FrankExp.+Preservation

Preservation of the Bodies

The remains of the crew who took part in the Franklin Expedition are classified as ice mummies. Though the tales differ, as a result of inconclusive evidence, the manner in which the bodies were preserved can be summarised thus:

 The poor men spent two years in their ships as they were wedged in ice. Until one day, one of the men had a figurative light bulb appear over his head. "I have a magnificent idea!" he exclaimed. "Let's leave this freezing cold ship!" He voiced his idea with great enthusiasm, being the first to have conceived the idea . The cold had befuddled them, keeping what would seem an obvious idea at bay for many long months.

The other men approved the idea. Having lain idle for so long, they yearned for fresh air and adventure. So off they went.

They journeyed far and wide over King William's island, the nearest bit of land, and left messages in cairns of their fate for any who may some day marvel over their compelling tales. Overall the walk was a pleasant one. It was a lovely day for a stroll up north, and the men particularly enjoyed stretching their legs.

It wasn't until their fellow men began dropping - from exhaustion, poisoning, disease and who knows what other factors - that they began to realise a problem was shaping. The men dropped one by one as they walked, dying in a frozen state courtesy of the ice. It is because of this that they remain so well preserved today, giving us the opportunity to gleam much from scientific investigation of the bodies.

__ Further Reading __
 * Think Quest, //Ice Mummies,// [], cited 09/08/2011

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