A Frenchman in Search of Franklin

Book excerpt: In April 1852 Emile Frederic de Bray sailed down the Thames on board Resolute. The ship was bound for the icy waters north of Canada as part of Sir Edward Belcher's Arctic Squadron searching for Sir John Franklin and his men, missing since the summer of 1845. De Bray's diaries of his years with Resolute have not been published before, in any language, and only one other account of this particular Franklin search expedition exists. Enseigne-de-vaisseau de Bray, seconded at his own request from the French navy, was something of a rarity among those who made up the search parties: he was not British. (One of his shipmates hoped for the best: 'The Frenchman does not seem an Englishman,' he observed, 'but I suppose he will improve on acquaintance.') As a result de Bray notices and comments on details and incidents his fellow officers would have considered unremarkable. Cape de Bray on the northwest coast of Melville Island commemorates the efforts of this intrepid French officer, who gained the respect of his fellows, was made a Chevalier of the Legion d'honneur by Napoleon III, and was awarded the Arctic Medal by Queen Victoria.