The truth about what happened on Sir John Franklin's ill-fated Arctic expedition of 1845-48 has been shrouded in mystery for 165 years. Carrying the best equipment that the science and technology, Franklin and his men set out to "penetrate the icy fastness of the north, and to circumnavigate America." The expedition's two ships-HMS Erebus and HMS Terror-carrying 129 officers and men, disappeared without a trace. From 1846 to 1880 more than 20 major rescue parties were involved in the search for the missing men and ships. ...
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The truth about what happened on Sir John Franklin's ill-fated Arctic expedition of 1845-48 has been shrouded in mystery for 165 years. Carrying the best equipment that the science and technology, Franklin and his men set out to "penetrate the icy fastness of the north, and to circumnavigate America." The expedition's two ships-HMS Erebus and HMS Terror-carrying 129 officers and men, disappeared without a trace. From 1846 to 1880 more than 20 major rescue parties were involved in the search for the missing men and ships. The disappearance of the expedition and absence of any substantial written accounts of the journey have left attempts at a reconstruction of events sketchy and inconclusive. In Frozen in Time, forensic anthropologist Owen Beattie and historian John Geiger tell the dramatic story of the excavation of three sailors from the Franklin Expeditions, buried for 138 years on the lonely headland of Beechey Island. This book contains the astonishing photographic record of the excavation, together with the maps and illustrations that accompany this riveting account of Franklin's fatal adventure. The unfolding of Dr. Beattie's unexpected findings is not only a significant document but also, in itself, a tale of high adventure.
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After reading "The Terror", a fictional book by Dan Simmons in which he takes the historical account of the Franklin expedition and adds his own unique touch of supernatural horror, I became intrigued by the story of the fated Franklin explorers. The incredible amount of suffering and agony these men must have endured is heart-wrenching, and I wanted to understand more about what we know now about this fateful story. I felt in a way that by reading about all these researchers had managed to uncover about this expedition I could somehow pay homage to what these sailors suffered in the name of exploration. The book is wonderfully detailed and the descriptions fascinating. It's also show the difference all these years make in our scientific and technological ability. Definitely worth the read.
