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 Cannibalism in the Arctic Dr. John Rae was sent to look for the lost Franklin Expedition and, upon returning to England, part of his report read: "From the mutilated state of many of the corpses and the contents of the kettles, it is evident that our wretched countrymen had been driven to the last resource - cannibalism - as a means of prolonging existence." This news shocked the British public. Everyone knew that Englishmen never ate one another, and if they did, it wasn't proper to talk about it! Charles Dickens disputed that conclusion in a newspaper article, stating that it was improbable that British officers and men would resort to such "horrible means" to prevent starvation. Lady Jane Franklin, Sir John's widow, also treated Rae's report with scorn, and, in addition to the many search expeditions that were underway, set about organizing a private expedition to find her husband.
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DICTIONARY: Just "double-click" any unlinked word on this page for the definition from Merriam-Webster's Student Electronic Dictionary at Word Central. |
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ARCTIC LIBRARY & GLOSSARY: Check this section for an index of the rest of the things you really need to know about the Arctic. |
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ARCTIC MAPS & WEATHER REPORTS: Maps of the Northwest Passage, explorers' routes, iceberg sources, Nunavut, the Arctic by treeline, temperature... |
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ARCTIC LINKS: Even more information! Links to sites related to the Arctic and "Iceberg: the Story of the Throps and the Squallhoots". |
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GUIDE TO ARCTIC SUNRISE & SUNSET: How much sunlight or darkness is there in the Arctic on each day of the year? |