New Testament

A relic of Sir John Franklin's last expedition 1845-48. A fragment of a New Testament found in an abandoned boat at Erebus Bay, King William Island, in May 1859 by the McClintock Search Expedition 1857-59. Only the cardboard from the cover and the first few pages remain.

McClintock's party reached this site on 30 May and discovered that Hobson had been there a few days before. The boat was 28 foot long and mounted on a heavy sledge. McClintock found it just above high tide mark pointing back in the direction of the ships and containing a large quantity of abandoned personal possessions and two skeletons. Two loaded shotguns were also found in the boat.

Object Details

ID: AAA2152
Collection: Polar Equipment and Relics
Type: Book
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Unknown
Events: Arctic Exploration: Franklin's Last Expedition, 1845-1848; Arctic Exploration: Franklin Search Expedition, McClintock, 1857-1859
Vessels: Fox (1855)
Date made: Before 1845
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London.
Parts: New Testament