Resolute by Martin W. Sandler Read Free Book Online Page B

to see that the so-called Croker Mountains really existed and particularly for abandoning the entire expedition so prematurely.
    He was not alone in his criticism. Ross was lampooned throughout Great Britain, especially in the press. How, the newspapers decried, could such an opportunity be missed because of what so many of the officers and men on the
Isabella
and
Alexander
felt certain was a mirage? Try as he did to justify his actions, John Ross would never regain the confidence of Barrow and the Admiralty.

CHAPTER 3.
The Man Who Ate His Boots
    Here it is
The ragged coast—the coast that no one knows.
How far the lands march inland?
No one knows.
— STEVEN VINCENT BENÉT ,
Western Star
, 1943
    T HE POLE had not been reached; the passage had not been found. But John Barrow was not to be deterred. If anything, he was more determined than ever that England stake its claim to the Arctic. Every day lost meant another day when a Russian or an American might claim the prize. It was May 1819, little more than six months after Buchan and Ross had returned home, and Barrow had already organized two more expeditions and was ready to send them out.
    One of these ventures, Barrow believed, was practically risk-free. It involved no ships, a small contingent of men, and minimum expense. It was to be an overland surveying expedition, aimed at exploring and mapping an area of the Arctic Coast that, once known, might well lead to more important discoveries. Perhaps most important to Barrow, the expedition would further establish the British presence in the Arctic.
    Barrow’s choice to lead the surveying party was, to many in the navy and the Admiralty, most surprising. He chose John Franklin, a man who had never participated in, let alone led, an overland trek through the wilderness. He had absolutely no knowledge of hiking, canoeing, or hunting. Moreover, at the age of thirty-three, he was overweight and had a circulation problem that affected his fingers and toes even in the warmest weather.
    On the other hand, Franklin had an admirable war record, had taken part in the first circumnavigation and charting of Australia, and had, Barrow hoped, gained valuable Arctic experience the previous year during the search for the Pole. Probably the most important reasons that he was chosen were that he was brave, charming, totally committed to whatever orders he was given, and came from a well-known and highly respected family—all qualities that ranked high with Barrow.
    The men selected to accompany Franklin included Dr. John Richardson, a multitalented Scotsman who was both a physician and a naturalist. Richardson had been a surgeon in the Royal Marines and had been cited for bravery while taking part in several campaigns. A mild-mannered man whose most striking physical characteristics were his broad and high cheekbones, Richardson was endowed with an enormous amount of energy. He could read both Greek and Latin, and aside from medicine, his scientific interests included botany, geology, and natural history. In signing on as the expedition’s naturalist, he left no doubt as to why he was happy to accept the assignment: “If I succeed in making a good collection,” he stated, “I have no doubt of promotion on my return.” As events would unfold, Richardson would not only earn his promotion, but would eventually become known for having conducted more reliable surveys of the Canadian Arctic than any other explorer.
    Midshipman George Back, who had served as artist on Franklin’s search for the Pole, was named to fill that post on this new expedition. Back had joined the Royal Navy at thirteen and only a year later, while participating in a raid on French shore batteries, had been captured and marched across France to a prison camp at Verdun where he remained for almost five years. Finally released, he rejoined the fleet and received his first assignment to serve with Franklin. Back was a highly talented