Robert McCormick and the "hopeless search" for Franklin’s lost expedition

McCormick, Robert, British surgeon, explorer, and naturalist (1800-1890). Autograph letter signed.

€ 6.500,00

Interesting letter to the Irish astronomer and explorer Edward Sabine, offering him a copy of his "Narrative of a boat expedition up the Wellington Channel in the year 1852", a report of McCormick's search mission for the lost polar expedition of John Franklin that was originally enclosed: "In the earlier period of this hopeless search for our ever to be lamented and enterprising countryman, Sir John Franklin, & his unfortunate companions: you kindly expressed an interest in the share I was then taking in the furtherance in the search - but, it was not until the spring of 1852 that I succeeded in getting out: and having recently reprinted privately, the 'Official report' of my narrative, in a more eligible form for presentation to a few friends, who have taken an interest in my Boat-Voyage. Will you do me the favor to accept the accompanying copy as a small token of my appreciation of the kindness & attention which I met with from yourself and Mrs. Sabine when I had the pleasure of an interview with you at your house on Shooter's Hill, now some time ago and, you gave me a copy of the translation of 'Humboldt's Cosmos' which has been my Companion in the North and beguiled many a tedious hour during the long night of a Polar Winter".

As a member of the Arctic Council, Edward Sabine participated in the organization of the extensive but fruitless search for the Franklin Expedition that had been launched in 1848, three years after the departure of the HMS Erebus and the HMS Terror from England in May 1845. The last survivors of the 129 men had probably succumbed to the extreme conditions by 1851 or early 1852, before McCormick even launched his search expedition in the HMB Forlorn Hope. The report offered to Sabine was published in 1854, the year that all members of the Franklin expedition were officially declared dead. Earlier that year, John Rae's search expedition had obtained information from local Inuit peoples concerning the fate of the expedition, including the occurrence of cannibalism among the emaciated survivors. Although later proven, Rae's report caused widespread indignation in England at the time and damaged the reputation of the Scottish explorer. Between 1847 and 1859 a total of 36 expeditions participated in the Franklin Search. McCormick's expedition was the penultimate effort to find Franklin's expedition before the explorers were officially declared dead.

Humboldt's "Kosmos" had been translated by Edward Sabine's wife Elizabeth Juliana Leeves and was published in four volumes between 1849 and 1859.

Well preserved.