Sir John Franklin (1786-1847) was a British Royal Navy officer and
Arctic explorer who served in wars against the United States and
Napoleonic France. He led three expeditions into the Canadian Arctic in
1819, 1825, and 1845. In his last expedition to force the Northwest
Passage, his ship became stuck in the ice leading to many unsuccessful
rescue missions. "Narrative of a Journey to the Shores of the Polar Sea"
is Franklin's account of the Coppermine expedition to chart the north
coast of Canada eastwards from the mouth of the Coppermine River. From
1819 to 1822, 11 of the 20 men in his party died of starvation or
exhaustion, with evidence to suggest that there was at least one murder
and instances of cannibalism. An incredible account of survival against
all odds in the unforgiving Arctic, "Narrative of a Journey to the
Shores of the Polar Sea" is highly recommended for those with an
interest in the famous Franklin expedition and Arctic exploration in
general. Read & Co. History is republishing this classic memoir now in a
brand new edition complete with an introductory biography by John Knox
Laughton.