Northwest Passage
The Arctic as imagined by W. Barents in 1598
Instructions
• Check the orders from the Admiralty regarding your voyage.
• Go through the maps, to see what territory remains uncharted so you can fill it in.
• Get familiar with the ships (look at the pictures, read instructions from the Admiralty
regarding your equipment).
• Read the accounts about some of the perils you may face when venturing into the
Artic.
• Look at the crew list of the officers – think about a role, you would like to play.
HMS Terror in the Arctic
Orders from the Admiralty
By the Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
1. Her Majesty's Government having deemed it expedient that further attempt should be
made for the accomplishment of a north-west passage by sea from the Atlantic to the Pacific
Ocean, of which passage a small portion only remains to be completed, we have thought
proper to appoint you (Rear-Admiral Franklin) to the command of the expedition to be fitted
out for that service, consisting of Her Majesty's Ships "Erebus," under your command, taking
with you Her Majesty's ship "Terror," under the command of Captain Crozier.
2. On putting to sea, you are to proceed, in the first place, by such a route as from the wind
and weather, you may deem to be the most suitable for despatch, to Davis' Strait.
3. You will then proceed in the execution of your orders into Baffin's Bay, and get as soon as
possible to the western side of the Strait.
4. As, however, we have thought fit to cause each ship to be fitted with a small steam-engine
and a propeller, to be used only in pushing the ships through channels between masses of
ice… the supply of fuel to be taken in the ships is necessarily small you will use it only in
cases of difficulty.
5. Lancaster Sound, and its continuation through Barrow's Strait, having been four times
navigated without any impediment by Sir Edward Parry, will probably be found without any
obstacles from ice or islands. Proceed in a straight course to Melville Island; continue to push
to the westward and to the southward without loss of time in a course as direct towards
Bhering's Strait as the position and extent of the ice, or the existence of land, at present
unknown, may admit.
6. Should you be so fortunate as to accomplish a passage through Bhering's Strait, you are
then to proceed to the Sandwich Islands, to refit the ships and refresh the crews and you are
to lose no time in returning to England by way of Cape Horn.
7. If at any period of your voyage the season shall be so far advanced as to make it unsafe to
navigate the ships and you have to make the resolution of wintering in those regions, you are
to use your best endeavours to discover a sheltered and safe harbour, where the ships may be
placed in security for the winter.
8. In an undertaking of this description much must be always left to the discretion of the
commanding officer, and you will duly weigh how far the advantage of starting next season
from an advanced position may be counterbalanced by what may be suffered during the
winter, and by the want of such refreshment and refitting as would be afforded by your return
to England.
9. If you meet with any inhabitants, either Esquimaux or Indians, near the place where you
winter, you are to endeavour by every means in your power to cultivate a friendship with
them, by making them presents. You will, however, take care not to suffer yourself to be
surprized by them but use every precaution, and be constantly on your guard against any
hostility.
Sir John Franklin, the leader of your expedition
10. We deem it right to caution you against suffering the two vessels placed under your orders
to separate, except in the event of accident or unavoidable necessity, and we desire you to
keep up the most unreserved communications with the commander of the "Terror” Captain
Crozier.
11. The expedition has been supplied with a portable observatory to conduct magnetical and
meteorological observatories. We direct you, therefore, to place this important branch of
science under the immediate charge of Commander Fitzjames.
12. You are to make use of every means in your power to collect and preserve specimens of
animal, mineral and vegetable kingdoms, we trust that you will receive material assistance
from the officers under your command, several of whom are represented to us as well
qualified in these respects.
Given under our hands, this 5th day of May 1845.
The Map of The Arctic around 1820
JOURNAL
OF A VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY OF A
NORTH-WEST PASSAGE
FROM THE ATLANTIC TO THE PACIFIC;
PERFORMED IN THE YEARS 1819—20,
IN HIS MAJESTY'S SHIPS
HECLA AND GRIPER,
UNDER THE ORDERS OF
WILLIAM EDWARD PARRY, R.N., F.R.S,
…I always visited every part of the between-decks, accompanied by Lieut. Beechey and Mr. Edwards ; and one day in the week was appointed
for the examination of the men's shins and gums by the medical gentlemen, in order that any slight appearance of the scurvy might at once be
detected, and checked by timely and adequate means…
The Arctic regions as known to you, with uncharted territory to be explored
HMS Erebus in the ice
The plan of the ships for 1839 expedition before the steam propellers were fitted
Perils of the Arctic
On Scurvy by W. E. Parry
…I have received this morning the first unpleasant report of the scurvy having made its appearance among us : Mr. Scallon, the gunner of the Hecla, had for
some days past been complaining of pains in his legs, which Mr. Edwards at first took to be rheumatic, but which, together with the appearance of his gums,
now left no doubt of the symptoms being scorbutic…
…Every attention was paid to Mr. Scallon's case by the medical gentlemen, and all our anti-scorbutics were put in requisition for his recovery: these consisted
principally of preserved vegetable soups, lemon-juice, and sugar, pickles, preserved currants and gooseberries, and spruce-beer…
The loss of lemon-juice, of which I have before had occasion to speak, in consequence of the breaking of the bottles by frost, continued still to take place to so
great a degree, that it now became absolutely necessary to adopt some measures for providing against similar contingencies in future, and to preserve the
remainder…
On Frostbite W. E. Parry
…As we were now, however, approaching the coldest part of the season, it became more essential than ever to use the utmost caution in allowing the men to
remain for any length of time in the open air, on account of the injury to their general health, which was likely to result from the inactivity requisite to the cure
of some of the most trifling frost-bites. Mr. Edwards has favoured me with the following brief account of such cases of this nature as occurred on board the Hecla
:—" The majority of the men who came into the sick-list, in consequence of frost-injuries during the severity of the winter, suffered mostly in their feet, and
especially in their great toes ; and, although none of them were so unfortunate as to lose a toe, yet few cures were effected without the loss of the nail and cuticle,
in which the vital power was invariably destroyed…
…they immediately ran out with it; and Smith, not having time to put on his gloves, had his lingers in half an hour so benumbed, and the animation so
completely suspended, that on his being taken on board by Mr. Edwards, and having his hands plunged into a basin of cold water, the surface of the water was
immediately frozen by the intense cold thus suddenly communicated to it ; and, notwithstanding the most humane and unremitting attention paid to them by
the medical gentlemen, it was found necessary, some time after, to resort to the amputation of a part of four fingers on one hand and three on the other…
On Wintering Ships in Ice by Helen Humphreys
…The ships are fastened in the ice now, frozen in a sheltered bay. This is to be their winter harbour. Everything has gone well. This immobility is all part of the
plan, and yet it makes the sailor nervous to hear the groans of the ship as the ice constricts around her girth, and to gaze out over a whitening horizon. Soon the
decks themselves will be closed in, draped with tarpaulins to try and prevent snow from burying the ships and to attempt to trap some of the heat from the coal
fires burning below…
Some of the officers of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror
Crew
Rear-Admiral Sir John Franklin (59 years old, non-playable character)
• A trusted captain.
• An intelligent and charismatic naval officer loved by his men.
• Some believe that he is too old to lead the voyage.
Captain Francis R. M.Crozier (Captain of Erebus, 48 years old)
• An Irishman who rose to the ranks through hard work and commitment.
• He joined the navy when he was 13.
• He is a veteran of many arctic expeditions. He is a friend with James Reid.
• He is short-tempered.
Commander James Fitzjames (32 years old)
• An illegitimate son of an unknown aristocrat.
• A well-educated and charismatic naval officer.
• He had to work hard and perform brave deeds to assume his position.
• His position in society is often challenged due to his illegitimacy.
• A friend of S. Stanley’s, they served together in navy (during Opium Wars in China)
Lieutenant W. Fairholme (24 years old)
• A witty Englishman known for his sense of humour.
• A smart and agreeable companion.
• An optimistic person who sees hope in even the grimmest of moments.
• A Mr Osmer’s card-playing companion.
• He is at odds with Lt. Gore. They rarely agree with one another.
Lieutenant Graham Gore (39 years old)
• An Englishman who served in the navy since he was 14.
• A Franklin’s protege.
• He is a deeply religious man.
• He knows some of marines serving on the ships and seems to have some influence over them.
• He is at odds with Lt. Fairholme. They rarely agree with one another.
Charles H. Osmer (Paymaster Purser, 46 years old)
• A very conscientious man, he takes all his duties seriously.
• He oversees money-related matters; he is in charge of resources including food rations.
• He is very good with numbers, very practically oriented man.
• He has a wife and children waiting for him at home.
• A Lt Fairholme’s card-playing companion.
James Reid (Ice Master, 45 years old)
• One of the few Scotsmen in the crew.
• An experienced veteran of many Arctic expeditions. A person with a very practical mind.
• A friend of Captain Crozier‘s.
• A somewhat rough and unpolished person but he is ultimately good-hearted.
• He is in charge of navigating ships through ice and clearing ice from ships’ path if necessary.
• He has a wife waiting for him at home.
Harry D. S. Goodsir (Assistant Surgeon, 25 years old)
• A Scottish physician and naturalist from a family with deep tradition of medical practice.
• A keen scholar who has already published his theories regarding anatomy and cell-theory.
• A true humanist with the heart of gold who cares deeply for his patients.
• He is a religious man.
Stephen S. Stanley (Surgeon, 37 years old)
• Mr Goodsir’s superior, chief medical doctor of the expedition.
• He is a self-confident man and a friend of J. Fitzjames‘. They served together in the navy; he
operated on him and removed a bullet from his arm.
• He is a very pragmatic man and his patients sometimes seem to be only piles of flesh to him.
• He has a wife and a son waiting for him at home.