What do you think?
Rate this book
The Ice Passage: A True Story of Ambition, Disaster, and Endurance in the Arctic Wilderness
A thrilling account of suffering and survival, The Ice Passage charts an epic quest from desire to destiny.
It begins as a mission of mercy. Four and a half years after the disappearance of Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin and his two ships, HMS Investigator sets sail in search of them. Instead of rescuing lost comrades, the Investigator ’s officers and crew soon find themselves trapped in their own ordeal, facing starvation, madness, and death on the unknown Polar Sea. If only they can save themselves, they will bring back news of perhaps the greatest maritime achievement of the their discovery of the elusive Northwest Passage between Europe and the Orient.
In addition to their Great Success, the “Investigators” are the first Europeans to contact the Inuit of the western Arctic archipelago, and the first to record sustained observations of the local wildlife and climate. But the cost of hubris, ignorance, daring, and deceit is soon laid bare. In the face of catastrophe, a desperate rescue plan is made to send away the weakest men to meet their fate on the ice.
In a narrative rich with insight and grace, Brian Payton reconstructs the final voyage of the Investigator and the trials of her officers and crew. Drawing on long-forgotten journals, transcripts, and correspondence — some never before published — Payton weaves an astonishing tale of endurance. Along the way, he vividly evokes an Arctic wilderness we now stand to lose.
It begins as a mission of mercy. Four and a half years after the disappearance of Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin and his two ships, HMS Investigator sets sail in search of them. Instead of rescuing lost comrades, the Investigator ’s officers and crew soon find themselves trapped in their own ordeal, facing starvation, madness, and death on the unknown Polar Sea. If only they can save themselves, they will bring back news of perhaps the greatest maritime achievement of the their discovery of the elusive Northwest Passage between Europe and the Orient.
In addition to their Great Success, the “Investigators” are the first Europeans to contact the Inuit of the western Arctic archipelago, and the first to record sustained observations of the local wildlife and climate. But the cost of hubris, ignorance, daring, and deceit is soon laid bare. In the face of catastrophe, a desperate rescue plan is made to send away the weakest men to meet their fate on the ice.
In a narrative rich with insight and grace, Brian Payton reconstructs the final voyage of the Investigator and the trials of her officers and crew. Drawing on long-forgotten journals, transcripts, and correspondence — some never before published — Payton weaves an astonishing tale of endurance. Along the way, he vividly evokes an Arctic wilderness we now stand to lose.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 16, 2011
Stan Rogers' song The Northwest Passage prompted me to find out more about Franklin and the Northwest Passage. This story seems to be more about a party who set out to find and rescue Franklin and his two ships and crew, but I hope to read about Franklin within its pages also. As of yet, I have only read the prologue...
--------------------
UPDATE :
Have finished reading the book. Very, very interesting. Well written too. I find that we get a lot of details that I wasn't expecting. (Dialogues reconstructed by the author, etc. based on journals and letters written by the captain and crew.)
Much of the story is that of missionary Johan Miertsching, who joins the voyage* thanks to his knowledge of several languages, including that of one of the Inuit tribes of Canada. (*not the crew- he is a civilian among the British Navy officers and crew) His and the crew's encounters with Eskimos, (as they called them) were fascinating, if brief. What struck me as ironic at one point was that the crew felt pity for a tribe because of how they lived a life of poverty, by British standards. At the same time, the Inuit pitied the men, who had to travel without women to cook for them, take care of them or keep them company. The biggest indignity the Inuit seemed to observe was that the sailors who, sadly, didn't have dogs, pulled their heavy sleds themselves. From the sailors' point of view, no self-respecting Englishman would be caught dead being pulled behind dogs.
Brian Payton treats us to many, many beautiful descriptions of Canada's Arctic, as well as revealing interesting things that I had no idea about. At one point, Miertsching is looking at a polar bear through his spyglass. He checks with a sailor to confirm what he is seeing. The bear is lying on the ice, looking in their direction from time to time. When the sailor confirms that it is indeed a polar bear, the two head out to hunt it for meat. Great is their surprise when, upon being approached by the men, the polar bear takes off in flight into the ice blue sky. It was actually a snow-white owl seen through the trickery of the Arctic haze which magnified it, and the effect of the cold, fatigue and hunger that distorted what they thought they had seen. It was certainly a very disappointing moment for the hungry men, but they were also treated to beautiful sights to lift the spirit, like the northern lights and the beautiful illusion that there were three suns, and later three moons, in the sky.
This being a book about "Ambition, Disaster and Endurance", we learn a lot about wintering on a ship stranded in the Arctic ice over not one, but two and eventually three winters. Food supplies dwindle, much of the stores spoiling to the point of being declared unfit for human consumption. The men lose weight, strength and heart. The cold causes frostbite; many of them lose fingers and toes. The lack of sunlight during the long, dark winter months definitely has its effect. Scurvy spreads, as well as hopelessness. Considering all the hardships endured by the ship and crew, I am surprised that relatively so few men died before making it back to England. The first winter, there isn't a single life lost. It is only towards the very end of their saga that a very few of the men lose their hope and sanity, and eventually their lives.
This book is very easy to read from a historical point of view, a bit harder to read from a human perspective, but I definitely recommend it.
--------------------
UPDATE :
Have finished reading the book. Very, very interesting. Well written too. I find that we get a lot of details that I wasn't expecting. (Dialogues reconstructed by the author, etc. based on journals and letters written by the captain and crew.)
Much of the story is that of missionary Johan Miertsching, who joins the voyage* thanks to his knowledge of several languages, including that of one of the Inuit tribes of Canada. (*not the crew- he is a civilian among the British Navy officers and crew) His and the crew's encounters with Eskimos, (as they called them) were fascinating, if brief. What struck me as ironic at one point was that the crew felt pity for a tribe because of how they lived a life of poverty, by British standards. At the same time, the Inuit pitied the men, who had to travel without women to cook for them, take care of them or keep them company. The biggest indignity the Inuit seemed to observe was that the sailors who, sadly, didn't have dogs, pulled their heavy sleds themselves. From the sailors' point of view, no self-respecting Englishman would be caught dead being pulled behind dogs.
Brian Payton treats us to many, many beautiful descriptions of Canada's Arctic, as well as revealing interesting things that I had no idea about. At one point, Miertsching is looking at a polar bear through his spyglass. He checks with a sailor to confirm what he is seeing. The bear is lying on the ice, looking in their direction from time to time. When the sailor confirms that it is indeed a polar bear, the two head out to hunt it for meat. Great is their surprise when, upon being approached by the men, the polar bear takes off in flight into the ice blue sky. It was actually a snow-white owl seen through the trickery of the Arctic haze which magnified it, and the effect of the cold, fatigue and hunger that distorted what they thought they had seen. It was certainly a very disappointing moment for the hungry men, but they were also treated to beautiful sights to lift the spirit, like the northern lights and the beautiful illusion that there were three suns, and later three moons, in the sky.
This being a book about "Ambition, Disaster and Endurance", we learn a lot about wintering on a ship stranded in the Arctic ice over not one, but two and eventually three winters. Food supplies dwindle, much of the stores spoiling to the point of being declared unfit for human consumption. The men lose weight, strength and heart. The cold causes frostbite; many of them lose fingers and toes. The lack of sunlight during the long, dark winter months definitely has its effect. Scurvy spreads, as well as hopelessness. Considering all the hardships endured by the ship and crew, I am surprised that relatively so few men died before making it back to England. The first winter, there isn't a single life lost. It is only towards the very end of their saga that a very few of the men lose their hope and sanity, and eventually their lives.
This book is very easy to read from a historical point of view, a bit harder to read from a human perspective, but I definitely recommend it.
April 11, 2022
I normally greatly enjoy books about the Arctic and the quest for the Northwest Passage. Until the very recent discoveries of the Terror and the Erebus, what happened to the Franklin Expedition was one of the North's most fascinating mysteries. Or at least for us Southerners, apparently the Inuit knew all the time. :)
I could not get into this book and didn't actually finish it. I can't put my finger on what it was, but something about the writing style kept me from interacting with the story and investing in the people within it. Despite being an historical account, the book read more like a fiction story, and I think that was the issue.
I could not get into this book and didn't actually finish it. I can't put my finger on what it was, but something about the writing style kept me from interacting with the story and investing in the people within it. Despite being an historical account, the book read more like a fiction story, and I think that was the issue.
December 26, 2015
It was interesting but drawn out
June 17, 2022
a recommendation from my sister. The Ice Passage by Brian Payton is a true story. This time it is the account of the HMS Investigator who in 1850 went in search of several lost ships of the British fleet. This book is told from the perspective of a missionary translator aboard who recounts the crew's difficulties in the Arctic waters. While (as my sister forewarned) there is some liberal commentary by the author interspersed, the great respect for this true believer among heathen is unmistakeable. A fascinating and chilling account (pun intended) that shows the value of one Godly man willing to stand in the gap.
November 26, 2024
Yet another band of merry British adventurers off looking for the hapless explorer John Franklin his two ships and unfortunate crew. Captain Robert McClure leads The Investigator and its crew to one disastrous destination after another, spending years stuck in the Arctic ice only to be saved by luck, then claiming to have discovered the Northwest Passage. A good book with many surprises. These arrogant British explorers had no use for the Inuit and would not listen to their advice so deserved what they got - scurvy, amputations and inevitably lost.
July 2, 2024
I really enjoyed this account of the mid 19th century HMS Investigator search for the missing Franklin Arctic expedition. It seems to be written based on numerous journals kept at the time. The author succeeds in painting a good picture around the facts to present a human touch to the characters and proceedings. The Moravian Brother who accompanies the sailors is a great person to add depth and interest to the story.
As always the hardships undertaken on these expeditions is extraordinary. At one point, with the ship fighting against the ice, the author mentions the sails and I had to sit up for a moment and just take stock of the fact that these men were doing all this in a sailing ship.
I would recommend Michael Palin's book Erebus if you find this subject interesting.
As always the hardships undertaken on these expeditions is extraordinary. At one point, with the ship fighting against the ice, the author mentions the sails and I had to sit up for a moment and just take stock of the fact that these men were doing all this in a sailing ship.
I would recommend Michael Palin's book Erebus if you find this subject interesting.
February 1, 2016
Great read underscoring the determination, courage and hardship by early Arctic sea explorers who navigated new seas without technology. Imagine! Payton makes some good points about dangers to the environment and protecting our wildlife. Payton is the man when it comes to writing about this frozen backdrop His more recent book, The Wind is Not a River, is
as beautifully written as the morning sun reflecting off the volcanic hummocks in upper northwest.
as beautifully written as the morning sun reflecting off the volcanic hummocks in upper northwest.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews