Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Goodser

Latitude 75 degrees 12 minutes north, longitude 61 degrees 6 minutes west Baffin Bay, July 1845 Private Diary of Dr. Harry Goodser: April 11, 1845 Today I wrote a letter to my brother saying: "Officers have very high expectations for the Northwest Passage and hope to reach the Pacific Ocean before the end of next summer." But I have to admit my own (some might think I'm being selfish) wish for this expedition: We'd take a little longer to sail to Alaska, Russia, China, and the warmer waters of the Pacific.Although I was trained in anatomy and was only recruited on board by Captain Sir John Franklin as an assistant doctor, I was not just a ship's doctor, I was a doctor.And I admit that, while I'm taking part in this expedition as an amateur, I hope to become more and more like a naturalist on this journey.Personally, I have never been in contact with the ecology of plants and animals in the polar regions, but I plan to get acquainted with the ecology of the ice and snow country that I will leave for next month.I'm particularly interested in learning about polar bears because most of what I've heard from whalers and the old-timers of polar exploration is too mythical to be true.

I think this private diary is very, very special.Although I will begin a formal logbook as soon as I set sail next month, bringing in all incidents pertaining to my profession, and as an assistant ship's surgeon and as a member of the Northwest Passage expedition with Captain Sir John Franklin, on the HMS Erebus. Write down everything you observe.But I think this is not enough, I also need to make another kind of record, a more private record (even after returning to China, I will not let others read it), this is my responsibility.If not for others, then at least for myself. All I know so far is that my expedition with Captain Sir John Franklin will definitely be the most important experience of my life.

Sunday, May 18, 1845 All the crew are on board, and there are still some final preparations for tomorrow's sailing, which are being carried out 24 hours a day. In particular, more than 8,000 cans (as Captain Fitzgerald told me) will be delivered at the last minute. Arrived canned food loaded onto the ship.Today Sir John presided over a service for our crew on the Erebus and those on the Terror who would come and attend.I noticed that the captain of the Terror, an Irishman named Crozier, did not come to attend. There is no one who has attended this long service and has not been deeply moved by Sir John's very long sermon today.I doubt that there is a single ship in any navy in the world that has such a pious captain.On our journey ahead, we will undoubtedly be safe and sound, always under the protection of God's hand.

May 19, 1845 What a perfect start! Having never traveled at sea, let alone being part of a high-profile expedition, I had no idea what to expect, but no matter how prepared I was, I never expected the day to be so glorious. Captain Fitzjian estimated that there will be more than 10,000 people who sincerely wished us well and important people from all walks of life crowded at Greenheather Wharf to see us off. Speech after speech, until I felt that as long as the summer sky was full of sunshine, people would not want to let us set sail.The band played music from time to time.Lady Jane - who had previously been on board with Sir John - stepped down the ladders, cheered excitedly by the half dozen or so crew members of the Erebus.The band started playing again.Then, when the hawsers were all untied, there was a thunderous cheer, and lasted several minutes, when Sir John himself could not have heard his order if he had shouted it in my ear.

Last night, Lieutenant Gore and Chief Stanley were kind enough to tell me that officers are not supposed to show any emotion when sailing.Although I was only a military officer in terms of position, when I stood in a row with several officers in handsome blue jackets, even though I felt very majestic in my heart, I still tried my best to restrain myself from showing it. But it's just us.The sailors shouted and waved their handkerchiefs and even let themselves hang from the ladders, and I saw many well-painted wharf whores waving goodbye to them.Even Captain Sir John Franklin waved a red and green handkerchief to Lady Jane, his daughter Irene, and his niece Sophie Crickle.They waved to him, too, until the Terror, following us, blocked the view of the pier.

We were towed away by a steam tug.For the first part of the journey, the powerful new steam clipper HMS Hauler, and a cargo ship, the Little Barredo, hired to help us carry some of our necessities, sailed behind us. Just as the Nether was about to leave the pier, a pigeon stopped on the height of the mainmast.Elena, Sir John's daughter from his first marriage, was crying out, but her voice was drowned out by cheers and bands.She was wearing a bright green silk dress and an emerald green umbrella, which was very eye-catching.Then she pointed to the pigeon, and Sir John and many of the officers looked up in the direction of her finger, smiled, and then pointed to the rest of the ship.

I must say that compared with the content of the sermon in yesterday's service, the appearance of the dove can be said to be the best guarantee that God will protect us. July 4, 1845 The journey across the North Atlantic to Greenland was a thrill. Although we were being towed by another ship, our ship continued to bob up and down, side to side, and roll during those thirty stormy days, and when the rocking reached its lowest point, the sealed gun mounts on the sides of the ship were far away. With less than four feet of water, sometimes the boat couldn't even move forward.I have been seasick twenty-eight of the past thirty days, and have been very sick.Lieutenant Visconti told me we never went faster than five knots.He assures me that the situation is dire for a ship that can only move forward by sail, but for the latest technological dream, the Erebus, and our partner ship, the Terror As far as the power propeller advances), it can't pose too much threat.

Three days ago we rounded Cape Farewell at the southern tip of Greenland.I must admit that seeing this landmass, with its sheer rock walls and glaciers whose source cannot be seen, shocked my soul as much as the rough seas tormented my stomach. compare. God, what a cold barren place!Besides, it's still July. Our morale, however, was very high, and all on board had confidence in Sir John's experience and judgment.Yesterday, the youngest lieutenant, Lieutenant Fairhorn, said to me confidently: "In previous voyages, I have never felt like this time that the captain is my companion."

Today we came to Disco Bay, the Danish whaling base.Tons of supplies were brought to our ship from the little Barrido, and in the afternoon we slaughtered the ten cows that had been brought on board.This evening there was fresh meat for all on board the two expedition ships. On the advice of our four ship's doctors, four people were discharged from the expedition today, and they will return to England with the tugboat and cargo ship.Among them were Thomas Burt, armourer of the Erebus, and three men aboard the Terror: Marines Private Aitken, Sailor John Brown, and Terror's chief sailmaker, James Eliot.Only one hundred and twenty-nine persons remain on the list of persons on board the two ships.

Clouds of dried Dane fish and soot were everywhere this afternoon.Hundreds of sacks of coal were to be loaded onto our ship from the little Barredo, and amidst the encouragement of the officers, the crew of the Erebus were busy using stones with smooth sides--they called them "sacred stones"-- Rub the deck repeatedly to clean it.Despite this extra work, everyone is in a good mood because everyone knows that they can eat and drink a lot tonight. In addition to the four who were to be sent home, Sir John would also deliver June's roster to the Little Barredo, along with official papers and private letters.Everyone will be busy writing letters for the next few days.