Scientists have identified four men who lost their lives during Sir John Franklin's failed 1845 expedition, one of the best-known mysteries of Arctic exploration.
The Franklin Expedition aimed to find the so-called Northwest Passage, a sea route through the Arctic that would connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. But the voyage ended in tragedy: Sir Franklin and his entire crew lost their lives.
The expedition's two ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, set sail from London in May 1845. They were equipped with seven years' worth of food, modern heating systems for the time, and even entertainment for the crew. However, after two years at sea, the ships became trapped in ice near King William Island, Canada.
On Franklin's orders, 105 officers and crew members abandoned their ships and attempted to cross the island on foot. Weakened by scurvy, extreme cold, and starvation, none of them survived.
Now, researchers from the University of Waterloo in Canada have used DNA analysis to identify the skeletal remains of four of these men. They compared DNA samples from the bones with those of living descendants of known crew members.
Three of those identified were members of HMS Erebus: William Orren, able seaman; David Young, first class boy; and John Bridgens, petty officer's steward. Their remains were found on the shores of Erebus Bay.
The fourth was identified as Harry Peglar, the foremast captain of HMS Terror. His body was found about 80 miles (130 kilometers) away from the others, making his case one of the strangest mysteries of the Franklin expedition.
To make the identification, the researchers extracted mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome DNA from the skeletal remains. These types of DNA can be inherited almost unchanged for many generations, allowing scientists to compare them with modern samples of descendants.
The genetic matches were very strong, confirming the identities of the four men. According to lead researcher Dr. Douglas Stenton, the fact that three of the men found in Erebus Bay came from HMS Erebus raises the possibility that the two boats found in the area were also from that ship. This could help to understand how the crew attempted to escape the stranded ships.
The identification of Harry Peglar also solves a mystery that has intrigued historians for more than 160 years. In 1859, one of the first search expeditions found a body carrying Peglar's personal documents, but the clothing did not match his rank. The documents, known as the "Peglar Papers," included poems and descriptions of the expedition, as well as a seaman's identification certificate.
However, it is still unknown why another crew member had Peglar's personal documents with him at the time of his death.
The study also brings up another important detail: the four identified men show no signs of cannibalism. Reports of cannibalism among the expedition members were initially mentioned by the native Inuit of King William Island, but were long dismissed.
Later, archaeological evidence showed cut marks on some bones found in a large burial site, suggesting that some crew members may have been dismembered after death for food. In 2024, Dr. Stenton identified the remains of the British first officer, Sir James Fitzjames, and found that his jaw bore such marks.
In the case of the four newly identified men, no signs were found to indicate that their bodies had been consumed by their crewmates.
According to Dr. Stenton, this discovery not only helps shed light on the fate of the Franklin expedition, but also honors the memory of the men who died on this tragic journey, preserving their legacy for families and descendants. /GazetaExpress/
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