Description

William Kennedy (1814-1890) was an explorer and fur trader. In 1851 he was recommended to Lady Franklin as the commander of her second sponsored expedition in search of her husband, Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin (1786-1847), who had not returned from his 1845 expedition to chart the remaining unexplored section of the Arctic and the Northwest Passage. This volume, first published in 1853, contains Kennedy's account of his 1851 Arctic expedition to rescue Sir John Franklin. Written in the form of a diary, Kennedy describes in detail the hazardous conditions of the Arctic. The crew's experiences including snow blindness, frostbite, scurvy and explorations of land on foot accompanied by Husky dogs are described in detail. Kennedy's use of Inuit survival methods and the type of provisions which were used are also described, providing valuable insights into early nineteenth century methods of Arctic exploration.