Arctic exploration began in earnest during the Great Age of Discovery as explorers sought to find a sea route through the Arctic Ocean from the Atlantic to the Pacific. In 1744 the British parliament offered a reward for the discovery of the Northwest Passage. The ship Octavius was the first to attempt the voyage but the crew died in the winter of 1762, stuck in ice.
from: http://ezinearticles.com/?The-History-of-the-Arctic-Is-More-Interesting-Than-You-Might-Think&id=5906846
