The book is dedicated to the wife of Sir John Franklin, who is named as “one of our heroines” (“whose name will ever live in the hearts of all true Englishmen, the type of womanly devotion, courage, and fortitude”) because of her efforts to maintain the quest for her husband and his lost expedition. Foremost, however, the book honours male explorers who, like medieval knights, show “dauntless courage in the face of untold peril, rare piety, stern self-abnegation, perseverance when the hope was, indeed, forlorn, fortitude under every trial”. (1)
Preface [vii-viii]
[vii] No excuse seems necessary at the present time, when so much public interest is felt in the Polar Expeditions which have just left our shores, for the publication of the present work. The writer has endeavoured to indicate clearly the salient points in the lives of our Arctic Heroes, while in briefer form offering a connected history of exploration in the far north. The compilation has been a work of
some labour – more than one hundred volumes have been consulted ; and the author is indebted to his brother Edward (the author of “Scrambles in the Alps”) for access to a most complete and valuable library of Arctic books. […] Great Britain has taken by far the largest share in Arctic exploration, but in later years, more especially, several other nations have entered the lists. The expeditions sent out by the United States, although few in number, have been specially fruitful in results. […] [viii] The German and Austro-Hungarian expeditions – important in results and most interesting in the narratives – have been described as fully as was possible in a work of limited size, and the writer has endeavoured to do impartial justice to the efforts and successes of the brave men of other nations, as well as to those of his own country. The orthography of proper names in this work is always that of the authors quoted, and some minor differences will therefore be easily understood.
London, June 1875.
Contents
Chapter IThe Heroes of the Arctic – Purchas, his Opinion – Britain’s place in Arctic Discovery – Early History – The Phoenicians and the Carthaginians – Did they Discover America? – The Voyages of two Junks across the Pacific 1
Chapter II
The Scandinavians early Rulers of the Sea – Discovery of Iceland – Flokko’s Raven – Discovery of Greenland – Early American Settlers – Voyages of the Zeni – A Romance of the Early Days – Northern Voyages of Columbus 8
Chapter III
The Cabotian Period – North-West Passages – Discovery of Canada – Unflattering Origin of the Name – Gomez and his Friend’s Mistake – The First Advocate of Polar Exploration – Voyages of the Trinitie and Minion – First Intercourse with Russia – Burrowe – Sir Martin Frobisher – Sir Humphrey Gilbert – John Davis 18
Chapter IV
Willem Barents– First Voyage – Antipathy of Bears to Dutchmen – Second Voyage – Third Voyage – Spitzbergen – Winter Quarters– Vessel abandoned –Departure in the Boats – Death of Barents – Home again– Discovery of the Barents Relics by Carlsen 28
Chapter V
Fresh North-West Passages – Weymouth – Hudson’s Four Voyages – Left to Die – Retribution – Baffin – Icebergs – Bylot and Baffin’s Voyage – Smith Sound – The Fisheries – Sea-horse Hunting 40
Chapter VI
Jens Munk – An Unlucky Voyage – Mortification and Death– The North-West Foxe – Origin of the Hudson’s Bay Company – Unfortunate Voyages – Knight’s Expedition – Starvation – The Two Survivors – Hopeless Abandonment – Dobbs and Middleton – £20,000 offered for the Discovery of a North-West Passage 53
Chapter VII
The Polar Ocean – Russian Discoveries – The Two Unconquerable Capes – Siberian Coasts – Peter the Great – Vitus Bering’s Voyages – Discovery of the Straits – Off the Aleutian Isles – Shipwreck and Scurvy – Death of Bering– The Ivory Islands – New Siberia – Wrangell’s Ice Journeys – Wrangell’s Land 65
Chapter VIII
Remarkable Break-up of Ice – The North-West Problem again – John Ross – The Croker Mountains sailed over – Avalanches of Ice – Icebergs – Parry’s First Command – Winter at Home in the Arctic – Sabine’s Experiments 73
Chapter IX
Parry’s Second Voyage – Disastrous Voyage of the Griper – A Noble Crew – Advantage of Discipline – Parry’s Fourth Winter in the Arctic – His Polar Boat Voyage – Broken Ice – Labours of Sisyphus – Return to England 85
Chapter X
Franklin’s Early Career – The Fight at Copenhagen – Explorations on the Australian Coasts – His Tutor, Flinders – Wrecked on a Reef in Torres Straits – Life on a Sand-bank – Trafalgar – Wounded at New Orleans – Commencement of his Arctic Experiences 97
Chapter XI
Franklin’s Land Journey – Hudson’s Bay Territory – Intense Cold – Effects of Freezing – Spring Musquitoes – Down the Coppermine River – Sea Travel by Canoe – Return – Terrible Sufferings of the Party – Deaths from Exhaustion –Murder of Hood – Retaliation – Home again – Second Land Journey of Franklin 104
Chapter XII
Sir John Franklin’s Last Expedition – The Last Letters – Alarm felt in England – Searching Expeditions organised – Dr. Rae’s Discoveries – The First Relics –Appeal to the Government – Noble Lady Franklin – M’Clintock’s Voyage – The Fox in the Pack – Eight Months in the Ice – Winter Searches – Hobson and M’Clintock’s Discoveries – The Wrecked Ships – Relics obtained – The Skeleton on the Beach 119
Chapter XIII
The Record at Point Victory – Its sad Story – The Abandoned Ships – Death of Franklin – Crozier’s Departure with the Crews – The Deserted Boat – The Two Skeletons – Voyage Home of the Fox 133
Chapter XIV
Kane’s Expedition – The Advance – Outfit – Visits, to Greenland Settlements – Smith Sound – In the Ice – A Close Shave – Nippings – The Glacier of Humboldt – Winter Quarters 142
Chapter XV
Return of the Exploring Party – A Fearful Story – To the Rescue – The Camp on the Ice – Gratitude – Frozen Sleep – Travel in a Dream – At the Brig again – Sickness and Suffering – Baker’s Death 157
Chapter XVI
Interview with the Esquimaux – A Treaty – Hospitality on Board the Brig – Native Astonishment – Impulsive Feeling – Greenland Gratitude 165
Chapter XVII
A Spring Journey – Fearful Effects of the Scurvy – Bears at the Pemmican – Kane’s Prostration – Five Brave Men – Return to the Brig – Schubert’s Death – Spring again 172
Chapter XVIII
Still Beset in the Ice – A Council called – Eight Men Stand by the Brig – The Deserters – Return to the Vessel – Their Sufferings – The whole Party broken down – The Dismantled Brig abandoned – Last Day on Board 181
Chapter XIX
Death of Ohlsen – A Parallel with Barents – Terrific Gale – Grinding, Piling Ice – Safe on the Ice-cliff – Start again – Killing a Seal – Ravenous Appetites – Safe Return to the Settlements 187
Chapter XX
Hayes’ Attempt to Reach Upernavik – Dangers of the Route – Six Miles in Three Days – Severe Storms – A Hut Constructed – Visits of the Esquimaux – Treacherous Intents of the Natives – A desperate Ruse – A Narcotic Stew – Flight and Pursuit – The Brig reached at last 196
Chapter XXI
Hayes’ Polar Expedition – The Schooner United States – Port Foulke – A Difficult Journey – Objects of the Exploration – Morton’s furthest Point excelled – Another Glimpse at the open Polar Sea – Rotten Ice – View from a Headland – Return to the Schooner 204
Chapter XXII
M’Clure and the North-West Passage – The Fate of Bellot – Expeditions to the East Coast of Greenland – Impenetrable Ice – Voyages of the Erik 214
Chapter XXIII
Swedish Expeditions – Scientific Result – Voyage of 1868 – Among the Ice – High Latitude attained– The Sofia dashed on an Ice-block – All Hands to the Pumps – The Leak stopped – The Ship’s Ribs broken – Return to Norway 220
Chapter XXIV
Dr. Petermann’s Efforts in the cause of Geographical Science – Koldewey’s First Expedition – Enormous Icebergs – The Second German Expedition – Building of the Germania – The Scientific Corps – Departure from Bremerhaven – The Two Vessels separated among the Grinding Ice – The Hansa lifted bodily out of the Water – Wreck of the Hansa – Life on a Drifting Floe 226
Chapter XXV
Philosophical Resignation – Christmas on the Drifting Ice-field – Fearful Storms – The Floe diminishing in Area – Their House ruined – The Spectre Iceberg– Drifted 1,100 Miles on the Ice-raft – An Island reached – Welcome at Friedrikstahl – Voyage of the Germania – Winter Quarters – Christmas on Board – Adventure with a Bear – Discovery of Coal 237
Chapter XXVI
Hall’s Life among the Esquimaux – The Polaris Expedition – Highest Latitude yet attained – Death of Hall – The Party divided – Nineteen Souls adrift on a Floe – Rescued at last – The Steamer abandoned – Smith Sound and the present Expedition 246
Chapter XXVII
The Austro-Hungarian Expedition – The Tegethoff beset in the Ice for Two Years – In great danger – A New Land discovered – The Torments of Tantalus – Sledge Expeditions – Description of Franz Josef Land – The Steamer abandoned – Long Boat Journey 252
Chapter XXVIII
Explorations of the Glaciers of Greenland – Difficulties of Spring Travelling – Canine Perversity – The Russian-American Telegraph Expedition – Northernmost America and Asia – Bush’s Remarkable Journey – Siberia and Kamchatka – The Great Yukon – Exploration of Alaska 260
Chapter XXIX
Discovery of the North Pole claimed by an English Sailor – A Survivor of the Franklin Expedition – Journey to the Pole – A Warm and Fertile Region – Fields and Villages – Domesticated Walrus – Query, a canard 276
Chapter XXX
The Arctic Expedition of 1875 – The Alert and Discovery – Captain Nares’ Views – Sir Leopold M’Clintock on Sledge Travelling – Improvements adopted – Lady Franklin’s Letter – Allan Young’s Expedition – Voyage of the Pandora – Closing Remarks – True Heroism – Our Heroes 285