The HMS ''Terror'' Case

By Crusader1307

  For several Centuries, The Legend of ‘’what happened’’  to HMS ‘’Terror’’ has sparked much debate and speculation in both literature and film. The facts were partially determined  with the discovery of ‘’Terror’’ in 1984. In addition, several other amazing archaeological finds relating to The Ship and Crew gave Historians a more realistic ending to Her fate. But according to local Inuit Native Americans, this was not even close.

‘’Terror’’ and Her Sister Ship ‘’Erebus’’ were part of an Arctic Expedition by Sir Jon Franklin, a notable British Royal Naval Officer of some renown. Franklin had led several other such Missions (as did other Nations), all inn the quest to find a safe Shipping route thru what became known as ‘’The Northwest Passage’’. It was long rumored that a navigational path of waterways, deep enough – existed in the far Northern Boundaries between America and Canada. These waterways led up into The Arctic Circle or North Pole. Such a route would save much time in reaching The Pacific Ocean. Franklin mounted such an Expedition in 1845 with plentiful provisions and 130 Officers and Men. They were never heard from again. Many such Missions were mounted by not only Great Britain – but The United States, to locate the whereabouts of The Franklin Expedition. Nothing would be found until 1854 – and what was to launch decades of speculation ranging from natural occurrences to The Paranormal. The 1854 Mission interviewed local Inuit Native Americans, who in many of their Villages – had quite a few ‘’artifacts’’ which could only have come from The ‘’Terror’’. The Inuit told tales of a ‘’Ship’’ which became trapped in the harsh frozen ice flows and was unable to escape. Such frozen conditions can last for as long a 6 to 8-months per season. The Inuit took The British Rescuers to the spot where ‘’Terror’’ was encased. No longer there however, it was determined that the pressure from the ice flows literally crushed the hulls of ‘’Terror’’, which would cause Her to sink into the Sea. But what of Her Crew?

The 1854 Expedition were led to a Cairn (Mass burial mound), which held a sizable number of The ‘’Terror’s’’ Crew. Paper from notebook logs and diaries (gathered by The Inuit) were like wise discovered. Added to these, was found single graves and rude campsites – which established that some of the Crew fought bravely to stay alive. Unfortunately, the bitter cold and ice would win out. It was determined that The Crew died of exposure and lack of food. But The Inuit told tales of ‘’watching’’ the trapped Crew. They ‘’acted like animals’’ – fighting among themselves. The Inuit have a deep  religious culture regarding ‘’Evil Spirits’’ that ‘’possess The Living’’. They associated this ‘’behavior’’ with being such, and avoid The ‘’Terror’’.

Flash forward to 1984 and the discovery of HMS ‘’Terror’s’’ wreckage. The freezing cold water and occasional ice had almost perfectly preserved the remains of the wooded Vessel and much of what was left aboard. It was verified that Her hull was in fact, crushed by the ice. But further evidence would point out to another unknown fact. (3) graves were found in the permafrost by The 1984 Expedition. Exhuming them, they found (and identified) he remains as Crewmen of ‘’Terror’’. The freezing and thawing of ice preserved the bodies so well, that even their clothing from the 1840s was just as vibrant and intact as the day they worn them. With the tissue so well preserved, an in-depth forensic examination could be conducted. The results were unpredictable to say the least.

‘’Terror’’ brought many provisions for the long voyage, and most of these foodstuffs were encased in lead tins. Hundreds of opened cans were found littering the snow. It was though that consuming the food, which was stored in the lead tins, caused the poisonous substance to build-up in the bodies of the Crew. It is a well known fact that such prolonged exposure in the Human bloodstream can cause (eventually) – insanity. Perhaps this is what The Inuit ‘’saw’’. But some of the other bodies bore evidence of something else……Cannibalism. It be sure, some Crewmen many have been killed or waited until death, to be consumed when all other food was gone.

The remains of the Crewmen were well documented by The 1984 Expedition. They were reburied back in their original graves, with proper markers – to identify their contributions to 19th Century Exploration. But, was lead poisoning the ultimate cause after all? Or perhaps The Inuit were correct in THEIR assumptions. The debate has still not been put to rest.