Franklin and the Erebus refers to the ill-fated 1845 British Arctic expedition led by Sir John Franklin, using two ships, the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, to find the Northwest Passage; the entire crew of 129 men vanished, with the wrecks discovered over 170 years later (Erebus in 2014, Terror in 2016), revealing a story of endurance, tragedy, and desperate survival, likely caused by lead poisoning, scurvy, and harsh conditions, with crucial clues coming from Inuit oral histories.
This video provides a detailed account of the Franklin expedition:
The Expedition & Disappearance
Goal: To navigate the elusive Northwest Passage, a sea route through the Arctic archipelago connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Ships: HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, both heavily provisioned for a three-year journey.
Last Sighting: The ships were last seen by whalers in Baffin Bay in July 1845, before entering the Arctic ice.
Tragedy: The expedition vanished, with the loss of all 129 men, a major blow to Victorian exploration.
Discovery & Clues
Wrecks Found: Erebus was discovered in 2014 and Terror in 2016, thanks to combined efforts, including Inuit knowledge.
Causes of Death: Evidence points to lead poisoning (from soldered tins), scurvy (lack of Vitamin C), and potentially carbon monoxide poisoning, alongside starvation and disease, leading to a desperate struggle for survival.
Inuit Testimony: Oral histories from Inuit communities provided vital early clues, often overlooked, which guided modern searches and revealed the crew's final, desperate attempts to trek south.
Legacy
The mystery captivated Britain, leading to numerous, often fruitless, search missions for decades.
The discovery of the ships and ongoing archaeological work continues to shed light on this epic story of endurance, desperation, and the harsh realities of Arctic exploration.