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Arctic Artist
The Journal and Paintings of George Back, Midshipman with Franklin, 1819-22.
By C. Stuart Houston, with commentary by Ian S. MacLaren.
McGill-Queen's University Press,
441 pp $45.
Review by MICHAEL PEAKE --
Che-Mun Editor
Canoelit Home Page
First was Farley Mowat's three volume collection of Arctic travel, now we have C. Stuart Houston's 1819-1822 Franklin expedition trilogy.
For 20 years, Houston has single-handedly documented one of the most fascinating chapters in the history of Canadian Arctic exploration. It began in 1974 with To the Arctic by Canoe: The Journal and Paintings of Robert Hood and was followed 10 years later by Arctic Ordeal: The Journals of John Richardson, Surgeon and Naturalist with Franklin. Now we have Arctic Artist: The Journals and Paintings of George Back.
Throughout the last volume of his trilogy, Houston remains objective, presenting what went wrong, without prejudice or cynicism. He has no axe to grind, no audience to play to. The reader can see how a series of events, most self-inflicted yet some beyond their control plunged an expedition teetering on the brink of disaster over the edge; a scenario some barrenland travellers have faced but few were fortunate enough to survive.
Back, when compared to Franklin, Richardson, or Hood, displays an enormous self confidence and superiority. Many have criticized him for these flaws, but as is evident in the exploits of a select few, such as Rae and Stefansson, sometimes these men found themselves in situations with nothing other than these flaws on which to survive.
While Back did not always support the decisions of his leader and was sometimes unsympathetic towards the voyageurs or Indians, he provides some insight into one of the more fascinating aspects of the expedition--cannibalism. Houston realizes this question may never be answered for sure, but he wonders whether or not the food Back mentions he and his party found on their trek to Fort Providence was enough to sustain three men, or did they rely on another more gruesome source--the body of Beauparlant, the dead voyageur?
What is also interesting is to see how the bitter rivalry between the Hudson's Bay and North West companies contributed to the failure of the expedition. George Simpson, who disliked Back (along with practically every other person he ever met), was more concerned with the trade than the welfare of the expedition and, as the newly appointed as inland chief in Athabasca, did not release badly needed supplies. Nicholas Weeks of the North West Company, however, is held primarily responsible for the lack of provisions. He refused to honour the notes written by Franklin, worked to discredit the group with the Indians, and constantly threw up obstacles in the way of Back and Franklin.
It is clear this last volume to be a vehicle for presenting the watercolours and paintings from Back's two sketch-books. Such an expensive undertaking, however, is next to impossible in Canada these days without help. We are fortunate that several "angels" came forward to ensure Back's painting were published in colour, and on high quality, acid-free paper. The reproduction does these important paintings justice.
Ian MacLaren, considered by many, myself included, to be the leading authority on the analysis of Canadian exploration literature and art, provides an extensive analysis of Back's writing and painting. Comparing Back's style and character with Franklin's, Back, he declares, is by far the more interesting of the two.
Houston remarks: "It still seems an odd stroke of luck that an amateur historian in Saskatchewan should have had the opportunity to locate, transcribe, and edit the journals of all three officers under Franklin in 1819-21." However he may understate his importance, his contribution equals the works of the last great amateur historian J. B. Tyrrell, who, through his passion of the North, wrote and edited several landmark volumes on the North, most notable are his books on David Thompson, Samuel Hearne, and Phillip Turnor. Indeed, it is a remarkable stroke of luck for Canadians to have amateurs like Houston.
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