Sir John Ross

ASSUMED DECEASED

The Ross expedition was stuck on the Boothia Peninsula for the winters of 1829/30, 1830/31, and 1831/32.  Realizing they would never be able to get away in the 'Victory', they abandoned it in May 1832 and traveled through the open water in one of the ship's boats.  They reached the spot where Parry's 'Fury' had gone aground and were able to find some of its supplies, which was all they had to keep them alive.  Calling the place 'Somerset House', Ross built a shelter from the Fury's remains and ate what canned and preserved food they found left behind.  They tried to reach Lancaster Sound but were forced to spend the following winter ashore before setting out again.  At 4:00am on August 26, 1833 they met a whaler in Lancaster Sound and were rescued.  By an amazing coincidence it was the same ship that Ross had commanded in the 1818 expedition.

Back in England, up to this point Ross was thought to have perished, and so the results of this expedition restored Ross's reputation.  He was knighted and received several rewards in honour of the four Arctic winters he endured, and for bringing his men through extreme hardships with very few losses.  Ross and his men were awarded ¥5000 for having made significant gains in revealing the geography of the Canadian Arctic and the eastern segment of the Northwest Passage.  In addition, the government reimbursed Felix Booth for the costs of mounting his private Arctic expedition.

next: One Final Voyage