Two months after his arrival he married Jane, daughter of John Griffin, Esq. This lady, Franklin’s second wife, was a very remarkable woman, of whom we shall hear more.
All England was delighted with the results of this second land journey. Franklin and Richardson together had surveyed 37° of longitude along the Arctic shore of North America. The coast from the mouth of the Coppermine westward to Beechey point had been proved to be open for navigation, while from Beechey point to Icy cape it was undoubtedly open.
To complete a northwest passage it was only needful to find a gap to the eastward, connecting this pathway for ships with the older discoveries on the Atlantic side. Over one thousand miles of American coast had been explored, maps and charts had been made, and knowledge in all branches of science had been increased.
The honor of knighthood was conferred upon Captain Franklin, who was afterward to be known as Sir John Franklin. Parry’s expedition in search of the northwest passage had been unsuccessful.
V. THE EREBUS AND THE TERROR
1845
At this time, 1827, England, under the rule of George IV, was occupied with her own troubles. The disputes between Catholics and Protestants engaged the attention of the English people so that interest in exploration waned. After a short rest at home, Sir John Franklin was sent in command of her Majesty’s ship, Rainbow, to the Mediterranean sea. The Greek war of independence was closing, and Franklin distinguished himself by the judgment and skill he showed in following out the work intrusted to him.
Upon his return to England, Franklin was offered the position of Governor of Tasmania, which he accepted, remaining there seven years. When he returned again to England in 1842, he found people once more interested in the discovery of the northwest passage. It was eighteen years since Franklin had returned from the icy North, but the northwest passage had not been found. During those years several expeditions had been at work in the northern part of North America and along the northern coast, thus broadening and increasing the geographical knowledge of the country first entered by Franklin. But the mystery of the northwest passage still stirred men’s imaginations, and the Royal Geographical Society decided to send out another expedition in search of it. The command of this expedition was offered to Sir John Franklin.
Some people thought that Franklin ought not to go again to the northern land. These people told him that he had already done enough for his country, having risked his life three times, and made more discoveries in that region than any other man. They reminded him that he was now sixty years of age, and ought to be willing to remain at home and let a younger man undertake this hard and dangerous journey.
But Franklin rejoiced at the thought of seeing the far North again. He declared that he was only fifty-nine years of age, and that the discovery of the northwest passage was the object nearest his heart. Two ships, called the Erebus and the Terror, were given Franklin for this voyage. These ships, propelled by steam screws, were the first vessels of the kind ever used in the Arctic seas. It was thought that the use of the steam screw instead of the paddle wheel would prove of great value to navigators in seas where ice packs and heavy gales were constantly to be feared. Great results, then, were expected from the expedition fitted out in this improved manner. Franklin himself took command of the Erebus, while Captain Crozier was given command of the Terror. Sufficient provisions were put aboard the vessels to provide for an absence of three years, and nothing was left undone that promised to insure the safety and success of the expedition, or to promote the health and comfort of the explorers.