The Spectral Arctic

SHANE MCCORRISTINE THE SPECTRAL ARCTIC A HISTORY OF DREAMS & GHOSTS IN POLAR EXPLORATION The Spectral Arctic The Spectral Arctic A History of Dreams and Ghosts in Polar Exploration Shane McCorristine First published in 2018 by UCL Press University College London Gower Street London WC1E 6BT Available to download free: www.ucl.ac.uk/ ucl- press Text © Shane McCorristine, 2018 Images © Copyright holders named in captions, 2018 Shane McCorristine has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as author of this work. A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from The British Library. This book is published under a Creative Commons Attribution Non- commercial Non- derivative 4.0 International license (CC BY- NC- ND 4.0). This license allows you to share, copy, distribute and transmit the work for personal and non-commercial use providing author and publisher attribution is clearly stated. Attribution should include the following information: McCorristine, S. 2018. The Spectral Arctic: A History of Dreams and Ghosts in Polar Exploration. London: UCL Press. DOI: https:// doi.org/ 10.14324/ 111.9781787352452 Further details about Creative Commons licenses are available at http:// creativecommons.org/ licenses/ ISBN: 978– 1– 78735– 247– 6 (Hbk.) ISBN: 978– 1– 78735– 246– 9 (Pbk.) ISBN: 978– 1– 78735– 245– 2 (PDF) ISBN: 978– 1– 78735– 248– 3 (epub) ISBN: 978– 1– 78735– 249– 0 (mobi) ISBN: 978– 1– 78735– 250– 6 (html) DOI: https:// doi.org/ 10.14324/ 111.9781787352452 Epigraphs There can be no question that in the frozen wastes and snowy wildernesses lurks a powerful fascination, which proves almost irresistible to the adventurous spirit. He who has once entered the Arctic World, however great his sufferings, is restless until he returns to it. Whether the spell lies in the weird magnificence of the scenery, in the splendours of the heavens, in the mystery which still hovers over those far- off seas of ice and remote bays, or in the excitement of a continual struggle with the forces of Nature, or whether all these influences are at work, we cannot stop to inquire. But it seems to us certain that the Arctic World has a romance and an attraction about it, which are far more powerful over the minds of men than the rich glowing lands of the Tropics (Adams, 1876, iii). NOT HERE! THE WHITE NORTH HAS THY BONES; AND THOU HEROIC SAILOR- SOUL ART PASSING ON THINE HAPPIER VOYAGE NOW TOWARD NO EARTHLY POLE (Tennyson’s epitaph to Franklin, Westminster Abbey) They were walking inland, walking the mainland – the nunamariq – ‘the real land’. They were a raggedy bunch and their clothing was not well made. Their skins were black and the meat above their teeth was gone; their eyes were gaunt. Were they tuurngait – spirits – or what? (Towtongie qtd. in Eber 2008, xi). v Acknowledgements Thanks to Michael Bravo for his guidance, input and friendship throughout this project; to Chris Morash for his support in Ireland; to Heather Lane, Naomi Boneham, Lucy Martin, Naomi Chapman, Kate Gilbert, Rosie Amos, Julian Dowdeswell, Bryan Lintott and the entire staff of the Scott Polar Research Institute for providing a supportive and scholarly home in Cambridge for many years; to Claire Warrior at the National Maritime Museum for her kind assistance; to Janice Cavell, Russell Potter and my anonymous reviewers for sharing their knowledge and expertise with me; to Chris Penfold at UCL Press, who was a pleasure to work with; and to my wife and family. This research was undertaken while I was a scholar at the Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society (LMU Munich), Maynooth University and the Scott Polar Research Institute. This book was made possible by an Irish Research Council CARA Marie Curie Fellowship, for which I am immensely grateful. Sections of chapter 6 appeared previously as: ‘The Spectral Presence of the Franklin Expedition in Contemporary Fiction’, in Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction, 55:4 (2014) (reprinted with the permission of Taylor & Francis Ltd, http:// www.tandfonline.com); and ‘Searching for Franklin: A Contemporary Canadian Ghost Story’, in British Journal of Canadian Studies, 26:1 (2013) (reprinted with the permission of the Licensor through PLSclear). vi Contents List of illustrations viii Introduction: Arctic dreams 1 1. Toward no earthly pole: Otherworldly quests for a Northwest Passage 19 2. Spectral geographies of the Arctic: Shamanism, reveries, wandering 52 3. Mesmerism, clairvoyance and the search for the lost Franklin expedition 79 4. Spiritual routes and revelations: The Franklin mystery renewed 139 5. Polar queens, ghosts and mummies: Women in Arctic discourses 170 6. The spectral place of the Franklin expedition in contemporary culture 201 Afterword: The discoveries of the Erebus and Terror 227 Notes 234 Bibliography 241 Index 261 vii List of illustrations Figure 0.1 ‘A Vision of Home’. Source: Richard W. Bliss. Our Lost Explorers: The Narrative of the Jeannette Expedition as Related by the Survivors, etc. Hartford, Connecticut: American Publishing Co., 1883. 3 Figure 0.2 ‘Lost on the Ice- Cap’, from a painting by Albert Operti. Source: Rudolf Kersting. The White World: Life and Adventures Within the Arctic Circle Portrayed by Famous Living Explorers. New York: Lewis, Scribner & Co., 1902. 6 Figure 0.3 ‘Map of the Diocese of Moosonee’. Source: Arthur Lewis. The Life and Work of the Rev. E.J. Peck Among the Eskimos. New York: A.C. Armstrong & Son, 1904. 7 Figure 0.4 ‘The Late Sir John Franklin’. Source: Wellcome Library, London. 10 Figure 0.5 ‘A strange animal was bounding along within a cable’s length from the ship’. Source: Jules Verne. At the North Pole; or, The Adventures of Captain Hatteras. Philadelphia: Porter & Coates, 1874. 13 Figure 1.1 Untitled Map of Arctic and Northwest Passage (1578) by George Best and James Beare. Source: Osher Collection, www.oshermaps.org/ map/ 309. 20 Figure 1.2 Mermaid sighted by Hudson’s crew at 75° 7’N. Source: Thomas A. Janvier. Henry Hudson: A Brief Statement of his Aims and Achievements. New York: Harper, 1909. 25 Figure 1.3 ‘The Dream – Midnight – Middle Watch’, by George F. MacDougall. Source: Sherard Osborn and George F. MacDougall eds. Facsimile of the Illustrated Arctic News, etc. London: Ackermann, 1852. 27 Figure 1.4 Map of the Canadian Arctic with inset. 45 viii Figure 2.1 ‘Wizard preparing for a “spirit flight” ’. Source: Knud Rasmussen. Eskimo Folk- tales. London: Gyldendal, 1921. 56 Figure 2.2 ‘Manner of Making a Resting Place on a Winter’s Night’, engraved by Edward Finden after George Back. Source: John Franklin. Narrative of a Journey to the Shores of the Polar Sea, in the Years 1819, 20, 21 and 22. London: John Murray, 1823. 67 Figure 2.3 ‘H.M. Ships Hecla & Griper in Winter Harbour’, William Westall, after William Frederick Beechey. Source: William Edward Parry. Journal of a Voyage for the Discovery of a North- West Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, etc. London: John Murray, 1821. 69 Figure 2.4 ‘Portrait of Parry, probably drawn by Toolooak’. Source: Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, with permission: SPRI 76/ 6/ 2+a (reverse). 72 Figure 2.5 ‘An Eskimaux Grave’, engraved by Edward Finden after George Lyon. Source: George Lyon. A Brief Narrative of an Unsuccessful Attempt to reach Repulse Bay: Through Sir Thomas Rowe’s ‘Welcome’ in His Majesty’s Ship Griper, in the Year 1824. London: John Murray, 1825. 74 Figure 3.1 ‘A Mesmerist using Animal Magnetism on a woman who responds with convulsions’. Source: Wellcome Library, London. 82 Figure 3.2 ‘Esquimaux Chart’. Source: Illustrated London News, October 13, 1849. 95 Figure 3.3 Jane Franklin. Source: James Parton. Daughters of Genius: A Series of Sketches, etc. Philadelphia: Hubbard Brothers, 1888. 97 Figure 3.4 Untitled (portrait of man in front of moving panorama with Arctic theme), c.1850– 7. Daguerreotype. Source: Museum purchase, Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts Tribute Fund, 1993.2. Image copyright the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. 119 Figure 4.1 William Parker Snow. Source: ‘Character Sketch: April’, The Review of Reviews, April 1893. 141 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ix newgenprepdf Figure 4.2 ‘Map of the Arctic Regions, Showing the Scene of Snow’s Vision’. Source: ‘Character Sketch: April’, The Review of Reviews, April 1893. 148 Figure 4.3 Portrait of Captain William Coppin, © National Museums NI, Collection Ulster Folk & Transport Museum. 150 Figure 4.4 Chart of Weesy’s vision by William Parker Snow. Source: John Henry Skewes. Sir John Franklin: The True Secret of the Discovery of his Fate. A ‘Revelation’. 2nd ed. London: Bemrose, 1890. 159 Figure 5.1 ‘Private Theatricals at Tavistock House – Scene from The Frozen Deep’. Source: Illustrated London News. 17 January 1857. 173 Figure 5.2 ‘A Cold Reception’ and ‘A Warm Welcome’. Source: Punch, or the London Charivari, 71 (1876). 178 Figure 5.3 Mr. Punch and the Everlasting Silence. Source: Punch, or the London Charivari, 68 (1875– 6). 179 Figure 5.4 ‘A Ballad of Sir John Franklin’, by G.H. Boker. Source: Sartain’s Union Magazine, 6 (1850). 181 Figure 5.5 ‘He was lying face downwards upon a frozen bank’, by Charles Kerr. Source: A.C. Doyle. The Captain of the Polestar and Other Tales. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1912. 191 Figure 5.6 ‘Why Arctic Explorer Peary’s Neglected Eskimo wants to shoot him’. Source: San Francisco Examiner, Magazine supplement, 9 May 1909. 200 x LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Introduction Arctic dreams In 1893, while frozen in the Arctic ice aboard his expedition ship the Fram, the Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen reflected on the environment around him: Nothing more wonderfully beautiful can exist than the Arctic night.

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