Hunters on the Track: William Penny and the Search for Franklin offers a comprehensive history of one of the least-known figures at the centre of the Sir John Franklin mystery. Scottish whaling captain William Penny was among the most skilled navigators of northern waters and led the first major maritime expedition dedicated to finding Franklin’s lost Arctic voyage.
The book follows Penny from his whaling career and the rediscovery of Cumberland Sound through the intense years when the English-speaking world was obsessed with Franklin’s disappearance. It explores how Penny combined seafaring expertise, curiosity about Arctic geography, and respectful engagement with Inuit knowledge to chart largely unknown regions.
Drawing on private journals and other primary sources, the narrative reconstructs multiple early search expeditions, the debates over routes and evidence, and the complex relationships among officers and crews. Penny’s command of HMS Lady Franklin and Sophia is placed alongside the actions of the other ships that joined the hunt.
Hunters on the Track will appeal to readers interested in polar exploration, maritime history, and the continuing fascination with the Franklin expedition and its legacy.
- In-depth account of early Franklin search voyages
- Focus on William Penny’s role in British Arctic whaling
- Reconstruction based on contemporary journals and records
