Letter from Sir John Franklin to Sir John Richardson

Sir John Franklin (1786-1847) led a British Naval expedition to discover the North West Passage in 1845. His close friend, John Richardson (1787-1865), was a naturalist and polar explorer. He was a member of the Coppermine Expedition of 1819-1822, an earlier overland expedition to find the North West Passage led by Franklin.

The crew of the 1845 Franklin Expedition wrote their last letters home from Whale Fish Islands in Disko Bay, Greenland, in July 1845. After leaving Disko, the ships were seen by whalers in Baffin Bay after which they disappeared. All 129 men and both ships were lost.

This letter describes the journey to Greenland and speculates about what may be ahead. Franklin doubts whether the ships will be able to take all their supplies without being too deep in the water, although they intend to carry as many provisions and as much fuel as possible. He refers to the scientific observations they are making, both of magnetism, latitude, longitude and survey angles, and specimens of sea life. He also describes the 'esquimeaux' (Inuit) people at the fishing station.