Page 43 - All About History 55 - 2017 UK

Terror on the Ice
High-resolution photos
and sonar measurements
helped identify HMS Erebus

Snow goggles would help protect
the face from frostbite and snow
blindness
The bell from
Race
HMS Erebus
against
to sea ice and no crossing could be performed. In at Repulse Bay, Rae met Inuit who said a party
late August they reached Baffin Island, yet their of ‘Kabloonans’ (their word for white people) had death
progression was hindered further by sea ice. Ross starved to death. About 40 men were seen dragging
had been exceedingly optimistic in his plans, but a sledge and boat on King William Sound in spring Frostbite is a common enemy
now he was faced with diminishing food stocks. 1850 and they explained through hand signals for polar explorers. As
The ships turned back. When Ross returned that their ships had been crushed by ice. Later in temperatures drop, the human
to London, he faced severe criticism from the the summer, the Inuit hunters found their bodies body struggles to cope
Admiralty and Franklin’s widow. scattered — some in a tent, some in the boat, others
In 1850, the Admiralty offered a £20,000 reward where they fell from exhaustion and starvation. Low Risk
At this temperature, it’ll be
for any private vessel that could offer “efficient To back up their story, the Inuit people had a gold
nippy out, but the human body
assistance” to the Franklin ships. By now they cap band, silver cutlery and Franklin’s Hanoverian can cope if insulated and no
knew that Erebus and Terror would be in danger or order of Knighthood in their possession. They skin is exposed. There is a low
risk of frostbite or hypothermia.
succumbed to calamity. When they kicked a host of admitted to Rae that paper records discovered
search and rescue missions into gear, the irony was among the bodies were destroyed. The most Risk 0
stinging: more ships were sent out to find Franklin’s gruesome detail was not something Victorian Increased
Exposed skin can freeze
expedition than had ever embarked on Northwest Britain had wished to hear — the survivors had within ten to 30 minutes.
Passage expeditions. turned to cannibalism, eating the dead to stay alive. Frostbite begins with a tingling
sensation, which then develops
“Graves, Captain Penny!” cried the messenger. Famed novelist Charles Dickens was so offended into pins and needles. This
HMS Advance had been searching off Beechey by the accusation passed on to the Admiralty and stage is known as ‘frostnip’ or
Island when the crewman informed his captain newspapers that he referred to the Inuit testimony ‘superficial frostbite’ because it
affects top layers of skin. -10
that graves had been discovered on a stretch of land as the “vague babble of savages”.
amid the snow and slate ground. In 1859, Leopold McClintock of the British Navy Very High Risk
The graves and tombstones were well returned to England with a firsthand account of Start worrying. At this
constructed and proper rites had been followed. the crew’s experience. The explorers left notes in a temperature, frostbite
can develop rapidly —
Further investigation nearby yielded ropes, cloth, tin container, buried under piles of rocks, known as within five to ten minutes
wood and brass bits. The search party was baffled cairns, on King William Island for others to find — a — and tissue damage
to discover 600 empty tin cans they found filled common practice at the time. The first message, becomes increasingly severe. -20
Prolonged exposure to the
with pebbles. If their contents had gone bad, why left on 28 May 1847, said the ships had wintered at elements is asking for trouble.
were the tins filled with stones? Beechey Island, but declared “all well”.
On 20 April 1854, Dr John Rae of the Hudson’s The second message, left on 25 April 1848, was Extremely High Risk
Bay Company discovered the truth of what had less cheerful. The ships had been trapped in the ice Fingers, hands, noses, toes and
ears are the most commonly
happened to Franklin and his men. At Pelly Bay on since September 1846 and Franklin had died the affected body parts. Frostbite
the Boothia Peninsula, and much further eastwards following June. The note confirmed 24 other crew turns skin white and numb as
the cold attacks skin tissue and -30
nerves. Skin becomes white and
blue as it hardens.
The Full Works
Frostbite can attack and do
irreparable damage to the
human body. It can develop
in two minutes (wind chill
can quicken the ordeal -40
rapidly). Tissue necrosis can
occur and affect tendons,
muscles and bones.

Some personal effects found
in the search for Franklin’s
expedition members
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