Franklin expedition sets sail for Northwest Passage with 128 delicious-looking crew members M AY 1 9 , 1 8 4 5 greenhithe, england — Sir John Franklin, captain and expert navigator, set a course for the Northwest Passage in two ships fully supplied with healthy, scrumptious Royal Navy sailors. “I’m very pleased I was able to find such high-quality, seasoned sailors,” declared Captain Franklin, licking his lips before setting sail. “All of you are truly the spine, muscles, and succulent thighs of this ship. I am depending on you to keep me and some of the less-appetizing officers alive as we make this arduous journey across the frigid Canadian Arctic.” Franklin wisely instructed his men to fatten up before setting sail by consuming solid blocks of butter, lard, and “as much vittles as possible” to endure the harsh wind, ice, and snow. Beaverton_9780735233294_7p_all_r1.indd 51 However, Franklin made it quite clear that he’d be running a tight ship, outlining that punishments for any misbehaviour would include roasting in a pot for 8–10 minutes per pound. The crew is hoping that naming one of their ships HMS Terror and the other HMS Erebus—after a Greek demigod that guards the gates of hell— will give them great luck in returning safe and uneaten. In the 19th century, Britain encouraged thousands of citizens to move to the colony in exchange for the promise of land. These new colonists were warned of a few differences between life at home and life in the New World. — Things to Know BEFORE Emigrating to C A NA DA Canada does not have a class system. The only thing that distinguishes the common labourer from the wealthy merchant is the overwhelming difference in quality of life. You will need to learn how to say “Please don’t kill me” in French and a dozen Native languages. They say “cunt” slightly less than we do. All the men are named Steve. They don’t know we’re planning to sell them to the Americans. DO NOT TELL THEM. 51 appeared to be relatively tranquil in the mid-19th century. But underneath this calm exterior lay the boiling hot bloodlust Canadians would become known for. Outside of what was known in Britain as “those cute little rebellions of 1837,” life in the United Province of Canada as well as in Nova Scotia, PEI, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland Emigration Bulletin rebellion , struggle , and mutton chops  LIFE IN 19TH-CENTURY CANADA 8/17/17 2:26 PM