Lieutenant William Parry's first voyage: The crews of H.M.S. Hecla and H.M.S. Griper cutting into Winter Harbour; and H.M.S. Hecla and H.M.S. Griper in Winter Harbour (both illustrated)

Details

English School (c.1819)
Lieutenant William Parry's first voyage: The crews of H.M.S. Hecla and H.M.S. Griper cutting into Winter Harbour; and H.M.S. Hecla and H.M.S. Griper in Winter Harbour (both illustrated)
the first inscribed as title and dated 'Sep.t 26th 1819' (on the reverse); the second inscribed as title and dated 'Sept.r 26th 1819 till July 31th 1820' (on the reverse)
pen and grey ink and grey wash, unframed
5½ x 8 in. (14 x 20.3 cm.); and smaller (2)

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Lot Essay

The Arctic Expedition of 1819-20 was only the second such voyage to be officially sponsored by the British government and was yet another attempt to find the supposed North West Passage. Hecla (Lieutenant William Parry) and Griper (Lieutenant Matthew Liddon) left England in May 1819 and, by September, had reached Melville Sound where they found the way forward blocked by ice. Wintering off Melville Island, the two vessels were finally able to get free of the ice the following June even though, by August 1820, it was clear that no further progress could be made due to yet more ice in the McClure Strait. Thus, the expedition turned for home and made landfall at Peterhead on 30th October.

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