INTRODUCTION. xxxv 



He entered the Navy as a midshipman in 1810, and 

 served in it almost without cessation for the remainder of 

 his singularly adventurous life. He accompanied Sir Edward 

 Parry in his second, third, and fourth polar voyages, and 

 attained his lieutenancy in 1826. 



When Sir James Ross was suddenly despatched to the 

 arctic regions, in the depth of winter, for the relief of 

 several missing whale ships, Crozier accompanied him, as 

 senior lieutenant, and was promoted to commander on 

 their return home in 1836. He commanded the 'Terror, 

 consort to the ' Erebus,' Captain Sir James C. Ross, 

 throughout the antarctic voyage — the most remarkable 

 and important expedition of discovery since the days of 

 Cook. Commander Crozier was made captain shortly 

 after their departure ; but services like his were too 

 valuable to be dispensed with, therefore he was retained 

 in his command until the return of the expedition in 

 1843. 



Captain Crozier had now achieved the highest pro- 

 fessional reputation ; he had also contributed largely, more 

 especially in the department of terrestrial magnetism, to the 

 various scientific observations of the exploring voyages 

 — both arctic and antarctic — in which he had been for so 

 many years engaged. Therefore, when an expedition for 

 the discovery of the North-West Passage, and for general 

 scientific research in the arctic regions, was determined 

 upon, Sir John Franklin naturally sought for, and obtained, 

 the nomination of Crozier as his second in command, 

 Franklin being in the 'Erebus,' and Crozier in his former 

 ship, the ' Terror.' 



They sailed from the Thames, 19th May, 1845. 

 For all that we know of him, or any of his companions, 



c 2 



