No mention of Griper
Fast forward to Fury and Hecla suggests that Parry arrived at the idea of twin vessels through theory rather than praxis. The grim Griper experience provided the impetus. (Apropos, "William Edward" probably should've been dropped after the first mention of Parry.)
Whaler relief mission
Cove is not mentioned until much later. Consequently, any connection between the two missions remains entirely unclear, and the remarkable coincidence that it was Ross and C. looking for Erebus and Terror is left in the margins. (As per Ross' plan, Cove had an express outfitting in Dec 1835 and sailed first, expecting to be followed by Erebus and Terror. With the majority of the whalers accounted for, the support mission was first reduced to just Terror, then cancelled, but Ross and C. only learned about it after the failed Jun 1 rendezvous.)
Chapter 2
Second time "purposefully run onto a sandy beach"
The 1828 'soft' stranding was earlier described as a fluke?
Chapter 3
"On his 1821 Arctic expedition, Parry used two identical bomb vessels, Hecla and Fury (Hecla class). As it turned out, Fury was wrecked during that voyage [...]"
Nipped in an editing accident. (Correct elsewhere.)
"Crozier had distinguished himself for sledging"
Compare with earlier, "[Ross] had distinguished himself through sledge exploration." Unlike Ross, C. didn't take part in multi-day land expeditions (where one camps at a different place each time). Also in Chapter 5 on C., "one of Parry's most prolific sledgers" – source?
"Here he commanded Hecla for a time while Parry attempted to walk to the Pole"
There was still 2nd lieutenant present while Parry – and Ross – were away.
"Crozier's moods affected the ship's crew, and at times [quote]"
Davis does not say that this happened frequently, only that he perceived the atmosphere to be that way at the start of Dec 1841; it came after Crozier's serious illness and other turmoil during the overwintering in Hobart (context).
"extremely severe punishment"
Only sounds barbaric when the exact number of punishments and accidents on Erebus is omitted. F.ex.: Dec 5 1839 two Erebus marines were punished for a free-for-all (in connection with the Line Crossing skylarking?) – one received 36, the other 38 lashes (source). So this hand-wringing about C. permitting flogging when it was "substantially declining" is a bit out of place. (Jan 16 1843 quote and Campbell's comment that "corporal punishment was administered three times on board Terror during the entire voyage" come from the Summary mentioned above – which sadly doesn't include "a very unusual thing with us" remark that Cunningham also makes.)
Sail bins
Relevant note from Cunningham, Jan 27 1840:
Made a very beneficial alteration on the Lower Deck by cutting down the Sail Bins which gives us a deal more Room and makes it cleaner and cooler.
"On the evening of 12 November Erebus was so distant that she could only be seen after she burned a blue light," then rewinds to "Madeira Island on 22 October"
Terror parted company with Erebus Oct 4, did not see her until Madeira, Oct 24.
Also, on stable sailing, Cunningham, Oct 10 1839:
The wind freshened by degrees to almost a gale the Ship laboured & pitched very heavily. Struck Royal Mast & Yard furled Mainsail & Main top Sail and Set Storm Stay Sails. In getting in the flying Boom three Seamen viz Wm Smith Wm Abernethy and Henry Barnes nearly lost thier lives in consequence of the violent manner in which she pitched. She actualy pitched flying Boom men and all completely under water.
Cunningham gives an extensive description how the Line Crossing ceremony was conducted on Terror. No guessing required.
"they turned east to take advantage of the trade winds and reached St Helena"
Ross:
In order to accomplish these several objects, it became necessary to pursue a course widely different from that usually followed by vessels bound to St. Helena, and imposed upon us the tedious operation of beating up to that island against the trade wind, an experiment seldom, if ever, attempted, and in our dull-sailing ships could only be effected by the sacrifice of a considerable portion of time. (p. 22, Vol. I)
They did carry the trade wind for 33 days until the Rock of St Paul (Arquipélago de São Pedro e São Paulo).
"By 17 March they had reached Simon's Bay"
Lack of balance, info only on Terror's problems. Terror arrived first on Mar 15, Erebus two days later, "She had been blown off the Land and becalmed all well on board" (Cunningham).
Forced convict labour mentioned before (loading coal dust), but not at Rossbank which wasn't built by Franklin.
"reaching Campbell Island on 12 December, where both ships ran aground on shoals. The ships were easily warped off"
Relatively quick success doesn't always equal ease. Cunningham:
13th Sunday Fine: Sighted Campbells Island at 7 AM: commenced beating up the Harbour at 10 and continued beating until 6 PM when Ship got aground in Stays, on a reef that runs out: hove her aback and got an Anchor out astern and used every other means in our power to get her off but of no avail as the Tide was ebbing: commenced pumping the fresh water out of the Tanks to lighten her and continued all night: at 1/2 past 3 AM of the 14th Succeeded in getting her off without any injury at high water and safely Anchored her after which the people turned in for a few hours rest – a thing which they much wanted. The Erebus Kindly sent her boats to assist us herself having touched twice in getting [in]: the after part of the [day] clearing up the Ship and watering: got the small observatory on shore.
"at 75º they spotted an island, which they named Franklin Island," "On 27 January the expedition spotted two massive volcanoes"
The first island they took possession of was Possession Island on Jan 12. Franklin Island (lat. 76º8'S., long. 168º12'E [Ross]) was visited on Jan 27. Mounts Erebus and Terror were identified on Jan 28. ETA: Ship's log (source):
9.30 [AM] Obs.d a burning Mountain on the Island, bearing S.E.
"On 2 March, in heavy ice, Terror struck a large floe and shattered the shackle of her bobstay [...] Two days later, Terror again lost her bobstay and her bowsprit shrouds"
Cunningham:
Jan 27 Passed Some very large Icebergs: got foul of a Small one which carried away our Dolphin Striker & BobStay (Log: 5.25 PM)
Feb 4 Carried away the Shackle of the Bobstay (Log: 1 AM)
Mar 1 carried away the shackle of the Bobstay which nearly employed the people all night in indeavouring to get another Shackled but without Success: Secured it otherwise (Log: 11 AM "Passed through a stream of Pancake & Broken ice carried away the shackle of Bobstay," 12 PM "Carried away the Bobstay," repairs follow, Mar 2 12.20 AM "Bobstay being carried away. Shortened sail [...] 1. Employed shackling Bobstay afresh")
Mar 4 fell in with Some very heavy drift ice at which time there was a heavy Sea on; carried away the Bowsprit Shroud and one Leg of the Bobstay (Log: 8.15 AM) the getting to rights of which was a most difficult job and in doing of which we nearly lost several men as the Ship pitched them completely under water more than once – no pleasant thing in those regions. Blowing very hard in the Evening: Shipping heavy seas right over her: battened down
Mar 9 Fell in with Some fields of closely packed ice in the middle watch: obliged to put about in doing of which the ice carried away our Dolphin Striker and it was a near touch with the Bowsprit (Log: Mar 10 2.30 AM "Ship struck a large piece of Ice & carried away the Dolphin striker")
"the spare rudder" couldn't be shipped, jury rudder was built and "eventually shipped"
They did repair the shattered rudder with Erebus timber (skids and davits) and hooped it with ice-saws, but it became the new spare; the spare they already had was modified, strengthened and shipped. The log and Cunningham:
Thu Jan 20 – rudder shattered; spare up and being prepared;Fri Jan 21 – made fast to a floe, unshipped rudder and got it on deck;Sat Jan 22 – rudder being repaired, Erebus carpenters arrive to help; spare over the side ready for shipping;Sun Jan 23 – rudder being repaired by carpenters of both ships; unsuccessful attempts to ship spare;Mon Jan 24 – rudder being repaired; shipped spare, unshipped spare, strengthened with iron bands;Tue Jan 25 – spare over the stern ready for shipping; rudder finished, shipped, unshipped, hoisted inboard;Wed Jan 26 – rudder lashed on the starboard side of the quarterdeck as a stand by;Thu Jan 27 – shipped spare;Sat Jan 29 – made fast to a floe, unshipped spare;Sun Jan 30 – shipped spare.
Campbell Part 2, p. 102 As summarised by Davis, in a letter to Mrs. Stephen:
The Erebus's Rudder was soon fixed and we patched up ours by letting in a great deal of new wood and hooping with Ice saws cut up for that purpose so that it would answer in case of an emergency. We shipped our spare one after trying the whole day but it was then only half as secure and about half as strong as the old one"The expedition again made sail on the 27th under conditions so cold that Terror lit her furnace to aid in heating the ship"
Cunningham, Jan 30, "In consequence of the Lower deck being damp, lighted Sylvesters Patent heating Apparatus which soon dried it" & Davis, "the weather being very damp, and the lower deck in consequence being also very damp."
"So little attention was given to the event (perhaps intentionally), that it was not noted in the ship's log and was not communicated to Erebus until Crozier visited the ship many days later"
It didn't cause any damage. Regarding the date, Ross says C. told him on Feb 4 (ETA: According to the log, Feb 2 9.50 PM "Captain went on b.d Erebus," Feb 3 12.15 AM "Capt. returned") that the fire happened on "Sunday last," so Cunningham is correct (Jan 30) and Davis (Jan 27) is wrong. "Many days later" – it's
fivethree days later. Ross writes, "the fire was happily got under by the promptitude and exertions of the officers and crew, without their having occasion to increase our embarrassments by soliciting our aid" (p. 190, Vol. II), and M.J. Ross comments, "Ross was most thankful that he had not been informed at the time when he had plenty else to worry him" (Ross in the Antarctic, p. 155).
[TBC Collision, "unusually, Terror was leading," "Erebus made signal for her to maintain her speed"
ETA: According to the logs, yes, Terror passed Erebus Mar 12. Questions: How did this influence the development of the collision? And Erebus caught up too quickly anyway, despite carrying less sail? Erebus had started slowing down for the night, Terror had not. They were still more or less side by side (diagram).
Davis, "the Erebus made the signal to keep further off."]
"An active shield volcano on Ross Island was named after Terror"
Mount Terror is of course extinct. (Correct elsewhere.)
"a reef (on which she grounded) near the Kerguelen Islands"
Source? She'd surely have stayed there had she grounded. Ross:
[...] and a dangerous reef of rocks, E. by S. from Cape Francois, distant between fifteen and sixteen miles, upon which the sea broke violently, received the name of "Terror Reef." The position and extent of this reef were accurately determined by Captain Crozier and the officers of the Terror. (p. 60, Vol. I)
Chapter 4
Crozier "was never seriously considered for the new command"
Ross says Haddington offered command to C., but he declined.
"vacillates between denying a desire to lead the expedition and near panic about not being selected to participate"
These are not mutually exclusive states. One can be eager to get a job while declining command. Also, "denying a desire" implies some sort of deceit. The 'panic' initially stemmed from the realisation that it could be nearly a month until they heard from him, a huge delay. Then he came to think of various reasons why he might not be approved.
"rapidly returned to England"
This is presumably from the Charlewood fantasy quote in Battersby (information on person 1 sourced from biography of person 2 sourced from person 3's autofiction)? The opposite happened in reality. C. thoroughly tested Ross' goodwill by refusing to return until his appointment was confirmed.
"more than 33 per cent of the officers had prior polar experience"
Battersby again? If we must juggle like that, 'more than 33%' of the captains on Franklin expedition had extensive polar sailing experience. The Antarctic expedition, 100%.
"'has not the leading stokers [Crozier had sent them home]'," a couple of pages later, on men sent home, "including Terror's lead stoker"
C. only mentioned one. And Torrington's on Beechey. An AB, the armourer, the sailmaker and a RM were sent home. There was probably a reshuffle as a result?
ETA: Similar mix of indifference and inattention shows in a recent article by Peter Carney:
The letter is of course to Ross (the note on the drawing, preceding this, was for his wife, see below), it was written Jul 9 (cover dated Jul 13 as per Ross), and the ellipsis hides the crucial ending, "as on board Erebus." "he has not the leading stoker" – this is a strange change in situation unique to Terror (it's not 'the lead stoker' who found his last resting place on Beechey, to be precise), and yet this moment remains entirely overlooked. Even in an article about the engines!
Source "'I will take care it shall not be a steam run', presumably in reference to the completion of the Northwest Passage"
C. wrote, "I will take care it shall not be a steam view," in reference to a sketch he had promised Ross' wife. (Also appears in Fluhmann, Ross in the Antarctic and Polar Pioneers, the last of which the author did keep in his library.)
Finally, "circa 17 September" is a funny way to write 16 August (ETA: or, indeed, 17 October). The author told me he didn't want to waste space explaining "the controversy" and chose to use "the conventionally accepted date based on [C.'s] memo." Said memo unfortunately doesn't mention the month. And leaving only the year would've saved even more space...
