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Home , Crozier (crater), Elisha Kent Kane, Felix Booth, Fox (ship), Francis Crozier, George Back

Echoes in the Ice Finding ’s Ship A co-production of Gone West Productions and the Science and Technology Museum

Echoes in the Ice is unique. For the first time, visual artist and documentary film director Rik van Glintenkamp has used the art of collage to trace historic polar events. The exploration of the and the and their history and ecology are told through portraits, profiles and personal effects of the heroic explorers as they created Arctic history. These divergent elements are presented in visually dynamic ways. The technique is similar to the concept of interrelated Web sites. Van Glintenkamp combined the portraits with reproductions of historic diaries, letters, maps, charts, drawings and photographs to create a multi-faceted impression of each explorer. They take the viewer on a visual journey across 400 years of Arctic history and the Northwest Passage, from explorer to explorer .

Lois Steinhardt Exhibition Curator

1

MARTIN FROBISHER #1: The Queen’s Pirate

Sir Martin Frobisher (1535–1594) British, pirate, , Arctic explorer

Martin Frobisher took up sailing at the age of 19 and became a successful pirate. His exploits were a hindrance to the negotiations of with Spain. She finally used his rogue abilities in the British Navy.

In 1576, Frobisher set out to find a northern passage to China. Maps at that time were vague and incomplete. When he reached two large bodies of land, he thought the northern one must be Asia; the southern one, America. What he found was a 241-kilometre (150-mile) bay running into , in what is now called . kidnapped five of his crew. Frobisher grabbed some mineral samples and sailed for home.

Back in , one of his samples looked like it might contain gold. Greedy merchants sent Frobisher back to the Arctic. This time, he returned with 203 tonnes (200 tons) of ore that proved worthless. Frobisher realized he had found an , not China. He refused to make another voyage to the Arctic.

In a time of great maritime enterprise, Frobisher’s adventures, regardless of his motives, brought England into a long period of exploration and .

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MARTIN FROBISHER #1: The Queen’s Pirate

KEY: (clockwise from upper left) Portrait of Inuit woman and child by John White Portrait of Martin Frobisher by the artist Phillip II, King of Spain, artist unknown Elizabeth I, Queen of England, artist unknown Classic image of a pirate Title page of a contemporary published account of Martin Frobisher’s voyages , navigator, scholar and mystic. Artist unknown. Dee taught Frobisher navigation before his first Arctic journey. Illustration of Frobisher’s ships on the way to the Arctic, artist unknown

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DR. JOHN DEE: The First 007

Dr. John Dee (1527–1609) British, mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, alchemist, occultist, spy

John Dee straddled the worlds of science and magic just as they were becoming distinct fields. One of the most learned men of his age, Dee was an ardent promoter of mathematics, a respected astronomer and a leading expert in navigation of the little-known world. In one of several papers he wrote in the 1580s encouraging expeditions to search for the Northwest Passage, he coined the term “British Empire.”

He also trained many of those who would lead England’s voyages of discovery. When Elizabeth I selected the pirate Martin Frobisher to explore the Arctic and the Northwest Passage, she placed him in Dee’s hands for training in navigation.

Eventually, Dee became court astrologer and spy for Elizabeth I. As an agent of the Crown, he conducted secret missions against Spain. He relished his espionage duties, creating elaborate, sophisticated and secret ciphers. In his correspondence with the Queen, he signed his communiqués 007. The double 0s represented Dee’s eyes. Author Ian would later assign the number to his famous fictional spy James Bond.

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DR. JOHN DEE: The First 007

KEY: (clockwise from upper right) Chart used by Martin Frobisher when he crossed the North Atlantic Ocean Frobisher’s ship Gabriel Sean Connery as agent 007 Painting of John Dee demonstrating alchemy for Elizabeth I Dee’s crystal ball Vintage portrait of Dee Drawing of the 007 sign by Dee Vintage portrait of Frobisher Photographic portrait of Ian Fleming, creator of the fictional 007

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CAPTAIN : Likes To Talk About Longitude

James Cook (1728–1779) British, explorer, officer, navigator, cartographer

Captain is credited with discovering and mapping vast tracts of coastline and remote islands from to .

In Cook’s time, determining longitude was vital in creating accurate maps and locating the position of a vessel at sea. During his first voyage, Cook relied on his superior navigational skills to make precise longitudinal measures. During his second voyage of discovery to the South Seas and Circle, he tested the accuracy of newly invented chronometers in determining longitude.

Cook was called out of retirement to lead his third and final voyage – with a secret purpose of finding the Northwest Passage. Success in such a goal would establish Cook as more of a legend than he already was and would make his fortune. While he did not reach his goal, Captain Cook’s earlier achievements remain legendary.

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CAPTAIN COOK: Likes To Talk About Longitude

KEY: (clockwise from left) Vintage portrait of William Wales, the astronomer aboard Cook’s ship the HMS Resolution Map of Antarctica as it was known in the 1700s, in front of Wales Small vintage portrait of Leonhard , one of the outstanding mathematicians of the 1700s. His pioneering work helped seamen make lunar distances a viable method of finding longitude at sea. Vintage engraving of Captain James Cook by John Webber Painting of the Resolution’s crew by John Webber, 1784 (centre) Detail of a painting of John Harrison by Thomas King, 1766. His hand is holding an early pocket watch. Harrison invented the chronometer – a clock that told perfect time at sea.

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JOHN ROSS: His Artistic Side

Sir John Ross (1777–1856) British, Arctic explorer, artist, writer

Due to space restrictions aboard ships in the nineteenth century, many officers doubled as sketch artists. Until photography was used, their sketches were later developed into engravings, creating visual records of the expeditions. John Ross, for example, painted and sketched on his voyages to the Arctic.

Ross went to sea at the age of nine. In 1818, he received the command of an Arctic expedition organized by the British Admiralty, the first of a new series of attempts to solve the question of a Northwest Passage to the Orient.

In 1829, Ross convinced his friend Sir Felix Booth (of Booth’s Gin) to finance a second expedition. He left on the Victory, a side-wheel steamship. Ross sailed past to a previously unexplored area, where his ship became beset with ice. While the expedition was stranded for four years, they explored the regions to the west and north, with the help of local Inuit. On one of these explorations, Ross and his nephew James Ross reached the magnetic .

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JOHN ROSS: His Artistic Side

KEY: (left to right) Portrait of Sir James Saumarez, first Baron de Saumarez (1757–1836). He was an Admiral of the Royal Navy, notable for his victory at the Battle of Algeciras Bay. Ross assisted Saumarez in writing his memoirs. Portrait of Sir John Ross, circa 1830, artist unknown First Communication with the natives of Bothea Felix by John Ross, about Ross’ first encounter with Inuit Detail of an engraving from a sketch of crewmen in a boat encountering ice, by John Ross (background) Satellite images representing the continuous aurora distribution above Canada’s Arctic. Trond S. Trondsen took the images constituting this mosaic with the Canadian UV Auroral Imager on board the Swedish FREJA satellite for the University of Calgary’s Institute for Space Research.

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WILLIAM EDWARD PARRY

Sir (1790–1855) British, Arctic explorer, rear admiral

Parry entered the navy at the age of 13. He made his first voyage to the Arctic in 1818 to search for the Northwest Passage, under .

He was later put in command of an expedition (1819–1820) to again search for the Northwest Passage. As he sailed westward, he named Melville Island and , among other places.

Parry made two other unsuccessful attempts to find the Northwest Passage (1821–1823, 1824–1825). By discovering the entrance to the Passage and the way to the , Parry also found important whaling grounds.

In 1827, he attempted to reach the North Pole by sledge from (now part of Norway), attaining latitude 82°45 N. He was forced to turn back due to the fatigue of the exploring party.

The crater Parry on the was named after him, as was Parry Sound, , Canada.

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WILLIAM EDWARD PARRY

KEY: (clockwise from top left) Portrait of Sir William Parry by the artist, 2009 Painting of members of the Arctic council by . The council was a group of British Arctic explorers convened to plan how to find the Franklin expedition. Engraving of the HMS Hecla and Griper in winter quarters at Melville Island, 1821 Portrait of George Lyon by the artist, 2008. Lyon served under Parry as commander of the Hecla. Drawing of an Inuit man and woman waiting to kill a walrus through holes in the ice, by George Lyon for Parry’s journal, 1824 (centre) Portrait of John Barrow by John Jackson, 1810. Barrow was second secretary of the British Admiralty and was convinced that a Northwest Passage existed. Finding it was his obsession.

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WILLIAM F. BEECHEY: Sketches on the Ice

Frederick William Beechey (1796–1856) British, Arctic explorer, naval officer, artist, hydrographer, author

Frederick Beechey came from an artistic family. He apparently had no formal schooling, but he probably received some artistic training from his family. At the age of 10, he entered the Royal Navy. In 1818, Beechey was appointed second-in-command and chief draftsman to the brig HMS Trent, commanded by .

In 1825, Beechey was made commander of the sloop HMS Blossom and instructed by the Admiralty to explore the uncharted areas of the Pacific Ocean. He was then ordered to pass through the to attempt to make contact with either an overland expedition from the led by Franklin or a naval expedition from led by William Parry. During the summer of 1826, an advance party from the Blossom reached as far east as , , but it did not meet either expedition. After wintering in the Pacific, Beechey once more headed north to the Bering Strait but again failed to rendezvous with either Franklin or Parry.

In 1847, Beechey was named to the Arctic council, an informal body of experienced navigators assembled to advise the Admiralty in the search for Franklin, lost in the Arctic since 1845.

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WILLIAM F. BEECHEY: Sketches on the Ice

KEY: (left to right) Sketch by Beechey of a sledge being pulled, Hecla and Griper expedition, 1819 Sketch of a dead by Beechey, Hecla and Griper expedition, 1819 Sketch of the sloop Blossom by George Lyon Portrait of Beechey by Stephen Pearce Photographic portrait of Beechey in later life Sketch of the Winter Harbour by Beechey, Hecla and Griper expedition, 1819 Sketch of the HMS Hecla in Winter Harbour by Beechey, Hecla and Griper expedition, 1819 Photograph of , named by William Parry for Beechey

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GEORGE BACK: Artist of the Arctic

Sir (1796–1878) British, naval officer, explorer of the Arctic, artist

At the age of 12, George Back went to sea as a volunteer. He was captured during the British war with France and remained a prisoner until the peace of 1814. During his captivity, Back practiced his skills as an artist, which he later put to use in making images of mood, natural beauty and an accurate depiction of his travels in the Arctic.

Following his release, he served under John Franklin in his first expedition to the Arctic in 1818. Back also served under Franklin in his two overland expeditions to survey the northern coast of , in 1819–1822 and 1824–1826. Back led his own expedition in 1834 to complete the survey and explore what was later known as the , in .

In 1836, Back was promoted to captain and given command of HMS Terror for an expedition to the northern part of . was beset with ice for 10 months. In the spring of 1837, an encounter with an iceberg further damaged the ship, which was in a sinking condition by the time Back was able to beach the ship on the coast of . The Terror would become one of the two ships comprising the lost Franklin expedition.

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GEORGE BACK: Artist of the Arctic

KEY: (top to bottom) Portrait of George Back, engraving after Richard Woodman Portrait of John Franklin superimposed on Back’s head Drawings of two Inuit by George Back, July 28, 1834 Setting out on Point Lake – watercolour by George Back, June 25, 1821 Expedition Doubling Cape Barrow – watercolour by George Back, July 25, 1821 The Crew of HMS Terror Saving the Boats and Provisions on the Night of 15th March 1837 – engraving from a sketch by George Back

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JOHN FRANKLIN: The Search Continues

Sir John Franklin (1786–1847) British, Royal Navy, Arctic explorer, Governor of

John Franklin joined the navy at the age of 15. Although he took part in the great sea , he is best remembered for his exploration of the Arctic. In search of a Northwest Passage to the Orient, he made maps of more than 4828 kilometres (3000 miles) of the coastline of northern Canada.

Franklin made four journeys to the Arctic. On his second journey (1819–1822), the party ran out of food and was forced to eat the leather parts of their clothes. When Franklin returned to England, the public was thrilled by the stories of the terrible journey, and he became a national hero.

In 1845, the 59-year-old Franklin led his final expedition to the Arctic to search for the Northwest Passage. He had been retired from for 20 years, but with his vast experience, he was believed to be best person for the job. By 1847, nothing was heard from Franklin or his crew. Rescue parties were sent to the Arctic. Over forty expeditions tried to find Franklin – all without success – until 2014!

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JOHN FRANKLIN: The Search Continues

KEY: (clockwise from upper right) A nineteenth-century illustration of a rescue party finding some remains of the Franklin expedition Painting of the members of the Arctic council, which was composed of leaders of Arctic expeditions. They convened to advise on the best way to find John Franklin. Portrait of Lady in 1816. She was the inspiration for some 39 expeditions launched in search of her husband, Sir John Franklin. She financed four of them between 1850 and 1857. Portrait of Sir John Franklin in 1825 at the time of his second expedition, which set out from the Mackenzie River toward Beechey Point, Alaska. Vintage engraving of some of the remains of the Franklin expedition found by search parties Illustration of the HMS Assistance and Pioneer as part of ’s five-ship Arctic squadron in search of John Franklin, 1855 Sketch of a skeleton from the Franklin expedition, indicating cut marks suggesting cannibalism, 1993 Sketch of the Franklin expedition’s three graves at Beechey Island, by Sketch of winter dress for officers and men, 1855 Photograph of cans that contained tainted food Photograph of an exhumed Franklin crew member on Beechey Island, 1984 Portrait of Sir John Barrow (1764–1848) by John Jackson, 1831. Appointed second secretary of the Admiralty, Barrow was in charge of promoting and assigning England’s voyages of discovery to the Arctic. Reward poster for finding the Franklin expedition (centre, left to right) The North-West Passage – “It might be done, and England should do it” marked the subject of the painting by John Millais, 1874. The old sea captain shares with his daughter his chart, journal and memories of his Arctic voyages. The painting sums up the mood of nostalgia and aspiration with which the public identified. A photograph of a can of food tainted with lead solder

17 LADY JANE FRANKLIN

Lady Jane Franklin (1791–1875) British, world traveller, Tasmanian pioneer, rescue sponsor

Jane Franklin was the greatest woman traveller of her time. She rode a donkey into Nazareth, sailed up the Nile in a rat-infested boat, climbed mountains in Africa and, wearing petticoats, beat her way through the Tasmanian bush. She circumnavigated the world, capturing her experiences in voluminous diaries that provide a unique window to the British Empire of the nineteenth century.

A woman of idealism and great mental activity, Franklin was determined to assist in the creation of an infant nation (Tasmania), rather than play the traditionally passive role of governor's wife.

When her husband, Sir John Franklin, disappeared in the Arctic in 1845 in an attempt to discover the final link in the Northwest Passage, she spearheaded an unprecedented 12-year search. Though she failed to find her husband, her efforts contributed more to the discovery and knowledge of the northern region than any individual explorer. Lady Franklin turned failure into triumph by creating a legend that survives to this day.

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LADY JANE FRANKLIN

KEY: (clockwise from top left) Portrait of , an American shipping magnate. He became an effective champion in the of Jane Franklin’s search for John Franklin. Portrait of Lady Jane Franklin by the artist Portrait of Joseph René . Commander of Jane Franklin’s steam schooner , he was also her confidant. At the age of 25, he became her “surrogate son.” The Dolphin squeezed by ice – engraving from the Franklin expedition, 1828 Vintage portrait of Jane Franklin’s husband, Sir John Franklin Portrait of Sir John Richardson. He was second-in-command of two Franklin overland expeditions (1819 and 1825). Later he assisted Jane Franklin in her efforts to make John Franklin the “Discoverer of the Northwest Passage.” Painting of the HMS Assistance in the ice during a search for the Franklin expedition, 1850–1851 Muster book of the Erebus, one of the last communiqués from the Franklin expedition before its disappearance Painting of the Erebus beset with ice by William H. Smyth

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JAMES CLARK ROSS: Breaks His Prenuptial Agreement

Sir James Clark Ross (1800–1862) British, Arctic and Antarctic explorer, naval officer

James Clark Ross was appointed to lead an expedition to Antarctica (1839–1843). His ships were the HMS Erebus and Terror. He discovered the and followed the for hundreds of kilometres. He returned home to great acclaim and a knighthood.

A year later, he married Ann Coulman. One of the conditions set forth by the bride’s father was that Ross never venture to the polar regions again.

In 1845, his friend John Franklin sailed for the Arctic in Ross’ Antarctic ships, Erebus and Terror. None of the 129 men aboard came back alive. In 1847, a massive search and rescue was organized to hunt for Franklin and the two ships. When all hope was lost, Lady Jane Franklin persisted in her efforts to find her husband. She appealed to Ross to aid in the search and beseeched Lady Ann Ross to let her husband go, as he was the man most likely to succeed.

Ross obtained consent from his wife and father-in-law to break his prenuptial vow, returned to Arctic waters and looked for Franklin. He failed.

20 JAMES CLARK ROSS: Breaks His Prenuptial Agreement

KEY: (clockwise from upper right) Portrait of Lady Ann Ross by Emelie Romilly, 1816 Wooden grave sites mark the first fatalities of the Franklin expedition Three photographs of Ross’ house in Blackheath, taken by the artist, 1999 Portrait sketch of James Clark Ross by the artist, 1991 British flag, circa 1815 (background) Detail of Ross’ map showing the discoveries and track of the Erebus and Terror in Antarctic waters, 1840–1843 (centre) Portrait of Sir John Franklin from a nineteenth-century engraving Portrait of Ross in later years

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JAMES CLARK ROSS: The Night of Erebus and Terror Sir James Clark Ross (1800–1862) British, Arctic and Antarctic explorer, naval officer

In Antarctica on the night of March 12, 1842, James Clark Ross found massive icebergs, frigid high seas and darkness:

“. . . the ships, hanging together, entangled by their rigging, and dashing against each other with fearful violence, were falling down upon the weather-face of the lofty berg . . . .”

Ross had joined the Royal Navy at the age of 12. He accompanied his uncle John Ross to Arctic waters as a teenager. He studied Inuit life on several voyages. On an expedition with his uncle in 1831, he was first to stand at the north magnetic pole.

From 1839 to 1843, Ross led a voyage of discovery south to the Antarctic. His ships, re-fitted to withstand the pressure of the ice, were two “bomb boats” named HMS Erebus and Terror. The boats brought Ross his greatest polar success.

John Franklin later sailed in the Erebus and Terror on his expedition to find the Northwest Passage and vanished in Arctic waters.

KEY: (left to right) Photograph of icebergs off the Antarctic Peninsula by the artist, December 28, 1996 Detail of a portrait of James Clark Ross by John R. Wildman Painting of the Erebus and Terror on the night of March 12, 1842, by John Edward Davis

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FRANCIS CROZIER: The Man in Terror

Francis Crozier (1796–1848?) Irish, Royal Navy captain, scientist, Arctic and Antarctic explorer

In a naval career that spanned 40 years, Francis Crozier was involved with three great endeavours of nineteenth-century exploration: searching for the Northwest Passage, attempting to reach the North Pole and mapping the continent of Antarctica. His expeditions opened the door to later explorers, such as , and Roald Amundsen.

He travelled on six historic voyages of discovery to the top and bottom of the world. On his voyages to Antarctica with James Clark Ross, he commanded the HMS Terror, one of the two ships. It was in the Terror, while later serving as second-in-command to John Franklin, that Crozier vanished in the vast Arctic. It is believed that he was the last to perish after the crew abandoned the ice-locked Terror.

24 FRANCIS CROZIER: The Man in Terror

KEY: (clockwise from top left) Detail of a portrait of James Clark Ross by John R. Wildman. Ross was Crozier’s commander and lifelong friend. Ross was the British navy’s most experienced explorer, making nine expeditions to the polar ice, north and south. Vintage engraving of Sir John Franklin, leader of Crozier’s last expedition in the Terror Starvation Cove – detail of the painting by Arctic explorer . Crozier is shown at the bow of the boat, preparing to shoot a polar bear for food. The remainder of the crew of the Terror are near death. The painting led to the belief that Crozier was one of the last to perish. Detail of a portrait of Sir William Parry, who introduced Crozier to Arctic exploration. Crozier and Parry made three expeditions together. Vintage engraving of Francis Crozier Painting of the dramatic collision of the HMS Erebus (Ross’ ship) and Terror (Crozier’s ship) in the Antarctic Ocean, March 13, 1842

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Dr. JOHN RICHARDSON

Dr. John Richardson (1787–1865) Scottish, doctor, Arctic explorer, naturalist, rear admiral, geologist, ornithologist, man of science

John Richardson was foremost among a special breed of men, the surgeon-naturalists, one of whom accompanied every exploration party sent out by England during the nineteenth century. In addition to performing medical duties, the surgeon-naturalist was expected to identify and collect specimens of plants, animals and rocks.

Richardson had an impressive triple-life as a physician, Arctic explorer and naturalist. Only three years after completing his doctorate in medicine, he was assigned as physician and naturalist to the first John Franklin expedition (1819–1822). For the next three years, he made his way over more than 8000 kilometres (5000 miles) of Canadian Arctic terrain, amid great hardships.

His second expedition under Franklin (1825–1827) was completed with greater success. On returning to England, Richardson settled into life as a medical administrator and served as a mentor and advisor to many younger naturalists, including Charles .

In 1847, the Franklin expedition disappeared in the Arctic, and Richardson, at the age of 60, attempted a rescue mission with .

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Dr. JOHN RICHARDSON

KEY: (left to right) Portrait of Gwich’in warrior by Alexander Hunter Murray, 1845. The Gwich’in are a group of Athapaskan-speaking Indians living in northeastern Alaska and extending eastward across the Mackenzie River in Canada. “Crossing ” from John Franklin, Narrative of a Journey, 1823 Portrait of Dr. John Richardson Sketch of fossilized coal from Richardson’s journal Sketch of a small Eskimo dog from Richardson’s journal Portrait of John Rae by Stephen Pearce, 1853 Drawing of a floor plan of connected igloos by Richardson Sketch of an Arctic tern from Richardson’s journal. The Arctic tern is the only bird that migrates from pole to pole.

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Dr. Rae vs Mr. Dickens

Dr. John Rae (1813–1893) Scottish, Arctic explorer, surveyor, surgeon for Hudson’s Bay Company

During the early , John Rae led four major Arctic expeditions covering more than 37 000 kilometres (23 000 miles).

Rae solved two great mysteries of nineteenth-century Arctic exploration. The Scottish-born explorer discovered the final leg of the legendary Northwest Passage and revealed the horrifying fate of an expedition led by Sir John Franklin. However, Rae was denied official recognition for his achievement and vilified for telling the truth that sailors in the Royal Navy's ill-fated Franklin expedition had resorted to cannibalism.

Victorian society was outraged at Rae’s discovery. Lady Jane Franklin set out to destroy Rae's name and elicited the support of friend and novelist , who castigated the surgeon/explorer for daring to suggest that British naval officers would resort to such a practice. Despite his writings, Dickens was an ardent imperialist and was vicious in his attacks on Rae and Inuit who had provided accounts of the tragedy. Though cut marks on the sailors’ bones showed otherwise, Rae’s ineloquence was no match for the words of Dickens backed by Jane Franklin.

28 Dr. Rae vs Mr. Dickens

KEY: (clockwise from top) Photograph of the frozen mummified mouth of John Torrington, who died January 1, 1846, at the age of 20. Torrington was a crew member on the Terror, one of two ships of the Franklin expedition. His grave was unearthed in 1984. Portrait of Lady Jane Franklin Caricature of Charles Dickens Photograph of Dr. John Rae Portrait of Lady Franklin by Emelie Romilly, circa 1814 Caricature of Sir John Franklin Engraving of icebergs in

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LEOPOLD McCLINTOCK; #2

Sir Francis Leopold McClintock (1819–1907) Irish, British naval officer, Arctic explorer

Leopold McClintock was the best-known Arctic explorer of the . He undertook four major voyages, made epic sledge journeys and was first to find definitive information on the fate of the lost John Franklin party.

He enlisted in the Royal Navy in 1831, when he was not yet 12 years old. He began exploration in 1848 on the HMS Enterprise expedition to the Arctic with James Clark Ross, the first in search of Franklin.

As a first lieutenant on the HMS Assistance and Resolute expeditions, he made epic sledge journeys and over-wintered twice.

At the request of Jane Franklin, he commanded the in 1857 to search for the Franklin expedition. By 1859, he had found written records and human remains on , after Inuit told him of a shipwreck and survivors.

In 1859, he sailed home with the news that all members of the Franklin expedition had perished.

KEY: (left to right) Portrait of Leopold McClintock by Stephen Pearce Photograph of a frozen corpse from the missing Franklin expedition Portrait of McClintock in field gear by Stephen Pearce Engraving of the Fox beset with ice Pocket chronometer, a relic of the Franklin expedition, found by the McClintock search expedition, 1859

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ROALD AMUNDSEN: If the Ice Vanished

Roald Amundsen (1872–1928) Norwegian, Arctic and Antarctic explorer

The Northwest Passage was not completely conquered by sea until 1905 with the voyage of the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. As a young man, his inspiration had been John Franklin’s Arctic voyages in search of the Passage. Amundsen had sailed north just in time to escape the creditors who wanted to stop his expedition. Contrary to Arctic techniques of the time, he used a small crew and a herring boat – a small vessel outfitted for their needs. He completed the voyage in three years. At the end of the trip, Amundsen walked into the city of Eagle, Alaska, and sent a telegram to his creditors announcing his success.

Although his east-to-west route via the contained young ice and thus was navigable in a lightweight vessel, some of the waterways were extremely shallow, making the route at times impractical. Due to climate change, it will be a matter of a few decades before the ice has vanished from the Northwest Passage – something Amundsen could not have imagined.

KEY: (clockwise from right) Photograph of Roald Amundsen, the first to reach the , December 14, 1911 Photograph of the Amundsen expedition on the Antarctic ice (centre) Photographic portrait of Roald Amundsen at the time of his for the Northwest Passage

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