![]() Some of the earlier fatalities were buried at Beechey Island near the original wreck and their frozen remains were discovered exceptionally well preserved in the 1980s.īut the bones of those who abandoned the ships were scattered across the region by animal scavenging and human activity.īones from one individual were found at two sites spread around a mile (1.7 kilometers) apart, Dr Stenton said. The DNA results give a more accurate understanding of the number of people who died at the site. Today, it remains as a testimonial to their fate and a lesson for all who would follow.An illustration shows the ill-fated expedition of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror through the Northwest Passage Whatever else may have befallen Franklin and his men, without Inuit guides aboard, they were strangers in a strange land.īeechey Island, a place little frequented by Inuit, had been a haven of sorts for Franklin and his men. Local knowledge is invaluable for any explorer, regardless of experience. He travelled into the Inuit homeland without benefit of Inuit knowledge or guidance. That brings us to Franklin's greatest downfall. With the help of Inuit historians and guides, researchers found both the Franklin ships: Erebus in 2014, and Terror in 2016. But he and his Inuit collaborators were scorned by Victorian society for being bearers of bad news.Īttempts to solve the mystery of the Franklin Expedition continue to the present day. Scottish explorer John Rae, who collected these artefacts and stories from Inuit informants, earned a reward for determining the outcome of the expedition. Grizzly relics suggested some of the men had resorted to cannibalism. ![]() The effort failed.īoats, artefacts, and bodies were later found scattered on King William Island, and not a man survived to tell the tale. A note found at Victory Point on King William Island mentions Franklin's death, but details are sketchy.Īfter his death, at least some of Franklin's men seem to have made a last ditch effort in an attempt to travel overland up the Back River to a faraway Hudson Bay Company outpost. Finding no passage, Franklin sailed south through Peel Sound.įranklin's ships were apparently locked up in ice in Victoria Strait. We know now that upon leaving Beechey in 1846, Franklin circumnavigated Cornwallis Island, hoping for a route to the west. But the fate of Franklin and his men remains a mystery. ![]() Since then, the bodies of all three men have been autopsied, leading to speculation that lead poisoning might have been a factor in their early deaths. He had died of consumption-what we now call tuberculosis. In 1852, men sailing with Captain Belcher dug through frozen gravel to expose the coffin of John Hartnell, whose body was discovered nearly perfectly preserved. Penny and his men couldn't make out what had happened to Franklin, but more expeditions visited Beechey to try to find out. On Beechey, they found some remnants left behind by Franklin's men: hundreds of tin cans, an attempt at a garden, and the graves of three men. ![]() Penny found Beechey Island after noticing a cairn of rocks left by Franklin's crew. So in 1850, a search party was sent out, led by Scottish whaling master William Penny. This would be the last verified encounter anyone had with Franklin and his crew.ĭespite high hopes for their success, Franklin and his crew never turned up in Alaska, or back in England. During this crossing, they were seen by whalers on July 26th. Five men were discharged there, leaving a total of 129 men aboard Terror and Erebus.Īfter some time in Disko Bay, where the crew rested and sent letters to their families, the ships made the crossing of ice-choked Baffin Bay. Primed for success with two top notch ships, HMS Erebus and T error, little did Franklin suspect neither he nor his crew would ever see England again.įranklin and his men sailed without incident to Disko Bay, Greenland. That was the year Sir John Franklin left England hoping to sail through the legendary Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, through the islands of what is now the Canadian Arctic. But Beechey Island really started to get interesting in 1845. This is Beechey Island.īeechey Island was first visited by Europeans in 1819, when it was named by Captain William Edward Perry and his men. It may not look like much, but this mass of rock and ice is one of the most intriguing places in the Arctic. Its main attractions are the remnants of a 164-year-old shed and four simple graves dug into frozen gravel. Deep in the north of the Canadian Arctic, lies an uninhabited and uninviting island.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |