For a century and a half after the sailing ships of the sixteenth century had failed to find the northern passages to the East, little was done in the way of Arctic exploration. The whale and cod fishers were the only navigators who ventured into the frozen seas. These fishermen carried on a profitable business in fish and oil. One of them, a Scotch whaler named William Scoresby, succeeded in driving his ship as far north as latitude 81° 12ʹ 42ʺ. He spent all the time that he could spare on this voyage in collecting information about this unknown part of the earth, and on his return to England, he told such wonderful stories that the English people became once more interested in the frozen North.
Accordingly, in 1815, after England’s wars with the United States and France were over, the government offered a reward of £20,000 to any one who would make the northwest passage, and a reward of £5000 to any one who would reach 89° north latitude. This offer of prize money stirred the adventurous blood of seafaring men. In 1818 two expeditions were sent out, and others quickly followed.
The vast area of unexplored space within the Arctic circle stimulated men’s imaginations almost as much as the Western world beyond the Atlantic had done in the days of Columbus. Many a brave sailor was ready to undertake the difficult work. Famous among those who did valuable service was Sir John Franklin.
The Change of Seasons.
II. SIR JOHN FRANKLIN
1818
Sir John Franklin was one of the greatest explorers the world has ever known. We owe to him most of our knowledge of the northern coast of America and of the far North.
