THE FRANKLIN EXPEDITION
When Sir James Ross returned from the Antarctic expedition, there were
the two well-fortified bomb vessels, the _Erebus_ and _Terror_, ready
for Arctic work. Sir John Barrow was still Secretary of the Admiralty,
and as eager as ever for the discovery of a North West Passage. There
were the ships and he knew the best man in the navy to command them.
James Fitzjames made the acquaintance of young John Barrow at the time
when he was in the _Excellent_, passing out as a gunnery lieutenant,
and he afterwards became acquainted with his father. Fitzjames was
certainly an exceptionally fine character, and held a splendid record.
He was in all the operations on the coast of Syria in 1840, and soon
afterwards he and his friend Charlwood were specially selected to take
out a steamer for Colonel Chesney’s expedition, transport her in pieces
across the desert, and put her together for service on the Euphrates.
He served for two years with Chesney in Mesopotamia, and was the
gunnery lieutenant of the _Cornwallis_ during the China War. He was in
nearly all the actions, including the command of the rocket brigade at
the taking of Nankin, when he was severely wounded. Fitzjames wrote
a graphic and most amusing history of the war in verse, which was
published. Promoted to the rank of Commander for his distinguished
services, he received command of the _Clio_ brig, and was very usefully
employed in the Persian Gulf. It was at this time that John Barrow
hinted to him the possibility of Arctic work, and he at once eagerly
volunteered.
When he paid off the _Clio_ in October, 1844, the proposal was further
discussed with Sir John Barrow. Before long it was settled, so far as
the Secretary of the Admiralty could settle it, that there should be an
expedition with Fitzjames in command, and his friend Charlwood in the
second ship.
[Illustration: Sir John Franklin]
Fitzjames was an orphan, an excellent sailor, full of zeal and devoted
to his profession. He was exceedingly popular, and an officer of rare
ability, with a talent for organisation and the management of men, the
beau ideal, in short, of an Arctic leader. But Sir John Barrow reckoned
without his Lords. They approved the scheme, but pronounced Fitzjames,
who was 33, and four years older than Parry in his first voyage, to be
much too young to have the command.
Sir John Franklin had just returned from Tasmania, where he had made
an excellent Governor. But in the last year he had suffered much
annoyance from the insubordinate and disloyal intrigues of the Colonial
Secretary. Lord Stanley, then Secretary of State for the Colonies, took
the part of the intriguer and not only treated Sir John Franklin with
great injustice but with flagrant discourtesy. Franklin came home very
sore at heart, and when he heard of the expedition he pressed for the
command. But he was nearly 60, at least 20 years too old. Sir James
Ross, fifteen years younger, had been offered it, but declined on the
score of age. Lady Franklin wrote that “such an appointment would do
more than anything else to counteract the effect of Lord Stanley’s
tyranny and injustice.” “I dread exceedingly the effect on his mind of
being without honourable and immediate employment.” Lord Haddington,
the first Lord, then consulted Sir Edward Parry, who represented that
the refusal of Sir John’s application would be a severe blow to him. He
was appointed with some hesitation and misgiving. Sir John Barrow then
assured Fitzjames that he would have the command of the second ship.
But Captain Crozier, who was at Naples, came back and laid claim to the
second ship as an experienced Arctic officer. He was appointed, though
much too old. All this was a bitter disappointment to Fitzjames. But
when Sir John Barrow told him he could go as commander under Franklin
if he thought it worth his while, he at once accepted. He was delighted
with Franklin and they worked together in perfect harmony.
Fitzjames naturally had a good deal to do with the appointment of
officers. The First Lieutenant of the _Erebus_ was Graham Gore,
who was at the battle of Navarino, and with Sir George Back in the
_Terror_. He served in the China war under Nias, who had been Parry’s
midshipman in his first two voyages and was “a man of great stability
of character, a very good officer, and the sweetest of tempers” wrote
Fitzjames. The second Lieutenant was Le Vescomte, who was First
Lieutenant with Fitzjames in the _Clio_; the third, Fairholme, had been
through trying adventures in Africa. When in command of a prize slaver
he was wrecked on the African coast and captured by the Moors, who
carried him off as a prisoner, but he was ultimately rescued by some
French negroes on the Senegal. He next served with Fitzjames in the
_Ganges_ in the Mediterranean, afterwards volunteering for Trotter’s
Niger expedition. He went up the river as far as Egga, but was
invalided. Afterwards he was in the _Excellent_ and _Superb_ until he
joined the _Erebus_. He was a zealous, smart young officer, as also was
Des Voeux, who was with Fitzjames in the _Cornwallis_. He was then “a
most unexceptionable, light-hearted, obliging young fellow.” Of the two
youngest officers, Sargent and Crouch, many good things were said. In
the _Terror_ were Hodgson, who was with Fitzjames in the _Cornwallis_,
and Irving, a relation of Sir George Clerk of Penicuick[125], who
had had experience of roughing it in the Australian bush. Hornby--a
good officer and messmate but a little disappointed at having so long
to wait for his promotion--and young Thomas, were the mates in the
_Terror_. Dr Goodsir, a man of considerable scientific attainments, was
the naturalist in the _Erebus_, and Macdonald, the Assistant Surgeon of
the _Terror_, had been for a cruise in a whaler, and had some knowledge
of the Eskimo language.
Sir Edward Parry was often down at Woolwich when the ships were fitting
out, giving Fitzjames the benefit of his experience. The _Erebus_
was an old bomb vessel of 370 tons, very strongly built, and with a
capacious hold. The _Terror_ was also a bomb vessel, rather smaller,
of 340 tons, repaired after Back’s voyage, and specially strengthened.
Fitzjames was very anxious to have steam power. There was little time,
but it was arranged that each ship should have a small auxiliary
engine and screw, to propel them a few knots during calms. This was the
first time a screw steamer was used in Arctic service.
Crowds of visitors came to see the ships before they left Woolwich.
On the 18th of May Sir John Franklin performed divine service for the
first time, off Greenhithe, and on the 19th the expedition started with
the brightest prospects.
Franklin’s instructions were to make for the coast of North America by
passing west of Cape Walker, high land seen by Parry at a distance, to
the south of Barrow’s Strait. He was also authorized to try a route by
Wellington Channel, if he found it free of ice.
At the Whale Fish Islands the observatory for magnetic observations
was set up on the same little island where Parry had done similar work
in his third voyage. From here they sailed away to battle with the
ice. The _Erebus_ and _Terror_ were last seen by the _Prince of Wales_
whaler, Captain Dannett, in 74° 48′ N., 66° 13′ W. All were well and in
remarkable spirits.
The expedition reached Lancaster Sound. Wellington Channel was found to
be clear of ice, and Sir John Franklin was persuaded to try that route.
Passing Cape Riley, Fitzjames must have noticed the excellent winter
quarters formed by Beechey Island. Reid, the Greenland pilot of the
_Erebus_, and Blanky of the _Terror_, who had served with Ross, were in
their respective crow’s nests, reporting “Water ahead! large water!”
So the ships sailed gaily up the channel for a hundred miles, reaching
77° N. There they were stopped by impenetrable floes of heavy ice. The
ships’ heads were accordingly turned to the south and they sailed down
a strait which they discovered between Cornwallis and Bathurst Islands,
finally taking up winter quarters in the snug harbour formed by Beechey
Island. Great discoveries had been made, and no expedition had ever
accomplished so much in a first season.
The winter at Beechey Island was no doubt passed happily. There was
scientific work, and such a genial commander as Fitzjames would be
sure to have provided plenty of amusement for officers and men. In the
spring a workshop and an observatory were built on shore, and a garden
was laid out with all the flora of North Devon. The naturalist had a
station at Cape Riley. Shooting camps were formed at Cape Bowden to the
north, and Caswall’s Tower to the east, sending in supplies of fresh
food for the ships’ companies. But a cloud loomed upon their horizon,
for the terrible discovery was made that the greater part of the tinned
provisions were unfit for food. A third winter would be fatal.
Three men died during the winter, but on the whole the explorers
must have emerged from their winter-quarters full of hope and bright
anticipations. The water was making fast in the offing. A canal was cut
to the edge of the ice, and at last the good ships were free. A record
was certainly left in the cairn, but it was never found. We do not know
whether any attempt was made to push westward from Cape Walker, in
accordance with the instructions. If so, the impracticable character of
the ice would soon have been discovered. Then the explorers would turn
for a passage to the east of Cape Walker. Parry had seen this cape as a
distant land to the south. Probably he saw a coast as well, which led
him to call it a cape rather than an island. Nothing was known between
the north coast of North Somerset and Cape Walker. It was evidently
a very open season. The ships sailed on without hindrance, making
discoveries of land on either side, all on board full of excitement and
hope. At length they reached the latitude of Ross’s magnetic pole. Then
the fatal choice was made.
It was all open to the south. If they had continued on their southerly
course the two ships would have reached Bering Strait. There was the
navigable passage before them. But alas! the chart-makers had drawn an
isthmus (which only existed in their imagination) connecting Boothia
with King William Land. So the explorers thought that the only way was
round the western side of King William Land. They altered course to the
west, and were lost. For they were soon beset in that mighty ice-pack
which flows down from the great polar ocean and impinges on the
north-west coast of King William Land. The ships were in a precarious
position, yet they must still have been full of hope that they would
reach the coast of North America in the next navigable season. They
were drifting very slowly to the west.
In the spring of 1847 travelling parties were organised. Fitzjames
provided them with records in tin cylinders to be deposited in cairns.
The records were as follows:
H.M. ships _Erebus_ and _Terror_
Wintered in the ice in
Lat. 70° 5′ N. Long. 98° 23′ W.
28 May 1847.
Having wintered in 1846–47[126] at Beechey Island in Lat. 74°
43′ 28″ N. Long. 91° 39′ 15″ W. after having ascended Wellington
Channel to Lat. 77° and returned by the west side of Cornwallis
Island.
Sir John Franklin commanding the expedition,
All well.
Party consisting of 2 officers and 6 men left the ships on Monday
24th May 1847.
GM GORE, _Lieut._
CHAS. F. DES VOEUX, _Mate_.
One party, probably led by Fitzjames himself, went east for magnetic
observations, passing Cape Felix of Ross. The other, under Graham
Gore, advanced southwards to the Cape Herschel of Simpson, and thus
discovered the North West Passage. Franklin’s party was thus the first
to discover the connection of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
When the travelling parties returned they found that Sir John Franklin
was dying. He heard of the discovery of the North West Passage, he
was confident that the ships would get clear in the summer, and he
was in comparative comfort. Doubtless he bade farewell to officers
and men, sent messages to Lady Franklin, and died happy and full of
hope. His funeral is admirably portrayed in the bas-relief below
his statue, by one who knew the Arctic regions well. The beautiful
epitaph in Westminster Abbey is by Franklin’s nephew-in-law, the poet
Tennyson[127]--
Not here! the cold North hath thy bones, and thou
Heroic sailor soul
Art passing on thy happier voyage now
Toward no earthly pole.
The date of Sir John Franklin’s death was the 11th of June, 1847.
[Illustration:
WHOEVER finds this paper is requested to forward it to the
Secretary of the Admiralty, London, _with a note of the time and
place at which it was found_: or, if more convenient, to deliver it
for that purpose to the British Consul at the nearest Port.
QU’INCONQUE trouvera ce papier est prié d’y marquer le tems et
lieu ou il l’aura trouvé, et de le faire parvenir au plutot au
Secretaire de l’Amirauté Britannique à Londres.
CUALQUIERA que hallare este Papel, se le suplica de enviarlo al
Secretario del Almirantazgo, en Londrés, con una nota del tiempo y
del lugar en donde se halló.
EEN ieder die dit Papier mogt vinden, wordt hiermede verzogt, om
her zelve, ten spoedigste, te willen zenden aan den Heer Minister
van de Marine der Nederlanden in ’s Gravenhage, of wel aan den
Secretaris der Britsche Admiraliteit, te London, en daar by te
voegen eene Nota, inhoudende de tyd en de plaats alwaar dit Papier
is gevonden geworden.
FINDEREN af dette Papiir ombedes, naar Leilighed gives, at sende
samme til Admiralitets Secretairen i London, eller nœrmeste
Embedsmand i Danmark, Norge, eller Sverrig. Tiden og Stœdit hvor
dette er fundet önskes venskabeligt paategnet.
WER diesen Zettel findet, wird hier-durch ersucht denselben an den
Secretair des Admiralitets in London einzusenden, mit gefälliger
angabe an welchen ort und zu welcher zeit er gefundet worden ist.
_J. Netherclife Sen^r. Farsun 6th 113 S^t Martin’s Lane_
London. John Murray, Albemarle Street. 1859]
Lieut. Graham Gore, his warm-hearted and steadfast friend, soon
followed his beloved commander. With the rest there was hope of release
during the summer months, but, as the month of September came to a
close, hope must have given way to something like despair. For the
ships had been much knocked about in their slow drift from off Cape
Felix to about fifteen miles from Cape Victory of Ross, a distance
of about 30 miles. If they ever got free of the ice it was doubtful
whether they would float. There was scarcely sufficient food for the
third winter, and what remained was slow poison. Nine officers and
thirteen men died during that fearful winter, and the rest were much
reduced and very weak.
Crozier and Fitzjames must have known the danger only too well. There
must be a retreat by Back’s Fish River, but only the strongest would
be able to get so far and none were really strong. Fitzjames set to
work to prepare two boats for the ascent of the river, taking as his
model the boat described by Sir George Back and Dr King. The boats were
originally carvel-built. For the seven upper strakes thin fir planks
were substituted clinker-fashion, for the sake of lightness. Above the
upper strake a weather-cloth, nine inches wide, was battened down round
the gunwale, supported by 24 stanchions, so placed as to serve as thole
pins for rowing. Six paddles were made for each boat, and they were
provided with masts and sails, and sloping canvas awnings. The boats
were 28 feet long and 7 feet 3 inches in beam. The sledges on which
they were to be carried until they reached the open water required very
careful consideration. There might be very rough ground, and it seems
to have been thought that it would not be safe to sacrifice strength
for lightness. The sledges, therefore, consisted of solid oak runners
23 feet 4 inches long, 8 inches high, and 2½ inches thick, with five
oak cross-bars 4 feet long, bolted down to the runners, which were shod
with iron. On the cross-bars there were supporting chocks for the boat,
securely lashed. The drag ropes were 2¾-inch whale lines, the weight of
the sledge 650 lb. Food and fuel for 103 men for 30 days would weigh
10,600 lb. If all hands dragged, the weight would even then be 200 lb.
per man. It was indeed a forlorn hope. If succour came down the river
in 1848 some might be saved. Crozier and Fitzjames did all for their
people that was possible. The date of abandoning the ships was fixed at
April 22nd, 1848. Boats’ cooking apparatus, pickaxes, spades, silver of
the officers’ messes and other things of the sort for barter with the
natives were taken and much clothing. There were also mementos of those
who had passed away, taken for their relations, such as Sir John’s
orders, a few books, and watches.
The travelling parties, with the two heavy boat sledges, started on
their journey with a full knowledge of their condition, and that many
must fall by the way. No more heroic band ever went forth to die. They
had made great discoveries and had served their country right well.
They reached Cape Victory of Ross, on King William Island, and
encamped. Lieut. Irving found the cairn erected by Graham Gore in the
previous year, and brought the printed form, with the lines written on
it, mentioned on p. 243, to Captain Fitzjames. Fitzjames had some ink
thawed, and wrote round the margin:--
In 1848, H.M. Ships _Terror_ and _Erebus_ were deserted on the
22nd April 5 leagues N.N.W. of this, having been beset since 12
Sept. 1846, the officers and crews consisting of 105 souls under
the command of Captain F. R. M. Crozier landed here in Lat. 69°
37′ 42″ N. and Long. 98° 41′. This paper was found by Lieut.
Irving under the cairn supposed to have been built by Sir James
Ross in 1831 4 miles to the northward where it had been deposited
by the late Commander Gore in June 1847. Sir James Ross’s pillar
has not however been found, and the paper has been transferred to
this position, which is that in which Sir J. Ross’s pillar was
erected--Sir John Franklin died on the 11th June 1847, and the
total loss by deaths in the Expedition has been to this date 9
officers and 15 men.
JAMES FITZJAMES, _Captain_
H.M.S. _Erebus_.
F. R. M. CROZIER,
_Captain and Senior Officer_.
And start on to-morrow 26th for Back’s Fish River.
On the 26th, in the early morning, preparations were made for a start.
The men had much less strength than they supposed. Much had to be
left behind. The boat’s cooking apparatus, shovel, pickaxe, canvas,
blankets, even Hornby’s sextant, a dip circle, the doctor’s medicine
chest, and a pile of warm clothing were left, the latter making a heap
four feet high.
Even thus lightened the boats were still much too heavy. Many of the
men dropped and died; Crozier probably succumbed early at the cape
which now bears his name, where a grave was found. A few reached
Todd Island with one boat. The other had been left, full of a great
variety of things, near Cape Crozier. The survivors crossed the strait
and reached the bay formed by the long promontory ending at Cape
Richardson. A few wandered inland. All perished. When the ice loosened
the _Erebus_ sank. The _Terror_ was drifted on to the American coast,
and ransacked by the Eskimos. Then a gale drove her off the rocks into
deep water, and she too sank.
A veil should be drawn over the last struggles of brave men fighting
cold, disease, and hunger. One likes to think that Captain Fitzjames,
the chivalrous, the sympathetic, the dauntless leader, was perhaps the
last,--that he tended them all and saw them all depart before him; and
that then
His soul to him who gave it rose
God led it to its long repose
Its glorious rest.
And though Fitzjames’s sun has set
Its light shall linger round us yet
Bright, radiant, blest.