It was the largest voyage of exploration to the Arctic that
the British Empire had ever launched. One hundred and
twenty-eight men, led by one of Britain's most seasoned naval
captains, set off from London in May of 1845 to pioneer a
route through the icy Northwest Passage. Many sailors onboard
thought they would complete their mission within a year. But
three years later there was still no word from Franklin or his
men, and the shaken Royal Navy launched the first in a long
series of search parties. In this audio slide show, Franklin
expert Russell Potter guides us through how the mystery of the
lost expedition began to be solved as artifacts of the
ill-fated voyage were discovered. To launch the
audio slide show, click on the image at left.—Susan K. Lewis
