The last intelligence which had been received of the _Erebus_ and
_Terror_ was from the whalers in July 1845, at Melville Bay. Thence the
expedition passed on through Lancaster Sound to Barrow's Straits, and
entered Wellington Channel, the southern entrance to which had been
discovered by Sir Edward Parry in 1819. Up by it the ships sailed for
150 miles, when, being stopped by the ice, they returned south by a new
channel into Barrow's Straits, and passed the winter of 1845-46 at
Beechey Island. In 1846 they proceeded to the south-west, and
ultimately reached within twelve miles of the north entrance of King
William's Land.
Here they spent the winter of 1846-47, as far as can be known, in the
enjoyment of good health, and with the intention and hope of prosecuting
their voyage to the westward through the only channel likely to be open
along the northern shore of America, and from the known portion of which
they were then only ninety miles distant.
On Monday the 24th May 1847, Lieutenant Gore, with Mr Des Voeux, mate,
and a party of six men, left the ship, and proceeded for some purpose to
King William's Island, where, on Point Victory, he deposited a document
stating that Sir John Franklin and all were well.
This document was afterwards visited by Captain Crozier, and a brief but
sad statement of after events written on it. In less than three weeks
after that time, the brave, kind, and well-beloved commander of the
expedition, Sir John Franklin, had ceased to breathe, as Captain Crozier
states that he died on the 11th of June 1847. Who can doubt that his
life was taken by a merciful Providence before he could become aware of
the dreadful doom about to overtake his gallant followers?
Probably Lieutenant Gore returned from that journey of exploration, as
Captain Crozier speaks of him as the late Commander Gore, showing that
on the death of their chief he had been raised a step in rank; but not
long to enjoy it--he having among others passed away. The command of
the expedition now devolved on Captain Crozier; but who can picture his
anxiety and that of his officers and men, as the summer of 1847 drew
on--the sea open to the north and south, but the ships immovably fixed
in the vast mass of ice driven down upon them from Melville Sound? How
bitter must have been their grief and disappointment when August and
September passed away, and they found that they must pass another
winter, that of 1847-48, in those regions! We know, too, that the ships
were only provisioned up to 1848.
Painfully that dreary winter must have passed away, and sad must have
been the feelings of Captains Crozier and Fitzjames when they came to
the resolution of abandoning the ships, by which a high sense of duty
had induced them hitherto to remain.
Up to 22nd April 1848, the total loss by deaths had been nine officers
and fifteen men. On the 22nd April 1848, Captains Crozier and
Fitzjames, with their officers and crews, consisting of 105 men,
abandoned their ice-bound ships, and landed on the 25th on King
William's Island, and started the following day for Back's Fish River,
which runs through the Hudson's Bay territories from the south.
Their hope was that they might, voyaging up that river, at length reach
some of the Hudson's Bay Company's trading posts. That they reached the
mouth of Fish River we have melancholy evidence. Here they probably
encamped, and, when the season advanced, proceeded some way up, but,
finding the difficulties of the navigation insurmountable, they returned
to the mouth of the river, with the intention perhaps of proceeding
along the coast to the westward through the North-West Passage, which
they now knew for a certainty to exist. Before, however, they could do
this, it was necessary to send to the ships for stores and any
provisions which might have remained on board.
For this purpose a strong party must have been despatched with a boat on
a sledge, showing that they started rather early in the summer season,
before the Straits were frozen over, or late in the spring, when they
might expect to have to return by water. They greatly overrated their
strength. When still eighty miles from the ships, they left the boat
with two or more invalids in her, and a variety of valuables, hoping to
reach the ships more speedily, and to return to her. One or more of
those left with the boat attempted to follow, and dropped by the way.
Some, perhaps, reached the ships, and attempted to regain the boat; but
the greater number, overcome with hunger, disease, and cold, fell on
their northward journey, never to rise again.
Two skeletons were found in the boat; and one, supposed to be that of a
steward, between her and the ships. Of the ships, one was seen by the
Esquimaux to go down, while the other drove on shore with one body only
on board, probably that of a person who had died during the final visit.
Certain it is that no one regained the boat on their return journey to
the south. Plate and vast quantities of clothing were found along the
route, showing that on leaving the ships the hapless men considered
themselves capable of considerable exertion; and as they carried a large
amount of powder and shot, they undoubtedly hoped to maintain themselves
by means of their guns.
In vain did the main body at the mouth of Back's Fish River wait the
return of their shipmates. Week after week, month after month, passed
by--they did not appear. How long they remained encamped on this bleak
and barren coast it is difficult to determine. If the account received
by Dr Rae is to be credited, it was not till the spring of 1850 that
the survivors of that gallant band made a last desperate attempt to push
their way inland, and sank down, as had their companions in suffering
many months before them. Thus perished the whole of that gallant band
of true-hearted seamen, who, with high hopes and spirits, had left
England five years before in the prosecution of an undertaking which
they had every reason to believe would so greatly redound to the honour
and glory of England, and to their own high renown. The task was
accomplished; a knowledge of the North-West Passage was obtained. Their
lives were sacrificed in the attainment; but they won names imperishable
in English naval history, and gave another example of the undaunted
courage, hardihood, and perseverance of British seamen.