Don's Blog Beechey Island III

The fourth grave was for Seaman Thomas Morgan from Commander Robert McClure's ship, the Investigator. On one of the Franklin rescue missions, the Investigator had left England and gone around Cape Horn through the Straits of Magellan and up by the Hawaiian Islands to Alaska. From Alaska McClure had approached the Northwest Passage from the west, sailed by the Smoking Hills of western Canada and become icebound near Melville Island. From there McClure's party was forced to come over land finally arriving at Beechey Island. Morgan was mortally ill and died aboard the depot ship North Star  at Beechey in1854. He was buried beside Franklin's three men. When looking at the four grave boards from the waters edge they memorialize Morgan, Blaine, Hartnell, and finally Torrington in that order. We were unable to read the boards as they were covered with snow.

After feeling an almost sacred  sense of history at the graves we marveled at the thought of what these explorers  had experienced living here for the winter of 1845.

Despite the stark surroundings the weather was invigorating as we hiked through the fresh snow south to Northumberland House.

In 1852 Admiral Edward Belcher had left England in search of Sir John Franklin's party with five ships. He placed the North Star under Commander Pullen at Beechey Island as a supply ship and had Northumberland House built to more permanently store supplies for future needs. It was built using the wooden masts and spars of the wrecked whaling vessel the McClellan. Also the remains of the 12 ton yacht Mary were hauled by the men of the North Star for use at Northumberland House. They built a dwelling, a store , and a smithy. The remains   stand proudly in the snow (foreground left).

Northumberland House from the terrace above.

In front is the mast of the Mary.

The stone foundation and remaining wood structure is surrounded by barrel staves and rings. The memorials are on a level terrace above to the right.