A bit more on Franklin, from Doerflinger: Sailed with more than 200 (others say 129) men aboard the HMS Erebus & Terror in 1845. Was last seen around Baffin Island (by a Whaling skipper). Lady Franklin did organize a number of search expeditions , one (of close to 40), in 1859, found a stone cairn on King William Land with a message (a logbook) stating that the ships were traped in ice near Baffin Land & that Franklin had died in 1847 & the rest were attempting to make their way south over the ice, none made it. Sorry about the theory Alan. Colcord puts the date of the song before this discovery. Somewhere I had heard the an Eskimo woman did try to help with their survival but to no avail (can't remember when, where & who I got that from so take it as hearsay). Barry