In the mid-19th century, explorers and geographers were seized by an idea that was first floated in the 16th century by the English cartographer Robert Thorne, that there was a vast ocean free of ice surrounding the North Pole. The idea was intriguing because it meant that a more direct route between the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans was possible rather than going around the Cape of Horn. Many explorers such as Elisha Kane, Isaac Israel Hayes, Charles Francis Hall, and George Nares reported to have seen the fabled ocean, fueling optimism in the theory.
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Abandoning the Arctic exploration ship Jeanette on June 12th 1891. Illustration by James Gale Tyler.
Source: amusingplanet.com