the vessels
were soon beset, and after getting free with great dithculty.
Parry was only too glad to turn back and settle down into
winter quarters. To get to the harbour they had tixt;d upon
was no easy matter; the ioe had formed thickly, and we think
one of the gieatest achievements of that marvellous voyage, was
the formation of a canal, two miles and one- third in lengili, cut
through solid ice, of seven inches' average thickness, in three
days. The two vessels were immediately put in winter trim ;
the decks housed over; heating apparatus arranged; and every
thing done to make the t-'ight months' imprisonment as
comfortable as possible. A theatre was established ; a weekly
gazette issued, of which Captain Sabine was editor; and
regular daily exercise was taken within a given distance of the
ship ; the men being obliged to inin round the decks to the tune
of a barrel-organ, when the weather forbade their leaving shelter.
Captain Sabine found constant occupation in his observatory,
which was erected immetliately that the ships were in safety.
A small house was also built near it to contain the clocks and
instru lents which he required. This unfortunately took fire
on the 24th of February, and the intense cold may be estimated
by the sufferings of the men who rushed on shore to extinguish
it. The thermometer was at the time 43° to 44° below zero,
and the faces of nearly the whole party grew white and frost-
70
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
\ I
Tjitten after five minutes' exposure, so tliat the surgeon and two
or T.bree assistants were busily ein])loyed in nibbing the faces of
their comrades with snow, wliile the latter were working miglit
and main to extinguish the flames. One poor fellow, in Jiis
anxiety to save a valuable instrument, carried it out without
drawing on his mittens; his hands were so benumbed in conse-
quence, that when plunged into a basin of cold water, it instantly
froze from the intense coldness imparted to it. He lost, in con-
sequence, nearly all the fingers of botli hands.
^ The 3rd of February was a memorable day, the sun being
visible from the maintop of the " Hecla," from whence it was
last seen on the 1 1th of November. After this the worst of the
winter seemed over, though the cold continued in full intensity;
and on the 16th, the thermometer descended to 55° below zero,
and stood for fifteen hours at 54" ! During the tedious weeks
when tlio ships moved in free water, but were encircled on all
sides by ice. Parry undertook a journey across Melville Island.
The island proved, for the most part, very dreary, but they
killed a few birds, fired at a musk-ox, and discovered a little
cove on the western coast, quite verdant in appearance. Here
Captain Sabine obtained a ranunculus in full flower — a treasure
indeed in those bleak solitudes; and here, perhaps, might have
been discovered the unhappy little caterpillar which was so care-
fully preserved and carried to England! On the 1st of August,
the ships left Winter Harbour after ten months' imprisonment.'
Parry stood boldly for the west; but no amount of skill or
l)atience could penetrate the obstinate masses of ice, or insure
the safety of his vessels U'.der the repeated shocks they sustained.
All that man could do to insure success Parry did; but at length
lie was forced to unite with his officers in the conviction, that
this year nothing more could be eflfected. Under this belief,
therefore, the heads of the " Hecla" and '' Griper " were turned
eastward on the 2Gfcli of August, and the voyagers reached Lon-
don, November 3, 1820.
It may easily be imagined that Parry's reception on his return
to England was warm and enthusiastic. The general satisfac-
tion with which Lis report was received was in proportion to
I
RECENT NORTH-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
71
the general discontent wliicli liad justly repaid Captain E,o,ss'.s
inefficiency; and, indeed, the issue of this one voyage raised
Parry to the highest position yet occupied by a nortliern voyager.
Before we notice his next voyage we must not wholly forget
the expedition up the Co})})ermiuo River, to examine the unex-
plored shores of the Polar Sea to the east, which was conducted
by Captain John Franklin — the same gallant officer for whoso
fate all England has long cherished so trembling an interest. Four
Englishmen accompanied him, Dr. Pichardson, George Back,
and Pobert Hood, two Admiralty midshipmen, and John Hep-
burn, a noble, true-hearted English sailor; to these were added,
during the course of the journey, six Canadian voyagenrs, three
interpreters, and an indelinite number of Indians. The party
reached York-factory, in Hudson's Bay, on the 30th August,
lyl9, and after a boat voyage of 700 miles, arrived before winter
at Fort Cumberland. The next winter found them 700 miles
farther on their journey, established during the extreme cold at
Fort Enterprise. During the summer of 1821 they accom-
plished the remaining 334 miles, and commenced their trial
of the Polar Sea in two birch-bark canoes, on the 21st of
July.
The object of this voyage was chiefly to ascertain good
harbours for any future ex})editions, and to lay down accurately
the north coast line of America from the Coppermine River east.
For this purpose they had tracked the deeply-indented shores
55-5 geographical miles, to Point Turnagain, when the rapid de-
crease of their provisions, and the shattered state of the canoes,
imperatively obliged their return. The route preferred by
Franklin was up Hood's River, and across a wide extent of
barren country, to Fort Enterprise. Two small new canoes
were constructed at the mouth of Hood's River, which further
detained the ])arty, so tliat their homeward journey was not fairly
commenced till the 1st September. We have not time or courage
to enter fully into the details of the next two months, which
witnessed sufferings and heroism never surpassed in the darkest
days of famine. A lichen, called by the Canadians tripe tie roche,
(rock-tripe,) afforded them precarious subsistence, and when that
72
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
X i
ft
ft
■'I
w^ no lonsor pvocuvaMc, Inmger was «ati:sfiea as be»t it mi.^l.t be
>o,.tan art,o .„ thoi,- scanty bill „f fe^e, an,, any bones wlbl
u a pulxcr,..,! voatc. Tlio two canoes had been vecklexslv
broken „p by tbe,.- weary bearer, and on reael.ing a b.-a h of
he Coppernune River several .^^ys were eonsu,,,:! in „ at
t mpt. at framing a raft on wluoh to eross it. Dr, Eic Clsl
attempte, to swnn across with a rope, b,u failed from w "k„
and was rtrawn back to the bank in a nearly lifeless eintoio'
,a ;ii:rB:ni""^^^^^
1 ^iiiy ciossea. But the streni^t h of all wis f-n'llnrr n
of the Canadian, had already luUen ^tal^'l^^
"^-y™.., of :^;r hXrnTon^^^^^^^^^^^^^
, ' ^' * *"'PP'y of the rock-tripe, while Franklin
pursued h.s journey with the others capable of beari, . M aeon
iiankin with the remamn.g five, reached Fort Enterprise all
tl greeting they found was a note from Back stati i' le \I
a heap of old bones, enabled the wanderers to keen T T\
of Xrirtv t, "^ E'charfson and Hepburn, the sole survivoL
i-^'iSnoSistL-it:^^
a base and treacherous shot from the hand of a Canad ^
whomtheyhad before suspectedofthe:tlroftwirSfsr:
omrades, and were at last obliged to shoot as a ma t r o "^'
defence. Franklin's two faithful Canadians died a dav ort
after the.r amval, and the three Englishmen dra.-ld on "
n^lancholy existence till the 7th of November, w'hen three
Indians sent Kv Back brought them timely succour afterawMte
they were enabled to join this valuable frLd-wl ose su^erin
RECENT NORTH-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
73
t mi^lit be
I very ini-
nes whieli
and eaten
vecklesslv
branch of
I vain at-
lichai'dsou
weakness,
condition,
tbe whole
ne or two
' rejoined
'ould pro-
men, liad
'i^so; and
with the
Franklin
lim com-
' to join
id when
prise, all
he had
ins, and
he vital
ble days
irvivors
' of poor
, but by
•yageur,
missing
of self-
Y or so
1 on a
1 three
a while
feriugs
had fully equalled theirs— at Moose-deer island, and the following
year brought them in safety back to England.
The issue of Parry's last voyage inspired the most sanguine
hopes of success, and the "Hecla" and "Fury" were prepared
with all despatch for anotJicr northern trip. A general opinion
prevailed that Regent's Inlc\, which had been only partially ex-
plored the previous summer, was connected with Hudson's Bay,
and it was thought probable that a communication thus opened,
a westerly channel might be discovered in a lower latitude than
Harrow's Strait. To ascertain the truth of these suppositions
was Parry's present mission. During the summer months of
1821 the expedition attained the north shores of Hudson's Bay,
and minutely examined Southampton Island, Ptepulse Pay, and
Frozen Strait, proving in almost every particular the truth of
the report given by the much maligned Captain Middleton, who,
it will be remembered, first explored these localities seventy-nine
years before. Little way was made, however, owing to the
large masses of ice in these waters, which held the ships help-
lessly in their grasp, and often carried them back in a few days
to the very spot which they had left a month before. Owing
to these circumstances winter came while their enterprise was
yet in its commencement, and the ships took up their quarters
in " an open roadstead," to the south of Melville Peninsula. The
winter passed much in the same way as before ; many of the
officers and crew had shared Parry's former voyage, and though
the novelty of the scene had worn off, experience brought with
it increased comfort from the power of accommodating them-
selves to circumstances. The theatre was again established,
musical parties were got up, a magic-lantern frequently exhibit-
ed, and to these was added the more solid benefit of an evening-
school on board each ship. At Christmas sixteen well-written
copies proved that instruction had not been lost upon men who
tv/o months before could hardly form a letter, and by the time
the ships returned, Captain Parry had the gi'atification of know-
iiig that '•' every man on board could read his Bible." The mono-
tony of the winter was diversified during February by visits
from a party of Esquimaux^ who proved gentle and friendly, and
74
THE AllCTIC KEGIOXS.
f' i I
P'
y
1 i
^LeI
mi
after a prolonged st.'i}- on board conducted some of the party to
their owu abode. The «ailor.s found a complete cluster of snow-
housea, each built in a dome neven or eight feet higli, with a
piece of clear ice lot in at the top as a window. The neatne;ss
and dexterity with which the.se habitations were raised calling
forth the sailors' warm praise, the natives readily reared one
that they might see the process, the women assisting with the
greatest alacrity to shape the blocks of snow emi)loyed in its
eiecti(/n. Tlieso simple pjople grew intimate with the strangers ;
and so far from exhibiting the tliievish propensities which had
so annoyed former explorers, they proved scrui)ulously honest,
not only abstaining from pilfering, out carefully returning any
article the sailors might have left in the huts. One of the
women, Iligliulc by name, proved singularly diilurent to her
tribe in both mind and manners, and had she enjoyed the ad-
vantages of civilisation, would doubtless have been an ornament
to her sex. Parry describes her love for music as amounting to a
passion, and hei- quickness of comprehension such that she soon
became an established interpreter between her own jieople and
the English. The nature of a map having been explained to
her, she readily sketched the outlines of the adjoining coast, and
being desired to continue it further, she delineated, to the ex-
treme delight of the spectators, the eastern shore of Melville
.Peninsula, and the abrujrt turn which it makes to the west and
afterw^ards to the S. W.
This information greatly encouraged the whole party, and its
truth v/as eagerly tested as soon as the shii)s could move again,
v/hich was not till Jic 8th of July. After sustaining extreme
danger from the ice, the vessels reached an island correctly laid
down in the Esquimaux chart, and called by the natives Igloo-
lik. Here they had the mortitication of finding the entire pas-
sage choked with ice, and as it showed no symptoms of melting
till the following summer, Parry crossed the intervening land to
examine in person the channel which Iligliuk had placed be-
tween Melville Peninsula and Cockburn Island. It afforded
every prospect of success for the next summer, and having named
it in joyful anticipation the Hecla and Fury Strait, he returned
RECENT NOKTII-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
75
to the ships, whicli were already placeii iu clock for their secoucl
winter. A sclieme had been arrani^'cd between Parry and Lyon,
to send llic ' HecUi" home next summer under command of tlio
luttor, whilo tliO " riiry," reinforced with all the supertlmjus pro-
viaioiis of her companion, might prolong her voyage till I8l'.5, by
wluth th) (5 chey ealeulaied upon the necessary accomplishment
of fhe 1! -rth-east passage. But the thir.l summer, when it came,
showed sich a general failure in the health and spirits of the
Bailors, that their brave commander shrank from carrying ont
his i)laii; and as, on the ships regaining their freedom on the lUth
Augiist, scarcely six weeks of navigable weather remaii)/ '., he
was easily persuaded to abandon the design and return home,
which the vessels reached by the middle of October, 18-23, when
their prolonged absence had extinguished almost every hojjc of
their preservation.
During the next year, 1824, Captain Lyon was sent out in the
" Griper," for the purpose of tracing the northern coast of America.
His orders were to laud at Wager Hiver olf IJepulse Bay, cross
Melville Peninsula, and proceed overland to Point Turnagain,
where Franklin's journey terminated. The " Griper " was fitted
for this service in point of strc-gth, but was lamentably deficient
in all sailing qualities, proving heavy, sluggish, and inconvenient.
Even across the Atlantic she was towed continually by tha
" Snap," whicli accompanied her with provisions, and when they
parted company at the commencement of the ice, the " Gri})er '*
soon got into difficulties. Notwithstanding such slight accidents
as striking on a rock, and " continually shipping heavy seas," the
little vessel reached Southampton Island, and proceeded up the
Welcome by the 22nd of August, The compasses here ceased to
afford any guidance, and amidst thick fogs and a heavy sea their
situation was one of extreme peril, as the waves broke every in-
stant over the decks, and the surf upon the neighbouring beach
defied all chance of escape, should the tide drive them upon it.
The boats were pre[)ared, and officers and men drew lots for them
with the utmost composure, though they well knew, as Lvon
tells us, that " two of the boats would have been swamped the
instant they were lowered." The gale continuing through the
76
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
> • . I
II
Pi •
I:
;i '■
U,'
=
1 ■
\) Vi.
night, all hope of being saved was taken away ; with true Bri-
tish fortitude the men dressed themselves in their warmest cloth-
ing, that "life might be supported as long as possible," and the
officers secured their most valuable instruments for observation,
about their persons. Ti.en their commander assembled them all
on deck, sioke to them calmly on the fate which was so closely
approaching, and concluded with j)rayer; thus fortified and pre-
pared, no va'n regrets or lamentations were indulged, but ofhcers
and men alike lay down in the most sheltered parts of the deck,
and, while seeking the temporary repose they so much needed,
awaited with composure and fortitude the final shock. But from
this great peril they were delivered, the tide sank no lower, the
next niorning saw them in couiparative safety in the centre of
lioe's Welcome, and the scene of their late deliverance received
the appropriate name of " The Bay of God's Mercy,"
They succeeded shortly afterwards in reaching the mouth of
Yv^ager River ; but here another gale overtook them, the cables
parted one after another, and the ship having, contrary to all
expectation, survived the nigiit, was found by morning light to
be in such a crippled condition that an immediate return to
England afforded the only ch; nee of safety, and was happily
accom[)lished. Thou.gh thoroughly disabled for active service,
the " Griper" still survives, and is spending its old age as a
hulk in Chichester harbour.
The two voyages made by Parry, although both to a certain
degree successful, had been arrested in each case sh'^.rt of the de-
sired object. Prince Begent's Inlet, discovered in his first
voyage, presented the most promising field for a new attempt ;
the ice-barrier which had then i'ltercepted his progress, was one
of those which so frequently give way in a single night, and there
was every probability that a communication would be found to
exist between this noble channel and the sea north of America,
which had been discerned from the Fury and ITecla Strait. To
ascertain this, the same well-tried vessels were sent out again in
182-i-, under Parry, with Captain Hoppner as second in com-
luamb An unusually scivcre season had so increased the ice in
Ballin's Bay, that the 10th of Sept^-mber had arrived before they
RECENT NORTH-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
77
made their way tlirough it, and arrived at the entrance of Lnu-
caster Sound, which proved, "as nsnal, entirely fre.^ from ico,
except here and there a berg floating about in solitary grandeur."
The season was too far advanced to do any thing in the way
of discover^ , and Parry thought himself fortunate to reacli
Regent's Inlet, and get his ships safely jilaced in Port Bosveu
before the winter set in. This season passed in much the same
way as the former one; masquerades were substituted for tlu'a-
tricals, and the evening school was, as usual, eagerly attci: led,
and productive of both pleasure and advantage. The inten.;ity
of the cold may be estimated by the fiict that the thermometer
stood below zero for a nundred and thirty-one days, not rising
above that point till the 11th April; this circumstance Parry
records as unparalleled in his experience. During the sprinpr
several travelling parties were despatched to survey accurately
the neiglibouring coasts, and by the 19th of July the vessels were
again free and in good sailing order. Parry eagerly set forwaro,
therefore, this time coasting North Somerset, as in his former
voyage he had followed the east shore of the inlet to Cape Kater.
It would have- been well, however, if he had again followed his
former route, for the present instance proved no exception to
the general rule, that the w^estern shores of bays and inlets are
usually more encumbered by ice than the eastern ones.
At first a narrow channel between the ice and the shore
afforded free room for advance, but by the 28th of July the ice
was in rapid extension towards the land, and the ships were
immediately and helplessly encompasse'b From this time all
real advance ceased ; the vessels sometimes got afloat for a short
time at high water, but were speedily driven aground again by
the ice,, not without a great deal of straining and "nii^ping"
from violent pressure between the ice and the shore. This hard
usage so injured the "Fury," that though a vigorous attempt
was made to repair her in a sort of dock cut with great labour
in the pack, she was speedily driven ashore again by the coast-
ice, and was found to be in a hopelessly shattered condition. It
now ])ecam8 a matter of necessity to abandon her, and as the
choicest part of the summer had been wasted in fruitless attempts
78
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
M , I
i<
w '
h '
If * •'
ft -'
K
i
'
to save her, there was little hope of making any material
discovery in tlio short remaining time. The crew and valuables
of the ''Fury" were, therefore, received on board the "Hecla,"
the provisions were left for ^lie solace of any wandering Esqui-
maux who might chance to visit the spot, and tlie poor disabled
sliip was given up to the mercy of the relentless ice, while her
companion made the best of her wav to England
Among all the instances of hopeful enterprise, under full
knowledge of attendant suffering and danger, which a detail of
Arctic navigation furnishes, we think few are more striking than
the voluntary offer made by Captain Franklin, in 1825, to
uiulertake the command of an expedition to the same North
American shores where he had sufTered such extremity of hard-
ship four years before. Lieut. Back and Dr. Richardson, his
former companions in misfortune, were equally ready once more
to bear him company, and many distinguished officers were
eager to be placed under his command. Taught by experience,
a far more adequate preparation was made for the necessities of
their projected journey than previously; and before the members
or the expedition settled down for the winter at " Fort Franklin,"
on the shores of Bear Lake, a journey of investigation, down the
Mackenzie Eiver to the sea, had been successfully prosecuted.
Early in the next summer, tlie whole party set out in two
divisions, of two boats each, commanded respectively by Franklin
and Richardson; the former proposing to explore the western
coast, and the latter the eastern. Space will not allow us to
follow in detail either of these expeditions, which were happily
unclouded by the incidents which gave so painful an interest to
the particulars of the former terrible journey. It was well
ascertained tliat this passage was unfit to be attempted by lar^e
ships, as Franklin found no harbour suitable for a tolerable sized
vessel in all the line of coast he traversed, and Richardson found
only one, which was rendei-ed difficult of r.ccess by masses of
sunken r-"":. On the 21st September, the two parties met again-
at Fort Franklin, in health and safety; the western detachment
having traversed 2048, and the eastern party 1080 statute
miles.
RECENT NORTH-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
79
In 1829-33, an irregular expedition was undertaken byCap-
tfiin, now Sir John, Ross and liis nephew in the "Victory," at
the exi)ense of a private individual, Mr. Felix Booth, in compli-
ment to whom the tract of land which Commander James Ross
succeeded in discovering, was named Boothia Felix ; to him also
we owe the discovery of the magnetic pole,— indeed all that was
accomplished during this protracted voyage seems to have been
effected by the nephew. While proceeding down Regent's Inlet,
the captain of the " Victory" helped himself liberally to the stores
of tlie deserted " Fury"— every other trace of which had by this
time disappeared— and these additional previsions enabled him to
brave the hardships of such a prolonged detention. During these
five years of absence, the western shore of Regent's Inlet, and mucli
of the adjacent country was explored by travelling parties from
the vessel, which suffered a more continuous imprisonment among
the ice than is usually experienced even in such high latitudes.
In her first winter quarters at Felix harbour, she remained exactly
a year, being set free on tlie 17th September, 1830, On the
23rd of the same month, after advancing three miles, she was
frozen in again for eleven months ; and after being warped into
open water, 28 th August, 1831, and sailingy6^M• miles, she was
again enclosed by the ice on the 27th September. Seven miles
in two years was a rate of progress affording little hope of ever
seeing old England again; the only chance left was, .o abandon
the vessel; and endeavour by means of the boats left among the
Fury's stores, to i-each Hudson's Bay, and get a homeward pas-
sage in .ome whaler. Accordingly, the '' Victory's" cc]:.ars were
na'led to the mast-head, as the last service they could do her,
ami tlv-n officers and crew took leave of the ill-f..tecl : ^ lie vessel on
tlie l-'Srd xVprll, 1832. The journey to B-irrc .v's Stniits was
performed on foot, and rendered very tedious by the necessity
of dragging on sledges the needful large amount -Ji provisions,
am' wlien the party reached tlie N.E. extremitj- of North Somer-
set, although tliey built a canvass liouse there — dignified by the
title of Somerset Mouse- -and remained till ''.'•e 1st of Auirust
fitting up the boats, the season was too fir advanced for such
an experiment, and they were fain to retrace thoir steps,
■ (I «
^iii^.
' }, tif
Jtsi
80
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
' 1 1 .,
4-\
and spend the winter of 1832-33 on Furj Beach. The ensuing
July foun<l thein again in company with their boats at Batry
Bay, waiting eagerly during a month of painful suspense for
favourable weather. On the ] oth of August they were at len-th
enabled to commence their perilous journey, and on the 25th
they reached Navy Board Inlet, fell in with, and were taken
up by the Isabella of Hull, the very vessel in which Captain
Koss had made his unfortunate voyage to these seas in 1818
At home great anxiety was excited by such a prolonged absence'
and Commander Back, in 1833, voluntered his services to -o for
the third time to the northern shore of America, with a party
for Ross's relief Before he reached liis destination, tidings met
him of the "Victory's" safety; his energies, therefore, found
occupation iii tracing to the sea that current which is now
known as Back's River.
In 183G, Commander Back was sent out again, in the
« Terror," with orders to reach, if possible. Wager River or
Rejailse Bay, and there leaving the ship, to cross the intervening
land to Regent's Inlet; while another detachment of the crow
were to journey north to the Fury and Hecla Strait, and a
third to proceed along the American coast to Back's River anrl
Cape Turnagain. All, or as much as possible of this work, war^
to be accomplished that year, and the rest to be left undone'; fnv
Captain Back was esj^eciolly requested to return home that same
season. It is curious to see lio'v these orders were, from
unavoidable circumstances, disobeyed in every particular. The
"Terror" was involved among the ice before she reached the
entrance of Frozen Strait; and not only was her further progress
stayed, but she was compelled perforce to winter in the paclc
The ice gradually accumulated un<ler and around the vessel, till
It was raised high above the surrounding sea-level, and Ion-
alter the rest of the floe had broken ujj, the " Terror" remainerf,
lielplessly elevated upon the ice-cradle, which carried her hither
and thither at the mercy of wind and tide, and did not disperse till
the 11th of July, when the vessel proved so <' crazed, broken,
and leaky," that tlie voyage home was far from being the least
anxious part of the expedition.
BECENi; NORTH-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
81
The sun-ey of the North American coast was further prose-
cuted in 1839, by Dease and Simpson, two officers of the
Hudson's Bay Company, wlio did good service to tlie cause of
geographical knowledge by tracing the shore westward from
Franklin's Return Eeef to Cape Barrow, and eastward from Port
Turnagain to the Gulf of Akkolee.
The 2Gth of May, 1845, witnessed the departure of Sir John
Franklin with the "Erebus" and " Terror," two strong and well-
tried vessels, provisioned for three years, and mustering with the >
united crews 140 men. His mission was to attempt once more
the north-west passage, and sanguine hopes - ■ entertained,
from the well-known character and experiencr commander,'
that by these means the loug-vexed questioi. , ight be set at
rest. The issue of this voyage, as fer as is known, and of those
which have been undertaken in search of the gallant commander
and his crew, are the only northern expeditions that remain for
our consideration.
We are well aware of the imperfections of the pi-esent sketch
—how cursory it needs must be, and how little justice it does to
the gallant actions and gallant men of whom it treats; neverthe-
less, we trust that our readers will not close our brief record of
the brave deeds done in those regions of danger and intense cold,
both in ancient and modern times, without exclaiming with
Purchas, the graphic chronicler of the early nortliern navigators
— "How shall I admire your heroicke courage, ye marine
worthies, beyond names of worthiness?"
Q
82
THE ARCTIC KEGIOXS.
U]
I
fef'f
'!U
P
CHAP. jx.
RECKNT NORTH-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
There are to whom tliat ship was dear,
For love and kindred's sake ;
AVlien tliese the voice of rumour hear,
Their inmost heart shall quake,
Sliall doubt, and fear, and wish and grieve,
Believe, and lonjr to disbelieve,
But never cease to ache ;
Still doom'd in sad suspense to bear
The Hope that keeps alive Despair.
James MoNTGOMrnr.
We need not repeat tlie oft-told tale of disappointment!
General converse or the public prints must have made all our
readers long since acquainted with the uncertainty which broods
over the fate of the veteran commander and his gallant men, and
perchance this page may meet the eye of some to whom that fate is
no mere matter of passing import, but one of vital and heart-
stn-ring interest ; — some whose lives are bound up with one
cherished life on board, whose hearts with true magnetism of
affection, still turn instinctively to the north, and who, through
all the alternations of hope and fear, expectation and disappoint-
ment, still love and pray for the lost ones. God comfort all
such, and send that their prayers and i)atience may not be in
vain ! A letter from Sir John Franklin, dated from the Whalefish
Islands, Baffin's Bay, July 12, lS4o, is the last communication
from the expedition ever received in England : their first winter-
quarters have been discovered, as we shall relate presently ; but
from the spring of 1 840 all traces vanish ; no grave, no cairn, no
relic marks their progress ; no broken spar or shattered mast give
even the melancholy certainty of shipwreck aiul death- the
waters and the wildern-iss guard their strange secret well, and
RECENT NORTH-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
S3
lOMr.ur.
nut I Dent!
:le all our
cli broods
men, and
Kit fate is
tid lieart-
vvith one
letisin of
, throuo'h
sappoint-
rnfort all
lot be in
Vlialefish
jnication
t winter-
tly; but
cairn, no
last give
ath; the
i^ell, and
^
*
'?
"there is neither voice nor any that answereth," to guide the
progress of the noble-minded men who voluntarily dare the same
dread fate in their search for their missing comrades. How
arduously and well that search has been prosecuted, it will be
our object briofiy to relate.
Sir John Franklin's official instructions directed him to proceed
through I^arrow's Straits iintil he reached Ca])e Walker (lat. Ti**
15 N., long. 98'^ W.), and then to steer S. W. direct fo- Behring's
Straits. In January, 1848, the brig "Plover" was despatched
to the last-mentioned locality to assist the " Erebus" and " Terror"
on their arrival, should they prove much disabled by their conflict
with the ice. This duty, however, was never required of her,
and we need only notice this little barque further, to say that
she was afterwards joined by the '^ Herald," and still continues on
service, having been moved to Point Barrow as a store-vessel.
During the ensuing spring anxiety at the prolonged absence of
the " Erebus" and " Terror" became general, for their return had
been confidently expected at the close of 1847; and while two
vessels were in ju-eparation to carry Sir J. C. Ross to their rescue,
Sir John Richardson— the old tried friend and companion of
Franklin, in his memorable journey up the Coppermine River
set out once more on the 25th March. 1848, accompanied by
Mr. Rue, reached the mouth of the Mackenzie by the 4th August,
and commenced a minute investigation of the coast between
that river and the Coppermine, in which he was greatly assisted
by boat parties from the "Plover" and "Herald." He was
unable personally to conduct the expedition during the whole of
the time, but Mr. Rae proved a most able substitute, and fol-
lowed up the search indefatigabl}^, though unsuccessfully, first
on the American coast, and subsequently in 1851 on Wollaston
Land and the whole surrounding district, in the intricate, ice-
choked channels of which he had vainly hoped that the missing
vessels night be found. Sir James C. Ross, in the " Enterprise"
and "Investigator," set sail in June, 1848, three months after
Richardson's departure. After encountering much difficulty
from the ice in Baffin^s Bay, they entered Barrow's Strait,
and had examined it nearly to the entrance to Wellinotim
if
H
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
M-.!
II ;1
h '
M-
I '
i
M
( -,
I !
Channel, when the close of the season drove them into winter
quarters.
The explorers established themselves at Leopold Island, wiiich
lies at the entrance to Regent's Inlet, and is only sejmrated by
the intervening strait from the quarters occupied by Franklin's
party two winters before. Some singular fatality must have
prevented them from discovering this circumstance, for Sir
James Ross made the most of the spring by sending out exi)lor-
ing parties in all directions, and himself surveyed nearly the
whole coast of North Somerset, while another detachment ex-
amined the north shore of Barrow's Strait, and must have been
close upon Cape Riley when they turned back witli the report
that no traces existed in that district ! Sir J. C. Ross's intention
on getting clear of the ice in 1849, was to sail -up Wellington
Channel and examine the shores of Melville Island. As the
vessels stood out from shore the prospect around was singularly
cheerless. — no open sea, — not even a narrow channel between
noes and cebergs, — nothing but a white, compact body of ice to
the north and west, as far as the eye could reach. The unf )r-
tunate voyagers had not even time to deliberate on the best
course to pursue, for even wliile they gazed on the whitened
plain around, the demon of the Polar seas was binding them also
fast in his cold crystal fetters. The loose pack ice came driving
up around them, and quickly settled into a solid mass, the ther-
mometer fell to zero, ridges and heaps of ice — technically known
as " hummocks " — collected over any original slight inequality,
and by the early days of September the wliole of Barrow's Strait
had become impassable. Here, then, the hardy sailors cheerfully
prepared to spend another winter, though no summer liberty
had separated it from the preceding one; but before they had
settled themselves for their new captivity, the wind changed
from east to west, the body of ice, still firm and impenetrable,
became detached from the shore, and the occu])ants of the two
vessels found, to their no small consternation, that they were
drifting to the east at the rate of eight or ten miles a-day, witk
the prospect of almost certain destruction on their arrival at
Baffin's Bay, from the grounded icebergs which line its shallow
RECENT NORTH-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
8/1
western coast. For days this terrible suspense continued, and
the sufferers, powerless either to avert or postpone the catastrophe,
learnt at last to look forward to it with composure and resigna-
tion. Its near approach was announced by the sight of a range
of icebergs forming a barrier across the mouth of Lancaster
Sound. Onward drove the ice, bearing on its bosom the devoted
ships, while the officers and men gathered on deck, gazed calmly
and solenmly on the death that drew so near to them. Onward,
onward still ! — there is a death-like stillness in earth and sky, —
a terrible pause of expectation for the shock which shall send
the crushed vessels and their freight to the dark waters below !
Hark ! a loud, sharp report breaks the silence, — another, — and
another, — suddenly, as at some appointed signal, the vast ice-field
is broken into a thousand frngments, which uprear themselves in
the tossing water and crash against each other with mad and
impotent fury, while the emancipated ships plough tbeir way
proudly through the angry ice- waves, and soon reach the clear
open water ! It was of course impossible to make tbeir way
back through the tumult of warring ice and ocean from which
they had just escaped, and duty and inclination agreed in indu-
cing Ross and his men to steer direct for England, where their
absence had begun to cause much anxiety, and where the detail
of their narrowly escaped fate scarcely tended to lessen tho
apprehension felt concerning the luckless crews of the " Erebus"
and " Terror."
A doom very similar, and as narrowly avoided, threatened the
" North Star," a small vessel sent out with provisions for Sir J.
C. Ross, which became involved in an ice-field near Melville
Sound, at the very same time as the ships to whose relief sho
was sent. In this case the corner of the field struck an immense
iceberg, which threatened to overwhelm it, and the shock turn-
ing it round and rending it open, afibrded the " North Star " a
free passage out. The disappointment which Sir J. C. Ross's
failure produced, only seemed to urge on further efforts for the
relief of those who had now been lost for three years beyond the
rightful time of their return.
The " Enterprise " and " Investigator " were sent out again,
.■Sail
80
I %
V I'
I' >
ti
trij
*■ S
1^
•it,
.;p
fet--
it
THE ARCTIC llEGIONS.
in I60O, under Captain CoUinson and Commander M'CIure to
Behnng's Straits; while an efficient force was despatched' to
prosecute the searcli tlirough tlie more familiar route of Baffin's
Bay. ihe vessels engaged in searching this district durinc. the
summer of 18a0 were uo less than ten in uumber; they wer^dis-
tnbnted thus;-l. A squadron, under Captain Austin, consisting
of his own ship, the 'a^esolute;" the "Assistance," Captain Om-
nianney; and the "Intrepid" and ^Pioneer," two steam- tugs,
commanded by Lieutenants Cator and Osborne. 2. Two fast-sall-
mg brigs, the "Lady Franklin"' and the « Sophia," under Mr
Peimy an experienced seaman, for many years captain of a whaler
in Baffin s Bay. 3. The " Felix," with the " Mary " as tender
under the command of Sir John Boss. 4. Two American
vessels, the "Rescue "and "Advance," iitted out by the libe-
rahty of Mr. Henry Grinnell, a Kew York merchant, and com-
manded by Lieutenant De Haven and Mr. Griffin 5 The
" Prince Albert," a small sailing-vessel, the private property of
J^ady l^ranklm, under Commander Forsyth.
It is neither in our wish nor our power to enter into full
detail of the varied fortunes of each gallant vessel; the narra-
tives published by many of the officers afford both interest and
information to all who have leisure and opportunity to pernse
them; our object is merely to recount in few words what ha,3
been done and discovered by these worthy successors to the
lieroic navigators of the olden time. Overcoming all difficulty
from the Baffin's Bay ice by the powerful aid of the steamers
Captain Austin's squadron reached the entrance to Lancaster
bound-Penny keeping pace with them. There they separated
and while the " Eesolute " and " Pioneer " lingered to examine
the neighbourhood of Pond's Bay, Captain Oinmannev enjoyed
the enviable distinction of discovering the first ^traces of
Franklin's expedition yet brought to light. Captain Austin
and hhs attendant screw, Penny, and the Americans, soon joined
the " Assistance " at Cape Riley ; and minute investigation only
confirmed the importance of the discovery, and proved this to
have been the scene of Franklin's first winter quarters. A hut
SohdV built in a circular form, neatly paved, and furnished with
^
RECENT NORTH-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
a fireplace, in which still lay the ashe;s of the last fi
87
- ve they had
kmuled, was discovered north of Cape 8i)encer, and from thence
to Cape Uilcy trao>s ahounded. The site of an encampment
was marked as distinctly by fragments of paper written and
printed, bones of animals, empty pemmicun tins, staves of casks,
pieces of oak and other wood, ends of navy rope—easily distin-
guishable by the peculiar " middle yarn,"— washing-tubs, coal-
bags, and broken bottles, as by the more important remains of a
ear})enter s shed, a forge, and a large • store-house, and— most
touching relic of all— a little garden, shaped into a neat oval,
and filled with moss, lichens, poppies, and anemones— the only
plants which that bleak clime would nourish, but which had
pleasantly beguiled the idle time of some flower-loving sailor,
who had cherished by them, perchance, a dearer memory of the
bright little garden before some sweet wliite English cottage.
Death had crept in among the adventurers thus early on their
outward voyage; for three graves, bearing the names of W.
Braine and John Ilartnell, of the " Erebus," and John Tor-
rington, of the "Terror," sanctify the solitude. Ah! if the
tenants of these lonely graves conld have been roused, and
questioned of their comrades — how they had fared, and whither
tbt'V had bent tlieir course when summer set them free! In
vain. The silence of deatli rests alike upon the quiet sleepers
here, and upon those who left them in such buoyant life and
hope; and no cairn or mound contained the slightest docu-
mentary evidence of their future course, though diligent search
for such was made in all possible and impossible places. Papers
were left at Cape Riley by each ship in its turn, and the
" Assistance " landed provisions at Whaler Point, . for the
succour of Franklin's crew, should they ever reach that
place.
The winter was now rapidly approaching, and little more could
be done that season. Penny pushed up Wellington Channel as
far as Cornwallis Island, but turned back before an impassable
barrier of ice, beyond which he had both the pleasure and morti-
fication of discovering open water as far as the eye could reach.
The "Lady Franklin" and "Sophia" took up their winter
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THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
I''
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quarters in Assistance Harbour, at the. southern extremity of
Cornwallis Land ; they were speedily joined by Sir John Rosa's
vessel, the " Felix;" and Captain Austin's squadron soon became
fast fixed in the floe which filled up the channel between Griffith's
Island and Cornwallis Land. The " Prince Albert" set sail for
England before winter set in, and her example was followed by
the American vessels; but for these fate had resei-ved more
perilous adventures than a simple passage for New York could
have furnished. The Stars and Stripes parted company with the
Union Jack on the 13th of September, below CapeHotham, and
De Haven, who had anticipated an easy homeward passage, was
not a little disturbed to find his voyage arrested at its commence-
ment by the ice, Avhich ga,thered strength hour by hour, and soon
deprived the Americans of all hope of es(*ape for the winter.
The ice-field in which they were thus fixed now carried them help-
lessly along with it; by the 18th they had drifted as far north
as Cape Bowden, and each succeeding day saw them steadily
advancing up Wellington Channel. By the end of the month
they had passed through it into Maury Channel, which is now
known to lead into the noble Queen's Channel, but then had
never been explored. During the whole of October and Novem-
ber this state of things continued. The Americans suffered
severely from the climate, a winter's sojourn in these regions
having been neither contemplated nor provided for; their ships
wera drifted to and fro at the caprice of every changing wind
and tide, and both vessel and crew were exposed to imminent
peril should the ice-field on which they were cradled break up.
It held together, however, and carried them on its restless jour-
neys up and down Wellington Channel till the beginning of
December, when a violent storm drifted it clearly into Barrow's
Strait, and on to Lancaster Sound. Several times during this
perilous pa^^sage they were in imminent danger from the ice
opening round the vessels, and closing suddenly again; on such
occasions they only escaped being " nipped" by their small size
and strong build, which enabled them to rise above the opposing
ed^ves instead of being crushed between them. Even on thei"
arSval in Baffin's Bay they were not immediately liberated:
RECENT NORTH-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
89
lity of
Ross's
)ecame
■iffith's
sail for
red by
[ more
; could
ith the
-m, and
go, was
meflce-
id soon
winter,
m help-
r north
steadily
I month
is now
len had
Novem-
suffered
regions
ir ships
ig wind
eminent
■eak up.
3S8 jour-
ming of
3arrow's
ing this
. the ice
on sucli
nail size
opposing
on thei"
.berated :
" lanes of water" continually appeared in the most tantalizing
manner beyond inteiwening ice, and it was not till the 9th of
June, 1851, that they were entirely freed from their eight months'
imprisonment in the pack. After recruiting the exhausted crew
at ^nisco Island, the gallant commander determined to return and
prosecute the search during the remainder of the season ; but
the discouraging reports of the whalers induced him to change
his purpose, and the ships and crews reached New York at the
beginning of October, having passed through perils such as few
have endured, and still fewer have lived to recount.
In contrast to such a season of restlessness and anxiety, it is
quite pleasant to return to the quiet quarters of our seven Eng-
lish ships; and that you may better realize how cheerfully that
winter passed for the brave tavs on board (and how the present
days and weeks are now being spent by many of the same men
in Sir Edward Belcher's squadron), we would crave permission,
gentle reader, to transport you for a while to these arctic solitudes,
and invite you, in Captain Austin's name, to spend a day on
board the " Eesolute."
Although no vehement gale has occurred lately, the ice offers
a very rough uneven surfoce to the foot, but being well shod and
muffled we get on tolerably, for the strong exercise and the clear-
ness of the atmosphere prevent us from feeling the intense cold
in any thing like the degree we expected, though the thermome-
ter is far below zero, and the moisture of our breath alone fringes
hair ^nd eyelashes with ice. The clear full moon renders every
object as distinct as by d ylight, and as our eye wanders over
the strange and novel scene, we are forced to own it is not with-
out its own peculiar beauty. The wide expanse of whiteness,—
the huge, fantastic snow-wreaths which the wind has piled
around,— the ridges of broken ice glittering in the moonlight,
and casting their deep shadows on the plain beyond,— the cliffs
and headlands of Cornwallis Land bounding the scene with their
undulating line; while nearer lie the dark masses of the ice-
bound ships— the only objects that speak of life amidst the cold,
stern grandeur of this land of desolation; and then, as we raise
our eyes, the glit«- nng beauty of the indescribably brilliant stars,
I
''i
IPi '
MkiM
m
00
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
which fill the deep blue sky with ten thousand radiant points ;
and the large bright moon shedding over the white world be-
neath a flood of light, cold and pure as the snow on which it
falls, to say nothing of the fitful glories of the aurora borealis;
say, gentle reader, have you not already ceased to regret both
fire and sunlight, and do you not thank us for biinging you to
a scene of such strange lovel-'-xessI But we are bound for the
good ship ''Resolute" which lies yonder, and on we come at a
rattling pace, not heeding in this calm weather the friendly line
of guide-posts which wind away in the distance for tlie benefit
of wandering sailors passing in a snow-storm from one vessel to
the other. Ah ! honest Jack has been exercising his skill in
modelling to good purpose here — what an array of snow sculp-
ture! The smooth space round the ship is half filled with this
heterogeneous assemblage of sphinxes, vases, and cannon, pre-
sided over by Britannia herself, as large as life, " ruling" not
" the waves," but the ice at present. The deck where we now
stand is, you see, completely roofed over with a kind of
penthouse, and cleared of every unnecessary article ; here the
men take exercise when the weather will not allow them to
leave the vessel. The stoves keep up a comfortable temperature
oO"^ above zero — in the lower decks and cabins, as we discover
while descending thither; for we are early visitors, and all hands
are below at breakftist. The atmosphere here is rendered thick
and misty both by the steaming cocoa, which occupies a pro-
minent position at every mess-table, and by the candles and oil
lamps, which look decidedly vulgar in contrast with the moon-
light we have just left; nevertheless, the honest tars seem
thorou'^dily to enjoy themselves, and their merriment is so con-
tagious, that in five minutes we find ourselves laughing heartily
at one of the jokes which are circulating so freely. Now there
is a general move ; breakfast is over, and while some remain to
" clear away" and prepare for dinner, the majority array them-
selves in all manner of warm garments, and appear on deck for
the morning muster. Very odd figures many of them look, but
when the therm.ometer stands at 40" below zero, it is not the
time to be particular about appearance. Besides, after all, an
RECENT NORTH-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
91
arctic toilette is a very elaborate thing in its way, as you may
judge by this list of requisites: —
Indoors. — 1 flannel shirt with sleeves ; 1 cotton ditto ; 1
waistcoat with sleeves, lined with flannel; 1 pair of drawers,
flannel ; 1 pair of trousers, box cloth, lined with flannel ; 1 pair
of thick stockings ; 1 pair of thin ditto ; 1 pair of horsehair soles;
1 pair of carpet boots. Additional dotJdng for walJdng. — Box
clotli pea-jacket; Welsh wig; sealskin cap; beaver skin mitts;
shawl, or comfortable; and men with tender faces require a
cloth face-cover from the wind.
Thus equipped, and the daily muster over, the officers and
men disperse, and from the deck we can see the various groups
running races, leaping, and walking, some of the latter with
tmns, on murder mis thoughts intent with regard to the bears,
for the hares and foxes soon learn the feelings entertained
towards them by the intruding bipeds, and generally possess the
prudence to keep out of gunshot range. A busy group is
collected under the lee cf the vessel, and as we join it a merry-
faced sailor informs us they are "sending off" the postman;" this
functionary being a poor little white fox, who, less wary than
his brethren, was last night beguiled into a trap, and is now to
be set free, invested with a hollow copper collar containing
intelligence concerning the whereabouts of provisions, which,
though a great incumbrance to himself, will be of essential
service to Sir John Franklin, if ever the four-legged messenger
should come in his way, and he should be in a condition to
profit by the tidings.
Thus passes the time till noon, and now we may inspect the
sailors' dinner, which consists of soup or preserved meat, and
occasionally preserved ] potatoes. Then comes the officers' dinner,
at two P.5I., to which we are invited; a short walk on the ice or
deck, and the intelligent converse of some of our kind entertainers,
agreeably tills up the three succeeding hours; and after tea we
are introduced to the evening-school. Yery curious it is to see
some veteran seaman, whose strong fingers have reefed the top-
sails in many a storm, now serving his apprenticeship to the
grey-goose quill, and bewildered amidst all the preliminary
92
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
iji f
1 1*1
lif- li
diflBculties of pot-hooks and hangers. Another by his side is
buried "fathoms deep" in the contemphition of a sum in simple
addition, and records the results he arrives at in figures which
bear the slightest possible resemblance to the characters lo which
we are accustomed. Others, more advanced, are busied with
maps and calculations of an alarmingly intricate appearance;
some are engrossed with books, or with the " Illustrated Gazette,"
which is regularly issued every week ; and more than one tall
able man is repeating a lesson by rote with all the gravity and
docility of a " pattern-boy ; " while the self-constituted teachers
are pictures of busy importance. In the officers' cabin the scene
though less noisy is quite as varied. Reading and writing are
going on here likewise; some are drawing, as best they may, by
candle-light; chess, cards, and draughts, are all in request; and,
at one end of the cabin, some really choice music is heard from
two or three instruments and several harmonious and well-
blended voices. This is a quiet evening they tell us, but had
they been apprised beforehand of our visit, they would have
arranged some entertainment in our honour; for they manage
really creditable concerts among the men. They have a theatre
where the performance is considered — under the circumstances —
first rate, and only last week they got up a fancy bull, where
the characters embraced every variety, from " Sir Charles
Grandison" and an "old English gentleman," to a "Capuchin
fnar- and a " Spanish dancing girl ! " But it is time for us to
bid adieu to our friends, who honour us at lea\ing with three
hearty cheers, and a parting ovation of skyrockets, which, by the
way, they use occasionally on the chance that their missing
comrades may be near without knowing that help is at hand.
Fire-balloons are sent up in the same hope, and sometimes, when
the wind favours, to one of these is attached a cage, containing
a carrier-pigeon freighted with tidings, and so arranged that at
a given time the bird may be set free, having been in the mean
time borne far upon its journey.
As the spring advanced, the space between the " hummocks'*
became filled up with snow, and as soon as a tolerably even sur-
face was thus formed, the sledges were prepared, and searching
P!
RECENT NORTH-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
93
parties organized. The four ships sent out in all fifteen sledges, and
an hundret' and five men, so tliat only seventy-five hands were
left in charge of the vessels. Want of space again forbids us to
give any full detail of these well-planned and brave attempts, the "
prosecution of which involved more hardship than had been en-
dured throughout the whole of the winter preceding. Fatigue,
caused by drawing heavily laden sledges over rugged and often
precipitous ice — suffering from the intense cold and piercing wind,
which no amount of clothing could counteract — continual cases
of frost-bite — and, worse than all, that terror of the arctic voya-
ger, snow-blindness, which prevailed to such an extent that in one
party of thirty, sixteen men and one officer were blind at the
same time; all these told heavily against them, and- to these
was added the still heavier weight of disappointment. Each
party returned son^owfully to the squadron, hoping, that though
they had failed, fortune might have favoured their companions,
and each in turn told the same tale— no sign of the lost ships-
no trace of living being— no footstep— no ruin— no relic— not
even the mournful certainty of a grave! Several parties from
the "Lady Franklin" were sent up Wellington Channel; one
of these Penny commanded himself, and finding the channel
too open to admit of sledge-travelling, he returned to his vessel,
provided himself with a boat, commenced his journey anew, and
after a series of adventures and difficulties, wLich he overcame
with courage worthy of a hero, he penetrated up Queen's
Channel as far as Baring Island and Cape Beecher, where most
reluctantly he was compelled to turn back. A fine open sea
stretched invitingly away to the north, as far as the eye could
reach, but his boat was small and fragile, his men were few,
and he had neither provisions nor equipments for a voyage of
discovery. Penny seems to have been honestly persuaded that
Sir John Franklin had gone by that route, and that if his ships
were ever to be discovered they must be sought upon the untrack-
ed waters of the Polar Ocean. He failed, however, in convinc-
ing Captain Austin of the truth of his theory, and as without
that officer's co-operation nothing could be effected by staying
out a second winter, Penny was compelled, however unwiliingly,
\h
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
to follow the course pointed out by the Admiralty squadron,
which, after two ineffectual attempts to enter Smith's and Jones'
Sounds, returned i;0 England.
Lady Franklin's little vessel, the " Prince Albert," did not
stay to share with her companions the inclemencies of an arctic
Christmas, but leaving them preparing for winter-quarters, she
brought home the welcome intelligence of the discoveries at
Beechy Island, which inspired all interested in the cause with
lively hope, and served not a little to expedite preparations for
prosecuting the search during the next season. No time was
lost in refitting the brave little craft, which was placed under
the charge of Mr. Kennedy, the second in command being Lieu-
tenant Bellot, that noble volunteer in the cause of humanity,
whose generous self-devotion has procured him a brother's place
in the hearts of all true Englishmen, and whose untimely fate
cannot be more deeply deplored in his own country than it is in
ours. The object of the present voyage was principally to ex-
amine Regent's Inlet and the coast of North Somerset, an im-
portant district for which no provision seemed to have been
made in the Admiralty plan of search ', for nothing could then
be known in England of the sledge parties by which Captain
Austin was at that very time partially supplying the deficiency.
The easterly gales had formed a barrier of ice across Barrow's
Straits, cutting off all access to Cape Eiley or Griffith Island, so
the little vessel was fain to turn at once into Regent's Inlet, and
take temporary refuge from the wind in Port Bo wen. As it
was very undesirable, however, to winter on the opposite coast
to that along which lay their line of search, Kennedy, with four
of his men, crossed to Port Leopold amid masses of ice, as well
to reconnoitre the western line of coast as to ascertain whether
any documents had been left at this point by previous searching
parties.
After an hour spent in examining the locality and seeking for
papers, they prepared to return, but to their dismay found their
passage cut off by the ice, which had closed together, leaving
only large fissures here and there, which proved hopeless impedi-
ments when they attempted to reach the vessel on foot. A more
RECENT NORTH-WEST EXPEDITIONS,
95
deplorable situation can scarcely be fancied. Darkness was fast
closing round them, the mass of ice on which they stood was
drifting rapidly tlown the channel, and the ear was deafened by
the crashing of huge ice-blocks, which dashed furiously against
each other, and threatened momentarily to shiver in fragments
the field they occupied. A speedy return to shore was the only
alternative, and having reached it below Cape Seppings, they
spent the night as best they might, having no shelter but their
boat, under which each man in turn took an hour's rest ; the
others, wearied as they were, seeking safety in brisk exercise, for
the cold at this season — September 10th — was intense, and their
clothes were little else than a mass of ice. Under these circum-
stances, it may be imagined with what feelings they discovered
by the early light of morning that the ship had disappeared 1
There was now no resource — they must brave the winter as well
as they could, and endeavour in the spring to rejoin their vessel,
which must have drifted down the inlet with the ice, and by
this time was most likely imprisoned by it. Fortunately the
depot of provisions left by Sir James Ross at Whaler Point was
easily accessible, and finding all in good preservation, they began,
with all the ingenuity of contrivance which sailors so remark-
ably possess, to fit up the launch, which had been left at the
same time as the stores, for a temporary abode. The mainmast
was laid on supports at the bow and stern, two sails spread over
it with a httle arrangement made a tolerable roof, a stove was
set up, and in a short time the bravt Mlows were sitting com-
fortably round a cheerful fire, carrying on winter preparations
by the manufacture of garments — cut out fi )m the blanket bags
found at the depot, and sewn with sail needles and twine, — and
shoes, for which they could find no better material than the old
canvass housings of Sir James Ross's *' Somerset House." After
having thus resigned themselves to their fate, it must have been
a most joyful surprise when, on the 17th October, the stillness
around was bro?;en by the sound of well-known voices, and M.
Bellot appeared, with a party of seven men, who had dragged the
jolly-boat with them all the way from Batty Bay. It appeared
that this gallant oi£cer had made two attempts before to reacu tue
9G
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
: ! i
:fii
deserted party, who now forgot all the miseries of their five
weeks' detentiou as they accompanied their friends back to the
ship.
The long winter passed on board the Prince Albert in much
the same routine that has already been described ; the monotony
of their days having one agreeable alleviation from the barrel
organ, so kindly presented on their departure by the illustrious
Pdnce from whom their little vessel derived its name. A few
excursions took place, either to form provision depots for their
contemplated sledge journey, or to survey the icy prospect, and
calculate how soon they might start. On the 25th February,
the grand expedition departed! It consisted— exclusive of the
fatigue party, which accompanied it as far as Brentford Bay— of
Kennedy, Bellot, and six men, together with four sledges, two
of which were drawn by five Esquimaux dogs, assisted by two
men at each sledge, and tha other two the rest of the men took
between them. With this slender equipment, it is truly aston-
ishing to contemplate what these brave men effected. They
traced the coast of North Somerset to its south extremity, cross-
ed Victoria Strait, explored thoroughly Prince of Wales' Land,
visited Cape Walker, and followed the north coast of North
Somerset to Batty Bay again, having in an absence of ninety-
seven days accomplished a journey of eleven hundred miles,
without illness or accident.
After the breaking up of the ice, the " Prince Albert" repaired
to Cape KUey, where the " North Star," Captain PuUen, was
stationed as depot-ship to Sir Edward Belcher's squadron. Ur.
Kennedy and M. Bellot were at first anxious to remain out
another season, and contemplated sending the vessel back under
the charge of the master, and remaining as volunteers in the
present expedition. Circumstances, however, induced them to
abandon this project, and the little vessel reached Aberdeen, with
her full complement of men, on the 7th October, 1852.
The entrance to Smith's Sound, which had baflled Captain
Austin, was subsequently obtained by Captain Inglefield, during
tiie summer of 1852, in his small screw schooner, the "Isabel."
This officer commenced his voyage with the avowed intention of
RECENT NORTH-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
97
exploring the sounds to the north of Baffin's Bay, as, should they
prove to be open channels, either one might he Franklin's route
in return' iiff from the Polar Sea, and at all events in ihat loca-
lity he might have sustained an accident on his homewaid voyage,
concerning which intelligence would best be gained from the
Esquimaux of that neighbourhood. Most of our readers are
well av/are that on this most essential point of all, his researches
failed to cast any light ; but in the cause of geographical advance,
he has done much by his adventurous cruise. By pushing
boldly up Smith's Sound, he has proved it to be, instead of the
narrow inlet by which it is represented even in recent maps,
a noble channel, wide and deep, opening in all probabihty
directly into the mysterious Polar Ocean. He next attempted
Jones' Sound, and entered it sufficiently to see it expand into a
wide channel, which he was prevented from exploring by ice
and contrary winds. On his return, he passed through Barrow's
Strait, reached Sir Edward Belcher's squadron, and communi-
cated with the officers left in charge, the commander himself
and the largest part of his crew being absent on searching
expeditions. Having received and imparted the latest intelli-
gence, the " Isabel's" prow was once again turned homewards,
where she anived safely after her four months' absence.
Captain Inglefield's second cruise, last year, in the
" Phoenix," was equally prosperous in its course, but was
clouded by the melancholy death of the brave French officer,
M. Bellot, who had volunteered his services a second time, and
was lost in the fissure of a large ice-field. On its return, the
*'■ Phcenix " brought home Lieutenant Cresswell, the bearer of
Captain M'Clure's despatches, and the first man who has ever
performed the north-west passage, having entered the arctic
regions by Behring's Straits, and quitted them by Baffin's Bay !
This long-standing question may therefore' be considered as
virtually solved. M'Clure's last despatch is dated April 5th,
1853, fiom Mercy Bay, Baring Island. In it he gives cheering
accounts of the health of the crew, and the promising nature of
his own prospects. Lieutenant Cresswell was sent home in
charge of those sailors who had suffered from the climate, but
wtmt
98
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
I I
I i
3' •»
W
the commander announces his own intent'>>p. of remaining' in
the " Investigator/' until the passage so Imppily begun is suc-
cessfully acconiplislied. In the course of the ensuing summer,
therefore, we may anticipate his return. The only unexplored
part where we may still cherish hopes of discovering traces of
our lost countrymen lies to the north of Wellington Channel,
which our most experienced navigators concur in pronouncing
to have been Franklin's probable route.
There are now five ships employed in the search — viz., the
"Assistance," Sir E. Belcher; *« Resolute," Captain Kellet;
"North Star," Commander Pullen; "Pioneer," Commander
Osborne; and the " Intrepid," Commander Catoi. The whole
strength of this squadron is directed to the examiuction of this
one district, aud we would fain hoi)e that when the next report
of their proceedings reaches us, it may convey at least some
clue — some trace of the lost ones: of their restoration after
nearly nine long years, we scarcely dare to dream. Yet who
shall say what untold blessings may crown the patience of an
earnest and loving search ? Far be it from us to cast even a
momentary gloom over any lingering hope which the cold
finger of time lias not yet withered; rather let us honour with
full trust and confidence the liero-hearted men who count not
their own lives dear for the sake of those to \^*hom most of them
are bound by nought but the link of a common humanity I
Surely to them we may say in the words of the poet,
" Go forth and prosper, then, cinprizin» band ;
Jray He who in the hollow of Ills hand
The ocean holds, and rules the whirlwind's sweep,
Assuage its wrath, and guide you on the deep I "
The preceding part of this volume havinpr been prepared before the return of Sir E.
Belcher and Dr. Rac, the two concluding chapters have been added to finish np the
history of the Arctic proceedings to the present time.
NOVEMBES, 1854.
RKCENT NOaiH-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
99
Liniiifj in
1 is suc-
summcr,
explored
traces of
Jhannel,
ouiicing
»^iz,, the
Kellel.;
imauder
e whole
L of this
t report
3t some
)n after
et wlio
;e of an
even a
he cold
ur with
unt not
of them
nanity !
1 of SirE.
sh np the
CHAPTER X.
" The summer went, the winter came,
We could not rule the year ;
]Jut 8ummcr will melt the ice again,
Ami ojien a path to the sunny main,
Whereon our ships shall steer.
" The winte. went, the summer went,
The winter came around ;
I5ut the hard green ice was strong as death,
And the voice of Hope sank to a breath,
Yet caught at every sound."
The voyage of the " Investigator," from the 30th of July,
1850, I/O the 5th April, 1853, is fully detailed in the published
despatclies of Captain M'Clure; a short abstract of .vliich is
necessary to make this slight sketch complete. At the com-
mencement of the narrative, the "Enterprise" and "Investiga-
tor" had already parted company, and the latter was working
its way along the edge of tlie pack. On the 8th August a party
landed to erect a cairn on Point Drew, and fell in with a party
of Esquimaux, who furnished satisfactory proof that Franklin's
vessels had r.ot reached their coast, by the ast(mishment they
evinced at the sight of the ship. The masts they imagined to
be large trees, and the great "omiac" they distinguished, for
want of a better word, as " the fast moving island." M'Clure
moved slowly along this coast for several days, holding frequent
intercourse with the natives — who came in crowds to behold the
marvellous sight — and trying to discover whether any report or
even feint rumour existed, of white men havmg reached tbeir
territories. In this he was disappointed, the " pale-faces" were
evidently a strange, new race ; ho^vever, their gifts and concilia-
tory behaviour quite gained the hearts of the simple tribe, who
I
11 1
1^
1^
100
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
lamented their departure, and took leave, promising, " if any of
their brothers came, to be very kind, and give them plenty of
deer's flesh." Another tribe, with whom our voyagers fell in
shortly after, were equally friendly and ignorant; they were
particularly attracted by the size of the sails, which they termed
*' handkerchiefs," and scarcely knew how to value sufficiently the
magnificent gift of a boat pennon, bestowed on them in consi-
deration of their undertaking to forward a despatch for the
Admiralty, to the Russian post on the Colville. On the 24th,
the " Investigator" approached Port Warren, and a party landed,
hoping to find that the natives traded with the Hudson's Bay
Company, and that through this channel another despatch could
be transmitted to England. Great was their surprise, therefore,
at being received with brandished knives, bended bows, and
cries of defiance, which warlike demonstrations were only pacified
with much difficulty. After a friendly footing had been esta-
blished, some of the party observed a brass button of European
manufacture suspended from the ear of the chief, and questioned
him concerning it. To their surprise he candidly confessed that
it had belonged to a white man, one of a party who had arrived
at Point Warren — no one knew from whence; they had no boat
or means of conveyance, but had built .i house, and after staying
there some time, had finally departed inland. The owner of the
brass button had wandered from his company, had been killed by
one of the natives, who had now fled at the sight of the great ship,
and the chief and his son had buried him on a neighbouring
hill. With regard to time, however, the chief's account was sin-
gularly vague, and he could by no means be induced to fix any
more definite date than -' it might be last year, or when he was a
child." This story of course gave rise to a thousand conjectures;
many were of opinion that the wandering white men could be
none other than Franklin's party, and all agreed in the necessity
of thoroughly testing the truth of the report, by a personal
examination of the relics still remaining. A thick fog, which
compelled them to return to the ship, prevented them from
reaching the white man's grave ; but a searching party, on the
following day, discovered two huts in thu situation indicated
RECENT NORTH-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
101
by the chief. All the hopes any might have cherished of find-
ing even traces of their missing comrades, vanished, however,
before the sight of these frail tenements, which were evidently
of ancient date, and overgrown with moss and weeds; while the
decayed wood which composed them, bore not the slightest
trace by which to glean information of the former tenants. The
interpreter believed the story to have its rise from an affray
between some early discoverers and the ancestors of the present
race, who cherish the tradi^' n, and adopt purposely a vague
phraseology, in order to identity themseh -s, if possible, with so
important an event. At all events, there was nothing upon which
to establish the slightest connection with Franklin's fate, and
therefore nothing to cause further delay in their onward voyage.
Another tribe of Esquimaux was encountered about the end of
August, off Cape Bathurst, who proved friendly, and undertook
to Convey to the Hudson Bay Company those despatches which
it had been found impossible to transmit by the Point Warren
tribe. A distribution of trifling presents of course took place
in return ; and M'Clure gives an amusing account of the way in
which the women gradually grew unmanageable as the tempting
display of treasures was unfolded, and finally broke the line of
boundary, waded to the boat, broke through the sailors, and,
lifting one another in, seized without compunction upon what-
ever met their eyes and hands! Order was at length restored;
but though they parted amicably, it was with great difficulty
■ that their acquisitive propensities were checked.
On the 5th of September great excitement prevailed on
board; a volume of smoke, which had been observed for two
days about twelve miles S.W., had excited considerable specula-
tion and interest. It was agreed that no traveller would remain
so long in one spot for i3leasure; and now the interest mounted
rapidly to fever heat, when the deep tones of the ice-mate
announced, that from tlie crow's nest he could clearly distinguish
some white tents pitched in the hollow of a cliff, and persons
dressed in white moving about them. Of course, these could
only be some of Franklin's men, and, full of the most sanguine
expectations, a boat hp^tened to the shore. Bitterly were the
\,
Ui
S*ii
m
m
102
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
eager inquirers disappointed, however, to find the tents trans-
formed into fifteen small volcanic mounds of a sulphurous nature,
while the tracks of reindeer, coming for water to a neighbouring
spring, clearly explained the mystery of the white moving
figures! The "Investigator" continued slowly coasting the
shores of Prince Albert Land till the end of September, when,
the ice began rapidly to form, and it became necessary to choose
winter quarters without loss of time. A suitable harbour was
discovered on the east coast of the Prince of Wales' Strait, and
there, on the Sth of October, their " perplexities terminated" for
the season. A short sledge excursion to the northern part of the
strait, filled up the succeeding interval between the business of
getting fixed in winter quarters, and the long dreary season of
ice and snow which held the vessel prisoner till the following
July. On the 18th of April, 1851, three exploring sledge
parties were sent out under Lierteuant Haswell, Lieutenant
Cresswell, and Mr. Wynniatt, respectively to the S.E., N.W., and
N.E., with six weeks' pi-o visions each. By these gentlemen's
observations, the surrounding coast lines were accurately laid
down, but no traces of the missing vessels could be discovered.
A tribe of friendly Esquimaux were discovered by the first
mentioned party, and subsequently visited by Captain M'Clure;
they proved remarkably intelligent, and readily traced on paper
the coast line of Wollaston and Victoria Lands, thereby deter-
mining the long disputed point, whether or not thes3 districts
belonged to the mainland of America. Above eight hundred
miles, in direct distance, were traversed by these three parties,
who diligently erected cairns and deposited documents wherever
they would be likely to arrest the attention of wan<lerers, and
all returned to head quarters, convinced, from the total absence
of traee or sign, that Franklin could not have penetrated to
these regions.
The ice, which had so long held the vessel prisoner, began
to yield about the middle of July, and M'Clure shaped "his
course for the north-east, intending if possible to round the
northern shores of Melville Island. At the cutset of her
voyage, the "Investigator" had a narrow escape; the floe to
EECEST KORTII-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
103
v^Wch she was temporarily attached gave way, and the de-
tached portion being whirled round and crushed together by the
pressure of the surrounding ice, bore down with tremendous
Velocity and force upon the devoted vessel. To let go warps
and cables, and so to free the ship from the floe, was the wor^
of a well-spent mmute ; for, before they qould he drawn on board,
the shock ea.ne,but the vessel, no longer held stationary, was
driven onward by the blow, and "by varpmg and tow.ng s^y =
the narrator, " we speedily got beyond .ts u.flnence! A ma s
of driftwood-some of the pine trunks so fresh, that their
branches must have waved in their deep native forest two years
loefore - obstructed the progress of the voyagers near Point
Armstrong, and for some time after fogs, drift-ice, and contrary
winds, obliged them to anchor in the floe It was soon dis-
covered thit a close barrier of ice forbade all hope of exit at the
north extremity of Investigator Sound, and the »- ^ ^'t"-^^-
seemed to be that of sailing southward, to round Cape Lamb-
tonlnd then press on northward, albng the western shore of
teinrisland. This course they followed with tolerable ease
tm 2 20th August, when they were ^nv- between thrice
and the beach, a little north of Prnice ^^f ^ f ^^^^^^^^ ^n
thev hv till the 29th in comparative safety, but were then
hltld with imminent peril from the immense floe, to which
they were attached, being raised edgeways out of the wat by
t ^pressure of surrounding ice, and elevated ,«rpendic« larly
t Lvf et' A few minutes of awiixl suspense showed all on
W'tw easily a slight additional P-^-^;^ *;™ ^s
delicately poised mass completely over, and how the helpless
"would be crushed like a nutshell in that terrihc 6dl. But
nlmighty hand presei.ed that fearfully precanous ba^nce a
kr'.e niece from underneath was rent away, and ai ei one oi t« o
:itM oscillations, the floe righted itself, and drifted onwarf
over the sur-in. waters, bearing the ship unharmed upon its
oL DuSng'the succeeding month, eveiy duy aWde "
.. ..Prik minv as hnminent as that we have just described.
^^v^fti^dX: by the pressure of the ice, now hurr^d ^
amidst its enclosing masses, now expecting momentarily to be
104
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
crushed between its opposing edges, and now gaining temporary
freedom by blasting tlie huge masses which pressed around,— in
this way the brave adventurers crept along the northern coast
of Baring Island, and anchored at last for the winter, in what
was truly, after so many perils, a harbour of refuge, and as such
was named by them "Mercy Bay." Here, then, the winter of
1851-2 was passed in as great comfort as the circumstances per-
mitted. The cold was less severe than what they had experienced
the previous year, nearly IJ degrees more to the south, and, as
plenty of game remained on the island, shooting parties were sent
out. regularly, and proved an agreeable break to the monotony of
the season, besides conducing greatly to the general health of the
crew, by the constant supply of fresh provisions.
Directly they were settled in winter quarters, Mr. Court was
sent out with a party to connect their position with the point
reached by Lieutenant Cresswell, in the previous May. A perfect
survey of the coast line of the island was by this means completed.
During April another excursion was made by M'Clure, and an
accompanying sledge party, to Winter Harbour, on Melville
Island. It will be remembered that the " Hecla " and " Griper "
wintered here in 1819-20, and M'Clure was probably desirous
of making himself acquainted with some of the neighbouring-
localities, in event of being Enally compelled to abandon his ship"!
Meantime the summer came slowly on, flocks of wild-fowl
arrived, grass and flowers sprang gaily into life, and little
streams, released from their icy fetters, made a pleasant noise of
waters in the island. But no release came for the imprisoned
vessel— day by day its tenants looked over the white frozen
plain in hope to see some fissure, some disruption, some friendly
"lane" of water, but no change came over the firm cold surface;
the long summer days softened not its density, the flowers faded
and the summer passed, and the vessel still was there ! On Sep-
tember 24th, the anniversary of their arrival, a pathetic contrast
IS drawn between the two days— « We entered the bay with the
temperature at 33°, and not a particle of ice in it; to-dn.v th«
thermometer stands at 2°, with ice that has never moved." ^And
fio another winter came quickly on, and the brave fellows settled
RECENT NORTH-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
1C5
down again contentedly to their protracted captivity, and
Christmas was celebrated with mirth and rejoicing, and a wortliy
feast, consisting of haunches of venison, hares and ptarmigan
soup and sea-pies, and real English plum-puddings, weighing indi-
vidually 26 lbs ! But such long confinement, however cheerfully
borne, could not fail to tell upon the health of the crew ; symptoms
of illness soon began to appear, and at one time the sick-list
contained nineteen names. The judicious commander deter-
mined therefore to send home those who had suffered most from
the climate, while he himself stayed bravely by his ship, and
tried the chances of another summer.
Before they started, however, the arrival of Lieutenant Pym
from the "Resolute" produced a change of plan, and very fortunate
was the circumstance, for the travellers elect were by no means
equal to the fatigue of so laborious a journey. As it was.
Lieutenant Cresswell and Mr. Wynniatt accomplished the dis-
tance to Beechey Island, where they fell in with the " Phcenix,"
under Captain Inglefield, and were by him conveyed home last
year. The fate of those who remained by the ship will be
detailed in the next chapter.
106
THE ARCTIC KEGIONS.
n/ I;
ft
m
H
.1'
WW'^
!
CHAPTEK Xr.
" They should have died in their own loved laud,
\» ith friends and kinsmen near tiicm-
Kot have withcr'd thus on a foreign strand.
U ith no tl.ou^M.t save Heaven to ch.cr them.
But what recks it now ? I. their slee,. les« sound
In the port where the wild wind, .swept them.
:i..an .t home', green turf their graves luul bound.
Or the hearts they loved had wept them?
"Th.n why repine? Can they feel the rays
1 !iat pestilent sun sheds o'er them ^
Or share the grief that may cloud the days
^^ "^« ^'''en^ls who now deplore them''
^0! their barque's at anchor, its sails are furl'd.
it hath scaped the storm's deepchidin-
And ,afe from the buffeting waves of the^world.
In a haven of peace is riding."
Altered from A. A. Watts
Thb abaBdonmont of five M^^, well-pvovisioneci and in good
on<lit.on, and the return of their crows, form a .tartlin. coni
«on to the career of northern adventure; and Sir E Bekher as
at kast the satisfaction of onViniHf v .;L„ , -i^eicnei iias
.^ . ., ougniality, since no predecessor, even
m ex ren. y of per.l, ever procee.led to such lengths, Howeve,
our objert in this chapter is neither to pronounce censiu-e no to
cnticze motives, but simply and brieflyto recount the oc nri" nc ^
w.rti which he recent court-martial has made „s aca„ainte
The squadron under Sir Edward Belcher set sail April 2Ist
^caich aftei Sir John Prankhn, and io afford relief to the lou-
cm ta „ it'ntrr "f "'^"^^"'" "•"'- Sir E. Belcher and
tlie i<oith&tar, under commander PuUen. The expedition kept
RECENT NORTH-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
107
in good
conelu-
cher lias
or, evea
owever,
e nor to
irrences
II ted.
•il 21 St,
ite the
lie loiinf
'nsisted
ler and
r; and
)n kejjt
well together till Beechey Island was reached, when a division of
forces took place; and the " North Star " being stationed there as
a depot ship, Sir E. Belcher commenced his voyage of discovciy up
Wellington Channel with the "Assistance" and " Pioneer," while
Captain Kellett with the two remaining vessels proceeded west-
ward to Melville Island, to lodge there a supply of provisions,
clothing, &c., for the ships under Captain Collinson. The 7th of
September had arrived by the time the latter party reached
Vrinter Harbour, and the discovery of a safe shelter during ths
dreary season that was drawing on, became daily a matter of
more importance. Winter Harbour offered no inducement, and
a survey of Skene Bay ending in the same result, they cut into
the floe ofi* Dealey Island, Bridport Inlet, and there wintered.
The "Assistance" and "Pioneer" had even a shorter time of liberty;
when first they started Wellington Channel was clear and free
from ice, but their progress was arrested at the head of Northum-
berland Sound before the month of August was out, and there
they remained till the following July.
The energetic spirits on board the " Eesolute " allowed little
even of this dreary time to pass in idleness. No sooner was
the vessel settled in her winter quarters, than Commander
M'Clintock set out on what one of his shipmates calls the " hercu-
lean task" of conveying provisions across Melville Island, to form
a depot at Heclaand Griper Bay for the si3ring travelling })arties.
This autumn journey is even more trying than that for which
it is a preparation. In the early months the winter snow gives
a certain equality of surface, but in September and October the
brief summer heat has reduced the ground to its original bareness,
and its wide stony plains, rugged j^recipices, and deep rocky
ravines, are displayed in all their desolate grandeur. The diffi-
culties of travelling with sledges over this character of country,
may be imagined by the length of time necessary to accomplish
the journey, — which occupied nineteen days, though the distance
ill a direct line did not exceed thirty-six miles ! Another party
under Lieutenant Mcchaui were fully employed at the same time
in laying down depots for another intended expedition by way
of Winter Harbour and Liddon Gulf. The news which this
ii
ii
108
THE ARCTIC REQIONS.
M i
ii
officer brouglit on his return was as welcome as it was unexpected,
and stirred up on board a perfect fever of excitement and enter-
prise, wliich seemed before to have been quietly laid to sleep for
the winter. At Winter Harbour documents were found from
M'Clure, bearing date of the preceding April, which established
beyond doubt his claim to the discovery of the N.W. passage, and
added the welcome intelligence, that the " Investigator " and her
crew were safe and well, though closely blocked up in the Bay
of M(;rcy, Baring Island, at about one hundred and seventy miles'
distance. The 2Gth October brouglit back M'Clintock from his
second trip across the island, and by the 1st November the decks
were housed over, and nothing remained but to wear away the long
winter as patiently as might be. In a former chapter we have fully
described the ordinary occupations and amusements of a ship's crew
in these regions through a winter's day, and — as the reader may
easily believe that much variety is unattainable in suchalocalifcy —
the dates and names being changed, the sketch will prove faithful,
whether applied to Captain Kellett's party oft' Dealey Island, or
Sir E. Belcher's in Wellington Channel. Necessary preparations
for the spring journeys, too, afibrded a fund of wholesome occupa-
tion, graphically described by an eye-witness. "Never," says
this officer, writing from winter quarters, " did the interior of a
beehive, with its industrious inmates, exhibit a more busy or bust-
ling scene than did the lower decks of the * Resolute' and ' Intre-
pid 'during the months of January and February at Dealey Island;
carpenters making masts and yards for the sledges — sail-makers
making and altering sails for the same purpose — cobblers making
canvass boots — tinkers getting kettles, pans, and water-bottles
into order — while the sailor, in his capacity of 'jack of all trades'
was busy aiding and assisting all parties."
On the 9th March, 1853, Lieutenant Pym commenced the
spring campaign by starting for the Bay of Mercy, to carry
greetings and help to the "Investigator" if she still remained
there, or, if she had departed, to discover which route she had
taken ; and a month later three several expeditions set forth,
Commander M'Clintock to Ilecla and Griper Bay, and thericefrom
Cape Fisher, to pursue a N.W^. course as the land mi^, ^ trend;
eeci:nt north-west expkditions.
109
expected,
ind euter-
) sleep for
Lind from
stablislied
5sage, and
" and her
the Bay
[ity miles*
: from his
the decks
J the long
liave fully
hip's crew
ader may
.ocalifcy —
B faithful,
fsland, or
parations
le occupa-
^er," says
erior of a
y or bust-
d ' Intre-
)y Island;
il-makers
■s makinj;
3r-bottles
,11 trades'
need the
to carry
remained
she had
set forth,
e rice from
^ trend;
Lieutenant Mccham by Winter Harbour and Liddon Gulf, his
further course westward to be regulated by the direction of the
land, and prosecuted as circumstances might permit ; while
Captain Kellett himself proposed to conduct the th d party,
but subsequently delegated his authority to Lieutenant Hamilton,
with orders to travel in a N.E. direction by Cape Mudge, and
use every effort to reach the rendezvous appointed by Sir E.
Belcher the previous summer. This last expedition was more
scantily provisioned, and returned sooner than the others, Lieu-
tenant Hamilton bringing Captain Kellett his despatches on
the 2 1 st of June, On the outward journey he had an unexpected
rencontre with Commander Richards of the " Assistance," who
had undertaken this pleasant little journey of five hundred miles
to pay a friendly visit to Captain Kellett ! Before his return, how-
ever, another party had reached the "Resolute;" worn, pale, ema-
ciated men they were, whose wa^ ted frames and haggard faces bore
token to no ordinary toil and suffering. Slowly and wearily they
travelled over the uneven ice, and a stranger might have marvel-
led that so forlorn a party should be hailed with such heart-
thrilling cheers, and greeted when they reached the deck with
such warm and friendly welcome ; while the eager, trembling
response of the new-comers, their uncertain, half-bewildered air,
and earnest gaze around, as if the sight of friendly faces was new
and strange to them, might equally excite his wonder. Little
cause for marvel was there, however ; for strange and sweet was
the sight of honest kindly faces, and the sound of hearty greetings
in the friendly English tongue to M'Clure and his heroic crew,
who had abandoned their ship after three long years' imprison-
ment in that desolate wilderness of ice, and now, after their long
isolation from kindred humanity, felt this meeting with fellow
seamen as an earnest and foretuste of their restoration to friends
and home.
Lieutenant Mecham made his appearance on the 5th of July,
and last of all came M'Clintock, with all his party safe and well,
tliouch wearied, as indeer' tliev had cood right to be, liavino"
travelled in their one hundred and six days' absence, no less
than one thousand two hundred miles!
( I
; i'
!•« i '(I
110
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
An achievement this without parallel in the previous records
of arctic research, though Lieutenant Mechain's journey conies
only second to it, as he accomplished upwards of a thousand miles
in ninety- three days! Those — less fortunate — whose duty kejjt
them quietly on board, had beguiled the weary interval by building
a house on Doaloy Island, storing it with six months' provisions for
sixty-iive men, and watching with mingled hope and fear for the
first sight of the sledges, when the time for their return drew near.
ICacli successive arrival, however, only adiled fresh confirmation to
the conviction which gradually overpowered even the most san-
guine hopes — that patient toil and heroic energy were alike be-
stowed in vain, and that no sign or trsickof the long-lost expedition
woultl in this quarter reward their anxious investigations.
Nor did the detachment in Wellincfton Channel meet with
better success; and although Sir E. Belcher was untiringly
active in sending out sledge parties, and himself sharing their
privations and fatigues, his conviction of the utter hopelessness
of such attempts, is best expressed in the following sentences
from his defence at the late court-martial at Sheerness. '•' The
si)ring search of 1853 was carried to the limits of every land
where, by possibility, Captain Sir John Franklin's party could
have proceeded. If they ever reached the limits to which the
' Assistance ' proceeded, I have the opinion of Commander Rich-
ards and others, who travelled over the ice between our winter
quarters and Cape Lady Franklin with his division of sledges,
' That no opening has existed there for years.' Indeed that
channel is as much barred as the strait which impeded Caj^tain
M'Clure from bringing the * Investigator ' to Melville Island.
* * * * Where, then, I would inquire — in what
direction was search to be prosecuted? for every known land
had been sufficiently explored. Over the vast area, comprising
half the circle, of vacant space, without even a loom of land, or a
water sky, no object invited! Speculators alone, ignorant of
these truths, might dream of Franklin being somewhere within
the Polar waters; but I believe the common-sense and intelligent
portion of the officers of the squadron, do not credit that his
ships passed the meridian of Beechey Island!"
RECEKT NOHTH-WEST EXPEDTTTOXS.
Ill
records
J comes
id miles
ty kept
mildininr
dons for
• for the
;\v near,
atiou to
L)St Silll-
like 1)0-
jedition
s.
et with
tiringly
ig their
jlessness
iiitences
'•' The
3ry land
ty could
lich the
3r Rich-
r winter
' sledges,
led that
Captain
1 Island.
■in what
wn land
uprising
md, or a
orant of
e within
telligent
that his
The Slimmer season of 1853 was late, and though the ships in
WelUngton Channel got released from the ice in July, the
" Resolute " and her tender were only freed by a heavy gale on
the 18th August. Nor had tiiey any length of liberty: the
" Assistance " and " Pioneer " were frozen in again on the 1st Sep-
tember, about thirty-six miles north of Beechey Island, and
Oaptain Kellett's progress eastward was soon arrested by drift
ice and "sludge;" and though the "Resolute" proved worthy of
her unflinching name, and struggled bravely against it, she was
finally fixed again in the floe, and there wintered twenty-eight
miles S.W. of Cape Cockburu.
The winter was vnnnarked by any extraordinary occurrence
in either division of the squadron until April, 1854, when Lieu-
tenant Mecham set out on that unparalleled journey to the Prince
of Wales's Straits, which throws even M'Clintock's wonderful
exploit of the preceding si)ring into the shade. This gallant
young officer and his party, with two sledges, left the ship on the
3rd of April, and arrived at the Princess Royal Islands on the
4th May. Hero, it will be remembered, were ]M'Clure's first
winter quarters ; and here, to the great satisfaction of the present
explorers, was found a document, stating that " H. ?I. S. Enter-
l)rise had in 1851 passed up the strait to Point Peel, returned,
and after following the west coast of Baring Island to lat. 72" ^b'
K, had wintered in 1851-2 in lat. 70" 35' N., long. 117" 40' W.,
and that information of her movements would be found upon an
islet in lat. 71" 3G' N., lon^^ 110" W." This discovery of course
incited the whole party to redoubled exertions, and, provisioning
the sledge for ten days, they pressed onward to make further re-
search. The documents were found on Ramsay Island; they are
clear and full, embody the substance of documents from M'Clure,
found by Collinson at Princess Royal Islands, and contain the
information, that parties from the "Enterprise" had visited
Point Hearne on Melville Island, and had examined the north
and south shores of Prince Albert's Land— finding, however, no
traces of Franklin— and that, on the vessel leaving its present
quarters, it was purposed to pursue a channel bet.reen Prince
Albert's and Wollaston Lands, which a boat party had previously
m
'il
/'
|V.! ii
\l
y:
I "
113
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
m
navigated for upwards of one Inindred miles. This channel is
marked iu ordinary arctic maps as KussoU Gulf. The latest
date among these documents is August 27, 1H.52, and reports
all on board in good health. Together with these papers, both
at the Princess Eoyal Islands and at Ramsay Island, were found
careful lists of localities where provision depots had been made,
and appended to each record was a notice in English, French,
Spanish, Danish, Dutch, and Russian, request'ng whoever found
tlie same to forward i*. to the Secretary of the Admiralty, London,
with a note of the time nd place where it was found. It was
now high time f< ' the party from the " Resolute " to retrace their
steps, as the state and amount of their provisions, no less than
their own overtasked powers, betr 'cened. The return journey
was rendered very trying by strong easterly winds and snow
storms, which subjected the whole party to attacks of snow-
blindness; liowever, they reached the house on Dealey Island by
the 27th of May, and, much to thoir surprise, found there direc-
tions awaiting them to proceed at once to Beechey Island, Sir E.
Belcher's orders to abandon the " Resolute" and " Intrepid " hav-
ing reached Captain Kellett after their departure. To Beechey
Island, therefore, they at once proceeded, and reached it on the
12th Jiuie, " all in good health," as Lieutenant Mecham reports
two days afterwards, though " the men are much reduced by their
exertions.'' The distance traversed during this expedition was
upwards of thirteen hundred miles, and the whole was accom-
plished in seventy days ! Four depots of provisions were like-
wise f«)rmed, and seven records deposited. At Ramsay Island,
partic'darly, a communication was left for Captain Collinson
from Captain Kellett, informing him of the present position c»f
the search, and advising him by no means to proceed eastward,
but to return by way of Behring's Straits.
The '^ North Star " now became rapidly filled. The crews
of the " Investigator," " Resolute," and " Intrepid," were already
on board, and on the 25th August Sir E. Belcher gave decisive
orders for the abandonment of the "Assistance" and "Pioneer."
These vessels had remained fixed in the ice since the preceding
September; between twenty and thirty miles of floe intei-vened
RECENT NORTH-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
113
hannel is
.'he latesfc
il reports
)ers, both
ere fouud
;en made,
I, French,
v^er found
, London,
It was
race their
less than
I journey
md snow
of snow-
[sland by
ere direc-
id, Sir E.
3id"hav-
Beechey
it on the
n reports
I by their
ition was
IS accom-
vere like-
y Island,
Collinson
jsition of
eastward,
be crews
3 already
decisive
receding
t^irvened
between tliem and open water, and un attempt at blasting
gave tlieni no assistance ; half a mile was cleared by sixteen
hours' labour and seven or eight hundred weight of powder,
under very favourable circuuistunces, but afttr that even this
last resource failed them. Under these circumstances there
seemed little hope of getting free from the ice this summer; but
whether Sir Edward Belcher — with abundance of provisions,
ships in perfect condition, and the power of sending home his
invalided men, and supplying their places by the healthiest among
the united crews on board the "North Star" — was justified in
shrinking from the trial of anotlier arctic winter, and abandon-
ing those vessels which govornment had intrusted to his care, we
feel neither competent nor desirous to decide. He has been pro-
nounced by those hef^t qualified to judge, free from all blame;
but we can scarcely help feeling that his conduct on this occasion
savours more of the timid caution of the landsman than of the
bold, generous courage of the British sailor.
Meantime, it is sad to think of these poor doomed vessels,
which, in nautical fashion, we have invested with so much of
personality, that we detect in our meditations something very
like pity for them — deserted thus in that lone, white wilderness !
"We can fancy in the long coming winter how weird and strange
they will appear in the clear moonlight — the only dark objects
in the dazzling plain around. How solemn and oppressive the
solitude and silence all around theui ! No more broken by the
voices, and full-toned shouts, and ringing laughter, which so often
woke the echoes lar and near ; varied only by the unearthly sounds
that sweep over these dreary regions when a fissure opens in the
great ice fields, or the wild mournful wailing of the wind among
the slender shrouds and tall tapering masts, that stand so sharply
defined in their blackness upon the snowy background. There
they may remain, silent memorials of England's last attempt to
discover and save her missing children. The moonlight ->f
many winters may silver their glittering spars, and through
many a summer day the sun may look upon their blanching
timbers, as they lie tenantless and inactive, like quiet corpses
from which the soul has fled. And so, perchance, long years
114
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
.:;■!
m.
a
ti..
will pass, till the snow and ice may liave m^pt round and over
them, and they bear less resemblance to noble English vessels
than to shapeless masses of glitte-ing crystal; or, more likely,
some coming winter storm may end the bars of their prison,
and drive them out in its fury to heave and toss once more for
a brief minute upon the surging waves, until the angry ice again
gather round its prey, and, crashing them like nutshells in its
mighty grasp, send a sullen booming roar over the water— the
knell of these last intruders on the ancient arctic solitudes!
It is something, however, to know that the " Enterprise" has
escaped tlie fate of her less fortunate companion, and will not
swell the number of devoted ships. Tidings have been received,
since the return of Sir E. Belcher's expedition, that she was safe
in Port Clarence, Behring s Straits, the 23rd of August last,
with all liands on board in good health, having only lost three
of her crew. From this we may conclude, that Captain Collin-
son found and protited by Captain Kellett's advice, or, at least,
discovered some of the documents left by Lieutenant Mecham,
and acted upon the information they conveyed. We are now
relieved from all anxiety respecting any fellow-countrymen im-
prisoned in those inhospitable regions. We have no longer to
seek for the living, but the dead— for, as the following particu-
lars only too plahily prove, Franklin and his unhappy com-
panions nmst now be reckoned among that number. Collinson
has not been more successful in the search than others, and we
have still to rest contentt^l with Dr. Rae's narration.
Meanwhile, though we have relinquished the search, an Ame-
rican e:q)edition, under the auspices of Mr. Grinnell— the same
philanthropic merchant who sent out the "Rescue" and "Ad-
vance," in 1850— is at this present moment feeling its way over
the w'aters, or along the shores of Smith's Sound. The " Ad-
vance," which bore the winter trial so bravely, is now sent out
again, but the chief feature of the expedition is to be sledge
travelling, which the commander had projected on a more adven-
torous scale tb.an any before attempted ; intending to leave the
ship directly she is safe in winter quarters, and start with a
li<rlit Iduia rubber boat— constructed to propel either on ice or
■'f
RECENT NORTH-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
115
d over
vessels
likely,
prison,
ore for
e again
s in its
sr — the
'S'
se" lias
411 not
iceived,
vas safe
st last,
st three
Collin-
it least,
lecham,
,re now
nen im-
)nger to
particu-
py com-
!ollinson
and we
m Ame-
ilie same
id"Ad-
v^ay over
lie " Ad-
sent out
>e sledge
•e adven-
leave the
; with a
on ice or
water — and some dog sledges. Provision depots for spring
journeys are to be formed on the way; and when they have
reached their furthest limit they intend to leave . boat and pro-
visions, on the chance of seeing them again in the spring, but
exposed, meantime, to weather, bears, and other mischances, and
return on foot to the ship. There is something very bold and
original in this plan, which has the advantage of giving the
greatest amount of toil before tlie men have been tried by the
winter, and relieving the spring parties from the necessity of
venturing on untried tracks, or burdening themselves with any
great weight of provisions. All honour to their disinterested
and noble effort ; though, from the startling information lately
brought by Dr. flae, we know too well that search in that
direction can only end in disappointment.
Dr. Eae's report, gathered from the Esquimaux, was avowedly
transmitted through two or three individuals, and is painfully
vague and unsatisfactory ; still the very ideas it dimly suggests
ai-e so full of hopelessness and horror, that we would fain hope
it may have gained some particulars through frequent repetition.
Making every allowance, however, for exaggeration and embel-
lishment, we fear it cannot be doubted that at least thirty of our
unhappy countrymen perished miserably from stai-vation in 1850 !
Dr. Eae's report to the Secretary of the Admiralty is as follows.
— It should be premised that these particulars came to light in
the course of his researches at the head of a party in the employ-
ment of the Hudson Bay Company.
"REPUiiSE Bay, July 29.
« SiR^ — I have the honour to mention, for the information of
ny Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that during my
journey over the ice and snow this spring, with the view of
completing the survey of the west shore of Boothia, I met with
Esquimaux in Pelly Bay, from one of whom I learned that a
party of ' white men' (Kablo. lans) had perished from want of
food some distance to the westward, and not far beyond a large
river, containing many falls and rapids. Subsequently, further
particulars were received, and a number of articles purchased,
which places the fate of a portion, if not of all, of the then sur-
fi., > ;.i
M
116
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
vivors of Sir John Frauklin's long-lost party beyond a doubt — •
a fate terrible as the imagination can conceive.
"The fjubstance of the information obtained at various times
and from various sources was as follows : —
" In the spring, four winters past (spring, 1850), a party of
'white men,' amounting to about forty, were seen travelling
southward over the ice, and dragging a boat with them, by some
Esquimaux, who were killing seals near the north shore of
King William's Land, which is a large island. IS'one of the party
could speak the Esquimaux language intelligibly, but by signs
the natives were made to understand that their ship, or ships,
had been crushed by ice, and that they were now going to where
they expected to find deer to shoot. From the appearance of
the men, all of whom, except one officer, looked thin, they were
then supposed to be getting short of provisions, and purchased a
small seal from the natives. At a later date the same season,
but previous to the breaking up of the ice, the bodies of some
thirty persons were discovered on the continent, and five on an
island near it, about a long day's journey to the N.W. of a large
stream, which can be no other than Back's Great Fish River
(named by the Esquimaux Doot-ko-hi- calik), as its description,
and that of the low shore in the mighbourhood of Point Ogle
and Montreal Island, agree exactly with that of Sir George Back.
Some of the bodies had been buried (prol)ably those of the first
victims of fiiraine), some were in a tent or tents, others under
the boat, wdiicli had been turned over to form a shelter, and seve-
ral lay scatr^ered about in different directions. Of those found
on the island one was supposed to have been an officer, as he had
a telescope strapped over his shoulders, and his double-barrelled
gun lay underneath him.
" From the mutilated state of many of the corpses, and the
contents of the kettles, it is evident that our wretched country-
men had been driven to the last resource — cannibalism — as »
means of prolonging existence.
" There appeared to have been an abundant stock of ammuni-
tion, as the powder was emptied in a heap on the ground by the
natives out of the kegs or cases containing it; and a quantity of
doubt —
IS times
party of
'avelling
bv some
shore of
,he party
by signs
)r ships,
to where
ranee of
ley were
•chased a
3 season,
of some
ve on an
»f a lame
ih River
icription,
int Ogle
?ge Back.
the first
rs under
and seve-
)se found
IS he had
barrelled
and the
country-
■m — as a
ammuni-
nd by the
lantity of
RECENT NORTH-WEST EXPEDITIONS.
117
ball and shot \, -.3 found below high-water mark, having probably
been left on the ice close to the beach. There must have been
a number of watches, compasses, telescopes, guns (several double-
bfirrelled), &c., all of which appear to have been broken up, as T
saw pieces of those different articles with the Esquimaux,
together with some silver spoons and forks. I purchased as
many as I could get. A list of the most important of these I
enclose, with a rough sketch of the crests and initials on the forks
and spoons. The articles themselves shall be handed over to the
Secretary of the Hudson's Bay Company on my arrival in London.
" None of the Esquimaux with whom I conversed had seen
the ' whites,' nor had they ever been at the place where the
bodies were found, but had their information from those who had
been there, and who had seen the party when travelling.
« I offer no apology for taking the liberty of addressing you,
as I do so fi-om a belief that their lordships would be desirous of
being put in possession, at as early a date as possible, of any tidings,
however meagre and unexpectedly obtained, regarding this pain-
fully interesting subject.
" I may add that, by means of our guns and nets, we obtained
an ample supnly of provisions last autumn, and my small party
passed the winter in snow-houses in comparative comfort, the
skins of the deer shot affording abundant warm clothing and bed-
dint^. My spring journey was a foilure, in consequence of an
accitmulation of obstacles, several of which my former experience
in arctic travelling had not taught me to expect.— I liave, &c.,
"JOHN EAE, C.F.,
« Commanding Hudson's Bay Company's Arctic Expedition"
To such a tragic detail as this nothing can be added. There
is little from which to draw consolation, and imagination requires
no aid to portray the weary longing for rest and home, which
not even the a-ony of hunger could subdue— vain desires, hope-
less cravings, never to be realized on earth ; but can we for a
moment doubt, that the merciful All-Father looked pitifully
down upon the homeless ones, and, in his tender love, closed
their long wanderings, and gave them a calmer home and »
-118
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
rxtr
more perfect rest than the best that earth could offer • There is
much to speculate upon in this brief narrative. What had be
fall of health and vigour, nine short years ago. This painful
narrative accounts only too clearly for forty, but where are the
Hundred? Then, again, another question arises, how had the
mtermediate time been spent between the winter passed at
Beechey Island, 1845-6, and the piteous tragedy of 1850?
Searching parties have visited every probable spot where they
could have touched, and since some were certainly alive at such
a comparatively recent date, it seems quite inexplicable that we
should not have come upon some traces, either of winter quar-
ters s edging parties, or shipwreck. How was it, again, that
Willie the Esquimaux lived comfortably through the winter, the
Mghsh party in the same district were a prey to all the agonies
of starvation ^ Questions like these might be multiplied to any
extent, but how shall t'ley be answered ? We are thankful to
hnd that there is every probability of a searching party beinc
organized next spring, to proceed overland to the proposed scene
ot the melancholy occurrence, and make every investigation, both
m the vicmity, and among the neighbouring tribes, for relics and
documents. By this means we earnestly hope some certainty
as to the fVite of our gallant countrymen will be obtained.
Tlie feet that the last trace of their progress was a grave at Cape
iviley, conveyed a melancholy portent which we were slow to
IK3rceive till now, when no knowledge of intervening events mars
the force of the touching contrast between the dead sailor, ten-
derly laid in his quiet grave by his sorrowing comrades, and those
very comrades themselves dying slowly on a distant shore, their
last hours unsoothed, unattended, and their bones left to whiten
m the sun and wind ! It is said sometimes that the age of mys-
tery and romantic adventure is past-let those who utter the
un hmking words study the details of arctic research within the
last nine yeai^, and then decide, whether history or romance
ever fiirnished any thing more heroically bravef more darkly
ana his lollowers!
11'
There is
'> had be-
5se shores
i painful
■ are the
had the
>assed at
)f 1850?
ere tliey
! at such
that we
er quar-
lin, that
iter, the
agonies
I to any
ikful to
y being
3d scene
)n, both
lies and
jrtainty
Jtained.
a.t Cape
slow to
ts mars
or, ten-
d those
e, their
whiten
)f mys-
;er the
)in the
>manco
darkly
anklia
APPENDIX.
liADY Franklin's Letter to the Lords of the Admiralty we
only mention, in order to express — in common with the general
number of those who have read it — our heartfelt respect and
admiration for the noble woman by whom it was penned. We
cannot but join in her indignant protest against the cold-hearted
inconsistency by which — while a fine squadron was in full
activity of search, and while additional provisions were sent out
before the original term of absence had expired — those who, by
their very ardour of inquiry, they professed to believe alive, were
suddenly treated as dead, their names erased from the Navy List,
their pay stopped, and their places filled ! Nor did this act
derive any shade of excuse from time or circumstances. No
discouraging report had been received; no expedition had lately
returned unsuccessfully ; the latest accounts of the preceding
autumn were full of hopeful anticipation from the results of
sledge travelling during the ensuing spring. Surely common
humanity might have suggested the suspension of the sentence
of death until we heard what had been the success of this last
efibrt !
The eloquent and earnest pleading of the letter will best
speak for itself; and, though recent disclosures have sadly shown
how fallacious were her fondly-cherished hopes, we gladly pub-
lish it, feeling that such a tribute to the memory of the gallant
dead, and such an evidence of noble-hearted energy and womanly
devotedness in the living, should not be left without more en-
during record than the pages of a newsjiaper.
The following return to an address of the Hon. the House of
Commons, dated March 17, 1854, (for ''copy of letter addressed
by Lady Franklin to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty,
dated the 24th of February, 1854, in reference to their lordships'
announcement in the London Gazette, of the 20th day of January,
1854, respecting the officers and crews of her Majesty's ships
; y i;
l^l
mi
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
' Erebus * and ' Terror,' and a copy of sn jh notice,") was published
just two days before the ■cruel sentence of death pasi^ed on Sir
John Franklin and his missing companions was intended to be
carried out: —
"NOTICE RESPECTING THE OFFICERS AND CREWS OF HER
MAJESTY'S SHIPS 'EREBUS' AND 'TERROR.'
" Admiralty, Jan. 19, 1854.
" Notice is hereby given, that if intelligence be not received
before the 31st March next of the officers and crews of her
Majesty's ships 'Erebus' rud 'Terror' being alive, the names of
the officers will be removed from the Naiy List, and they and
the crews of those ships will be considered as having died in
lier Majesty's service. The pay and Avages of the officers and
crews of those ships will cease on the 31st day of March next j
and all persons legally entitled, and qualifying themselves to
claim the pay and wages then due, will be paid the same on
apijlication to the Accountant-general of her Majesty's navy.
" Security will be required in certain cases, for which special
provision will be made.
" By command of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.
''W. A, B. HAMILTON, Secretary."
The above notice was inserted in the London Gazette of
Friday, Jan. 20, lb54.
LETTER FROM LADY^ FRANKLIN TO THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS
OF THE ADMIRALTY.
4, Spring Gardens, Feb. 21, 1854.
My Lords, — In a letter which I had the honour to address
to the First Lord of the Admiralty on the 20th of January,
and which, at my request, he kindly forwarded to the Board, I
expressed, in language of deep emotion, the feelings of pain and
wonder to which your summary and unexpected sentence on my
husband, Rear-Admiral Sir John Franklin, and the officers and
crews of the '-'Erebus" and "Terror," had given rise.
You have been pleased to explain to me, in terms of which I
cannot but acknowledge the courtesy, that it is for the con-
■N'ftiiience of winding up the accounts of tlitj iinuncial year, which
closes on the 3Lst of March, that vou have fixed upon that mo-
APPFNDIX.
121
iblished
on Sir
;d to be
HER
9, 1854.
received
of her
lames of
hey and
died in
!ers and
ih next;
elves to
lame on
lavy.
L special
niiralty.
etart/,"
izette of
SIGNERS
1, 1854.
address
January,
Board, I
3aiu and
e on my
cers and
which I
bhe con-
-r, which
hat mo-
ment for consigning 135 seamen in her Majesty's service
simultaneously to the grave, unmindfid of the discordant fact,
that her Majesty's ships on the other side of the Atlantic are
now, and will be on the 31st of March next, preparing to dis-
cover the abodes of these very men, considered as living beings,
yet to be rescued.
My lords, I make no vain complaints of the manner in which
your lordships' intentions have been communicated to the pub-
lic, distressing as it is to the feelings of the living, and little
respectful as it has the semblance of being to the memory of
those who, if they have " died in her Majesty's service," might
have been deemed entitled to more regretful mention. All who
are most deeply concerned in this announcement must be well
aware, that nothing could be further from your lordships' inten-
tions than to produce such an impression ; and we lose our pain-
ful sense of the hard official language of your Gazette notice, in
the severer shock which its meaning gives to those hopes and
that reliance which we hove hitherto placed in you, as, under
God, our sole help and refuge.
Neither, perhaps, can we presume to complain that an ex-
penditure, which cannot be proved to be lawfully due, should be
suspended, even had there been no immediate exigencies of the
public service, if such exist, to justify its withdrawal. I believe
there are few among the representatives of the absent who have
not felt that the Admiralty have acted liberally, kindly, and
generously, in continuing, during years of uncertainty, the pay
and wages, as if certain of their returning to claim their own.
The search might have gone on though the payment was sus-
pended, and none would have doubted that on the safe return,
however distant, of the rightful claimants, those wages, so hardly
won, would have been paid them to the full, and their right
standing in her Majesty's navy restored to them, even though
other brave men had been worthily promoted to fill their vacant
places. It is not, then, of the retrenchment, but of the reason
on which you have thought fit to base it, that we have cause to
complain.
Your lordships say, in your Gazette notice, that the officers
and crews of the " Erebus" and " Terror" are, on the 31st of March
next, to be considered as dead, if no intelligence arrive in the
meantime to the contrary, your lordships being aware that the
aiTJ v'al of any intelligence before that date is physically impossil -'e.
We know, my lords, that this sentence cannot realize the doom
122
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
II ■■ :
m :
"I
of its victims, whose possible return you are compelled for your
own financial security to admit; that it is null as touching the
fact can be connidered no evidence in a court of law, and leaves
the truth, whatever it be, untouched.
Yet does it sound on the public ear, and more deeply in the
ear of many heart-anxious listeners, as the knell of departed
hopes, the warning voice that tells us we are to prepare for the
abandonment of those unhappy men to their fate. And if it be
not so, and that your lordships have used this language only as
a means of legalizing your financial measure, would that you
had explained to us that the search now carrying on wouhl not
be affected by it, but would be continued till its especial object
was accomplished according to the expectations raised reasonably
and inevitably by your lordships' own previous course of action.
The special object of the present expedition was to search for
the missing ships in that quarter of the Arctic Seas where they
had not yet been looked for; it was recommended by a great
majority of Arctic officers appointed to consider the question,
who believed that my husband and his companions had passed
that way, and were vet to be found alive.
The expedition of 8ir Edward Belcher, founded on these con-
clusions, was provisioned for a certain absence of three years,
and only six months ago was re-provisioned for a longer period.
It is not yet two years since the expedition sailed, and
it has not yet accomplished its mission, nor been absent its
expected term of service, nor can we obtain any information as
to its proceedings till next autumn, nor perhaps then, unless a
special messenger be sent for the purpose, nor shall we learn,
perhaps, at that period, the total result of the explorations made
or vet making. ^
These facts, so inaccordant with your lordships sentence ot
death, are the ground of my hopes that that decree may not
involve the fatal conclusion as to your intentions, to which, by a
too inexorable reasoning, it would seem to lead. Yet m the
meantime an unauthorized impression is produced, most dis-
couraging and painful, tending directly to extinguish hope, to
paralyse exertion, and even to suppress the expression of honest
sentiment.
I am under the necessity, in spite of my innate trust m your
lord^^hips' iuKt'ce and compassion, of dealing with the Gazette
notice as f found it, in its literal sense, and it must therefoi-e
be my endeavour to prove in this letter why I cannot accept
APPENDIX.
123
your lordships' sentence, but am compelled to record my respect-
ful, but most earnest remonstrance and protest against it.
The grounds on which it appears to me reasonable that my
husband and his companions in the "Erebus" and "Terror'*
sh'^'.dd not be considered dead, but living, are these : —
First — Because no evidence has been discovered of any cata-
strophe having befallen tliem.
Secondly — Because the quarter of the Arctic Sea, where it is
most probable that the missing parties would be found living, or
their fate ascertained, has never yet, so far as we know, been
explored; Sir Edward Belcher, when last heard of, having
advanced only to the verge of the open sea to the noii;h-west,
but without entering it ; and because the part thus indicated is
one of the two courses pointed out to my husband in the
Admiralty Instructions for him to follow, and also because it
has been pronounced, after a thorough examination of the other
course, that he could not have passed that way.
Thirdly— Because within this unexamined region the resources
for supporting life are probably abundant ; and.
Fourthly— Because my husband and his officei-s steadily con-
templated, and from the first provided for, a detention extenc.ling
over an indefinite period, should difficulties occur to prevent
their return at the time expected.
I. And first, as to the absence of all signs of wreck or disaster.
This negative evidence of the safety of the expedition has been
gained in every part of the Arctic Sea which has yet been
visited. Neither the bodies of men, nor parts of ships, timbers,
spars, stores of any description, have been found, either afloat in
the currents, or washed upon the shores. In Wellington
Channel, where the missing ships are known to have been,
nothing has been found (beyond the signs of their well-being at
winter quarters) but some drift pine-wood, belonging to the
forests of a milder climate to the north or west.
The captains of .whaling shii)S, men the most experienced in
such matters, concur in asserting that it is next to impossible
that two ships like the " Erebus or " Terror" could be crush' ^nd
destroyed, without any of their crews escaping, and wj^hout
some traces of the disaster being found; and one of our most
distinguished Arctic navigators has very recently declared, that
he wa?; never more strongly of opinion than he is now, that it is
124
THE ARCTIC llEGIONS.
m
hi.
f.i
: i; f
I' '
I
utterly improbable that Franklin's ships, men and all, have been
de.stroyed by any accident among the ice. 1 do not think
it necessary to adduce any contrary opinions, because they
appear to have been adopted rather as a last resort for the solu-
tion of a so-called mystery, than from any indisputable data.
There was a time, it is true, when it was somewhat unscru-
pulously asserted that both the ships had been swallowed up in
the ice in their passage across Baihn's JJr.y, during their first
summer, and this opinion, which was utterly devoid of even the
semblance of justification, obtained somedegree of credit till the
discovery of their lirst winter quarters, on the other side of the
supposed field of disaster, put a summary end to the gratuitous
tale. And next we were assured that our brave navigators,
whose high sense of duty had never been questioned before, had
deliberately turned their backs upon the work before tiicm, after
oidy one winter's absence, and been crushed, or had foundered
on their way home.
It would be presuming too mucli on your lordships' patience,
to dwell on other absurd stories of murders, burnings, tfec, in-
vented by the mendacious half-caste Esquimaux, Adam Beck,
when he desired to put an end at once to the search, in order to
get earlier back to the home he had been enticed to leave.
But there is yet a more recent report, wliich, visionary as I
am myself disposed to deem it on the authority of persons ex-
perienced in Arctic visual phenomena, has been deemed other-
wise than necessarily a delusive appearance by persons entitled to
every respect. And yet I need not argue in addressing your lord-
ships against this spectrcle of the supposed "Erebus" and "Terror"
drifting away on the top of an iceberg from some unknown
quarter to the banks of Newfoundland, since assuredly had your
lordships bt'lieved it at the time the report reached England,
which was in the .spring or summer of 1852, you Avould not have
lost a moment in taking stejos to search the shores which those
ships, if such they were, must have quitted, and where they must
have left their human freight, still living, behind, since the spec-
tators of the phenomenon affirm their conviction that there was
not a living soul on board. And I am the more persuaded of
tliis, since it was at this very period that I olfered for the Ad-
miralty's acceptance, nay, entreated their acceptance of, my little
vessel, the Isabel, equipped and provisioned for Arctic service,
which had M\m into my hands after the failure of Mr. Bcutson'a
expedition, and thus a search of the shores alluded to, at no
APPENDIX.
125
'♦
further expense to her Majesty's government than the manning
and ollicuriug of the little vessel, might have been eil'ected with-
out a moment's delay. I could not myself, however, have been
expected to submit to tlie particular attention of the board a
search after these iceberg sliips, in whicli I had no faitli, especially
in the quarter to which it would probably have been directed,
namely, the coast cf Lt^ibrador. Nevertheless, if it should now
be your lordshipiL, ])leasure to cause inquiries to be made by any
of your returning ships on the coast of Labrador for the unfor-
tunate people alive so late as 1851, and thus, as it is supjiosed,
bereft of their lloating home and means of transport, I could not
but regard the measure with grateful satisfaction, though I may
humbly express my opinion, that it is not from the coast of
Labrador that these supposed discovery ships could have drifted.
But it is always an advance towards the undisputed settlement
of our missing navigators' position, to know where they are not;
and, indeed, I would really give heed to this, or any other not
impossible conjecture which promotes search, if it were nut that,
by so doing, efforts are diverted from the only course which I
believe to be the right one.
But before closing these observations on tht, '^bsence of all
evidence of any fatal catastrophe h.aving happeneci uO the missing
expedition, I am reminded of a passage in a desjjatch of Captain
M'Clure, deposited on Melville Island, which has been exnltingly
quoted by a writer in The Times, ii confirmation of his opinions
to the contiary.
Captain M'Clure siys, " It is my intention, if possible, to re-
tvrrn to England this season, touching at Melville Island and
Port Leopold, but should we not be again heard of, in all prO"
bability we shall have been carried into the Polar pack, or to the
westward of Melville Island, in either of which cases to attempt to
send succour would only be to increase the evil, as any ship that
enters the Polar pack must be inevitably crushed." And again
he says, " A ship stands no chance of getting to the westward by
entering the Polar Sea, the water alongshore being very narrow
and wind contrary, and the pack impenetrable."
The value of these remarks of Captain M'Clure is, I conceive,
to be limited by his personal observation and experience. It is
evident he was speaking of that portion of the Polar Sea with
which he was himself acquainted, without noting the distinction
which appears to have been recognised of late years, between the
sea lying within fifteen degrees around the Pole and that section
I
1'2G
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
I e i.
ft.
H
of it to tlie sonthwarfl, between tlie chain of the Parry Islands
and the face of the American continent, vvliicli, in the earlier an-
nals of Arctic discoveiy, was included in the g(Mieral name of
Polar Sea, and is so called in the publinhed nairatives of my
husband's overland expeditions.
We have had no description of ice seen in those northern seas
which I believe the missing ships to have entered, corresponding
to that encountered by Captain M'Clure in the narrow channels
and in tlio ice-clogged shores of Banks' Lnnd and Melville Island,
where it is supposed to be caused by the prolongation of the laud
westward toward Behriiig Strait. Dr. Scorcsby has justly ob-
served, that had the chain terminated near the meridian of Mercy
Bay, a far wider space of open water should have been observed
tiiero after tiie southerly gale than seems to have occurred. It
appears, therefore, not reasonable to draw any unfavourable con-
clusion as to the safety of ships which entered a Polar Sea north
of the chain of islands, from any appearances which come under
the observation of Captain M'O^ure in his lower latitude and
confined position. And this reasoning, as it atfects the safety of
the " Erebus" and " Terror," will be the more readily admitted
when it is remembered that the passage between Melville Island
and Banks' Land, respecting which Captain M'Clure's observation
was made, was expressly pointed out to Sir John Franklin in his
instructions, to be avoided. It -.vas the only part of the Arctic
seas which he was enjoined not to approach; and whatever,
therefore, may be the nature of the ice within or near, the miss-
ing expedition has assuredly avoided exposure to it. For this
reason I have always been persuaded that there was no probabi-
lity of the ships ever being found, or even retreating upon Winter
Harbour, or any where on the south coast of Melville Island,
which has been the object of so many attempts both from the
east and from the west, and has become, in fact, in consequence
of its halfway position, the rendezvous of the searching squadron.
I may add that, though in that portion of the Polar Sea
•which Captain M'Clure hr.d in his eye, he believes no ships could
live, yet that, towards that other part of the Polar Sea, which
I doubt not my husband entered, a little solitary vessel, of
less than 150 tons, bearing the American flag, is now dauntlessly
pursuing her way, undeterred by any conjectural dangers, but
aiming to solve in some degree, in subordination to the higher
obiect of hnmanitv. the fffiooratihical problem of what exists
ftirther north tlian any discoverer has yet penetrated.
APrr:Ki)ix.
127
TT. T have ventnretl to nial\e the asHcrtioii, that my hu.shar.d
ami h'lH connMinioiis liave never yet Immjii looked for in that jjart
ot tlitj Arctic seas, where a great probability exists that they
woulil be found.
By your lordships, who are acquainted with the proceedings
of every successive expedition, of each division of the seurch, and
of the results of the whole, this jjosition will hardly be disputed.
To the j^reat majority of the public, who have heard of oiiC costly
expedition after another, and believe that by this time the
superficial area of Arctic waters must well nigh be swe2)t, it
W(ndd appear a startling assertion difficult of acceptance. Yet
it requires but a transient glance at the Folar chart, as it ap-
pears with the very latest geogra[ihical acquisitions, to see that
between the meridian of Wellington Channel and Behring
Strait there lies a blank space, in which neither sea, nor coast,
noi* island is laid down. It comprises about seventy degrees of
longitude, or, if measured in the parallel of seventy-eight degrees
(the most southerly which could apparently have been navigated
by the discovery ships), between 800 and DOO miles. What disco-
veries my husband may have made in this space he has not
returned to tell ; no one has followed him there. And lest it
should be objected that Inssumo too much in asserting that this
must have been the course taken by the missing ships, allow me
a few further explanations.
It cannot be denied that the Admiralty instructions presented
to my husband two routes by which to ender^'-our to effect a
passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The southern, by
Barrow's Strait to the south-west, was recommended to him in
])refercnco, or in the first instance, and was the object of his
own in-edilections, inasmuch as, if practicable, it would lead to the
northern front of the American continent, already known to him
by his ovAn and other surveys. But my husband anticipated
that before arriving on these familiar shores, he would probably
meet, in particular latitudes and longitudes which he pointed
out, with insuperable obstacles, and accordingly his mind was
greatly occupied before his departure with the alternative course,
or northern passage, which was wholly new, and moreover
extremely popular amongst his officers. It w^as anticipated with
enthusiasm by Captain Fitzjames,the commander of the "Erebus,"
that be ships would descend from a high northern latitude
upon the coast of Asia, and that he would be sent home with
my husband's despatches through Siberia,
128
THE ARCTIC KEGIONS.
^ I
m
m,
Mil 1,;
■ f
One tiling I can affirm with certainty, tliat it was my La!*- ,
band's determination to try both routes before his return; and
so strong was the feeling of interest and importance attached, as
it was said, by the Vdmiralty themselves to that which led to the
unknown northern waters, that a confident expectation existed
that, even should the ships effect a passage into the Pacific by
the southern coarse, they would, on their return to England, be
despatched afresh on another voyage of discovery to report upon
the high Polar region «.
In confirmation of these facts, or of the inferences to be derived
from them, we find the first winter quarters of the "Erebus"
and "Terror" at the opening of Wellington Channel, where the
northern route separates from the western one, and whence each
could be watched with advantage. The passage westward was
probably first tried, and found impracticable, as it afterwards
proved to Sir J. Ross and Captain Austin, and thus with increased
eagerness and solicitude would the commanders of the expedi-
tion fix their attention upon the northern passage. It has been
found that their sledge tracks were multiplied in this direction,
and, at a look-out station commanding it, papers were picked up,
showing that the watches were unremitting. Who can doubt
that the same open water, seen by Captain Penny from the
heights of Cape Spencer, verified afterwards by himself and his
parties, when so early as the month of May the progress of their
sledges was arrested by it — who can doubt that this open water
was first seen by the observers of the "Erebus" and "Terror,"
and that the earliest disruption of the intervening barrier of ice
was the signal for their departure from Beechey Island, accom-
plished, as it evidently was, in haste, but without disorder ? All
the conjectural dilTiculties and impediments which were brought
before the Arctic committee contrary to this presumption, have
been overthrown by the undeniable fact, that Sir Edward Belcher
has since carried his ships in clear water up the same channel,
even to the very verge of an expanse of sea to the north-west,
to which he saw no limit, and which is all we require to com-
plete the presumptive evidence.
It has been wondered at and much deplored that no writings
were found at the winter quarters on Beechey Island, to indicate
to those who might come after them the course the ships were
about to take. It appears to me that writings could scarcely
have made it clearer ; but it may be that the suddenness and
hurry of their departure caused the eager voyagers to neglect
APPENDIX.
129
'»
this precaution, or (which I think still more likely) that they
left nothing behind them because they expected no one to follow.
They were beyond the reach of the whalers, and consequently of
all communication with England; were not contemplating dis-
aster,^ but thinking only of progress; and looking rather to
Behring Strait for succour if needed than to any thing in the rear.
The answer made by my husband to the commander of the
transport which left him at Disco, proves this fact. But, be the
cause of the absence of records what it may, it is clear that all
were alike influenced by it. Not au officer or a man in those
two ships has deposited a line on the spot where he spent so
many months of rest and leisure. It was not then to be expected
that such documents were to be found higher up, at a greater
distance from the winter settlement. None, I believe, have been
found, nor any vestiges whatever, which seems to me so far from
discouraging, that I do not see what more favourable evidence
could be desired of their having passed without obstacle into
the open sea, which retains no ship's track upon its bosom.
There may be vestiges of their course, or rather of their second
winter quarters, further on; but to this point they have not
been followed. Tt seems to have been thought, until now, that
one season was sufficient to overtake ships which may have been
yeara striving to advance, till retreat, even if desired, was im-
possible.
On the negative evidence, in favour of my husband's having
taken the northern pas ctge, a few words will suffice. It is un-
necessary to enter minutely into the researches of each expedi-
tion, esf)ecially as all, or almost all, had to go over the same
ground before they could take a step in advance ; and as this
ground was minutely examined by each party in succession, we
had the discouraging rejiort of " no traces of Sir John Franklin"
echoed and re-echoed, till it produced, I believe, upon the minds
of many who were not aware of this explanatory fact, the pain-
ful and delusive impression, that it was of no use looking any
longer for those who were not any where to be found.
^ Tlie coasting expedition of Sir John Richardson between the
rivers Coppermine and Mackenzie, tii-st proved that the ships he
was seeking had not arrived on that part of the American coast,
and consequently, as it might be inferred, on the coast further
to the westward. Thus the examination of this closing portion
of the south-western route narrowed the search, but it could not
prove that my husband had not taken that
I
course
h< il
mr
ffi
THE AECTIC REGIONS.
rested iu it by obstaeles in the nearer and earlier rortion of it.
™rconch,sion however, was at length obtained by a branch of
cSriSrexpedition in 1851, ^^^^^^^^^^12
and Lientenant Osborne, advauemg beyond the 1™''^ °' F«"»'^
explorers examined on foot the coast which trends soathwarU be
™d the one hundredth degree of west longitnde, bemg the pr-
ecise course pointed out to my husband .n h.s \"^\™;*-°%J not
two ofacers came to the conclusion, not on., that he had not
passed that way, but that there was no "^^''g^"';;';^""^^^
'ships in that direction. There remained no °*er leasonable
alternative but that the missing ships had P^«^«' "P )^ ^'^"8*°"
Channel, which had always been little less probable than the
other course, though as yet unexamined.
if my owi steadfast convictions ^ to my husband s plan of
action can give any additional force to the arguments I have al-
^ady adduced, my Arctic friends will bear witness to the an x-
["y 'l ht™ ever frit for the exploration of the route through and
beyond Wellington Channel, from the earliest period. It was
not however till the intelligence received from Sir James Ross,
^t he cTosetf 1848, showed L improbability o«ts coming wiA-
in the sphere of his operations, that I T<=»*"«\,.*:/7 J^ at!
Admira ty to make it a distinct ^^^V^'"}^'^ "}'i''fJ'^J}^'^'-^,<
tention Failing to persuade them to allow the " Noith btai
tCabout to be°despatchcd with supplies for Sir James Ross o
remafn out for the examination of this strait, and fading also m
my el^ours to equip a private ve..sel for the express purpose
7examini„g at leasl tL headlands of the c^-^^^^I X\he
Dundee and asked Captain Penny if he %yould ""/'^'^ke the
search in case that the Admiralty could be '»f .^^^ X^^'^t,^,^
services. His enthusiastic reply was followed (^te *<^ "i*"'^
of the sovemment expedition the same autumn, 1849) by hi^
:,bm ttTng Tis wishes U plans to the Hoard of Admiralty ami
grateful indeed did I feel for their ultimate acceptance of his
Srlosi and wll Captain Austin's nobly-appointed exped.-
tZwas o'rgrized, it ap^red to me that both the south-western
Z the northern iwtes lore now snr. to be ''""-oughy explored.
It was not till then that I despatched my own little vessel,
the "Prince Albert," into Regent Inlet (which --;»»; "-'^^^d
in the instructions g-ento either expe.U^^^^^^^^^
that if the crews of the " Erebus and I error Imfi oeen .
to abandon their ships on the south-western "»'«• f" ^^.^^t"
yet i-norant which rouoo they had taken, they might retie^t to-
APPENDIX.
131
n of it.
•anch of
manney
previous
fSiYd be-
the pre-
These
had not
nnel for
ELSonable
illington
,han the
s plan of
have al-
bhe anx-
3ugh and
It was
nes Ross,
incc with-
plore the
their at-
•th Star,"
3 Ross, to
ig also in
s purpose
went to
rtake the
accept his
he return
9) by his
iralty, and
ice of his
id expedi-
;h-westem
' explored.
Ltle vessel,
t included
ir the idea
>een fovced
)r we were
retreat to-
wards the perhaps nearer and well-known resources in that
quarter, rather than upon the iiore distant and mora barren
shores of North America.
The " Prince Albert," in her way back, touched at Beecliey
Island, and brought home in September, 1850, some small
vestiges of the missing ships, which had been found on Cape
Riley, and reported the traces of an encampment. It was the
first gleam of light that had been shed on the expedition. A
year elapsed, and then came accumulated and exuberant evi-
dence of the winter quarters of the ships, and their prosperous
condition at this spot up to the spring of 184G.
But it was the searching ships themselves that brought home
prematurely the news. The south-western coast had been
explored in vain, but this northern one had not been attempted.
Doubt even was thrown on the open water expanding to the
north, which had been seen by Captain Penny; — that most
important discovery which alone at this critical period saved the
pioneers in the " Erebus'' and " Terror" from being consigned to
destruction. But their doom was dela3''ed.
In 1852, Sir Edward Belcher was sent out to make further
researches in Wellington Channel, a,nd in the autumn of the
same } ear the '• Prince Albert," touching again at Beechey Island,
brought home the joyful intelligence that he had already passed
up the channel in open water ; and a month later Captain Ingle-
field arrived in the " Isabel," with the additional and satisfactory
information that Sir Edward Belcher had not returned, and had,
therefore, probably met with no obstacles. Both ships brought
home despatches and letters, showing that additional supplies
were urgently wanted, if the objects of Sir Edward Belcher and
those of Captain Kellett to the west were not to be brought to
a premature conclusion; and, accordingly, last summer large
reinforcements were sent out in the " Phoenix" steamer, under
Captain Inglefield, for the use of both branches of the squadron.
'When this officer left the depot at Beechey Island, on the
24th of Auixust last, it was known that Sir Edward Belcher had
verified the existence of the open sea to the north and north-
west, beyond Wellington Channel ; and it was also known that
Captain Kellett had despatched a foot and sledge expedition,
prepared for an absence of ninety days, across Melville Island
to the north and north-west, with the view of exploring such
portion of the northern shores of this laud us could bo elTcciud
with the resources at command.
m
132
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
n
i
f
f
1
This exploi'ation, under the leadership of that most able and
energetic officer, Commander M'Clintock, is one of the utmost
importance, as being in the right direction; but, when Captain
Inglefield sailed from Beechey Island its result was not known,
the period not having elapsed for Captain M'Clintock's return.
This is the latest intelligence we have from the Arctic regions,
and this, alas I is the moment chosen by your lordships for pro-
nouncing authoritatively on the fate of the absent.
It is true that Captain Inglefield brought home also in the
'' Phoenix" the news from another branch of the searching sqnad-
ron of the discovery of the N.W, passage. It was great and wel-
come tidings, of itself perhaps a sufficient compensation for all the
pains and all the expenditure bestowed, with exclusive intention,
as we have your lordships' authority for stating, on the other and
still nobler cause of humanity. And yet the solution of the
geographical problem appears to have sealed the doom of my
unfortunate husband and his brave associates; of those without
whose self-sacrifice for the same object, in the fulfilment of their
duty, this geographical problem might never have been solved
at all.
The intelligence of tho N.W. passage was brought home in
October last, and before the close of the year the removal of the
names of the officers and crews of the "Erebus" and "Terror" was,
if I am iiot misinformed, under deliberation, and was confidently
announced in The Times, which paper, notwithstanding that
your lordships assured me at the time that it had no authority
for tho statements, proved to be the correct exponent of your
lordships' sentiments.
My lords, I cannot but feel that there will be a stain on tho
page of the naval annals of England, when these two events, the
discovery of the north-west passage, and the abandonment of
Franklin and his companions, are recorded in indissoluble asso-
ciation.
It is with reluctance I have spoken of my own efforts, for the
purpose of proving that from the beginning, and not recently
only, and in consequence of the failure of expeditions in other
parts, or from an insatiable desire for random explorations, have
I urged upon your lordships the examination of tlie Northern
Sea, its coasts and islands, between Wellington Channel and
Behring Strait, or beyond, as the quarter where the missing
ships and crews have yet to be looked for.
The expedition of the " Isabel" screw-steamer, which, for two
able and
) utmost
Captain
kuowii,
return.
3 regions,
! for pro-
in the
ig squad-
and wel-
or all the
ntention,
ither and
n of the
n of my
1 without
b of their
n solved
home in
al of the
ror" was,
nfideutly
ing that
luthority
of your
1 on tho
'ents, the
iment of
ible asso-
^, for the
recently
in other
3ns, have
STorthern
Quel and
missing
for two
APPENDIX.
133
successive seasons, it has been my endeavour to send to Behring
Strait, has had the same object in view, namely, that of enter-
ing, though at the opposite extremity, this unexplored region,
or, at least, of discovering a channel into it. Yet your lordships
are well aware that it was only as, year after year, my entreaties
that you Avould yourselves send effective steam- vessels to this
quarter were unavailing, that I felt myself forced to resort to
my own feeble resources.
The expedition of the "Isabel" met with the most cordial support
and ap] iroval from the president and many distinguished members
of the Geographical Society, from the hydrographer of the
Admiralty, and from many Arctic officers, including all those
whose experience in Behring Strait gave them the best title to
judge of its utility. I was assured by the latter, that if I could
succeed in getting my little vessel to reach the field of search
in season, her services might be valuable.
Nor did your lordships, though declining to take the measures
which were recommended to you at this period, refuse to help
me in my own. Without your kind aid, or that of your prede-
cessors in office in 1852, I could not have obtained possession of
the vessel; without the facilities which last year you kindly gave
me for her outfit, and especially without that valuable documenfc
addressed to your officers in the Pacific, which seemed to promise
all the aid that could be required in time of need, I could scarcely
have ventured to send the "Isabel" to sea.
My lords, I felt grateful for these benefits; yet, if I could
have foreseen that on the first emergency, and when the greatest
difficulties of the oatw^ard voyage were already jjassed, you would
have denied the interpretation which, in the opinion of the com-
mander-in-chief in the Pacific, it was capable of, and which would
have enabled the " Isabel" to carry on her mission, it would have
been a kinder thing to refuse me all. Much toil, anxiety, and
money would then have been spared, and the vessel would not
now be lying at Valparaiso, a monument of my own blighted
efforts and of your unlooked-for desertion.
I have purposely omitted, as in no way affecting the question of
the necessity of such an expedition as that in which the " Isabel"
has failed, the researches of the " Enterprise" and " Investigator,"'
in their course eastward from Behring Strait to Melville Island.
In this course, Captain M'Clure has been fortunate enough to
find that much-desired link between previous discoveries on the
east and on the west, which, like the keystone of the arch, binds*
I
134
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
»' I
Ih H
/"
\\ ^
the labour of former and present generations together. But as
affects the fate of the missing expedition, his brilliant discovery
leaves it untouched. Indeed it might have been confidently
predicated of tliose ships, by those who knew the results of
Captain Austin's expedition, which were unknown to their com-
manders, that on the route the " Investigator" was taking, and in
which the "Enterprise" appears to be following her, the missing
navigators could never be found. Hundreds of miles and inter-
vening land separate the courses north and south of the opposite
navigation.
III. ISTotwifchstanding, the experience of Captain M'Clure,
during his voyage and long detention in the ice, is not devoid of
important deductions. It proves that men may be absent in
Arctic climes three or four years, and need not on that account
be given up for lost — nay, that they may return in full health
and vigour, thus adding new force to the remarkable fact, that
the loss of life in the Arctic service, whether arising from
casualty or disease, is less than in any other part of the globe
where our navy is employed, in spite of all the hardships and
dangers which necessarily attend it. To bring forward the
unknown fate of the " Erebus" and " Terror" in opposition to this
statement, would evidently be a begging of the question. Ra-
ther may it be asserted, that justice has not been done to the
favourable side of the argument. We know that Captain
M'Clure was safe and well after nearly four years' endurance of
icy imprisonment; that Sir John Ross, under much more
unfavourable circumstances, and after a somewhat longer
absence, returned home in safety to tell his fate; and that the
four Russian sailors, thrown without resources of any kind upon
the coast of Spitzbergen, were not liberated till after the lapse
of between six and seven years. But shall it be affirmed in any
of these cases, and especially in that of the Russian sailors, who
endured the longest, and were yet found in health and good
condition, that the moment of their liberation or rescue was the
utmost term to which their existence would have been pro-
longed? And yet such is the conclusion too often involved in the
reasonings upon this subject ; and because at the end of seven or
eight years the crews of the " Erebus" and "Ter»\>r" have not been
rescued, or liberated, or heard of, tliey are considered to be dead !
Indeed I think this is a rash and unjustifiable conclusion, and
that it would be more reasonable to argue, that if they could
APPENDIX.
135
r
live six or seven years, as the Russian sailors did, who wero still
in health and vigour, they might live double that period or more.
It will be said we do not know that they have lived seven
years. No, my lords, but we know nothing to the contrary; and
it may be that the reason we do not know they are living men
is, because your messengers of mercy and deliverance have not
been to the spot where alone the truth is to be found, for their
voices cannot reach you across the waste of waters, and they are
helpless to extricate themselves. Captain M'Clure was shut up
in a position from which he could, by abandoning his ship,
fall back upon an inhabited coast, or advance on foot to a
depot of provisions of which he knew the existence at Port Leo-
pold. Sir John Ross also was not so far distant from the
fishing grounds of the whalers but that he could risk embarking
in an open boat to reach them. The Russian sailors were on an
island vis." .ed annually by ships; but the lost crews of the
" Erebus" and " Terror" are presumed to be in a part of the Arctic
seas where, having lost all locomotive power, they may hoist
their signals of distress in vain. And if this be their position
it may well move our deepest compassion, but it is not such
as should lead us to despair of their prolonged existence.
One of the most experienced of Arctic explorers has consoling-
ly assured us, that life may be maintained in the ftirthest Arctic
lar.ds under circumstances at first sight seemingly the most
hopeless; and I believe the same accurate and philosophic
observer has remarked liow readily nature accommodates herself
to circumstances, and that the hardships and sufferings of the
first years would be mitigated afterwards.
But still fiirther. There are grounds for hope that in the
higl' latitudes, where we believe our exiled navigators to be
imprisoned, a dreary existence may be rendered more supportable
by a climate of less intense severity, and by an increased abun-
dance of natural resources. Even in the lower latitudes with
which we are best acq\iainted, both sea and land are described,
here and there, as " teeming with animal life ; " but as Dr. Kane
remarks, " at the utmost limits of northern travel attained by man,
hordes of animals of various kinds (including tiie ruminating ani-
mals whose food is a vegetation) have been observed travelling
still further north. Birds, of which such almost incredible num-
bers are occasionally seen, take their flight northward, and the
highest waters yet attained are freqnentedby the whale, the walrus,
and the seal, which furnish not only food, but fuel and clothmg.
136
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
l^r 'I!
The experience of Captain M'CU :e adds sometliing to the
mass of facts we already possessed on this subject, for he found
a large island where only a blank space exited on our charts
before, abounding in game of the noblest description, and sup-
porting a race of well-conditioned and contented Esquimaux,
whose existence in that part had never been suspected. Why
should not such another island, or more than one, be found in
that northern space, the white pnper of the charts, of the nature
of which we at home know nothing, though it may even now
be the abode, and if not timely rescued by Divine or human
interposition, may become the grave of our hapless country-
men?
Again, the experience of Captain M'Clure seems to add
something also to our evidence in favour of a less inhospitable
temperature in the north; for he tells us, though apparently
without drawing any conclusion from the fact, tliat whenever
the north wind blew it was warmer.
Nor should it be forgotten, in enumerating the elements of a
reasonable confidence in the prolonged existence of the absent
voyagers, that they were most abundantly supplied with
ammunition, and that, as Captain Penny has judiciously observed,
they were all the more likely to be preserved in health, because
they would have to seek their subsistence, and thus have their
minds and bodies actively employed.
ly. I shall not trouble your lordships by dwelling further on
this head. My husband's conviction, that where Esquimaux
can live, there also can Englishmen, with their superior intelli-
gence and larger appliances, has been often quoted. But it is
not so constantly remembered that Englishmen are also more
provident than Esquimaux, and that at the very outset of his
voyage, and while Captain Fitzjames was writing home, and so
deep and heavily laden were the ships, that if they reached the
Pacific that year some of the provisions must be thrown over-
board for safety — while this sanguine officer was thus writing,
my husband, than whom no one could know better what the day
of need might require, was diligently adding to his already
abundant stock, by mems of the guns of his shooting i)arties,
and contemplating a detention of several years.
The evidence of this latter fact, and of the early means he was
taking to provide for it, is undeniable.
The deposition of Captain Martin of the "Enterprise," whaling-
V'
f i
APPENDIX.
137
sliip, who was for some time in compariy with the ""Erebus" and
" Terror" in the middle ice of Baffin's Bay, was to this effect : that
" Sir John assured him, in answer to questions put to him by-
Captain Martin, that ' he had provisions for five years, and if it
was necessary, he coukl make them spin out sc^^en;' moreover,
that 'he would lose no opportunity of adding to his stock.'
Other officers mad(3 the same declaration, stating also, that the
ships would winter where they could find a convenient place, and
in spring push out as far as possible, and so on, year after year."
This " solemn declaration" of Captain Martin was made before
the provost of Peterhead, who has assured me, as have also
several other respectable inhabitants of that place, that he is a
man of the strictest integrity, truthfulness, and accuracy.
The declaration of Captain Walker, of the whale-ship "Union,"
who, at the time alluded to, was first mate of the " Enterprise,"
was also made before the provost of Peterhead, and was precisely
to the same effect.
Your lordships are aware that there are letters from the expe-
dition, dated in Baffin's Bay, of like purport; that from Mr.
Blenby, ice-master of tlie " Terror," to his wife, begging her to let
no one dishearten her as to the length of their absence, which
might be six or seven years, has been published. Mr. Blenby
had shared the rude captivity of Sir John Ross in Regent Inlet,
and knew how the long absent may be given up for lost, and yet
return again to their homes and country.
These last words of men o full of fiiith and hope, at a moment
when they were about to quit the precincts of the known world
to plunge into the unknown, seem to me a touching appeal to
the long-enduring sympathy and untiring patience of their
countrymen.
And even if their hopes may be considered too high, or that
they can be convicted of rashness in entering into those unknown
seas (were not all the Arctic seas once unknown 1) without any
harbours of refuge in advance, or any line of depots in their rear,
without assurance of reinforcements or relief froni home,
or any promise but that which their own heart-trust in their
country and in you gave them of being looked after; even if
this were rashness, is that a reason to abandon them? They
went forth, my lords, at your bidding, and went to those seas,
which you gave them liberty to explore; you gave them no
restrictions, such as have abounded in the orders of those who have
gone in search of them j they were not told to spare themselves,
138
THE ARCTIC EEQIONS.
.'
'"'If
u
W '
m
^^BUt^t',' : 11
^ni 1
K '
not enjoined to run no risks, nor restricted in time, though their
mission was evidently thought to be a much shorter and much
easier matter tlian it has proved to be. Tliey were themselves
prepared, however, to do a work of unknown difficulty and
danger, and I well know were not prepared to return till they
had spent themselves in its attainment. They have deserved, —
surely, I may say, they have deserved of their country that she
should ascertain their fate !
And I need not tell your lordships that to follow them whither
they have gone is not to encounter the same dangers that they
have done; I could not urge it if it were so. But with such
vastly superior ships as you have now in the Arctic seas, pro-
vided with powerful steam- machinery, and other ai)pliances,
with the experience in sledge travelling which has been of late
years acquired, and with those large precautionary measures as to
depots in advance and in the rear, which you know so well how
to devise, it could, I believe, be done with comparative safety.
And, doubtless, it will one day be doiie. The most northern
portion of our globe will not always be a terra incognita. When
Arctic expeditions for the sake of the missing navigators have
long ceased to be familiar to the public ear, and wars and rumours
of wars have passed away, the interest in those geographical and
other problems which were left unsolved in the year 1854,
will again appear worthy of a great national effort for their
solution; and then will arise, in touching association, the memory
of the men who, in pursuit of this knowledge, and in obedience
to their country's command, first penetrated into the fastnesses
of the north and were left there to their fate. Perhaps it will
be the wonder of that future generation that this should have
been Jlone, or that any discoveries of cfreat scientific interest and
importance should have been abandoned by the government at the
conspicuous moment when it had at its disposal a fleet of in-
vulnerable ships, fit, and fit alone, for Arctic service, and still
afloat in Arcfic seas, and a host of trained and brave explorers,
better disciplined for their work than ever, a combination such as
was never seen before, and may never be seen again.
Pardon me, my lords, that I express myself thus strongly. I
would not appear ungrateful for what has been already done.
When I look at that fleet of invulnerable ships, at that phalanx
of gallant and devoted men in hard conflict with nature, yearn-
ing for the distinction of saving their fellow men, and consider
the generous expenditure and the boundless sympathy which
APPENDIX.
139
have produced the noble spectacle, I pause, and for a moiuunt
doubt whether I should luive written as I have dune.
And yet it is still true that your noble work is incomplete,
and that the glory which has hitherto iiivested it is about to set
in clouds and darkness. It will remain an imperishable fact,
that the search for these brave martyrs to their duty was given
up, not because every part of the Arctic seas had been searched
for them in vain, as it is too often asserted, but because you have
not distinctly authorized, nor sufliciently enabled them to bo
followed whei'e alone they are to be sought, with any probability
of success. Any attempt to divert men's minds from this
melancholy truth will, I am sure, eventually fail.
It is to record my own dissent from sucli a fatal conclusion,
and res[)ectfully to protest against the arbitrary decree you have
announced, that I have just ventured to address you. Would
that others who might prevail with you better than I can do,
had rendered my hard task unnecessary ; that they could induce
you to feel that the blessing of them who were ready to perish
might yet be yours !
My advocacy must be weakened, perhaps even my facts sus-
pected, because I am too deeply interested, and indeed in some
respects my position is a false as well as painful one; for as I
could not have dared to plead with you at all unless I had had
a husband's life at stake for my excuse, so it may look as if for
his sake alone I pleaded, and expected such great things to be
done.
There are some, I tnist, amongst those who share with me a
common sorrow, who will not judge me thus; and all I think
must feel that, had my humble endeavours met with any measure
of success, it would have been for the good of the whole, as well
as of him whose name has sometimes been too exclusively used as
the representative of a corporate misfortune.
As to the approbation or the censure to which any poor efforts
on my part have been obnoxious, my heart has been too full,
and is so still, to be either oppressed by the obloquy or elated
by the praise.
It remains for me only to thank your lordships for the
communication you have been pleased to make to me, that the
widows of those who are to be considered as having died in the
service of their country, after the 31st of March next, will be en-
titled to pensions, according to the existing regulations. Your
lordships will scarcely require me to tell you, after what I have
I
140
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
''!
written, that I do not feel it iu my power either to daim or to
acce[)t a widow's pension.
Be. ire conchidiug this long and painfnl letter allow me to
express a hope that I have not now, nor at any time, abused the
privilege which belongs to weakness and irresponsibility, or whicli
has been accorded to nie by your generous indulgence; and if any
hasty expression, such as I ouglit to have avoided, has escaped
my pen, I entreat you to overlook it, as not intentionally
disrespectful. — I have, &c,,
(Signed) Jane Franklin.
m
TUE END.
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M'CORQUODALK AXD CO., PRINTERS, lOSDOS.
WOllKS — NEWTON.
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